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my 07 RX 350 has a "lifetime " fluid in the tranny. There is not a service interval that is recommended by Lexus. Take that for what it is worth. To have it changed you must go to dealer, it is a very exact process. Not sure about the transaxle but your mileage seems low to worry much about it

Hi lizzy, I drive an '06 ES330 with 95k on the ODO. The one thing you may want to look into (on both cars) is if the timing belt was changed. There stands a higher probability that the '05 had it done (Lexus recommends at 90k) and that the '04 hasn't since it's only 5k beyond that and people like to stretch things sometimes. If they both had it done, that's a major expense you can cross off. Pricing is similar but the biggest differences between those two are the fact that the '05 was the refresh for the generation. Changes included (may not be listing them all): Revisied taillights Revised headlights (projector beans and round fogs) Standard 17" inch rims over the 16's. Dual memory seats New steering wheel with much better intergrated controls To me, there is a big difference in the looks between the '04 and '05 models, def. a more luxury look, and in my case I would be choosing the '05. As gbhrps said, make sure you get it checked out, and if they were properly maintained, they'll go a lot longer.

lizzybluts, My wife and I always purchase 3 to 4 year old Lexus ES's and Subaru Outback's, the pamper mobile for her, and the go through any snowfall one for me. At this point we have had 4 ES's and every one was better than the one before. The mileage you are looking at would not be a concern for me, as long as the car screams "pride of ownership". Being a backyard mechanic who's been in the backyard for years, I do all of the maintenance and inspections. In your case, if you have doubts, take the car to an independent mechanic you trust, and have it inspected. It may prove to be the best $100 you'll ever spend. Any reputable dealership or private individual who won't allow you to get the car inspected privately, has something to hide. Walk away from the car. If, after the inspection, the verdict is great, buy it if its priced right. The only things I have ever had to fix over and above regular maintenance on any Lexus we've owned since 1997, was a torque converter on one, and a suspension sensor for the motorized headlights, and an accelerator position sensor on another, period. That's 4 different ES's, each one a different generation, and many thousands of kms collectively. If they've had regular maintenance and haven't been cowboyed, they are pretty much bullet proof. However, if a major part goes wrong, like most upscale makes, the cost can be substantial. That makes the mechanic's inspection all the more necessary if you don't have the expertise to do it yourself. Good Luck with your shopping!

Sorry about that. The purchase price for my '01 ES was $18,900 at that time (asking price was $21K).

Couldn't have said it better myself stevej! :)

MNJack, Lexusfreak was referring to the actual record of what was done to the car in the past. When buying a car it is wise to inquire and see proof that the proper maintenance was performed. I would shy away from a car that has 110,000 miles on it from an owner that changed the oil and filter "whenever" as opposed to the identical car from an owner that religiously changed the oil and filter every 5,000 miles. Do you see where he and I are coming from. Your point is well taken about major services coming up, but simply stated, a view at the maint. history of a car can tell you alot about the car and how it was treated. steviej

Make sure you have the complete maintenance history as well. B)

valve cover gaskets and rear/main seals, have it checked for sludge, check color of tranny fluid. steviej