2005 Lexus GS300 Petrol Auto

partyguinness

I am only looking to spend say £4k max (in the UK) as I now WFH 2 days a week so just a family car. with 2 kids. Admittedly it is very self indulgent and sure what's wrong with an old Peugeot.

Found a lovely 2005 Lexus GS300 Petrol Auto (120k on the clock and valid MOT (NCT) to next January) a few miles up the road for £3,800. Looked at it today and it is absolutely immaculate...mind blowingly pristine. I swear to God it must have sat in a garage for most of the last 17 years. As a proper old man car, it probably was owned by an elderly couple.

But anyway...the gory details...it initially failed its MOT back in January for the following reasons:

Repair immediately (major defects):

• Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))
• Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))
• Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))
• Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))
• Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))
• Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))
• Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))
• Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))
• Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate (1.6 (a))
• Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))
• Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Car was brought back again 6 weeks and 68 miles later and issued with a clean bill of health (not even a minor defect). Now, I am looking at the list of emission failures and on the face of it perhaps it was just lying idle for a good few weeks in cold weather. It was then taken for a redline blast down the motorway and came back with the cobwebs blown away- passed with flying colours. I'm so cynical I'm sure you can find a friendly MOT tester to bullshit a test result - but that is just my deeply cynical view.

But, further digging around shows up that Lexus around this vintage have a problem with its direct injection engines i.e. carbon build up, heavy oil burner and the engine full of sludge. Some other points:

• FSH (every year mixture of Lexus and some other random garage)
• All papers, 2 keys etc
• Last week serviced again but a second hand gearbox fitted, oil & filter levels checked (no stamp just a signature and a receipt from a garage). £200 seems awfully cheap to fit and perhaps supply a second gearbox on a Lexus

Haven't spoken to the owner as he was not there when I rang (to be fair I gave 10 mins notice) but will speak to him tomorrow. Not a dealership but some lad who has 10-15 cars out the back of his house.

Buying a 17 year old car is always a risk but am I buying an imminent engine failure? I could take it straight for a walnut blast to try to clear out the assumed carbon build up.

All thoughts greatly appreciated.

User1998

Well if its recently passed its MOT and it drives good I would maybe get some sort of mechanical inspection to ease your concerns. Maybe even an emissions test to ease the concerns of a dodgy MOT? You could also see if the other failure items have actually been fixed. That would suggest the emissions problems were fixed too.

sumo12

I'm far from an expert on them but I don't believe the petrol engines of that vintage gave much (any) trouble. I certainly don't recall them burning oil, sludging etc. Sounds like it just needed the gee driven out of it to me. I wouldn't be afraid of that car at all.

ThreeGreens

Do be conscious of the road tax. It can be quite hefty. Almost certainly over €1K pa for road tax.

Padraig Mor

That generation GS300 (I used to own one) was known for issues with carbon build up on the back of the valves due to the direct injection alright. Now, maybe they broke down the intakes and gave the valves a clean.....or maybe they didn't. Having said that, I don't recall hearing of carbon build up actually causing any major issues - although it's been a while since I looked into it.

Brake calipers can be problematic too.

bazz26

It's a 17 year old car, things break and things wear out. That's the roll of the dice.