Hello Lexus Community! I just want a second opinion on a Lexus ES300 2000 that i bought a few months ago. There's a lot to consider...

-Main thing being it had an almost brand new 2003 Toyota Avalon engine put in it 7 years ago. Mileage of the engine is now at roughly 110,000. Mileage of the car itself is 172,000.
-Exterior is black and has a dent passenger side rear with a few scratches here and there 7/10. Could use a solid buff/polish, and PDR. (paintless dent repair)
-Interior is in good condition for how old it is 8.5/10. Interior is tan leather.
-Lastly, it needed new tires when i bought it, which i paid 600 dollars for. (put Michelin MXV4 on) I initially paid $3500 for just the car then $600 for the tires. Totaling $4100 dollars.
-Checked out by my local mechanic and said everything (except for the tires i replaced) looked good

Was this a good deal?

 

It's not a bad deal. I'd say it was fair/good.

 

$3500 seems reasonable if the timing belt has been changed.

 

Timing belt has not been changed unfortunately. BUT, i also forgot to mention that the previous owner cared for it meticulously with Mobile1 Synthetic oil, and he lives in the same city as me so i didnt have to drive very far to get it .

 

That seems pretty reasonable, I just picked up a 2000 ES with 164k for $4000. I know I paid above book, but it's well cared for and only 2 owners, timing belt done at 125k and brand new tires. Honestly, in my area I still see lots of '00 and '01 models going for $5-$7k. The last ES I had was a '97 that I picked up in 2009 with 180k for only $3k--I feel like that one was a smokin' deal back then!

 

I sold my 2001 with like 230k a few months ago for $3800. That being said it was a one owner car, all service records, and was extremely clean, but it did need the emergency brake shoes to be replaced which I included in the sale as well as a set of almost new snow tires. You came out OK, mileage really doesn't matter as much as condition once these cars get older. I've seen es300s with 120kmiles, but rusty fenders, rust on the trunk lid, needed all the suspension replaced while there are cars with 200k+ that don't have these issues and are in much better shape, I'd get the one with 200k.

 

^ comes down to area in north america, and how cared for it has been... I see it all the time.

I almost bought another 3ES two days ago for 1500$ to do a quick flip [2001 - 225k km's], but it sold within minutes of it being listed.

 

I bought mine in Minnesota, which is where i live, so obviously rust is something to look out for. But considering that the one i bought has virtually none, especially for how old it is, i'd say it was a pretty good deal. Just as long as i keep it washed in the winter i should be fine.

 

Thankfully in the Pacific Northwest we don't use any salt on the roads, maybe that's why all the ES's here seem to be so much more expensive than the rest of the US. Rusty cars are never an issue here.