Need advice on buying 2011 ES350

[Jane]

I own a 2007 ES350. It will be 5 years old this June with about 63000
miles. It is by far the best car I've ever owned and my husband and I
have bought at least 10 in the past 30 years. He died several years
ago and now I'm faced with a decision, do I buy a new car now while
mine is in mint condition or run it into the ground?

I received a call from a friend who sells these cars. He said that
because of the trouble in Japan their used car inventory is very low
(didn't make much sense to me). He told me that the trade-in value
for my car is higher now than it ever was or would be. My car is
fully loaded with new tires and brakes and a 100k mile extended
warranty. As I mentioned, it's looks like new but it has had body
work. We were rear-ended about 3 years ago. The body work was done
by Lexus and it's perfect, but I know the accident must be on the
car's VIN info.

I don't know what to do. This was my husband's domain. I do know
that when I get another car I want one just like this. I have a very
bad back and this car is the only really comfortable one I've found in
many years.

What would be a good price for a new ES? I want it to have the GPS
package, moon roof, parking assist, rear camera, etc. From what I can
see my current car has everything but the collision alert system (it
was a demo).

I was thinking that if I could get a new ES for $20k plus my car that
would be a good deal. Am I right??

Help!!

[Colin]

Post by Jane
I own a 2007 ES350. It will be 5 years old this June with about 63000
miles. It is by far the best car I've ever owned and my husband and I
have bought at least 10 in the past 30 years. He died several years
ago and now I'm faced with a decision, do I buy a new car now while
mine is in mint condition or run it into the ground?
I received a call from a friend who sells these cars. He said that
because of the trouble in Japan their used car inventory is very low
(didn't make much sense to me). He told me that the trade-in value
for my car is higher now than it ever was or would be. My car is
fully loaded with new tires and brakes and a 100k mile extended
warranty. As I mentioned, it's looks like new but it has had body
work. We were rear-ended about 3 years ago. The body work was done
by Lexus and it's perfect, but I know the accident must be on the
car's VIN info.
I don't know what to do. This was my husband's domain. I do know
that when I get another car I want one just like this. I have a very
bad back and this car is the only really comfortable one I've found in
many years.
What would be a good price for a new ES? I want it to have the GPS
package, moon roof, parking assist, rear camera, etc. From what I can
see my current car has everything but the collision alert system (it
was a demo).
I was thinking that if I could get a new ES for $20k plus my car that
would be a good deal. Am I right??
Help!!

Take a look at htt://www.edmunds.com

[Smarty]

Post by Colin

Post by Jane
I own a 2007 ES350. It will be 5 years old this June with about 63000
miles. It is by far the best car I've ever owned and my husband and I
have bought at least 10 in the past 30 years. He died several years
ago and now I'm faced with a decision, do I buy a new car now while
mine is in mint condition or run it into the ground?
I received a call from a friend who sells these cars. He said that
because of the trouble in Japan their used car inventory is very low
(didn't make much sense to me). He told me that the trade-in value
for my car is higher now than it ever was or would be. My car is
fully loaded with new tires and brakes and a 100k mile extended
warranty. As I mentioned, it's looks like new but it has had body
work. We were rear-ended about 3 years ago. The body work was done
by Lexus and it's perfect, but I know the accident must be on the
car's VIN info.
I don't know what to do. This was my husband's domain. I do know
that when I get another car I want one just like this. I have a very
bad back and this car is the only really comfortable one I've found in
many years.
What would be a good price for a new ES? I want it to have the GPS
package, moon roof, parking assist, rear camera, etc. From what I can
see my current car has everything but the collision alert system (it
was a demo).
I was thinking that if I could get a new ES for $20k plus my car that
would be a good deal. Am I right??
Help!!

Take a look at htt://www.edmunds.com

I had a 2007 ES350 with 28,500 miles, new tires, and no body work
whatsoever, in truly original condition. The local Lexus dealer offered
me 19K for it against the retail price of a new LS460, the car I was
interested in buying. I was sufficiently unhappy with the trade-in offer
that I sold it privately for $22,500 using craigslist in less than a
week to a private buyer.

This all occurred before the Japanese earthquake, which presumably has
increased used and new car pricing due to shortages. You can check your
local craigslist as well as ebay in addition to the excellent suggestion
to see what Edmunds.com says the value presently is. I am guessing it is
in the low 20's based on my personal recent experience.

Good luck!

