T4RBoarder

Hey guys, lately I've been toying around with the idea of buying an older LS as a daily driver to keep miles off my lease and have come across a very nice '97 Coach with 185k miles on it. It's at a local Lexus dealer and generally in excellent condition save for a few blemishes and a busted and fubared passenger mirror. Mechanically it is very very sound with 30 pages of Lexus service records. The few issues I came across were a steering rack that looked a little sweaty, a VERY noisy A/C compressor, and potentially in need of some strut rods soon. Backstory...the car came to them with a dead HVAC system (I found the penny in the cig lighter that blew the fuse), who knows how long the car sat without the compressor being run but it cools very well currently just sounds horrible at higher RPMs when on. I'm worried that the compressor bearing is shot and has contaminated the system with material. I'm mechanically inclined and could easily replace the compressor but I do not have the tools for a proper evac and recharge...most places around won't touch it unless they evac and recharge themselves with one place refusing to touch it unless they replace the ENTIRE system. It drives beautifully and by far the cleanest and overall best shape one I've looked it. They're asking $3,990, I offered $2500 OTD, they countered, and are not budging at $3000 OTD. Would you guys buy given perceived condition and records? Am I safe with the compressor since it currently is still working and not died yet to just replace and move on? Any opinions appreciated!

http://www.germainlexusdublin.com/de...13676472?cid=0

Losiracer2

I would also bring up the tire condition, as those look old and dry rotted, in addition to your concerns of the AC compressor noises. Also, have you checked the condition of the brakes?

Other than that, it looks like a VERY good example of a 97. Mine is a 97 and has very good paint for it being an AZ car, but has the typical rock chips on the front bumper and hood for having 271k. I'd rather live with those then deal with an aftermarket painted car, as the Lexus paint in Diamond White Pearl is a very expensive and pretty durable three stage paint.

This being a Coach Ed. is a benefit also since the interior is a higher quality perforated leather. I'd say 3K is good if you can get them to buy new tires.

jaaa

Pretty hard to get dealers to come down a whole lot. Much easier to get a POV to deal.

T4RBoarder

Brakes are good, not too worried about those and parking brake seems to hold fine too...the tires, while a little more on the worn side, do look a little bit better in person than they do in the pics. This likely wouldn't be driven in the winter so tires would be a little far out purchase. The interior is really what's getting me, it has some light tint on the windows that is starting to discolor but it has kept that leather super supple and wonderful feeling.

jaaa: unfortunately this is really the only decent one I've seen around here, they're either 1st gens, completely donked out/destroyed, or expensive...and traveling is not really an option for me. Examples :/ http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5660132232.html http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/5691321404.html

Daspyda

iTrader: (1)

I say pass....

Check out Autotrader, cars.com, etc for other cars which may not be such a fixer-upper.

jaaa

If it were me, I would go after the 2000 in your second example. Counter offer at $4k, and see what they say. You just might be able to get them to come down 33%. Dealers rarely go down that far.

T4RBoarder

Just kidding I guess...they sold it :/ typical luck. Thanks guys!

djamps

The A/C would be my biggest concern. if they addressed that I'd give them $3000. Tires look ok for maybe another 10k miles tops, and from the looks of one of them you should probably get an alignment.

KJG92

At the end of the day I bet they don't have $1500 in it. But, they are a dealership and they have to make X% profit. It's a great car for them to have to draw people to something a little more profitable, I mean better. I'd hunt around. It is easy for me to say cause there are always a bunch for sale around here.

dicer

The games over I guess. It would need to be in super nice paint body and interior with all the problems. I wonder how much work the suspension needed?
Just look for a car in super shape for around $7000. because if you paid $3000 for it you would have that much into the car by the time you got all the fixes done. Unless of course its all diy. And the only way that pays is to park it for months to work on it a little at a time when time allows. If you bust rear on it then its like paying your self to do the work. If you work hard like that for free I have some projects for you. No pay of course.
Here you go come get it.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/5680090052.html
woops didnt' notice the dent till I posted it. That takes a bunch off the price.

pmarr

Having owned a 91, 97, 98 and now a 99 I would steer toward a 98-00 model. Better low end torque, better mileage, faster to be sure.