Rocking drivers seat, slow acceleration, old warranty

[c***@yahoo.com]

Dear Experts,

Today I was looking at a 1999 Lexus ES300 for sale.
With 71000 miles on it, I'm told. Which is not a lot
of miles per year.

I have a 1997 Camry XLE, which, except for the labels,
is very much the same car. 3 liter V6, leather, etc.

1)
The driver's seat would rock back and forth on
the acceleration and deceleration. This was irritating,
enough to notice. Like a rattle that won't go away.
My Camry leather seats do not do the same thing.

Is this a known, common problem that can be fixed?

2)
The other thing that I noticed is that the acceleration
seemed slower on the Lexus, than on the Camry.

Is this normal? Could it be that they need to change
the spark plugs?


3)
They told me that I can go to Lexus and transfer the warranty
to myself. That it is good til 100K miles.

Is this true? It's 2007, so the car is eight years old now. If
so, what all does the warranty cover after all this time?


Thanks a lot

[Ray O]

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Dear Experts,
Today I was looking at a 1999 Lexus ES300 for sale.
With 71000 miles on it, I'm told. Which is not a lot
of miles per year.
I have a 1997 Camry XLE, which, except for the labels,
is very much the same car. 3 liter V6, leather, etc.
1)
The driver's seat would rock back and forth on
the acceleration and deceleration. This was irritating,
enough to notice. Like a rattle that won't go away.
My Camry leather seats do not do the same thing.
Is this a known, common problem that can be fixed?

It depends on what is rocking. Most likely, it can be fixed.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
2)
The other thing that I noticed is that the acceleration
seemed slower on the Lexus, than on the Camry.
Is this normal? Could it be that they need to change
the spark plugs?

It is difficult to tell without driving the car, but it is possible that the
car needs new spark plugs and an air filter.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
3)
They told me that I can go to Lexus and transfer the warranty
to myself. That it is good til 100K miles.
Is this true? It's 2007, so the car is eight years old now. If
so, what all does the warranty cover after all this time?
Thanks a lot

The owners may be talking about an extended service contract.

[John S.]

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Dear Experts,
Today I was looking at a 1999 Lexus ES300 for sale.
With 71000 miles on it, I'm told. Which is not a lot
of miles per year.
I have a 1997 Camry XLE, which, except for the labels,
is very much the same car. 3 liter V6, leather, etc.
1)
The driver's seat would rock back and forth on
the acceleration and deceleration. This was irritating,
enough to notice. Like a rattle that won't go away.
My Camry leather seats do not do the same thing.

My guess is that the car was used a lot in low milage stop and go
driving. Wear like that is common on seats that have been used a lot.
There is likely not an adjustement, but some loose parts could be
replaced.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Is this a known, common problem that can be fixed?
2)
The other thing that I noticed is that the acceleration
seemed slower on the Lexus, than on the Camry.
Is this normal? Could it be that they need to change
the spark plugs?

I would have a pre-purchase inspection performed by a mechanic familir
with Toyota cars. You may have a plugged catalytic converter.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
3)
They told me that I can go to Lexus and transfer the warranty
to myself. That it is good til 100K miles.

Likely an extended warranty. You might check to see if there is a
time and milage limit.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Is this true? It's 2007, so the car is eight years old now. If
so, what all does the warranty cover after all this time?

You will need to check the warranty to determine the extent of
coverage, deductible, etc. With some luck it will be from Toyota.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Thanks a lot

[Danny G.]

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Dear Experts,
Today I was looking at a 1999 Lexus ES300 for sale.
With 71000 miles on it, I'm told. Which is not a lot
of miles per year.
I have a 1997 Camry XLE, which, except for the labels,
is very much the same car. 3 liter V6, leather, etc.
1)
The driver's seat would rock back and forth on
the acceleration and deceleration. This was irritating,
enough to notice. Like a rattle that won't go away.
My Camry leather seats do not do the same thing.

