I know man, I was just playing.

 

Slightly off topic but would hybrids also benefit from a quick run to redline once in a while? The engine barely runs in urban traffic anyway. It's also easy to hit license-losing speeds if you deploy full power on a hybrid...

 

Owned the car since new, meticulously maintained (I question to diagnosis of "oil crudge" if you've always changed the oil with amsoil), you still enjoy the car...I would keep it.

If you continue to stay on top of maintenance which it sounds like you will, it's not going to cost you $80,000 like a new one would.

Unless you want a new car I don't see any reason for you to replace it.

If you do decide to replace it, PM me and I will write you a check for it. Not kidding.

 

Those years were some of the best for Lexus when it comes to reliability and quality. Unless you want newer features I don't think it would be better in any way, especially financially to get rid of your paid off well maintained low mileage car and spend a ton of money on a new one. If you like the car and maintain it very well I would just keep it and save your money. Doubt there could be anything when it comes to repairs that would come anywhere close to spending 60-90K on a new similar car. I would learn to do things yourself, it will save you a ton of money over taking it to a dealership or mechanic. Sounds a little odd your engine was a gunked up if you were pretty diligent with oil changes. I had a 2001 GS430 with even lower miles then yours and there was no gunk or sludge in the engine and it ran like new, I did synthetic oil changes every 5000-7000 miles, used Redline fuel treatment every 2 years, did a engine flush using lubro molly, cleaned throttle body twice I remember, and put a product called Ceratec in it and it was very clean. Changing the oil every 3000 miles seems like overkill unless it is the first change or 2 after the engine was cleaned to make sure all the gunk is out.

 

Changing the oil at 3K intervals is a wonderful idea--for the mechanic.

If you use a synthetic, then Lexus says once a year for their current crop of cars. Oil has changed a LOT over the decades. But do whatever makes you feel good about the car.

Based on what you've said, I'd take it to a different shop for the next service, and get their opinion and compare it to the first mechanic's view. Never hurts to get a second opinion, right?

As for longevity, as long as parts are available, you could keep the car running forever. It will probably get more expensive as major systems need replacement, but if you love the car, why not?

 

I think at this point it's more about what is feasible for you.
For ANY older car out of warranty I think it's wise to budget $1500-$2000 per year for unforeseen maintenance issues
or catastrophic failures. When I say budget, I mean always having that cash on hand for emergency repairs. However, if you find that you are spending that budget every year this older car maybe it's time to put her down

 

i agree with this. It's usually at the owners discretion when they want to let er go, when the car has let you down one too many times or has just been sitting unused for way too long. It's either you have your monthly car payment or pay for maintenance.

 

they really do last for a very long time even under just basic upkeep. my 95 Ls400 was my daily driver for 4 solid years and i drove it all over the place. drove it hard too. i just kept up with oil changes wiper blades and brake pads. only big thing i ever had changed was the PS pump and rack. unfortunatley i found out that almost everything on the car is OEM from 1995. (car sat at a condo and was barley driven for about ten years. pristine example with just over 110k on it. now its at 209 and just about slap wore out. transmission is not shifting correctly, stalling, engine is misfiring. needs a major refresh. i run it around the neighborhood a few times a week just to keep the blood flowing now but it needs alot more than that. its almost 23 years old with almost ALL oem parts. the suspension is absolutley shot. shocks have had it. cats are going, starter is starting to grind, its developed a few small oil leaks, AC comes and goes, havent decided yet if i want to sink a ton of money into it when i can just go buy another one and even a newer one, for less than it would cost to get it in 100% condition again. one of the reasons i havent given up is because the car is still absolutley beautiful cosmetically.

 

i will say this, even with all of her faults, and even now at the end of her rope, shese never let me down. never left me stranded and always fires right up with a single key bump.

 

I would keep the car!!!! I hate car payments, and a 2000 LS is as well built and solid as anything! Enjoy that smooth, refined V8-- they're going the way of the Dodo bird! Today, people are paying $70k for a 4 Cylinder E-class!

 

I have a low mileage (for me) BMW 335i in the garage, and in its life it has never achieved daily driver status except for a 2 mo. stretch. A bunch of people told me you're not helping the car at all, it was meant to be driven, so even though you only have 51k, and a normal one would have at least 130k, a car with higher mileage than yours would be better off, who knows what that number is, 80? 90?

Now I have a buddy with a 2005 330i ZHP, not that common, and he is like me, and his car has even less miles. He's not an idiot either as he's a CPA at a big 4, partner too, so he's got money, yet he babies his BMW and leases a car that's a daily driver.

To the original question, my aunt has a 2006 330i which she bought brand new, and the car still has its original battery (Sept. 2005). At the same time, her water pump failed at 42k miles, but at 9 years. Oh, just thought of this, my ABS pump failed on my car at 47k or so ($4,200 job at the dealer, no way would I be willing to pay that so I DIY). So these failures had nothing to do with mileage.

On a LS? I think the same principles apply, if you present me with a 2006 that has 21k miles, I'd say no thanks. But if you presented me with one that had 60k miles, I'd think that would be promising.

On the OP's car, if it is driven consistently at about 7k per year, I think it's fine, time may cause some things to break, but it's not being driven so infrequently that the latter is an issue. I have my 18.5 yr. stint with a 1998 Maxima to draw experience from, it was trouble-free for about 12 years, at which time the exhaust corroded. But, things started to go wrong related to emissions, and we have testing in PA. I would say after 15 years, age started to kick in, radiator began to leak, water pump weep, blah blah blah. But it has had its original clutch its whole life....

 

One (possible) reason the water pump failed at 42K is that your aunt may simply not be driving it enough. 9 years and 42K miles is less than 5K miles per year....and part of that may be idle-time. Coolant, when it circulates, helps keep water pumps and their gaskets/seals lubed and pliable....they are more likely to deteriorate if not regularly used.

 

The oil gunk bothered me too. I thought Amsoil was pretty much invincible and while my driving is short distances but stop and go I didn't think I would have had to worry about build up. As mentioned, he suggested changing every 3 months which I guess I will do.

Thanks again all for your comments.

Best,

John

 

No, the reason the water pump went out is that BMW makes the impeller out of plastic. They just do not last, same thing with BMW radiators, the plastic end caps crack with age. Great place to cost cut, since inline six motors are notorious for blowing head gaskets and warping the head if you run them hot.