imagerock1

Hey everyone,

I just bought my parents a 2017 Camry and will be taking ownership of their 99 GS300. I didn't trade it in because they would have given me chump change for it. It has over 220k miles and a few issues. I figure that it could serve as a backup for my family, my parents, and my brother's family. But before I spend $ on fixing it, I want to perform a full inspection of the car (engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, and electrical). Honestly, reading about the suspension woes on this car scares me, especially the LBJs. I'm not exactly sure what parts have been replaced since my father took it to Korean mechanics. Don't take it the wrong way, I'm Korean and just don't trust Korean mechanics (from past experiences).

From local Lexus dealerships (Chicagoland area), I've gotten quotes from $140 to $300 for an inspection with about 1 hour of labor. Does anyone know how extensive/comprehensive these are? I asked them if they check spark plugs, perform compression tests, and so on, and they couldn't give me a 100% answer. They just said the same checks that they do on all used cars. Do they just do a visual inspection and just check the ECU for codes?

Thanks for your time and help. Btw, if any Lexus mechanic on here does side jobs and is in the northern suburbs of Chicago, please hit me up.

kevin3344

I think I paid $125 for an inspection from the Lexus dealer for my '02 SC430. They found a power steering hose that needed to be replaced and checked out the suspension and motor mounts, overall it was a good value for peace of mind. As you know the ***** joints are weak spots on the 2GS so it might be worth it get those checked out. I have an OBDII reader to read codes so I didn't need them to read codes.

Overall, a G300 with 220k has a lot of life left, my brother-in-law has one with 288k on his (purchased with 282k a few months ago). Just keep an eye on the fluids and you're good.

imagerock1

That's what I was thinking...the engine at the very least is rock solid and the condition of the exterior looks great (other than rock chips and silicone that my father put over the windshield molding and roof to stop water from leaking in). I just talked to my neighbor that is a Toyota service writer. He'll be taking in the GS and have a tech look it over. I might be able to commission that tech for side jobs as I want to replace and stiffen up the suspension and whatever else he finds.

lextout

gs300 is a dog and gas hog, get a gs400 same gas mileage as a gs3 and hauls some serious as