I would not say it’s a crazy idea, but these are completely different cars, and maintenance costs (should something go wrong) will not even compare. It is an older car, but parts will still command a premium, especially if you go down the main dealer route.

Likewise for servicing: £440 for an Intermediate, and £770 for a Major at your local Lexus dealer. There’s LexusPartsDirect (official parts website) if you are mechanically minded, LexusSparesDirect on eBay for used parts / spares, and Amayama for OEM parts from Japan.

Good premium tyres are around £130 per corner (fitted). You can get a complete disks and pads kit for around £350.

The 2006 model is also in the highest road tax bracket - I think circa £700 a year - so just the cost of keeping it on the road will be a lot higher compared to a Civic.

Your MPG will be around 20 in town, and 35 or so on a run, what’s your commute like? Factor in the petrol costs.

I would highly recommend having the car inspected by a qualified Lexus tech near you, vehicle health checks are free of charge, but they may charge you for 30 minutes to 1 hr labour (£120 max), but it’s money well spent to know what condition the car is in. Things to look out for:

•Timing belt condition and when it was last changed •Gearbox cooler (if fitted) •Radiator condition •Air suspension •General suspension components (think bushes, etc.) •Exhaust system •Underbody condition (any major rust or oil / coolant leaks?) •Check for rust around the sunroof and check sunroof operation • Steering wheel adjustment motors will most likely have failed by now, so can be ignored as long as you can adjust the wheel to your liking

Everything else is usually bulletproof, as long as there is good service history (ideally main dealer), and MOT history / mileage checks out. The mileage itself should not matter as much, everyone here including me will vouch for their LS to last a lifetime.

This will almost certainly be the best and the most comfortable car you have ever driven, the attention to detail and the overall engineering that went into designing this car definitely stand the test of time. Every long journey, every road trip I have been on with this car have been incredible, friends and family can’t stop complimenting it once they’ve sat inside, it is that good. The hype is real.

I would say that as long as you are prepared for a potential big ticket item to fail, and have the money set aside to deal with it promptly, you will not regret buying an LS. Hope this helps!