e-man

I've already got a lead on one. I reached out to the owner and asked that he let me know when he's ready to sell. He is looking to replace his car in the next 6 months or so. Obviously, a lot needs to happen in terms of price and timing for this to work out, but I'm thinking that if I can buy his and sell mine and have it cost between $6-$8k, it's probably worth doing -- 2 years newer, 35k fewer miles, no timing belt, more fuel efficient (yet still a v8), other features, etc.

e

SC4Hundred

Good luck, you won't regret!

texbanc

I had the same choice . Went from my 01 GS 430 to an 09 GS 460.

Better mileage and newer. Both great cars, no regrets.

Tex

e-man

Okay, so the 2008 GS460 owner called me and he is ready to sell his car as he is getting a new GS350 in the next few weeks. He will sell me his car at the price the dealer is offering him in trade plus the tax credit that he would be leaving on the table by not trading it in. The trade value seems a bit high to me (about $2,000 high, at least according to Edmunds).

The car has 57k miles and is in excellent condition. My only concern is that he said he changed the cabin air filter twice over the life of the car, and neither time did he put the system on recirculate (which would mean that the recirculate function is now broken, right?).

Anyway, it's really a numbers and timing question at this point. I need to figure out how to buy the 460 and sell my 430 so that the differential makes sense. I don't even know where to begin. I suppose I could take my car to carmax, but then I'm getting trade value for my car and paying probably something more than trade value for his car. I would list it on autotrader but I don't think I have time under the circumstances.

If anyone had any thoughts, please chime in.

SC4Hundred

Get a precise number from 460, ypo can either take it to carmax or detail your car and list it on Craigslist, they are plenty of people looking for 430, because it is still consider very desireable just don't ask for too much because you need a quick sell.

e-man

Thanks SC. I'll take it to carmax to get a baseline reading but I don't think I can sell it to them and make this work from a financial perspective. I need to get private party value on my end since I'm paying what seems to be about dealer retail on the 460 side.

What do you think about the recirc issue? I'm thinking it has to be broken, right? You can't take the cabin air filter out unless the system is on recirc. If you go in there and move the door out of the way, that's it, it's broken, right?

49erGS460

How much is he asking for? Just purchased a 2008 GS460 with 59k miles so might be able to help out to give you a comparison at the least. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post here.

sofranke

I am contemplating selling my 2008 GS460 with, ummm, I think around 3300 or 3500 miles.
I worry that some folks might think it's a rollback of some sort, but anyone who would look at it would quickly see that it's the real deal.
I took it on a daytrip to the Western Maryland mountains last fall and achieved 28-29 mpg using the AC and doing 80mph on the highways. Great car.

Eric
Maryland
2008 GS460
2005 GX470

SC4Hundred

That is super low miles.

SC4Hundred

I am not sure, when you drive it try to put in on fresh air mode to see if you hear any noise. If not, don't worry about it.

e-man

I'm good on the recirc issue. Based on my testing tonight (which I posted about in another thread), and my conversations with the GS460 owner/seller, I'm convinced that it's not broken. He said that, with the car off, he removed the back panel and could see the air filter right away. He didn't move/rotate the trap door. He never saw it.

So, his dealer is still in the process of locating a car for him. He should know something in the next few days. I took my 430 to Carmax tonight and let's just say that the offer was underwhelming. Assuming I accept Carmax's offer, the price differential will be about $11,000 for me to move from the 2006 430 to the 2008 460. Part of the problem is that I am paying his sales tax (because he's losing the trade-in credit by selling the car to me) plus I still have to pay used car sales tax to the state when I register the car. And, to add insult to injury, I'm getting "trade-in" value on my car from Carmax, but not getting the benefit of a sales tax credit on the new car I'm buying.

e

UCFdude

iTrader: (1)

That's really steep. What's the mileage difference?

For 11k, it is better be like in the 30- 40k

e-man

57,000 miles. It's the sales tax issue that's skewing the numbers to the tune of about $3,000 or more when you consider that I'm not getting any tax credit on mine.

UCFdude

iTrader: (1)

57k in mileage difference from the 460 to your 430?

or is that the mileage on the 460?

I've read your previous post and I'm assumed 57k is the 460's mileage, for $14k total, that's alot given they are basically the same car.

Your 430 has 84k and the 460 isnt that much less.

The navigation and the engine/transmission from the 460 will cost you 14k more, i wouldn't do it but it is your money.

Edited: the 460 doesn't come with any warranty or has any remaining correct?

e-man

UCFDude -- all good questions. Here are the facts:

My car:

2006 GS430
84,000 miles
CPO through April 7, 2015 or 100k miles, whichever comes first
New tires 6 months ago
New front brakes and rotors last year
Due for 90k service soon (timing belt, water pump, all major fluids)

New car:

2008 GS460
57,000 miles
No warranty
Brakes last done at 16k miles (so probably will need brakes all around soon)
Due for 60k service soon (which includes plugs)

The difference in price between what he is asking for his car (trade value plus his lost tax credit) and what I can get for my car from Carmax is $10,000. If you factor in the sales tax I have to pay to the state when I register the car (assuming I buy it), we're now at a $11,000 differential.

That's a lot of money. I really like the 460, but I also really like my car. I figured it was worth it if I was somewhere in the $8k differential range. But $11,000 is a heck of a lot more, especially when I have a car that I like already.

Any further thoughts?

e