1991 Lexus LS buying question

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- Mike Sullivan
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Sep 1, 2003 2:33 PM

I am thinking of purchasing by owner a 1991 Lexus LS. It has 220K but has been meticulously maintained. The timing belt and the water pump have been replaced recently. The oil was changed every 3K miles. The brakes also have been recently serviced. I was very surprised when I test drove it - seemed like I was driving a 2 year-old car, not one that was 12 years old!

The owner is asking $4,000 and is slightly negotiable. I am leery of both buying such an old vehicle and the high mileage. I am curious to know what the engine and drive train are good for (mileage) and if this appears to be a "GOOD DEAL", or am I just setting myself up for a string of high cost repairs?

The vehicle is in pristine condition, never been in an accident. It has alloy wheels, moon roof, remote keyless entry with remote start. It has a dual Trac feature (2 different driving conditions) and power everything as well as a superior audio system with CD changer. I am planning on taking to a good trusted mechanic as my next step.

I appreciate you response,

Mike S.

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- MelvinGibson
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Sep 1, 2003 3:44 PM

I once owned a 91 LS, great car. However, even though most cars today, properly maintained, will last a long time 220K is a LOT of miles even on a quality built car like the Lexus. Think of the maintenance that car is going to need. In my opinion you would be better served spending $4,000 on a vehicle that is much newer, less expensive to maintain, less expense to operate. When I was buying Lexus', I owned three, I could never get out the the dealership for less than $300 every three months. That was one of the reason I switched to a domestic brand luxury cars.

mike hunt

Mike Sultan wrote:

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- Lon Stowell
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Sep 1, 2003 7:23 PM

Approximately 9/1/03 07:33, Mike Sullivan uttered for posterity:

In addition to the mechanical checks, make sure all of the toy stuff like power seats, windows, locks, automatic temp control, etc. etc. are working properly. Repairs to those can be as expensive as normal mechanical ones.

If the engine and transmission have been well serviced, they have halfway decent odds of giving you another 100K or so before serious $$ repairs are needed. The car is probably gonna cost money in repairs, mostly the secondary stuff like exhaust, differentials, etc. If you otherwise like the car, this is not that likely to be as high as driving a newer Lexus.