Looking At Buying This 93 Es300. Some Questions

[JPJ2007]

Hey guys, I'm trying to sell my car and I really hope I do pretty fast as I found an ES300 I'd love to pick up.

Its a 1993 Lexus ES300

Here is the description:

I have a 93 lexus es 300 auto, fully loaded with leather seats, power sunroof, power seats, heated seats, climate control, traction control. It has a new engine in it with less than 70k miles. the car runs and drives and everything works great expept the trannsmission sometimes it will drive in reverse by pressing the gas pedal a little more than normal. I was told from a transmission shop there might be a valve that remains closed and they estimated a 250 charge for it but i haven't done anything about fixing it because i am moving overseas. Forward it drives without a problem. This lexus with almost 70K miles is worth more than 4 grand but i am taking it 1700 bottom dollar.

first one with the cash gets the car. I am not a dealer and don't play with numbers. 1700 is the bottom price. Only the engine costs more than 2 grand.

I understand there is the problem with the reverse, and I'm ok with that. I'll either fix it myself or gladly pay someone to fix it.

He is asking 1700. I know thats low and I think it is part due to him moving overseas. Perhaps Iraq duty.

Here are some pictures.

I'm ok if it has some dings and dents. I'm only looking for a Daily driver. If it last a year I'll be Perfectly happy.

It has a new engine with 70k miles so I think it will last for much longer than a year.

I know I need to have it looked at and make sure everything is in good working order and nothing

is really wrong with it before I buy.

But I had one worry,

I read on here not to bother buying a 93 due to Over heating issues.

I'm thinking with the engine being replaced I should not have a problem and for the price I cant pass it up.

For the price I wouldnt have a problem spending another grand fixing anything that needed it, doesnt seem like it though.

I just want to know aside from the over heating issue is there any other reason why I shouldnt buy this?

Thanks!

[JPJ2007]

No one has anything to say? I was really hoping to more help than this....

[BoaR]

Well honestly for that price I would jump on it. really no matter what the "problem" its a steal at that price. If the car was totally broken and you were going to junk it for parts - individual part sales will total more than his asking price IMO.

I just bought my 95 es300 about a month ago give or take. it has 200k on it and is in "perfect" condition. no rust, no dents etc.. few very very minor BS things like a little rip in the passenger seat and the guage needles burnt out, but thats such small issues that it was neglectable. I paid 3k for the car. (I live in canada btw, so market values should be the same, but might be different for down south).

Just to give you an idea for mine above. My friend has a 92 es300 approx 200k on it also, he bought it about 4 months ago. paid about 2.5k for it.

His problems? note that he "knew" about the problems on purchase. engine gasket was leaking, and there was a little issue with the coolant dripping. tho he isnt sure where. (his timing belt needs to be changed too but thats a always issue so not gonna count that). Other than that the car runs perfectly with that many miles.

While visiting some we came across es300's from the 92-95 age, with over 450k on the meter. the interior was shredded to hell and looked like crap, dings all over but the actual car ran just fine.

It makes me happy to know that with a little care I can have a car that will easily top 450k for milage and still run great.

As for your car, the interior looks great, no lobster knife fights on the seats to tear them haha, and the pics dont really show the exterior very well (the wheels tho SUCK big time lol they look sooo bad) but overall its not banged up to hell.

If the guy has service records, check the timing belt first to see if it was changed. if not its gonna be due soon (250 bucks), also if the engine was "really" changed and for what reason. maybe the belt was done with the swap. was it titles accidented btw? might be the reason for the sales low ball price.

But if that all checks out, I would jump on the car. the "overheating" issue isnt that harsh as my friends car strongly suggests. original engine that is only starting to have a gasket leak at 200k that actually runs great even tho it needs to be addressed, shows that if your engine was changed, and there is only 70k on the car (no rollbacks), you are set for a long time by buying it ! that "issue" isnt as horrid as most lead on to believe.

Also note that up here in quebec, our winters are brutal. we get our share of mild ones, but in the last 17 years dating back to the 92 lexus - we have had some very impressive harsh climat and tons of snow the car has to put up with. and ours aredoing just fine with high milage.

Down where you are I doubt that -40 winters and 10 feet of snow are standard ;)

your car looks good - go get it !

B)

[byf43]

If YOU are comfortable with the car. . . buy it.

I basically 'stole' a '93 es300 when my sister refused to get it fixed.

It had a cracked/split radiator because she didn't maintain the car.

I got it for $800.00 (The cost of the repairs)! She made the offer. . . not me. I already had 3 vehicles in the driveway!

I've since had to replace one of the O2 sensors, and then the head gaskets (underlying original problem).

I've got almost $4G into this car now. (I had other stuff replaced as 'preventive maintanence' along with the head gaskets.)

It had 108,000 miles on it when I got it.

It now has 112,000 miles on it and it runs like a new one!

It is that U-G-L-Y "Plum" color, but, WTH. . . .

It has one small spot on the rear seat where a stitched seam is pulling apart, at the rear deck, where the seat meets the rear deck.

This Lexus is one fine car, but, only you can make the decision to buy, or not. (You know you want it. . . . . )

[SKperformance]

for $1700 it is a car and should drive for 2 years, if it overheats fill up with coolant.