1999 Rx 300 W 207K Miles. Invest $3,600 In Repairs Or Trade-In?

[SiderealTime]

Love our '99 RX 300, but need advice on "investing" $3600 in maintenance and repairs or trading in. All things being equal--would like to keep the car--but it may not be smart. Runs great--but oil leaking and some other issues require an investment.

Any advice?

[TomC]

A good run, but time to say adios. The expense is one thing, the constant fixing of an old car is another - quality of life issue, unless you enjoy meeting with your mechanic on a regular basis. ^_^

Tom

[BoltzmannFactor]

I just put another $2,200 into my 1999 RX300 and I'm happy that I did. We're in the process of buying our first home, and neither of us wants to spend tens of thousands of dollars of our down payment money to buy a replacement car. Besides, the RX has been incredibly reliable; it's hard to justify replacing a car that runs as well as this one does.

A couple grand to keep the car in optimal condition seems like a good investment to me.

[lenore]

That is a tough one, if the oil leak is from the rear main than that is pricey....If from valve covers, those aren't bad. I would suggest replacing PCV valve and make sure there is not excessive back pressure causing the oil leaks. If you are on the original transmission you did good, but that could come into play in the future. the car is 14 years old, but is still a fantastic machine with very contemporary looks. New car payments suck. But picking up a lower mileage RX330 could get you in the next 10 years. Good luck with your decision....tough one.