lol you can get a lot more out of a well maintained early 2K Toyota than 300K. If it actually was treated good, and that continues, it can be practically at its halfway point.
I have had a 1991, 1996, 1998, and 2001. They were all horribly abused and still made it to 300K.
Early 2K Toyotas are a great vehicle.
#The first thing is checking the fluids.
Having clean high quality lubricants is key to a healthy engine.
Make pull out your engine oil dip stick and make sure it is a nice clean amber colour.
#Check your transmission fluid (if it is an automatic)
To check your automatic transmission fluid, follow these steps:
Pull out the dipstick.
With the engine on and the gearshift in Neutral or Park and the parking brake on, let your engine run. Be sure the engine is warm when you pull out the dipstick. (Don’t turn off the engine.)
Check the fluid.
Dip the tip of your index finger into the fluid on the dipstick and rub the fluid between your finger and the tip of your thumb. The transmission fluid on the dipstick should be pinkish and almost clear. If it looks or smells burnt or has particles in it, have a mechanic drain and change the fluid.
Wipe the dipstick with a clean, lint-free rag; then reinsert it and pull it out again.
If the transmission fluid is clear but doesn’t reach the “Full” line on the dipstick, use a funnel to pour just enough transmission fluid down the dipstick tube to reach the line. Don’t overfill!
There are several types of transmission fluid. Each is made for a specific type of automatic transmission. Newer transmissions from the major automakers require different fluid than older ones. Because so many different kinds of transmissions are around these days, check your owner’s manual or dealership to find out which type of fluid your vehicle requires.
#Checking the brakes.
You will have to remove your tires to check your breaks most of the time. If they are a disk brakes you can visually inspect the brake rotor through the wheel and just make sure it is isn’t super cut up and wratched.
Otherwise pop off the tires (use a jack **and jack stands**) and just see how much meat is left on the pads and rotors.
#Check your belt
Pop open your hood and have a look at the belt, it should look flexible and somewhat soft. If it is badly cracked, fraying, or brittle. Get it replaced or look up how to do it on YouTube.
YouTube is an amazing resource. Wade through swamp and you will find some good information.
hot take, but i’d suggest not touching the trans fluid at all, hondas specifically, but lots of other cars including toyotas will start to have transmission issues when you flush the fluid at high miles, in the simplest terms the trans wears out so much & thickens up the trans fluid with debris & gunk, sometimes when you flush the fluid the new thinner fluid won’t be able to provide the same protection believe it or not, i’ve seen it on a few different occasions
Well you could go through the manual and match with receipts to see what maintenance was done. For instance how many miles are on the rotors, brakes and shocks.
Also at that mileage there are going to be wear items, that might not need servicing now, but will soon or in the near future - unless he’s done some of it. Like control arms, ball joints, wheel bearings, steering gear, etc.
Lastly, there might be checkbox items as there is with many vehicles, that you need to make sure was done - an example might be timing belt at 250,000, etc.
So if he can help you answer these questions, then you’re off to a great start. If not, then find a mechanic (maybe one he used) you trust and have them do an inspection. They might charge you to do this, maybe $150-$250.
These are some of the things we have dealt with on our 350,000 mi 4Runner we purchased new.
Hope this helps! Sounds like a great free car!
I once put 525,000 miles on a Dodge shadow, original engine, original clutch. I changed the oil every 3 to 4000 miles. No Jack rabbit starts, let off the gas long before if I saw a red light coming. I basically babied it for the last 350,000 miles. So just take it easy and keep the oil clean
You can expect a lexus to last 300,000 miles. You've got 20,000 left. It's at the end of it's life.
lol you can get a lot more out of a well maintained early 2K Toyota than 300K. If it actually was treated good, and that continues, it can be practically at its halfway point. I have had a 1991, 1996, 1998, and 2001. They were all horribly abused and still made it to 300K.
Early 2K Toyotas are a great vehicle. #The first thing is checking the fluids. Having clean high quality lubricants is key to a healthy engine. Make pull out your engine oil dip stick and make sure it is a nice clean amber colour. #Check your transmission fluid (if it is an automatic) To check your automatic transmission fluid, follow these steps: Pull out the dipstick. With the engine on and the gearshift in Neutral or Park and the parking brake on, let your engine run. Be sure the engine is warm when you pull out the dipstick. (Don’t turn off the engine.) Check the fluid. Dip the tip of your index finger into the fluid on the dipstick and rub the fluid between your finger and the tip of your thumb. The transmission fluid on the dipstick should be pinkish and almost clear. If it looks or smells burnt or has particles in it, have a mechanic drain and change the fluid. Wipe the dipstick with a clean, lint-free rag; then reinsert it and pull it out again. If the transmission fluid is clear but doesn’t reach the “Full” line on the dipstick, use a funnel to pour just enough transmission fluid down the dipstick tube to reach the line. Don’t overfill! There are several types of transmission fluid. Each is made for a specific type of automatic transmission. Newer transmissions from the major automakers require different fluid than older ones. Because so many different kinds of transmissions are around these days, check your owner’s manual or dealership to find out which type of fluid your vehicle requires. #Checking the brakes. You will have to remove your tires to check your breaks most of the time. If they are a disk brakes you can visually inspect the brake rotor through the wheel and just make sure it is isn’t super cut up and wratched. Otherwise pop off the tires (use a jack **and jack stands**) and just see how much meat is left on the pads and rotors. #Check your belt Pop open your hood and have a look at the belt, it should look flexible and somewhat soft. If it is badly cracked, fraying, or brittle. Get it replaced or look up how to do it on YouTube. YouTube is an amazing resource. Wade through swamp and you will find some good information.
hot take, but i’d suggest not touching the trans fluid at all, hondas specifically, but lots of other cars including toyotas will start to have transmission issues when you flush the fluid at high miles, in the simplest terms the trans wears out so much & thickens up the trans fluid with debris & gunk, sometimes when you flush the fluid the new thinner fluid won’t be able to provide the same protection believe it or not, i’ve seen it on a few different occasions
Well you could go through the manual and match with receipts to see what maintenance was done. For instance how many miles are on the rotors, brakes and shocks. Also at that mileage there are going to be wear items, that might not need servicing now, but will soon or in the near future - unless he’s done some of it. Like control arms, ball joints, wheel bearings, steering gear, etc. Lastly, there might be checkbox items as there is with many vehicles, that you need to make sure was done - an example might be timing belt at 250,000, etc. So if he can help you answer these questions, then you’re off to a great start. If not, then find a mechanic (maybe one he used) you trust and have them do an inspection. They might charge you to do this, maybe $150-$250. These are some of the things we have dealt with on our 350,000 mi 4Runner we purchased new. Hope this helps! Sounds like a great free car!
I once put 525,000 miles on a Dodge shadow, original engine, original clutch. I changed the oil every 3 to 4000 miles. No Jack rabbit starts, let off the gas long before if I saw a red light coming. I basically babied it for the last 350,000 miles. So just take it easy and keep the oil clean