What’s the useful life of a Lexus ES 350. I have 63k on it, and no real problems, but I tend to get nervous around 60k, and wonder whether I should start thinking new. I’ve never kept a car much longer, but am thinking I can easily get 100k on this one. Any thoughts?
Just about any car will last longer that 100K miles as long as you take care of it. This means at least following the maintenance schedule for all items (for example: changing the timing belt as recommended).
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Consumer Reports recently had an article on long lived cars and trucks. One couple had a Lexus which served the faithfully and had over 400,000 miles son it. Another couple had Ford Ranger truck with over 400,000 miles on it.
If you maintain your Lexus by the book you should be able to do the same thing. There is no need to get nervous in a Lexus that has 100,000 miles on it.
Many regular posters her have cars with very high mileage on them. Aside from taking good care of them, the cars had various things in common:
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The basis design is sound and the detail engineering is good, resulting in a reliable vehicle. Your Lexus matches that in spades!
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The manufacturer supplies nationwide parts and service and will do so in the future. Again, no worry with a Lexus or Toyota.
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The electrical and electronic components are well tested and replacement cost is such that you don’t need to scrap the car if something fails.
Of all the luxury cars, the Lexus is probably the most reliable and worry-free, and you can look forward to many more miles of good service. If your Lexus has a timing belt, replace it when the manual indicates. Also, the transmission fluid should be changed, along with the filter, every 30,000-40,000 miles. This item is listed in your manual as being required much later, but experience has shown that the shorter interval assures very long transmission life.
I would also flush the cooling system every 40,000 miles and use Toyota only coolant.
With the above care, unless you live in the rust belt, you will be on your way to 400,000 miles of happy ownership.
There is a very long list of luxury cars that become unreliable after 100,000 miles and very expensive to keep running. Your Lexus does not fit in that category!
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My ES300 has 140k, and it’s doing fine. 60k is nothing, seriously. What, exactly, are you nervous about? That you will have occaisional unexpected repairs? Sure, but the cost of those is insignificant compared to what you’re spending getting a new car everly 60k or so.
Really…what are you worried about? The only vehicles I have ever known about personally that would not get to at least 100K was the Vega and the Yugo. They are long gone. With normal maintenance your Lexus should see 200K without many problems. Some teenager will probably be driving your ES 350 in the future with 240K on it and will be doing donuts in a parking lot somewhere. Your Lexus should have a long life ahead of it.
The Lexus ES 350 has above-average reliability and longevity–like all Toyotas.
And, after all, this car is simply a Toyota Camry in fancy dress.
As with any other make of car, maintenance is the key. If you have never before looked at the mfr’s maintenance schedule that is in your glove box, then do yourself a favor and start using it as your guide to maintaining the car. And, since all major mechanical components on the car are the same as on a Camry, any competent mechanic can maintain it–at a far lower cost than the Lexus dealer.
Modern cars, if maintained properly, will easily make it to 200k miles. You should have no significant problems with this car for at least 150k miles if you will invest the money needed for proper maintenance.
Ran into this convo while trying to buy a newer model Lexus 350 with 165k miles on it. I’m getting it for a steak but nevertheless mileage worries me .
BTW I purchased a 2003 Corolla back in 04 with around 14k miles. We move around a lot and travel a lot . By 2008 we saw our odometer pass the 299,000 then it stopped. By my own admission We are terrible at oil changes have done little maintenance and never changed any kind of belt. The only thing weve purchased for the car are tires ,batteries , Starter & a water pump . since 07 when it hit 300k miles we have easily gone another 300k probably in the next few years. If in 5 years we did 300k . How many miles do you suppose we’ve gone in another 9 years ?? She won’t stop her poor little heart keeps ticking and is severely neglected. Talk about faithful.
2003 Toyota Corolla is the best car ever made . She will always be my luxury vehicle 
Not really! See for yourself
I bought my Lexus 350S new I took very good care of it 10 years to the day the engine went out 42000 I paid for it
Can you explain “engine went out” for us?
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Found an 02 ls430 for $825. Has broke timing belt. I could buy it to sit in. Will last forever.
Motor 15000.
It has 75000 miles
Taken excellent care of it
Now I own a huge piece of tin that looks new and doesn’t run!
The engine went out
That means a lot of things so it is impossible to know just what happened to this well taken care of vehicle. Surely the shop told you why the engine failed.
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Sounds like you had some bad luck. The ES350 is one of the more reliable cars out there.
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Last month I wrote an estimate to replace an engine in an ES350, there is another ES350 taking up space in the parking lot that needs an engine replacement.
Once a month one of these cars are towed in with an empty radiator and a damaged engine. The plastic radiator cracks and the operator motors on until the engine is damaged.
These cars are so good that most owners have never lifted the hood in ten years. Some that have lifted the hood found that everything is covered with a plastic panel, none of the reservoirs are visible. There are small peep holes to view the coolant reservoir and brake reservoir but being 90% concealed the owner doesn’t understand what they are looking at.
My wife bought a Lexus ES350 their first year (2007). Over 250k miles and still going strong. It runs and drives like new. Love this vehicle. Only actual repair besides normal maintenance was a water-pump at about 70k miles. And that’s it.
I’m the first to agree that a car that gets no service (like checking under the hood) will have problems. I don’t see that as a problem with the model.