1991 Lexus ES 250 2.5 V6 from North America

Summary:

Great quality and luxury made affordable

Faults:

Starter died at ~ 180,000 km.

Alternator was replaced at 195,000 km.

Radiator replaced at ~ 150,000 km.

Power Steering leaking.

Burns and leaks a bit of oil.

Leather on front seats badly worn.

Shocks need to be changed.

Left side lower control arm and ball joint changed at 210,000 km.

Core heater works whenever it wants to.

General Comments:

I love this car. It is my 1st car, and although parts cost a fortune and I had to change a few things, I consider it a fairly reliable car, especially considering its whole life it was used mainly for city driving.

Performance is not great, I got a best of 18.05@76.9mph, but I'm sure if the car was new the ET would be better. If from a stop the car is pretty slow, on the highway the V6 shows its advantage much more.

Handling is very good for this type of car.

What I love most is the luxury and quality of the car as a whole. Every single thing on this car shows that it is a true luxury car, great materials, nothing cheap.

And of course, the prestige that comes with the Lexus name.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th March, 2004

1991 Lexus ES 250 2.5L V6 24v from North America

Summary:

A luxury version of the world's most reliable sedan

Faults:

Wiper relay isn't working ($200 part), 2 speed operation is all I have at the moment.

Burns Oil.

Seat belts wear out quickly.

General Comments:

There is not much leg room for the driver and even less for the back seat passengers. No tilt steering. Dealers are vultures, and don't even have this car listed in their database anymore. Parts cost a fortune - it's a good thing they don't have to be replaced that often.

On the good side, the engine runs quite well with a minimum of maintenance. The handling and performance are not remarkable, but the steering is smooth as butter.

I've seen people take the Camry with the same engine over 300,000 km. These cars sell for cheap and are a great value.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th June, 2003