bntran02

I am NOT looking for a buyer at the moment but would like an honest opinion on what it is worth.

I have a 2006 IS 350 with 54k miles. According to KBB it fits under the "Fair" conditioning category at about $21K. It has typical dings from regular driving. A crack on the front window that starts behind the rear view mirror and ends just after it becomes visible. The big item that is not accounted for in the price is my bearings and wheel hub for one of the tires needs replacing. This has been quoted as a $1300 repair if done through Lexus.

Fair (According to KBB.com):
Some mechanical or cosmetic defects.
Needs servicing, but is still in reasonable running condition. Has a clean title history.
The paint, body and/or interior may need professional servicing.
The tires may need replacing.
May have some repairable rust damage.


Main Features:
Sport Pkg
Nav system
Bluetooth
Spoiler
Cooled/heated seats
Rear camera

Thanks in advance for any input

calvin2376

iTrader: (2)

I think you need to think in terms of appraising it ex-bearings/wheel hub issue and then deduct $1300 from it. So don't focus as much on what condition to choose on KBB because of the hub/bearing issue, etc, just focus on what a 2006 IS350 with 54k miles and those options would go for. Then you should subtract $1300.

I highly recommend getting the issue addressed before selling it, if that's what you choose to do. The reason is that trying to sell a car with major and expensive issues like that can 1) lead buyers to believe the car wasn't taken care of well because the owner doesn't care about his car, 2) lead buyers to suspect it might just be the tip of the iceberg and that's why the owner's selling, and 3) cause many potential buyers to just skip right over it because of those issues, even if the price is good and accounts for the repair cost, because of the risk and headache involved.

That job sounds like an ideal one for a reliable independent shop as opposed to a dealership. Nothing Lexus-specific or otherwise that would require specialized dealer training or resources about that job. So I'd say get it fixed at an independent shop then put it on the market.

Your best bet is to check Autotrader and Cars.com for prices of 2006 IS350s with 54k-ish miles. I just took a look on Autotrader, and quite frankly they're going for ridiculous prices. I have to chalk it up to how hot the used car market is, because I bought my 350 6 months ago and prices were nowhere near this high.

51k miles: $27,982
53k miles: $26,900
54k miles: $25,995

This is just a quick sampling of 2006 IS350s from Autotrader. Based on what I'm seeing here, I think if you get the hub/bearing fixed, and considering the slightly worn overall condition on the car, I'd say you'd be looking closer to $24k.