Buying a used Lexus RX300 (Oil gelling question)

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HK_Ace

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A friend in need needs a reliable and slightly roomy vehicle. Her Honda is on its last legs and becoming a money-pit. She cannot afford a new vehicle, and being all the "family" she has, I'd like to help her a bit. I have been helping her look for good used Forester, Outbacks, Rav4s, and CRvs. She needs some room for her dog and trips to HD/Lowes for her house upkeep. However, I see a 1999 Lexus RX 300 with around 120,000 miles sitting in an impound lot. The guys says it is is good shape, so I was going to look at it and make an offer if it all checked out. However, I started to do some research and see that there may have been some "gelling" issues with older RX300s that did not have their oil changed frequently enough.

Knowing I cannot rely on a simple dipstick and oil-fill-area inspection, is there any way to tell if this one has been taken care of, without taking to to a mechanic? If I have to, I will, and I can ask if that is okay but being an impound lot, I am not sure if they will go for it.

I asked and they said the vehicle had enough parking and other violations that the owner could not come up with the cash and basically the vehicle is for sale. 1999, 120,000 miles, asking $5,500.
 
I can imagine a Lexus costing more to repair than a Honda.If it needs work,it would be like owning 2 Accords.
 
I asked about that. He said they provide some paperwork that enables the motor vehicle place to give me a title. I think they don't have the original title, as with many impounded vehicles. This is the first time I am looking at a vehicle on an impound lot, so I don;t know much about it. I will call the motor vehicle place.
 
Yeah, I need to consider that. I do have a hookup at a Lexus dealership, but only while he works there as a service manager. He hooks me up on Toyota parts and even the one time my 4Runner needed timing belt and all that- he saved me a ton. Still, you make a good point. I need to seriously consider that. May need to go back to cheaper vehicles I was focusing on.

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I can imagine a Lexus costing more to repair than a Honda.If it needs work,it would be like owning 2 Accords.
 
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Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I can imagine a Lexus costing more to repair than a Honda.If it needs work,it would be like owning 2 Accords.


Not really...it's a Toyota underneath.
 
Originally Posted By: HK_Ace
Knowing I cannot rely on a simple dipstick and oil-fill-area inspection, is there any way to tell if this one has been taken care of, without taking to to a mechanic?


Without dropping the pan, or removing the front valve cover, there isn't much anyone is going to be able to tell you about what's going on internally when it comes to 1MZ-FE sludge.

Given this is a 15-yr. old vehicle with no maintenance history...are you going to be the one who brings it back up to sound operating condition (ALL fluids, timing belt, brakes, suspension, etc.)?
 
Originally Posted By: HK_Ace
A friend in need needs a reliable and slightly roomy vehicle. Her Honda is on its last legs and becoming a money-pit. She cannot afford a new vehicle, and being all the "family" she has, I'd like to help her a bit. I have been helping her look for good used Forester, Outbacks, Rav4s, and CRvs. She needs some room for her dog and trips to HD/Lowes for her house upkeep. However, I see a 1999 Lexus RX 300 with around 120,000 miles sitting in an impound lot. The guys says it is is good shape, so I was going to look at it and make an offer if it all checked out. However, I started to do some research and see that there may have been some "gelling" issues with older RX300s that did not have their oil changed frequently enough.

Knowing I cannot rely on a simple dipstick and oil-fill-area inspection, is there any way to tell if this one has been taken care of, without taking to to a mechanic? If I have to, I will, and I can ask if that is okay but being an impound lot, I am not sure if they will go for it.

I asked and they said the vehicle had enough parking and other violations that the owner could not come up with the cash and basically the vehicle is for sale. 1999, 120,000 miles, asking $5,500.


To really check the condition of sludge on the 3.0 L Totoya V6, you could remove the front valve cover. I have a 98 Sienna with the same engine and there is only a small amount of crusty sludge in the corners under my front valve cover. There is some varnish, but she runs fine. Here are some pics that I posted.

charkin...rt=3&page=1


Regards, JC.
 
