ccp247

Are there any members from the Los Angeles area who could recommend a good independent Lexus auto shop, more specifically in the South Bay area? Thanks.

I also have a '98 ES300 and the needle stays steady right below the halfway mark and never fluctuates. I definitely agree about not using an aftermarket thermostat. I used to own a Honda Accord and the same thing applied to that vehicle. A mechanic had replaced the thermostat with an aftermarket brand and the temp was running hotter than normal at times, whereas before, the temp gauge needle would never move. When I found out an aftermarket thermostat was installed, I had the mechanic replace with a Honda thermostat and that fixed the problem.

Can anyone recommend a place in the Los Angeles area (more specifically South Bay) for paint touch up work? I considered doing it myself, but I'm afraid I may end up making it look worse and I really don't have the time to spend in order to do it right, i.e. waxing and polishing afterwards and so forth.

Thanks to those of you have replied. Much appreciated. To further clarify the situation, I would be purchasing this Lexus from a family member, and he's pretty conservative and quite meticulous, so I am confident he has not been abusive to the vehicle in terms of driving it hard or neglecting any routine maintenance. He just spent $1,100 on a maintenance job and everything has checked out OK. I don't know about the timing belt, though. I'll have to ask about that. He had new tires put on last year and the interior and exterior are clean. Any additional thoughts?

I am considering purchasing a used '98 ES300 which has 98,000 miles. The price is $11,000 and it's in excellent condition. It's never been in an accident, it's never had any major mechanical problems and the routine maintenance has been consistently kept up. My main concern is that this car is approaching 100,000 miles and after I buy it, will I then be dealing with costly repairs down the road. Any thoughts as to whether buying this car is a good move or should I consider something else?