[David Z]

Post by Jane
I own a 2007 ES350. It will be 5 years old this June with about 63000
miles. It is by far the best car I've ever owned and my husband and I
have bought at least 10 in the past 30 years. He died several years
ago and now I'm faced with a decision, do I buy a new car now while
mine is in mint condition or run it into the ground?
I received a call from a friend who sells these cars. He said that
because of the trouble in Japan their used car inventory is very low
(didn't make much sense to me). He told me that the trade-in value
for my car is higher now than it ever was or would be. My car is
fully loaded with new tires and brakes and a 100k mile extended
warranty. As I mentioned, it's looks like new but it has had body
work. We were rear-ended about 3 years ago. The body work was done
by Lexus and it's perfect, but I know the accident must be on the
car's VIN info.
I don't know what to do. This was my husband's domain. I do know
that when I get another car I want one just like this. I have a very
bad back and this car is the only really comfortable one I've found in
many years.
What would be a good price for a new ES? I want it to have the GPS
package, moon roof, parking assist, rear camera, etc. From what I can
see my current car has everything but the collision alert system (it
was a demo).
I was thinking that if I could get a new ES for $20k plus my car that
would be a good deal. Am I right??
Help!!

As a general rule, the longer you own a car, the lower the cost of
ownership. Another way of saying this is -- people who buy new cars more
frequently, pay a higher price for car ownership. Yet another way of saying
it is -- if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Buy a new car because (or if?) you want it, not because you think it'll save
you money. It won't. Generally, it costs you more.

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

In article

Post by Jane
I own a 2007 ES350. It will be 5 years old this June with about 63000
miles. It is by far the best car I've ever owned and my husband and I
have bought at least 10 in the past 30 years. He died several years
ago and now I'm faced with a decision, do I buy a new car now while
mine is in mint condition or run it into the ground?

You will probably never get a car as good. No matter what happens, from
the sound of it you will never be as happy with another car.

What's driving the thought of getting a new one?

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

In article

Post by Jane
I received a call from a friend who sells these cars. He said that
because of the trouble in Japan their used car inventory is very low
(didn't make much sense to me). He told me that the trade-in value
for my car is higher now than it ever was or would be. My car is
fully loaded with new tires and brakes and a 100k mile extended
warranty. As I mentioned, it's looks like new but it has had body
work. We were rear-ended about 3 years ago. The body work was done
by Lexus and it's perfect, but I know the accident must be on the
car's VIN info.
I don't know what to do. This was my husband's domain. I do know
that when I get another car I want one just like this. I have a very
bad back and this car is the only really comfortable one I've found in
many years.

Don't. Whatever you do, don't.

Here's a general rule of thumb: never, EVER make a decision because
someone else came to you out of the blue and suggested that you do
something.

Because he came to you and planted the idea for HIS benefit, not yours.

You know those guys who come around knocking on doors, talking about "I
was laying an asphalt driveway down the block, and we had some extra
asphalt, and it looks like you need a new driveway, and I can do it for
a nice price"? This is no different. If YOU didn't come up with the
idea and then pursue it on a rational basis, then don't do it.

You have the perfect car. Stick with it. Don't do anything because HE
wants you to do it.

[gallen]

Were I you, depending on how many miles you drive, I would keep the
car you now have. Since you have new tires, brakes, and that 100K
mile warranty you should be set. Cars are going to change drastically
in the next 5 or so years. That's my 2 cents. If money is no object
to you then heck get a new one and enjoy.

I own a 2007 ES350.  It will be 5 years old this June with about 63000
miles.  It is by far the best car I've ever owned and my husband and I
have bought at least 10 in the past 30 years.  He died several years
ago and now I'm faced with a decision, do I buy a new car now while
mine is in mint condition or run it into the ground?
I received a call from a friend who sells these cars.  He said that
because of the trouble in Japan their used car inventory is very low
(didn't make much sense to me).  He told me that the trade-in value
for my car is higher now than it ever was or would be.  My car is
fully loaded with new tires and brakes and a 100k mile extended
warranty.  As I mentioned, it's looks like new but it has had body
work.  We were rear-ended about 3 years ago.  The body work was done
by Lexus and it's perfect, but I know the accident must be on the
car's VIN info.
I don't know what to do.  This was my husband's domain.  I do know
that when I get another car I want one just like this.  I have a very
bad back and this car is the only really comfortable one I've found in
many years.
What would be a good price for a new ES?  I want it to have the GPS
package, moon roof, parking assist, rear camera, etc.  From what I can
see my current car has everything but the collision alert system (it
was a demo).
I was thinking that if I could get a new ES for $20k plus my car that
would be a good deal.  Am I right??
Help!!

[Rintastic]

In general, I would agree with those who have said just hold on to
what you have. It sounds like you are happy with the car, it is still
in great shape despite the rear collision (63k is like new for a
Lexus, BTW.. you could probably drive it 5 times that amount if you
wanted to as long as you keep it well-serviced).

It is true the value of used cars is up right now, but like most
market fluctuations, it is a two-sided story, because there are supply
chain issues with some electronics parts that come from Japan due to
the tsunami. This means it is also harder to get a good deal on a new
car (by that I mean there may be less haggle room in the price, or it
may be harder to get the exact options you want which would result in
accepting a model with features you don't want and you end up paying
more for them, or you can't get the color combination you really want,
etc). I can confirm this situation is real, because my girlfriend is
in the process of buying a new car right now and its very different
than a year ago when I bought my car. Many of the dealers of Japanese
makes don't want to budge off of MSRP.

