DEREKC

Can the factory options be looked up from the VIN?
Shopping for a used LS430. The various combinations of the factory options really make price comparsion difficult. Most ads don't tell what option package the car was sold with and some sellers can tell what features their cars have but not what factory option package they have.

If there is a way to lookup the option package from the VIN, it would make price comparsion easier, wouldn't it?

But then the option packages varies from place to place zip to zip. Here in Bay area CA, dealers sell the 04 Ultra luxury package with the precollision system only and that costs thousands more.

And where can I lookup the original prices of the option packages for the used cars?

Or Can I look up the dealer invoice price of any used cars from the VIN?

Or am I thinking in the right direction for shopping for my dream LS430?

Kansas

I doubt if the kind of detailed information you are looking for can be obtained from the VIN although it has been many since I worked with VINs in the insurance industry. Autotrader.com used to have a link on their home page to detailed information about original prices and packages for cars through 2003 but the link seems to have been removed. But the content is still buried (for now) in their web site and here is a link: http://www.autotrader.com/research/m...l?restype=used

Even knowing the name of the option package can be confusing as I found when I bought a three year old used 00 LS. I knew there ws a "Platinum Package" but didn't know there were three different Platinum packages (SE, SF, SG) with different content and prices.

Same goes for the LS430. There were two different "Interior Upgrade" packages - IN and IR.
And there are two different navigation packages - one with ML and one without. And then there are dealer installed stuff like special wheels that are not on the Lexus menu at all but might be nice to have.

At least in the SF area you should be able to personally view a large selection of cars and not have to rely on the seller telling you over the phone what he thinks he has.

BUMPA

Yes they can I just got the info on a car I am going to buy.

Hope this helps

DEREKC

BUMPA,
How did you can the info? From the VIN? From who?

BUMPA

Call Lexus @ 1-800-255-3987, prompt #4 and ask them for the all the options on the car. I am going to buy a 2001 LS430 and they had all the options that were on the car from the factory. Anything the dealer added were not listed.