Truly sorry for your problems, they really are wonderful cars. I hope you get it sorted out and have many years of enjoyment ahead.

 

I am soooooooo sorry for you because the RX is really a great car.

 

When my '01 was totaled a few weeks ago I started looking for a replacement and found a perfect '02 with 75K, perfect paint, perfect leather, nice Carfax then I plugged it into the Lexus service database and the last entry, just a week or so before was a report of a sludged engine.

The owner had traded it immediately. So everyone all along the line, the owner, the dealer, the wholesaler are thieves. I pity the poor guy that ended up with it.

 

If you don't mind me asking, how much did your insurance give you for the RX?

 

the problem is, it`s going to be tuff to find one due to all the sludge problems they had.

 

My neighbor gave up after getting the wrong engine for his highlander, we ended up rebuilding his engine....The engine that he ordered was not drilled for the motor mount on his car....

 

I have an '02 & made certain that all oil changes are done. There was a time (probably for around 15-20k miles) that we brought it to one of the "instant oil change" places. Then, upon bringing it in to be serviced by Toyota, we learned that the instant place had messed something up (I think stripped something). From that point on, it has just been Toyota.

But, I have several people who think that I'm "crazy" to get the vehicle serviced so often. My parents, even though they don't drive much, are lucky if they get an oil change once/year! I find that a lot of older people have this mentality.

They also think that since they have a "high-end quality" vehicle, maintenance should be "optional".

Should the MX1 engine have had these sludge issues to begin with? Obviously not to this extent. But with proper maintenance, they should go pretty much forever.

I am curious if the dealer who will be selling the '02 that you saw with 75k is reputable & will be offering a "decent" warranty for the car. Hopefully the engine will give way within 100 miles or so, and the new owner will make out with a new engine for little or no cost...