I have a '99 Lexus GS300 with only 65k miles. Mechanically the car runs fine and I’ve had very few problems with it. A component of the A/C went out and I have an estimate to have it fixed for $2k (from a reliable mechanic.) Since I live in Texas I cannot go without A/C in the near future. I’ve been debating getting a new car. If I sell the car should I repair it and sell it or sell the car as is and discount the cost of the repairs from my asking price? If I don’t sell it I am concerned it’ll become a money pit. Thanks in advance for any advice.
A Lexus with that few miles is not about to become a money pit; buying a new car most certainly will in terms of cash outflow.
If the rest of the car has been well maintained, and the body has no rust, you have another 10 years of life left in this car.
I would get several quotes on the A/C repair, and go for it. Wearing out your A/C in Texas is a geographic hazard; I once borrowed a 2 year old Taurus in Houston with the compressor on its last legs.
A recent long life article by Consumer Reports sported a happy Washington state couple with a 1990 Lexus LS 400 with 332,000 miles on it!!! Their recipe? Maintain it by the book and take it easy! Let us know when you reach your first 100,000 miles!
Happy motoring!
Ditto. Keep this excellent car.
No need to punt this car - too few miles and too good of a repair record. Spend the bucks to get the A/C fixed…
Get at lest 3 quotes to repair the A/C. Then get it repaired. If you don’t like the car, sell it. If you still like it, keep it.
That car is practically new by some standards.
For that kind of money I guess we should assume the compressor is wiped out. A look around shows this compressor is not that easy to procure and even at AutoZone runs 1200 dollars for a reman without sales tax. Jeez, must have gold inlays or something.
I consider your car as having a lot of life left in it because 65k miles is really nothing. My opinion would be to fix it and if you need a compressor then this might be something to consider. It would definitely trump that 1200 dollar thing from AZ.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LEXUS-AC-AIR-COMPRESSOR-GS300-1998-TO-2005_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33543QQihZ023QQitemZ360017419962QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Just curious though. What are the symptoms? Any noises out of the compressor?
I forget the broken part but it’s in the dash. Most of the repair cost is the labor of taking apart the entire dash. I can’t realistically imagine I’ll end up pouring money into the car. My bigger question, if I decide to sell it since my wife wants a different car, is whether to fix it and sell it or just sell it as is and discount the cost of the repair off the sale price.
I think the replacement part you are talking about is the evaporator. It would be a lot of labor to replace it.
It sounds like that a new car is in your future though the one you have sounds like it has a lot of good life left in it. With the mileage you have on it someone is really going to want this car. I think if you sell it as is, and discount your asking price around 1,500 dollars you will sell it pretty quickly if the regular asking price is within reason.
Buying a new car right now is pretty nice since dealers are begging for customers and interest rates aren’t too bad. The buyer should be in the driver’s seat for making a good deal. Prices for a new Lexus will not be discounted as much as an American car but you should be able to strike a good deal on one still, if that is what you are wanting to get. With a new car you won’t have to think about repair bills for some time. Just that monthly loan payment. If you can afford to take on payments right now without any problem then you might want to get a new car. If payments are going to be a problem then you may want to fix the car and save some cash to buy one later on, using the saved money to reduce the payments. I don’t thing the car is going to cost a lot to keep it longer unless it has been abused somehow. Some folks would feel it is just broken in.
I disagree with the others. You need to sell this tub immediately. I’ll be down Friday to pick it up.
Just kidding. You have a great car there with lots of life left. Occasionally something breaks on a car, but that doesn’t mean it’s about to become a money pit. Get the three quotes from reputable shops, as others have suggested, and have it repaired. It’s well worth it.
Rockauto.com have them listed for about $900.00 with clutch. That is a re manufactured one.
There is also evap coils listed for around $500.00
Find out what part needs to be replaced. It seems that several members ae willing to help you find a less expensive one. You can take it to the garage of your choice and have it installed. It doesn’t have to be the dealer.
You should always fix the car before you sell it. You get the widest customer base that way and are more likely to get your asking price. You will not only pay for the repiar but the aggravation of getting the repair done if you let the next owner take care of it.
Your at the point age wise where things go. Anything over 7yrs/150,000 miles(whichever first) things start to happen. Financially its still cheaper to keep the vehicle and muster on. Your car is more expensive to fix as its a luxury model sold in small #'s.
Its your wallet vs your stomach…
It’s the evaporator then or something associated with it, could be just a shot O ring. The evaporator is about $150.
Were I you, I’d get a workshop manual, buy the tools I didn’t have, fix it myself and keep the cash.
I’ve just read up the strip down and it looks straight forward enough probably a weekends work, including tea breaks.
I’d put a shot of UV leak detector in the system and run it before starting strip down, you’ll be able to see the leak easy enough when you get it apart.