Which vehicle should I keep, which should I sell?
I own two cars and will be downsizing but not sure which vehicle is better to keep…
or
Also one of my passengers, not driver is 6’4"
Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. I am not much of a car person.
Keep the Lexus. It’s a better car.
Opinions may vary. 
It’s simple, the one you like to drive the most is the one to keep.
Sell them both and get a midsize sedan. You can likely get at least $11,000 for the pair if you sell them yourself. That will get you a 2011 Camry SE with auto transmission and about 40,000 miles. You will have the room of the ES300 and it will be 11 years newer.
If you must keep one, that is a tough call. The Lexus IS 16 years old, and even though it is a reliable brand, a car that is 9 years newer should be more reliable over the next several years. We have 2 Cobalts and they run well. If the Cobalt is too small for your tall passenger, you really have no choice but to keep the ES300.
Agree with JT or sell the Lexus. Its just too old even though a better car.
Thanks everyone,
Volvo V70, you are so right.
Yes JT I am considering a newer car.
And also Bing the age concerns me, I am not getting any younger myself.
But many I have spoken to agree with you mountainbike, that Lexus is better.
Much for me to think about.
Yes, I would sell both and buy a reliable mid size car like a Hyundai Sonata (lots of leg room), or Mazda 6.
Why would you ask us about the 6’4" passenger? you have both cars in front of you, have him (or her) try them out!
Either sell the Lexus and keep the Cobalt. Or sell both and buy a new Lexus or Avalon.
I’m going to say keep the Cobalt
Because it is far newer and MIGHT have stability control
pretty sure it has more airbags than the Lexus
The cobalt has tpms . . . that’s actually a plus in my book, FWIW
The cobalt is newer . . . might be a few more years before the paint starts to go. The Lexus is probably reaching that point just about now.
I’m not at all sure, but I’m guessing the cobalt may be cheaper to insure versus the lexus
I’m also guessing here . . . the cobalt probably gets better fuel economy, and can use 87 octane. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lexus requires 91 octane. I have the same engine in my Toyota, as in that Lexus, and it gets very mediocre fuel economy, and my car’s newer with a more modern transmission. that should be saying something about this Lexus
one of my acquintances is very tall, probably 6’4" or so. he drives a small car, a Mazda protege, and he’s quite comfortable. My point is that just because a car is small, doesn’t mean it’s not okay for a tall person
My preference would be the Lexus and have the timing belt replaced now if that has never been done.
Sell them both and go car shopping.
Some years back, we had a 1974 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. My wife was on the road and we decided to sell the Monte Carlo and replace it with a new 1985 Ford Tempo. The Tempo got about 30 mpg and the Monte Carlo with its 400 cubic inch engine was lucky to get 17 mpg on a good day. The Tempo was reliable, but my wife hated the car. Three years later we traded the Tempo for a Ford Taurus which she did like. I am rather insensitive to what I drive, but stepping down from the Monte Carlo to the Tempo was too big a leap. Would it be the same for you to have to ride in the Cobalt? I think how you use the vehicle is important as well. If you don’t have to depend on the vehicle to commute to work the Lexus will do just fine. If it isn’t rusting, that would probably be my choice. I am at the age where I don’t care about gas mileage. We currently have a Toyota Sienna and a Toyota 4Runner. We like the comfortable seating positions in these vehicles.
Gotta agree with that. Mileage is only one factor and has never (hardly) been the deciding factor. I did get the diesel for comfort and mileage, but make sure you like whatever you keep.
I am somewhat against the sell them both idea. That might just cause another " What car should I buy " thread.
Sell the Cobalt. Invest the proceeds from the sale and when the Lexus gets to the point where it needs to be replaced, you will have some money to apply to a new vehicle. I did ride in an almost new Avalon last week --a,v very smooth and quiet ride. I assume a Lexus is even better. The ride in the Avalon is making me rethink my view that a,Studebaker Scotsman was a luxury car.
Thanks I am leaning to the idea of selling the Cobalt and using the Lexus until I feel the desire to get a newer car. Am retired so mileage is not a factor mostly use cars to run around town. Super discussion, Though!
I’m afraid you’re not really making sense, as far as I’m concerned
You’re going to sell the Cobalt, until you feel the desire to get a newer car
The Cobalt IS a newer car. Much newer than the Lexus. Only 7 years old. Younger than the average age of vehicles on the road, in fact
You also said you just want to use the car to run around town
Again . . . the Lexus has absolutely no advantage over the Cobalt, if you just want a grocery getter type of car
@db4690 I am retired and certainly use our vehicles more than to just buy groceries. Sometimes it is pleasant for us geezers to just take an afternoon drive even if we don’t go anywhere. I would think the Lexus might be better for such a ride.
Maybe a better plan would be to hang on to both the Lexus and the Cobalt. Both my wife and I are retired and both of us are on the go all the time. We would have a hard time getting along without two vehicles. My wife does a lot of hospital visits and drives people to doctors’ appointments. I am always going to musical performances or rehearsals or doing maintenance and repair work at the small church we attend. For instance, Thursday evenings I take off for a band rehearsal 15 miles away. My wife takes the other vehicle and goes to choir practice. Downsizing for retirement wouldn’t make sense for us. If anything, we have upsized. We’ve become so involved in activities since we retired five years ago that we joke about retiring from retirement and both of us getting jobs. My parents were the same way–they kept two cars until my dad gave up driving. My suggestion to the OP is to hang on to both cars until you see what retirement brings. I may even get a third vehicle–a compact pickup to haul things. I didn’t retire early either–I was almost 70.