Legender

Exactly....wait for the one you want. Patience will reward you richly...or at least less repair/maintenance costs.

fgpalmer71

Yes sir. This isn't my first rodeo.....or lexus for that matter. Owned a 1996 es300 that I bought at auction with a dealer friend in 2000. Great car. Should have kept it. Always loved the ls400, and the fact that the engine and tranny appear bullet proof is nice too. Been looking for a nice one that I can buy outright for a couple of months now. Tired of the car payment on the Mazda and I'm in year 3.....I always get out of them in year 3, the new car purchases I make anyway. As soon as I find a nice, worthy vehicle I am going to have the mods from 6crew vouche for me so I can try to pick up a few things. I have big plans for the right car!

On the way out the door to check out this 1997 now. We'll see if it could be the one.

fgpalmer71

Just got off the phone with the dealer that sold and serviced the car since new. They advised me that the vehicle has been brought in for service every 5k miles since it was sold new in 1998. All recommended service has been performed. The timing belt was changed in march.....1k miles ago. I asked about the starter and water pump and neither has been changed. How concerned should I be about the water pump right now? Is it something I should consider changing right away in a 90k mile 97 should this deal be materalize?

deanshark

I wouldn't worry about the water pump unless some kind of problem is noticable. Usually it's changed with the T-belt job but that's just b/c everything that needs to come off to change the WP is already off, it's just preventative. If it's leaking or overheating then I'd look into it. I haven't heard of too many going bad.

dc893

I personally wouldn't be concerned with the starter either. Unless you notice anything strange when you go to start the car. That can be a pricey job though.

Legender

Sounds cleaner, better and closer than the other one... and you can see if for yourself. Sounds like a winner. So long Mazda....

fgpalmer71

Just got back......IDK. Stopped at Tom Wood Lexus in indy as it was on the way to the car. Talked with the service manager for a min and he remembers the car and knows the owner. Elderly gentleman, Lexus Ls customer since early 90's, the guy had 2 before the 97. a 91 and a 95. He told me the car was one of the nicest he serviced....mechanically. He warned me that the guy shouldn't have been driving the last few years so the body had taken some abuse. He tells me the guys family made him give up driving so he traded it on an IS for his grandson. They wholesaled the car to the dealer that has it now because as the interior and underneath are known to be top notch the body is not.

So I get to the car and he's right....it's rough. Not the worst I've seen, I think its fixable. The car is rock solid internally. Not a noise, vibration, creak, clunk....nothing. Motor was strong. Drove the car for 30 min, got it on the highway, the tranny shifted perfectly. No leaks, But the body needs some TLC. Looks like the guy has gotten too close to a garage wall or pole and there are various scuffs down both sides of the car. Most can be buffed out, but some may still be noticeable. Took photos to my GF's dad when I got back. He has owned a body shop for 30 years. Based on the pics, if I was an average guy and wanted it to be perfect, the estimate was 4500. 49hrs of labor. If all the damage were to have been reported to an insurance company it would be totaled. Not sure I want that much work.....I can help and get the work done reasonably. Just not sure I want to get into all of that. The history and talking to the service manager, who has no skin in the game, are fantasic. I feel good about everything under the skin. Gonna think on it.

LScowboyLS

You need to perform the Autocheck, not the selling dealer, I would do that first thing with any candidate car!

they have package deals so that you can get several cars or a period of time at one price, making it a lower cost for this necessity


and forget any cars that are not incredibly fabulous creampuffs, be patient, you don't have to buy one this week, or this month!

fgpalmer71

I paid $50 yesterday for unlimited autochecks for a month. I am in no rush, believe me. I ran the autocheck and its clean. All of the cosmetic damage looks to seriously be from someone side swiping their garage walls, or scraping a bush along a driveway. No rock chips. Nothing to suggest another vehicle was hit.

I have been looking long enough to know that I don't happen upon a service manager who knows the entire history of the vehicle.....ever. And can punch up the vin and show it to me no less. And thats what has me lingering. I'm not buying anything today. But if the car can be had for under 6k........I could have the work paint work and dent pulling done and not lift a finger for around 2500.....I'm thinking under 8500 for a 97 LS with a known service history, pretty fantastic interior, painted any color I wanted may not be all bad. IDK. My intention has always been to find that cream puff that needs nothing but some wheels, springs and tint for 8500 or less. Something under 100k, with a clean history and records. I've seen great looking cars with well over my 100k mile barrier on them but everything else. Or cars under 100k that looked good but had no history with them and were above the 8500 limit i've set for this. I'm gonna sleep on it.

LScowboyLS

I have to disagree on the $8500 for a 97 being anything short of just too high

two years ago perhaps, but prices on 95-97 generation have fallen too far, the most perfect 97 on the planet is no longer worth $8500, you can find a very nice 98-00 for that kind of money, and 98+ is a much improved car

huge improvements in:

power
theft deterrence
traction control
side air bags
and several other areas\



and I would not get an LS400 painted, because for a shop to repaint an LS400 to the level of quality of the original paint & clear coat would be considerably in excess of $10,000 just for the paint job!

fgpalmer71

Thanks Lscowboy. I can't deviate from my plan. I'll find the right car. I'm walking away from this one too. Appreciate the advice everyone.
this is the car I looked at today....http://www.ridendrive.net/detail.asp...ID=11516&.aspx

here is the florida car.......http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...nal&listType=1

fgpalmer71

Thanks for all the insight fellas. I got a call from my dad last night about one of his customers who had a Lexus he was looking to sell (he's a statefarm agent). Its not the LS I had been searching for.....but an '05 es330. Sounded like a decent car with 82k miles. So I went to take a look this am............
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/att...1&d=1377891137
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/att...1&d=1377891137

I bought it. It needs the 90k service in 8k miles and paint has some dings and swirl marks. I can have it all smoothed out and looking like new for $500....but the old guy I bought it from didn't know that. Even though my dad has insured the car since new I went ahead and ran the auto check anyway (paid for unlimited checks for a month)....it checked out fine. Took it to the shop my girls dad owns to find out what it would take to make it like new and went back to negotiate. The man said he would take 6500 and I couldn't get to the bank fast enough!!! Now to sell the mazda.....search is over!!!

LScowboyLS

good lookin car

Legender

Congrats and nice find... Hope it works out for you. Not quite an LS... but good quality and should last a long time. Enjoy.

fgpalmer71

Thanks guys.
I tried to post a photo of the outside but it won't upload like the others did for some reason. Its a dark blue. And no, its not an LS. Even the 97 LS I drove the other day had more ***** then this v6 does. But its low mileage, clean, runs well and should give me at least 5 years of fairly trouble free no payment driving.....which was the end game. I researched used luxury cars for a bit before my search got started and the LS was always at the top of everyones list.....the ES was top 5. I'm happy though.....and on the hunt for some wheels and springs soon! The tint is scheduled for monday and I plan to spend the weekend detailing the Mazda.....hope to have it gone soon! I'm glad I didn't book a flight to florida!!!!!