Very Old But Rarely Driven; What To Consider?

coolwater · May 23, 2009

I am shooting all directions these days.. seems like I am posting in every board. It's because I am trying to buy anything Lexus.

Well, there is a '97 ES with only 50k miles on it. For some reason, the car has not been driven much. Perhaps, it was sitting there not driven for several months at times.

What do you think?? What do I have to look for??

Your advice is urgently needed.

dcfish · May 23, 2009

I am shooting all directions these days.. seems like I am posting in every board. It's because I am trying to buy anything Lexus.
Well, there is a '97 ES with only 50k miles on it. For some reason, the car has not been driven much. Perhaps, it was sitting there not driven for several months at times.

What do you think?? What do I have to look for??

Your advice is urgently needed.

Drive the car first, Have a qualified mechanic inspect it, Ask any and all questions to the owner..... If you agree with the findings , BUY IT B)

By the way, A 1997 LEXUS is not old, Just getting broken in ;)

LALVLexus · May 23, 2009

Nothing wrong with an "older" Lexus with low miles on it. I purchased my '96 ES300 with 38,400 on it in April this year. It was a garaged car owned by a retired Asian couple.

Any time you purchase a low mileage car the potential problems are:

Belts / Hoses--rubber degrades over time and with non-use it can dry out. Depending on the climate where you live this could be an issue. Simply inspect and if some need replaced it's still going to be a low mileage car.

Gaskets--again, these can dry out, depending on many factors. Inspect for leaks, etc.

Sun damage--depending on where you live, if the car was stored inside/outside. More of an aesthetic issue.

My personal experience with my low mileage '96 is that it's dry as a bone underneath--no problems. I did take it to a shop and have the A/C freon filtered/recharged, and all fluids changed (trans, power steering, brake, anti-freeze). I don't know if it related to older drivers or the low mileage but the front brake rotors were warped and I replaced them myself inexpensively (along with new pads).

All told that '97 with 50k could be a great deal, just do your due diligence and check it out.

coolwater · May 23, 2009

Nothing wrong with an "older" Lexus with low miles on it. I purchased my '96 ES300 with 38,400 on it in April this year. It was a garaged car owned by a retired Asian couple.
Any time you purchase a low mileage car the potential problems are:

Belts / Hoses--rubber degrades over time and with non-use it can dry out. Depending on the climate where you live this could be an issue. Simply inspect and if some need replaced it's still going to be a low mileage car.

Gaskets--again, these can dry out, depending on many factors. Inspect for leaks, etc.

Sun damage--depending on where you live, if the car was stored inside/outside. More of an aesthetic issue.

My personal experience with my low mileage '96 is that it's dry as a bone underneath--no problems. I did take it to a shop and have the A/C freon filtered/recharged, and all fluids changed (trans, power steering, brake, anti-freeze). I don't know if it related to older drivers or the low mileage but the front brake rotors were warped and I replaced them myself inexpensively (along with new pads).

All told that '97 with 50k could be a great deal, just do your due diligence and check it out.

Thank you very much for all the great info.

All these possible problems will be checked and inspected by the Lexus mechanic if I bring it in for a pre-own inspection, right? I hope so.

LALVLexus · May 24, 2009

Actually I forgot to leave out one other possibility.

Sometimes an older vehicle has low mileage on it because it was totalled/wrecked in a very bad accident, it sat for quite awhile, then someone decided to put it back together. I don't know the laws in your state but most require that these vehicles be registered as "salvage" or "rebuilt."

A quick way to assure yourself that this is not the case is to check the VIN# (serial number located in the lower driver's side windshield/dash area) and compare it to the VIN tag that's on the fenders, doors, hood, and trunk lid. If any of these parts are missing it's suspect. You should also run a CarFax report, they usually catch these things.

Even if it's not been totalled and one of these parts is missing the VIN tag it could mean that the vehicle was in an accident where that part was replaced.

Hope this doesn't cast doubt on your potential low mileage purchase but thought you should know.

steviej · May 25, 2009

The big question is where has it been stored?: inside or outside.

How often has it been driven?: weekly, monthy, etc?

97 is among the sludge years. Find out how often the oil was changed.

Definately bring it to a mechanic and have them specifically look for oil sludge or signs of sludge.

Like aforementioned, anything rubber should be checked out: hoses, gaskets, belts. This include the calipers and CV boots as well.

Check all lines: gas lines and brake lines for rust and corrosion.

In addition to engine oil, check condition of all other fluids. If you plan to buy, plan to replace all fluids with new if they haven't been done in a year.

Think about the timing belt. Even though it only has 50k miles, it has 12 years. Timing belts are made of rubber as well and changing should really be considered. Now the good part is that the 97 engine is non-interference so if the TB breaks there will be minimal damage.

Check the condtion of the tires. If the car has sat for long periods of time, flat spots may have developed.

Most mechanics will charge about $100 to $200 for a pre-purchase inspection depending on how thorough they are, but it is money worth spending.

Make sure they go over eveything from wiper blades to a compression test of each cylinder to a pressure test of the cooling system.

steviej