Used car guide

2005 Lexus GS300: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Lexus GS300s, from 642 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

642MOT tests in 2025
69%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
5,700typical miles a year
2.4×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 Lexus GS300s than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Shock absorbers2.4× usual
    Lexus GS300
    16.4% All 2005 cars
    6.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3%, against 1.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 3.4% here, against 14.5% of all 2005 cars. Rigid brake pipes: 6.5% here, against 14.9% of all 2005 cars.

By area

The share of 2005 Lexus GS300 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    32% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    32% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    28% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    26% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    16% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 Lexus GS300s registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score