We purchased our 03 Highlander as a Toyota Certified Used Vehicle in 2007 with 75k Km's. I still cannot get the keys from my wife just to bring it in for service. She loves this truck...she is petite (5') but has no issues being comfortable or seeing as it has great visibility. Lots of room for the kids and their stuff as well.

Of our many Toyotas this one has required the highest $ of maintenance over our six years of ownership but only two issues, a back end tie rod and the window washer pump (easy to do yourself) were non maintenance.

It is a 4 x 4 so it has higher service costs. It also has a timing belt which needs to be replaced every 144,000 km or six years. The oxygen sensors all failed at the same time and they are expensive ($350 x 3) and you must get the oil changed every 5 K with this version of the V6 as it may sludge. It also uses premium gas.

These are not criticisms just the costs of owning a 10 year old 4x4. It drives like the day be bought it and has good pick up when required. It is very good in the snow and feels very sure footed in bad weather. It is also very easy to park and drive in tight spots. Just a really great truck that was ahead of it's time. Will definitely be passed down to our teen drivers without hesitation.

Unfortunately the ES 350 seems to get a rough ride from journalists and enthusiasts. The truth is, it is exactly what it is designed to be and a great value. It is not a sports car or a German wanna-be. It handles any road or weather with ease. It is super quiet yet very fast when required. The quality and features are the best in the industry and it costs very little to maintain. The fact that it shares parts with a Camry is a plus not a negative. I traded a Camry for my ES and it is a huge step up. I bought my 2007 with 18,000 and it still only has 44,000 and looks brand new. It is a joy to get into after a long day at the office. It reminds me why I work so hard. After many Toyotas it was an easy decision to move up to a Lexus. Not a single issue or rattle of any kind after 6 years of service. In my view a used Lexus is one of the smartest vehicle purchases anyone can make. They are not expensive to maintain and they are bullet proof for reliability. The only thing that will make me give up this Lexus is to trade it for another one.

I bought my 02 Mazda Tribute in Oct 12 for a winter beater after doing a lot of research on used SUV's.
I found my truck at a small indie dealer, via Autotrader, with about 120,000 KM on it and a very clean interior/exterior. I put a few hundred bucks into right away after I called Mazda and they had no service records or history. The car needed a few recalls brought up to date but all were small (one is critical - sticky throttle). There were two known issues with the Tribute that have both occurred. One rear sock failed after a good pot hole and the sensor that sends 02 readings. Both repairs cost about $500.00 total. Be sure to check the undercarriage, mine is rusty but solid and it is a beater. That said I saw some that were in very bad shape but you cannot tell as the outer panels look clean. Always have it hoisted or get dirty and crawl underneath. Also note that this is a Ford Escape which makes it handy for service.
One last caution, the Air bag warning light may come on when you move the seats. There is a lot of info about this on the net. It seems that any slight tension on the wire will trigger the sensor. The sensors are under the seats and moving the seats pulls the airbag wires and connectors. If the light comes on then check the wire under the seat that has been adjusted. Just push on the snap pin and straighten the wires and the light should go out on the next start. However have it checked if it stays on as it means your airbags will not deploy in an accident. So far this little truck has proven to be an excellent used car purchase, especially for its age, low cost of repairs and purchase price.