Is My 97es300 Worth Keeping?

[Wudaye]

Has almost 180,000 miles on it. Everything works fine, but just the Blue Smoke on the start-up. It is getting worse everyday. Do I need to take it to the car shop or dealer to check it over? How much would that cost? It is also time to change the timing belt.

Thanks

[BoaR]

yes, that depends and yes.

:D

[Wudaye]

Thanks. But how much it will cost? Do I need to take it to a Toyota dealer? or just a normal car shop?

yes, that depends and yes.

:D

[BoaR]

take it to a lexus dealership. get the quote from the horses mouth first.

then someone you trust to see the diff in $$.

if its a couple of bucks only - i'de do it at the dealership. rather have lexus people work on my lexus type thing. you get the idea ;)

[camlex]

I have 97 with 330,000 still running likes new.

what was the last time you replaced PCV?

[Wudaye]

Wah, that is pretty high mileage. How do you normally do your maintainance on it?

I replaced the PCV like 5 years ago.

I have 97 with 330,000 still running likes new.

what was the last time you replaced PCV?

[BoaR]

dude 330k is nothing to be honest.

Ive seen a few in my area running well over 480k purring like kittens... these cars last and last long.

Unless its something major that will just run you thousands more than the car actually was bought for, they are totally worth repairing.

If for some reason the repair outweighs the cost - part the car out. the parts can easily recoup your costs !

[blk_on_blk]

We had smoke out of our '95. We brought it to the shop to have the valves done, and they didn't quite get the keepers seated on the valves when done and ended up dropping two valves into the engine upon start up... bye-bye engine. Our shop is great, and they sourced a new/used good engine for $600 their cost, then they just swapped out engines. It runs beautifully now. That may be the way you want to go. Instead of chasing down burnt valves, worn cylinders, sticky piston rings, or leaky valve stems, just source a complete used replacement engine (and they usually are guaranteed to a certain degree) and have it replaced. If I remember right, costing was about $600 for the engine and about the same for labor to pull and change the engine, but our shop covered it all for the cost of the valve job. ...just an option.

[camlex]

Wah, that is pretty high mileage. How do you normally do your maintainance on it?

I replaced the PCV like 5 years ago.

I have 97 with 330,000 still running likes new.

what was the last time you replaced PCV?

Every 5,000 oil change Castrol Syn. Blend 5W30

Every 15,000 PCV and Air filter

first 15,000 trans. oil drain and fill

next 15,000 trans filter drain and fill (By Mechanic)

That's it. it's just run and run.

Sure i do timing belt and WP and all belts, seal @90,000

And Shell Gasoline............

Hope that helps.