Travelmench

Can't believe what a major auto body repair shop here in Ottawa, Ontario wants to repair the front and rear bumper on a 2008 es 350. How adequate of a job can a repair shop do if they don't remove the bumper and don't repaint the whole bumper? The rear bumper has a series of small gouges in it that are about eight inches long, so would require some type of filler that would have to be smoothed out and painted. The front bumper has scratches on it where I ran over a curb; its on the bottom of the bumper, and isn't noticeable unless you bend down and look at it from bumper level. Can't see paying a minimum of $850 for each bumper. I was thinking of a few hundred dollars for both. Am I being unrealistic?

Just bought a 2008 ES350. Drives beautifully with only 26,000 km ( 16,000 miles), but...... The rubberized paint around the audio controls has started to deteriorate ( 8 days after I picked up the car), and white plastic is showing where the rubberized surface has worn away. Took to to the Lexus dealer who said the solution would be to replace both of the steering wheel control panels ( the two come as a single order item). Price -- about $650, plus a couple of hours of installation. Is there some type of rubbarized black paint available that I could use to dab on the white spot? The area is about 1/4" square. The interior of the car is immaculate, but I can't see spending that amount for such a minor item.

I was looking for a low mileage ES350, debating the pros and cons of a 2013 new model style vs the old style 2012, when a dealer specializing in high end imports put me on to a 2008 with 24,000 kilometers ( that's 15,000 miles). He claims that the mileage is accurate, and it was owned by a doctor who drove a Highlander everywhere he needed to go. He convinced me that it was a great deal even at $18,800 Canadian, and that it would last me for years trouble free because it was a Lexus and had such low mileage. There are some minor scratches on the bumper, but otherwise its immaculate inside and out. Looking through the forums, I see that people do have problems with their cars. Anyone out there who has some experience with old but low mileage Lexuses? On one hand, I think I may have hit the jackpot; on the other, I wonder if this was really a sweet deal. I love the way the car rides and handles.