Lexus ES350 for an 18 year old?

Question

So I’m about 4 months out from buying my next car. I currently own a 99 F150 that is getting too expensive so the truck has to go. After school gets out, I’ll have around $3k before I sell my truck and honestly, I’d probably get $2500 which leads me to have around $5500 before I start working full time in the summer. I can pull in about $3k in a little over a month. My original plans were to look at a 2010-12 Fusion with the 3.0 but then I realized that, the v6 trim was $5500-6k for essentially a budget sedan so I started poking around and saw I could get a 07-
09 es350
 for around the same price and mileage and it’s basically a Camry so reliability (right?) So long story short, I will have around $6k to put towards a new car. Yes I know a luxury car doesn’t seem smart for an 18 year old and some of you will say I should get a Camry or say I should cut my budget in half and go for a $3k 20 year old 4 banger but I plan on keeping this car for awhile and I want the car that I want (and can afford). So my question; are these cheap cars on insurance and does the Toyota reliability meet on this Lexus? Also am I just being a stupid teen spending way too much money on a car? I’ve never gotten a ticket and I know people say they’re good drivers all the time but I’m relatively conservative behind the wheel and not the stereotypical teen racing anywhere I go (and I pay for my own insurance and care much for a clean driving record!) Sorry for the long backstory too

Robsteriark · Answer

Luxury models cost more to repair, are more likely to be vandalised, stolen, or broken into. It’s also more powerful than the Camry it which it is effectively based upon, and insurers have learned that young drivers with powerful cars often end in tragedies.

So insurance is absolutely not cheap.

If you’re set on that model then just get the equivalent Camry. They’re every bit as reliable as the ES-350, and as both models age the Camry will likely be more reliable as it is less complex. As you drive conservatively you won’t miss the extra power of the ES-350, and the Camry itself isn’t exactly a slouch.

Those advising you to spend half as much and buy something older and more basic do have a very good point though: at your age you can find the total running costs of even a Camry to be a financial millstone. Your life will present a lot of opportunities over the next few years which you may never have again, so cheap, simple, and ultimately disposable give you total flexibility.

Anonymous · Answer

Have you priced car insurance ?

Anonymous · Answer

Just get a Camry.  Luxury cars were not designed to be cheap to operate.

Lexus ES350 for an 18 year old?

3 Answers