Lexus IS 300

My mother has a Lexus IS 300 that she no longer drives due to (her) old age. I'm supposed to sell it. Someone at work who really knows cars said I should buy it and then sell my 2004 Ford Focus. I'm thinking the maintenance costs would be too high. Usually I get a small economy car brand new and then drive it into the ground. For me a car is a point A to B transportation device and I normally would just get the best value car, nowhere near a luxury vehicle.

Any opinions?

Which is in better shape? Which has better milage? I'd go with one that has less maintenance and chance of breaking down.

Raintyger said:

Any opinions?

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No, but I just want to say I drive an '04 Focus and I love the car! It doesn't feel small, even for me.

Just asked my DH because he's into cars. He said depending on how old the Lexus is and if your mom sells it to you for a good price, then go for that. Lexus is one of the most reliable brands of car and holds great resale value, so in five years or so you'll still have an asset to sell whereas the 2004 Focus is worth very little.

You might also want to ask your insurance agent if your insurance would go up. Depending on the age of the car, I think it might since a Lexus is a luxury car.

I bought a certified pre owned 2008 BMW in 2011 and my insurance only went up 4 dollars a month.  I was surprised when I called, the lady on the phone with the insurance company said they could make it go up more if I wanted.  It is my dream car, one time thing, and I do love it.  Everything does cost more to get repaired on a BMW, even things like oil changes and batteries cost more.  A BMW only needs the oil changed every 7500 miles though, the company says 15000 miles but independant BMW mechanics say 7500, so actually they cost the same, it's just more when I get it done.  I love this car.

It does depend on age and mileage though but I think the Lexus will last a lot longer than the Ford will.

Thanks, everyone for your replies! Pushylady, thanks for taking the extra time to ask DH.

I think the Lexus will last longer but have more maintenance costs. My friend has a Mini Cooper and her brakes cost her $500 for one axle. In comparison I paid $357 for two axles, and we both got our brake jobs down within a couple weeks of each other. Her oil changes are over $100, and she has to put supreme gas in the tank.

The Lexus is a 2002 but has less miles - 77,350 while my Ford has 136,000. The model of Lexus is supposed to be a high performance luxury vehicle--in other words, a car bought primarily if you enjoy driving - superior handling, steering, and responsiveness. I don't, although I can feel those qualities when I drive it. As a result I'm a bit uncomfortable making a commitment to a car that is way above what I would normally buy and isn't something I appreciate.

Yes the high price tags continue for as long as you own a high end luxury car.  I think you do need to really like the high end performance to make it worth the extra money spent over the life of the car.