How Long Do Lexus' Last? What To Know About Lifespan
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If you know cars you probably already know that Lexus is a brand held by Toyota. They’re the nicer luxury version of Toyota. But, because the two brands are targeting different markets, Toyota decided it would be better to have a separate brand than simply launching a luxury line under their name.
Lexus aren’t quite Toyotas that got money and like to show it off, but they’re not far from it. More stylish, with more included features, trim levels, and customization options than your typical Toyota, Lexus are known for their modern styling and higher performance.
But, how long do Lexus last? Toyota might be known for making some of the longest-lasting vehicles on the market, but did they keep the same design ethos when it comes to Lexus? Or do the higher value luxury cars wear out sooner than the more affordable utility vehicles Toyota is known for?
In this review, we’re going to talk about how long Lexus last, how they compare with other vehicles and vehicle manufacturers, and anything else you need to know about keeping your Lexus looking good and driving well for years to come.
How Long Do Lexus Last On Average?
Lexus seems to have benefited from being made by Toyota, beyond just having an established brand behind them when they launched.
According to MotorAsk.com, Lexus vehicles will easily last to 200-250k miles. That performance is on-par with the performance of Toyota vehicles, which shows that Lexus benefits from the same design choices and durability ethos as their parent company.
That mileage also translates to about 17-25 years of ownership, depending on how many miles you put on the vehicle per year, among other factors.
Of course, not all Lexus vehicles will last that long, and some Lexus’ will hit 300k+ miles without having any serious issues. Maintenance can be a little tricky once you get to the upper mileage limits of any vehicle, but Lexus and Toyota both seem to be willing and able to push those boundaries.
Lexus are like any other vehicle. Gentle treatment and good maintenance will help them last longer. Bad maintenance practices, aggressive driving, and poor storage will all shorten the life of the vehicle overall.
And it’s also worth considering that different models will perform differently. Smaller vehicles tend to last longer than larger vehicles, and speed and performance enhancements often also put more stress on the other components and shorten the life of the vehicle.
With that in mind, let’s consider how Lexus’ hold up, on average, compared with other manufacturers.
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How Does Lexus Compare With Other Vehicle Manufacturers?
You probably won’t see Lexus on many lists of the most durable or reliable vehicles, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t reliable.
Like the slightly shorter-lived Mini Cooper, Lexus isn’t included in a lot of those lists because of the higher dollar value attached to the vehicle, and the slightly higher maintenance costs added to the higher dollar price often mean that people don’t consider them in the same way as more affordable vehicles.
There are a couple of reasons for that price variance. One is that they assume that people looking for a longer-lasting or more durable vehicle are looking for it for price reasons. But they also think that the durability of the vehicle is less impressive when there’s more money paying for that added durability.
That said, Lexus vehicles perform largely the same, and sometimes slightly better than Toyota. Toyota, Honda, Ford, and Chevrolet are consistently some of the highest performing vehicles in terms of durability and reliability.
That means that Lexus offers some of the best reliability performance in the industry, but at a higher cost than some of the other top-performing vehicle manufacturers.
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Do Lexus Vehicles Need Specialty Maintenance To Last Longer?
Lexus vehicles don’t need specialty maintenance to last. Lexus vehicles need the same maintenance and have similar requirements to Toyota, including that they get just slightly nicer versions of a lot of the same common parts.
That means that a lot of the mechanics that can work on a Toyota can also work on Lexus. That means that there are a lot of mechanics you can go to and you’re unlikely to pay a huge premium like you would with other luxury brands and vehicles.
Ideally, you should make sure you’re performing regular maintenance, especially the maintenance for important mileage milestones, but that’s not a specialty. All vehicles need that kind of maintenance and care.
Can You Do Anything To Make Lexus Last Even Longer?
It might seem silly to ask, after all, a car brand that can semi-routinely make it to 300k+ miles is already one of the longest-lasting and most durable vehicles on the market. That said, most consumers are looking for ways to get more out of their vehicles, so plenty of people are looking for ways to help their Lexus last longer.
Unfortunately, in this case there just aren’t a ton of options, but that’s a good thing for owners.
Lexus vehicles, when well maintained and driven responsibly, largely last as long as their parts can last.
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The reason most people upgrade at 300k+ miles or before isn’t actually about the mileage or even how the vehicle is performing, it’s about when they start needing to make repairs that are more expensive than the car is worth.
There is a limit to how long the materials and different parts in your Lexus can last. Take the catalytic converter for instance. A catalytic converter is one of the more expensive individual parts in your vehicle, and by their very nature, they’re expensive and can’t last forever. The elements used in creating a catalytic converter react with exhaust over time, making them a part that will go bad inevitably, and also critical for your exhaust system.
While plenty of people replace catalytic converters, more expensive repairs start being inevitable at 300k+, and most consumers do think that there is a point where the cost of a repair is more than the vehicle is worth.
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