So, the only way you could really make the market situation "work for
you" is if for example you were getting ready to go on a one-year
bicycling expedition across Europe or something, wouldn't need your
car for 12 months and knew that you wanted to get a new car
immediately on your return, then it might make sense to craigslist
your current car and go car shopping when you got back from the trip.

I've always felt that buying a new car every 3-5 years is generally a
blatant waste of money. I tend to buy a new car about every 7-8
years, 135k miles, or whenever it "feels right". Usually it feels
right when the warranty is long gone and the amount I start spending
on repairs/maintenance represents a significant percentage of the
total resale value of the car. In truth, it is almost always cheaper
to continue to repair your existing car than it is to buy a new one.
At some point there is a "convenience factor" that tends to get lost
late in the car's lifecycle, for example if I need to start
rescheduling important meetings at work because of hassles associated
with car repairs, then it becomes a problem that extends beyond
quantifiable repair expenses, and it just makes sense to get a new
vehicle.

Sounds like you're nowhere close to that point yet, and generally
happy with your car, so unless you've got tons of money to burn
frivolously, I'd hold onto it.

To all this I will add one caveat. The integrated electronics systems
in many cars (not just luxury models) can be extremely expensive
(think along the lines of $4000-8000) to repair outside of warranty.
Some of these systems are so integrated and non-modular that if you
have a problem with the nav system, you need to replace the entire
climate control system! This is one reason I opted out of built in
navigation and got a good Garmin portable when I bought my Lexus new
last year. However, since it seems you are one that prefers built-in
nav, I would say that considering a new car before your 100k warranty
runs out is not the worst strategy I've ever heard. There are many
web forums that are very helpful for researching what, if any,
expensive repair issues your particular year/model is prone for, and
at what time or mileage interval. The one I frequent is
clublexus.com.. they have individual boards for each model.

Good luck.

[gallen]

Well said and 100% true. Jane should take your suggestion.

Post by Rintastic
In general, I would agree with those who have said just hold on to
what you have.  It sounds like you are happy with the car, it is still
in great shape despite the rear collision (63k is like new for a
Lexus, BTW.. you could probably drive it 5 times that amount if you
wanted to as long as you keep it well-serviced).
It is true the value of used cars is up right now, but like most
market fluctuations, it is a two-sided story, because there are supply
chain issues with some electronics parts that come from Japan due to
the tsunami.  This means it is also harder to get a good deal on a new
car (by that I mean there may be less haggle room in the price, or it
may be harder to get the exact options you want which would result in
accepting a model with features you don't want and you end up paying
more for them, or you can't get the color combination you really want,
etc).  I can confirm this situation is real, because my girlfriend is
in the process of buying a new car right now and its very different
than a year ago when I bought my car.  Many of the dealers of Japanese
makes don't want to budge off of MSRP.
So, the only way you could really make the market situation "work for
you" is if for example you were getting ready to go on a one-year
bicycling expedition across Europe or something, wouldn't need your
car for 12 months and knew that you wanted to get a new car
immediately on your return, then it might make sense to craigslist
your current car and go car shopping when you got back from the trip.
I've always felt that buying a new car every 3-5 years is generally a
blatant waste of money.  I tend to buy a new car about every 7-8
years, 135k miles,  or whenever it "feels right".  Usually it feels
right when the warranty is long gone and the amount I start spending
on repairs/maintenance represents a significant percentage of the
total resale value of the car.  In truth, it is almost always cheaper
to continue to repair your existing car than it is to buy a new one.
At some point there is a "convenience factor" that tends to get lost
late in the car's life cycle, for example if I need to start
rescheduling important meetings at work because of hassles associated
with car repairs, then it becomes a problem that extends beyond
quantifiable repair expenses, and it just makes sense to get a new
vehicle.
Sounds like you're nowhere close to that point yet, and generally
happy with your car, so unless you've got tons of money to burn
frivolously, I'd hold onto it.
To all this I will add one caveat.  The integrated electronics systems
in many cars (not just luxury models) can be extremely expensive
(think along the lines of $4000-8000) to repair outside of warranty.
Some of these systems are so integrated and non-modular that if you
have a problem with the nav system, you need to replace the entire
climate control system!  This is one reason I opted out of built in
navigation and got a good Garmin portable when I bought my Lexus new
last year.  However, since it seems you are one that prefers built-in
nav, I would say that considering a new car before your 100k warranty
runs out is not the worst strategy I've ever heard.  There are many
web forums that are very helpful for researching what, if any,
expensive repair issues your particular year/model is prone for, and
at what time or mileage interval.  The one I frequent is
clublexus.com.. they have individual boards for each model.
Good luck.