# 2004 Lexus, Too OLD!? **URL:** \ **Category:** Buying/Selling\ **Tags:** es-330, lexus\ **Created:** [August 13, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705 "2021-08-13T17:08:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CARTALKBILLY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@CARTALKBILLY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CARTALKBILLY)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/1 "2021-08-13T17:08:42Z")
I am interested in a 2004 Lexus ES330 with 100100 km (63000miles) on the odometer; I would very much like to know; is it too old ?? Owner claims well maintained oil brakes cat was recently changed No sign of rust nor wear & tear. I have yet to visit and definitely have a mechanic look it over Need some advice! Also I do mainly highway driving with 120 miles a day (Monday To Friday) for another year then I retire ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/2 "2021-08-13T17:12:12Z")
> [@CARTALKBILLY](#): > > Owner claims well maintained Of course he does 😉 People buy vehicles like this all the time so the only opinion that really matters is what the shop says after ther look at it. ---
**Author:** ![CARTALKBILLY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@CARTALKBILLY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CARTALKBILLY)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/3 "2021-08-13T17:14:57Z")
So ya think I should at least go over and check it out In person EH! ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/4 "2021-08-13T17:36:01Z")
Definitely look it over yourself and have a independent mechanic check it over. ---
**Author:** ![CARTALKBILLY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@CARTALKBILLY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CARTALKBILLY)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/5 "2021-08-13T17:38:14Z")
Thank you Im on it ! ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/6 "2021-08-13T18:15:28Z")
Those are good cars, not much too worry about. Check if the timing belt has been replaced. “Old” is relative, That car is 4 years newer than mine. I perform airbag recalls on cars older than that. ---
**Author:** ![CARTALKBILLY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@CARTALKBILLY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CARTALKBILLY)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/7 "2021-08-13T18:26:10Z")
Thank you for your reply!!! The 2004 Lexus ES330 has a non inference engine, Right?! To answer your question, no the timing belt was never changed. I asked the owner if the transmission fluid was ever changed? He didn’t think so. SO! If the deal goes through change tranny fluid?, belt?? and water pump??? or wait?! ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/8 "2021-08-13T18:32:02Z")
yes, yes and yes. The 2004 Lexus ES300 **does have a timing belt** as specified by the manufacturer. This part has been identified by Lexus as the Camshaft drive belt and it is recommended that the belt maintenance schedule be tested every 30,000 miles and that the part be replaced every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/9 "2021-08-13T19:07:01Z")
I’d be very careful with this one, based on your transmission statement above. If the car is 18 years old, and the transmission fluid has never been changed… chances are higher that it will have some issues any day now. And he’s never changed the timing belt? Sounds to me like the current owner either went by miles on the maintenance schedule, or tried to avoid the expensive stuff. Or both. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/10 "2021-08-13T19:12:33Z")
63k miles? Could be nice. What state is it in? Dry? Like Arizona? Asking price? ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/11 "2021-08-13T19:16:44Z")
> [@ledhed75](#): > > If the car is 18 years old, and the transmission fluid has never been changed… chances are higher that it will have some issues any day now. With just 63,000 miles on the odometer? Don’t be silly. I usually change the transmission fluid and filter around 90,000 miles, and then again around 150,000 miles, and have never had any transmission problems. Even at 90,000 miles, the fluid and filter still look good. > [@ledhed75](#): > > And he’s never changed the timing belt? Sounds to me like the current owner either went by miles on the maintenance schedule, or tried to avoid the expensive stuff. Or both. I would certainly change the timing belt ASAP. I believe this is an interference engine, so it will be a lot more expensive if you wait for it to fail. I do not think a 2004 is “too old”, and I would happily buy a car that is much older than this. The key is condition, and whether the price is reasonable for the age and condition. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/12 "2021-08-13T19:35:02Z")
> [@bcohen2010](#): > > I do not think a 2004 is “too old”, and I would happily buy a car that is much older than this. The key is condition, and whether the price is reasonable for the age and condition. Agree with that my two daily drivers are 31 and 39 years old and for what I spend a year for whatever maintenance and repairs needed is far less than making payments for something different of course it helps that I am retired. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/13 "2021-08-13T19:42:25Z")
> [@CARTALKBILLY](#): > > Owner claims well maintained > [@CARTALKBILLY](#): > > the timing belt was never changed. I asked the owner if the transmission fluid was ever changed? He didn’t think so. So much for that “well-maintained” claim. 😏 I am willing to bet at least the price of cup of coffee that the original owner has never flushed the brake hydraulic system or changed the coolant, so those are two more potential sources of problems and repairs. Time and time again in this forum we have heard that a particular vehicle was “well-maintained”, and it almost always turns out to be **only** oil changes that were done. And, that leads to the question of how often the oil was changed on a car that was driven less than 4k miles per year. Unless the owner could prove through documentation that the oil was changed at least 30 times over the past 17 years, I wouldn’t touch it with the proverbial 10 foot pole. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/14 "2021-08-13T19:46:14Z")
Condition is the key on this deal. Ny? Pa? Parked outside or garage? $3k or $8k? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/15 "2021-08-13T19:49:54Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Ny? Pa Probably niether one as it has 100100 KM . ---
**Author:** ![CARTALKBILLY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@CARTALKBILLY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CARTALKBILLY)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/16 "2021-08-13T22:23:53Z")
No Sir! Car situated north of Massena, NY in eastern ontario The asking is 8500 ---
**Author:** ![CARTALKBILLY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@CARTALKBILLY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CARTALKBILLY)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/17 "2021-08-13T22:25:22Z")
Looks good in pictures ES330 is eastern Ontario Asking 8500 oBo ---
**Author:** ![CARTALKBILLY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@CARTALKBILLY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CARTALKBILLY)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/18 "2021-08-13T22:26:22Z")
You know what neither will I! Thank for this ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/19 "2021-08-13T22:44:57Z")
A vehicle in a cold climate that is likely driven for only very short distance local trips needs to have its oil changed at least twice per year. If the owner of this “well-maintained” 😏 Canadian car can’t **prove** that he/she has had the oil changed every 6 months, you would be very wise to run away from this “deal”. And–as I hope you have learned in the process–“well-maintained” is frequently a characterization that exists **only** in the mind of the person who is trying to unload his old _rolling wreck_. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705/20 "2021-08-13T23:06:03Z")
If I understand this the person is going to pass on this vehicle. It sounds like the person lives in New York and was going to buy a vehicle in Canada . Why would you go to all that trouble for just a run of the mill vehicle ? [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-lexus-too-old/178705.md?page=2)