Checking that the front seat mounting bolts are not loose every
20,000 miles is on the maintenance schedule for my Supra

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Is this a known, common problem that can be fixed?
2)
The other thing that I noticed is that the acceleration
seemed slower on the Lexus, than on the Camry.
Is this normal? Could it be that they need to change
the spark plugs?
3)
They told me that I can go to Lexus and transfer the warranty
to myself. That it is good til 100K miles.
Is this true? It's 2007, so the car is eight years old now. If
so, what all does the warranty cover after all this time?

I hate to say it but if reading a warranty or looking at something
wiggling is to much effort then your test drive is pointless too.

[ChrisCoaster]

Post by Danny G.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Dear Experts,
Today I was looking at a 1999 Lexus ES300 for sale.
With 71000 miles on it, I'm told. Which is not a lot
of miles per year.
I have a 1997 Camry XLE, which, except for the labels,
is very much the same car. 3 liter V6, leather, etc.
1)
The driver's seat would rock back and forth on
the acceleration and deceleration. This was irritating,
enough to notice. Like a rattle that won't go away.
My Camry leather seats do not do the same thing.

Checking that the front seat mounting bolts are not loose every
20,000 miles is on the maintenance schedule for my Supra

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Is this a known, common problem that can be fixed?
2)
The other thing that I noticed is that the acceleration
seemed slower on the Lexus, than on the Camry.
Is this normal? Could it be that they need to change
the spark plugs?
3)
They told me that I can go to Lexus and transfer the warranty
to myself. That it is good til 100K miles.
Is this true? It's 2007, so the car is eight years old now. If
so, what all does the warranty cover after all this time?

I hate to say it but if reading a warranty or looking at something
wiggling is to much effort then your test drive is pointless too.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

________________
Not to mention fatigued connecting points at the floor-pan or fatigued
floor-pan itself.

Have to wonder just what went on in that driver's seat... ; P

-CC

[j***@hotmail.com]

Post by c***@yahoo.com
I have a 1997 Camry XLE, which, except for the labels,
is very much the same car. 3 liter V6, leather, etc.

Some people say the Lexus ES is a Camry V6 with leather seats. I might
add dolled-up interior. Most parts are interchangeable.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
1)
The driver's seat would rock back and forth on
the acceleration and deceleration. This was irritating,
enough to notice. Like a rattle that won't go away.
My Camry leather seats do not do the same thing.
Is this a known, common problem that can be fixed?

There was a TSB or Recall on free "rocking chairs" in Toyotas. It can
tilt and slide unexpected and result in an accident. For example, a
quick google shows:

BO005-98 MAR 98 Seats - Rocking Motion on Driver's Side

So take this seriously.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
2)
The other thing that I noticed is that the acceleration
seemed slower on the Lexus, than on the Camry.
Is this normal? Could it be that they need to change
the spark plugs?

Or a loose timing belt. The timing starts to stretch after 50,000
miles, degrading engine performance (like retarding the timing). The
car may need a good tune-up. It'd better had the timing belt, water
pump, oil seals, drive belts and idlers replaced by now.

Also, it's about out of the engine sludge warranty if not already.
These engines can sludge up and seize.

What's the service history? Regular oil changes I hope (<5000-mile
intervals). Some services are based on time, like brake fluid flush.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
3)
They told me that I can go to Lexus and transfer the warranty
to myself. That it is good til 100K miles.

Check the limitations. It may not cover everything like a new bumper-
to-bumper warranty. Often it's powertrain components only that
normally won't break.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Is this true? It's 2007, so the car is eight years old now. If
so, what all does the warranty cover after all this time?

An old car is an old car, so there are problems you can see, not to
mention the ones you can't.

[c***@yahoo.com]

Thanks for all your replies.

I have more definitive news which quickly defines that I won't buy
this.

Carfax says that the car was totalled, and then salvaged.
Not only that, but the odometer is rolled back (or replaced with one
with fewer miles.) One record says it has 96,010 miles.
Then, the next record, 2 months later, it has only 46,010 miles.

I did see the odometer around 70 some thousand.

Which explains why the seller arrived in a brand new Infinity.
He claimed he was going back to Armenia. And the new car
was his girlfriend's. But then I caught up to him later, and saw
him driving it, and woman in the passenger seat. The swine!

Who cares about the seat, when it has been totalled?

You can tell more about a car talking to the owner sometimes,
than by looking at the car.