Just drive your current LS, what's the point of getting an older LS to put miles? The extra 20k miles you put on your LS doesn't worth 10k...

 

I'd understand if you have something exotic or a gas guzzler but truthfully your LS460 should be fine as a daily driver.

 

Although it runs counter to my sporting instincts AND my innate desire for luxury, occasionally a beater can be most useful for the freeway slog. IF your commute is relatively slow and all you are doing is following that bumper in front of you, any kind of performance is wasted money. Look for reliability, (relatively) cheap repairs, low cost insurance, and as much comfort as you can afford. Then look for a bit of luxury. You may not have thought about it, but you're probably going to be spending at least two hours per day in that seat. From that standpoint, think of it as buying a mattress - you're going to be spending a lot of hours on it, be sure it's comfortable and fits you well.

Me, I love heated leather seats - not just for warming up the seating surfaces on a cold morning, but the relaxing effect at the end of the day as I treat myself to a warm backside on the way home. Besides, it's a good way to keep that pizza you bring home warm.

I also like a decent stereo with options for radio, CD, or Bluetooth linked to my Pandora and I Heart Radio accounts on my phone - for entertainment to pass the time. I'm a sucker for telematics, and have discovered I can add many of them to our old beatervan. Just don't get so attention-overloaded you forget what's happening on the other side of the windshield.

Depending on your route and traffic, fuel economy is probably going to be pretty dismal unless you purchase some real hair-shirt econobox for low-speed stop-and-go work. While ultimate performance is probably a waste of time and money too, don't think that sacrificing it for 40mpg (city) is going to make you happy either. I have too many friends with SmartCars.

If you're going to get a beater, you might find something that will complement your LS - at least functionally. A club-cab pickup or a minivan can serve double duty as a weekend hauler, or a vehicle to take camping or fishing. A well-preserved sport coupe or convertible could help revive your sportive notions out on the 2-lane by taking the long way home occasionally.

Finally, if this car is going to be a commuter, forget resale. You're probably going to drive the wheels off of it, so at a $10K budget, there are plenty of decent drivers out there that won't embarrass you. Consider purchasing a ex-fleet car from a rental agency. I've had pretty good luck with those over the years. Most big agencies trade in their fleet units every couple of years, and not all of them have high mileage. In my experience most have had no serious mechanical issues (OK, one required rear brakes after a year), but they have the advantage of having had all the kinks worked out of them and most recalls addressed. As a rule of thumb, most expensive failures occur early, so buying a car a couple of years old can be a wise investment. Contrary to widespread opinion, rental cars are driven by responsible, conservative drivers who don't abuse them and they receive regular service checks - something most private owners don't do.

 

I'd stick with your current LS for DD duties. Buy something else for fun!

Mike

 

+1.
Get something fun for the weekend. Drive your LS to work.

 

aargh you all must have been talking to my wife because she also reprimanded me for my itchy fingers. I have been looking for an excuse to get another vehicle for a while and thought I got it. But common sense may prevail...

I guess I can start looking at SC400's/430s now.

In seriousness, it does make sense that driving that 20k miles a year (vs 10-12k miles I do now) is not worth the additional $$ I would spend in a 2nd car...plus insurance etc. etc...

 

I had a commuter car when we were living in South Florida and I was commuting 60 miles per day. It was a used Infiniti QX4. It was pretty rough around the edges, but I liked it because I sat up high and could see traffic. My other car was an SC430, used mostly on weekends. We also had an Infiniti FX35 in the stable. After a while, I just found that it was too much upkeep and the insurance costs were not worth having the third car, plus one car always had to sit in the driveway so we would have to play the "car shuffle" sometimes. IMO, not worth it.

 

There is nothing on the SC300/400 and SC430 that's sporty, they are comfortable cruiser and good looking. While SC300/400 have their common problems that need money to address.

 

I like having a beater for the simple fact that it's a "disposable" item that you just don't worry about. You don't worry about rock chips; where you park it/who parks next to you; etc.. Beaters can be comfortable cars, too.

Out of the provided list, I'd go with the LS if MPG is not important, if it is, probably the Camry. IMO, the ES is a glorified Camry so I couldn't justify paying extra for a comparable car.

What about an IS300?

 

Get the 3UZ

 

People want a retarded amount of money for beat up IS300's. At least that was the case when I was looking for one with a manual transmission 2-3 years ago. Anything under 10k had over 100k miles and was pretty ragged out.

Also, I love the 2JZ in my SC300, but they are pigs on gas. I get 23 highway, about 19 in mixed driving. If you want a sporty Lexus from that era, the one to get is the GS400. Nicer interior and the V8 has about 100 more horsepower and gets similar gas mileage to a 2JZ six cylinder

 

How old is your main lexus? and mileage?

 

Lol. Well it's a Lexus forum so everybody wants to recommend LS, Camry and ES. The ideal commuter car is this:

Do you mind if a gigantic 18 wheeler sprays crud, crap and little rocks on your car as it passes you?

How about constant worries about who will ding your doors or scrape you at the local BigMart?

How about the yahoo pickup truck driver who parks a little too close to your car and couldn't car less about what brand it is, as long as it acts like a doorstop?

Buy the Camry or Mazda and be worry free. Save your stress and worries for a hobby car.

 

Currently have a 11 LS460 SWB with 43k miles. Taking this all into consideration, I *want* to get another car but financially it may not make much sense. Bah thanks for your thoughts though they're valid.

 

Agree with those who say to just drive your regular car. If you had a rare Ferrari, a commuter car would make sense. In your situation, not so much.