BoogieEn

I am going to buy a 1998 ES300 in pretty good shape. The car runs smooth and there's no oil leak. There's a few problems however

1. There's a kind of oil build up around the engine's side where the metal parts bolted together, looks like it's been there for quite long. I didn't see any oil leak on the bottom of the car, but is the oil build up a problem? It's along the blue arrow in the pic (taken off a topic in the board)



2. There was some smell when I turned on the AC. It wasn't oil burning, not musty odor either, I'm not even sure how to describe the smell. What could be the cause?

3. The brake light inside the car on the rear deck doesn't work. Is it expensive to get a replacement? DIY possible?

The stereo works but the display is broken. Also a dent on rear bumper that the owner says cost $250 to fix/touch up. Driver's window can't fully closed, I can feel and hear the wind blow through when we were on the freeway. Timing belt was replaced at 100k, now it has 169k

So, is $3400 a fair price in California?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

1. The oil buildup is a leaky valve cover, the rear one is just as bad, if not worse at this point.
2. You need to be a little more descriptive.
3. Not difficult at all, should be easy to replace.
4. The bumper itself is around $250 + more for paint. You could always push it out with a heat gun.
5. The weather seal is probably worn out/dried up - makes sense since you're in Cali. There is a Service Bulletin about wind noise, you could try using their solution to fixing this problem. I believe they just added a bit of foam from the inside, to push the seal a little closer. Or you would need a new weather seal.
6. A timing belt job is around $800

I would offer $2700

BoogieEn

Thanks for the helpful post! I'm mainly concerned with that leaky valve cover. How bad is it? Could it be a deal breaker? I really liked the car, I'm waiting for the owner to get the smog test done tomorrow evening then I'll haggle on the price.

donbryce

It seems like 9/10 Lexus owners here have/had leaky valve covers. Lots of time spent tearing down the top of the engine to access the gaskets. It's a DIY if you are capable, fairly expensive to hire out due to the time involved. IMO, definately not a deal breaker. Next to no oil will leak when the engine isn't running, and very, very little when it is, 90% of the time. It mostly looks bad, forming a dirt-catching surface on the block as grime accumulates as mileage increases. You could get a dealer price on valve cover gasket replacement and mention it at time of sale pricing.

The A/C smell might be the cabin air filter, if the '98 is so equipped. Check the owners manual. Could also be spillage or debris in the interior fan housing/ductwork, check if it is present when the heat is on and A/C off.

The timing belt should be good for another 30,000 miles.

BoogieEn

Thanks a lot guys! Looks like I am going to take this one. I've been seeing lots of cars in the last few weeks and I liked this one the best.

Owner wanted $3800 originally. When we finished test drive he said the lowest he can go is $3400. I'll try to talk him down further, now that I know more about the issues.

WARNING: this forum might be filled with my questions in the next few months :-)

BoogieEn

I just had a talk with the owner today, he took care of the brake light, smogged the car and replaced the wipers, but he's really firm on $3400, damn. Is it worth going for it? I understand it's on the high side but I really like the car. Any advice?

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

The only thing that would bother me is the wind noise, everything else is easily replaceable. You have to understand that you WILL find more problems as you live with this car, considering its current shape. A proud owner wouldn't let their valve covers leak and not deal with an exterior imperfection. Having said that, I can't really give you an honest opinion without having seen and/or driven the car.

You can always look for a better one, there is plenty out there, and it might be cheaper in the long run to buy a car for a higher price but in a better condition. I personally bought my ES with lots of issues for a low price, and then later spent more than the purchase price just to get it up to my standards. There is still lots to do, but I have become attached to this vehicle and the cost of ownership has become irrelevant. You also have to keep in mind that I did 99% of all labor on my car, where as you might need to pay someone else to do it for you.

canucklehe

i hear mrbooby...I am way fussier than most. i bought a '93 and thought original owner... always serviced at dealer...should be good car. .but now I see he did bare minimum and sold it because it was at a point where it needed many smaller things. I just won't deal with the body issues as that is way too expensive. I can do majority of stuff myself.