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Take it to a mechanic and have him check it over.

You can get a much better price on the vehicle than they are asking and after it is checked over make them an offer take or leave it.

Check with the DMV too and find out information about obtaining a title before you jump on it.
 
Seems like a big gamble for $5500 plus the shop only has a few hundred into the car. Their high balling you, so I would counter for $1500 with $2500 max. If something goes wrong with it guess what they will tell you...

Ask if they've put any money into for repairs. These cars can sit around for years so that's another question, how long have they had it? Places like these seem a little shady as well. Not sure I'd want to buy a car from them. I remember looking at a Civic at a place like this. Guy just stood there silent, mumbles some things, basically just wants the money and the car plus myself off the lot. Tow truck drivers seem to be a mean lot and that's basically what you're dealing with here.
 
If the owner couldn't come up with the cash to get it out let alone take care of it, expect it would need a going over and some.
That's the way I see it anyway. Not saying pass, just maybe, not all maintenance done and/or done on time, well kept.
Then again it could be a steal.
 
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Yea, he didn't sound like an especially friendly guy when I called anyway. If I go, I will ask that he let me check it out. my buddy at the Lexus dealership can help....will ask him too. You guys make a good point about the potential condition of the car with owners possibly not taking care of it. I usually look at the exterior, interior, underneath, the fluids, and decide from them. In this case though, there are no owners to talk to...just the surly impound guys.

JC1- those valve pics are interesting. Did it get that way with regular OCIs?

Anyway, lots to think about and I am probably going to back out unless they agree to let me take it to my buddy at the Lexus dealership.

Oh, my friend drives a 1996 Accord 4-cyl with close to 180,000 miles. The previous owners had not done much to it or with it and it also sat and sat for a while while he was deployed. I don't think his wife changed the oil much either. It has a pretty varnished engine, the suspension is shot for some reason, the radiator and thermostat act up a lot. After thermostat replacement and coolant replacement, it isn't much better. Fan runs forever after shut down and it overheats every now and then in the summer. The tires are shot too, so that is another expense. Plus, timing belt time coming up again.
 
Good that they're letting you take it to a dealership to have it looked over.

Short of that, I was going to suggest grabbing the VIN and having any Lexus dealership look up the maintenance history (if there is one).

It might not be a detailed report, but at least they can give you some idea of how the vehicle was treated (or mistreated).
 
Originally Posted By: HK_Ace
JC1- those valve pics are interesting. Did it get that way with regular OCIs?


I bought the van in 2006 with 117,000 km on it. The previous owner had some service records from service he did at the stealership. I've run both dino and synthetic on it with usually 5,000 km or 3,xxx miles OCI. After joining this site I've extended that OCI to around 7,500 km at the most. I've used MMO and some gunk motor flushes a few times on the engine. Since I never removed the valve cover from the start of ownwership, I don't know if I've cleaned it up any.

Now I've converted over to Mobil 1 5w-30 as it's full time oil. I'm going to remove the valve cover in May and see if it's any cleaner inside. The van doesn't burn or leak any oil.

Regards, JC.
 
Oh, I am not sure if they will let me take it to the dealership. I will ask though, and it is the only way I will make an offer. Good input and it helps a lot, so thanks for all the feedback. Besides the CRV, Rav4, Forester, and Outback, I didn't have too many ideas for a reliable, fuel-efficient, low-maintenance, and roomy vehicle that is inexpensive to insure. Those are ones I know so I stuck with them for her.
 
I agree you have to pull the valve cover. Here is another data point, my 1MZ-FE at 232,000 miles (and a link to 155,000 miles). The later one looks darker due to the oil needing to be changed. If you scroll down on that thread there are other posters with pics.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2200831

Also check the condition of the PCV valve, mine eats those for breakfast.
 
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