not sure if this will get that much attention because it’s kind of a niche car compared to other lexus’s, but i’m looking to get my wife a car now that i have my is350. we’ve been looking for camry/corolla’s but all are way overpriced for how many miles, probably because they’re in high demand.

there’s a 2015 CT200h Fsport, 170k miles for $8,000 and i was wondering if this was a good idea or not. i know lexus’s can last well past 200k miles and this car would only be temporary, 3-4 years. i’ve read on some reddit threads that the early 2010’s were prone to head gasket issues but it could be a hit and miss

also been looking at some ES models but most of those in that $8k price range are sub 2010 and i don’t know if that would be a good purchase either. hopefully someone has some good advice

 

The CT was never an expensive car to begin with; in fact, it was the cheapest Lexus they ever made. So that means it will be more affordable than other options when used. At this age/mileage, you have to wonder how much juice is left in the hybrid/traction battery, and of course, there is the potential headgasket issue. But the 2015 should be less prone to that failure, and it if hasn't happened by now, it's probably good to go. It's worth a test drive (start it from dead cold), and plugging an OBD2 into the port like Dr. Prius app to check the health of the battery. But certainly, $8k sounds like a good price to me.

 

I own a '15 CT, but I voted an ES for you. Our CT's are fantastic, but there's head gasket considerations, hybrid battery (as mentioned above). The ES has more room, better acceleration, more comfort and are reliable as anything.

 

$8K is a good price considering it's a Gen 2 and F-Sport (at least for California).

At that mileage, I would expect the head gasket needing to be replaced soon, so I'd factor that into your cost of ownership. Even with the (inevitable) repair, I still think the overall cost of maintenance, MPG, etc. still ends up being cheaper than cost of other cars.

My 2015 blew at around 170K (x3 cold death rattle start ups within a 48hr period, currently have 218K w/o issues). I probably spent between $500-700 to DIY using Fel-Pro head gasket and OEM everything else (gaskets, head bolts, etc.)

 

ct is a classic. hello former CT family. i would get a CT it's a great memorable car for me! very fun and zippy and nice to park places. very easy car to live with.