Hey everyone Im new to this forum and to the IS family. Im planning on picking up an is300. i found a 2005 at $13,500 "salvage title because it has been hit at the right side fender. And has repair by a profesional body shop" w/ 34k miles and AT stock. Should i pick this car up or pass? IMO the year and mileage makes up for the salvage title but idk...help me out here guys.

 

are u going to mod/keep the car?? if not then pass on this because salvaged cars are difficult to resell.

 

im gonna stick w/ it for awhile and thinkin about doing some mods also.

 

Welcome to CL.....and to CAR CHAT. Glad to have you.
Check the car out as best you can.....especially since it has been hit and body-shop repaired. Look at the sheet metal paint/trim quality of the repair. Check and see if the protective inner materials were putinside the wheel wells, if applicable. On the test-drive, check for a bent frame by seeing if the car straight-tracks or pulls to one side....and if the brakes pull left or right. Look at the tires and see how they are wearing.....if there is noticeable unevenness. If you are not satisfied that the car is a good buy......or if it is too risky.........pass it up.

And a question: Are all those interior shots of the same car? One shows an automatic transmission lever; the other appears to be a manual.

We also, if you prefer, have a separate IS forum specifically for both first and second-generation IS talk..........but we talk ALL cars here on CAR CHAT, IS300's and everything else, even non-Lexus.

 

I say pass on any salvaged vehicle no matter how good it may look.

 

In most cases, that's good advice.

 

was thinking the same exact thing. Any like waht mmarshall said if it doesnt drive right(feel wrong) or if you are just uncertain go for something else. Because you get what you pay for.

 

The seller post those pictures up, I was wondering too...

What do you mean by the breaks pull left or right?

 

yeah i noticed the different interior too
something doesnt add up
this car is now double fishy

i think mmarshall means when you brake, see if the car pulls left or right

 

Yeah I'd take it to someone you really trust to do a thorough mechanical check of the vehicle.

Also have the mechanic that you trust check the integrity of the car. (is the bumper fitted properly or just welded to the body? is the frame in good condition or hammered back? and so forth). The reason is that you wanna make sure that if you (knock on wood) hit something, it'll protect you like Lexus designed it in the first place. If it wasn't repaired properly, you won't have that crumple zone to protect you.

 

+1 for passing on a salvaged title.

Think about it... Salvaged means that the cost of fixing the car right exceeds the car's value. And yet, here it sits all pretty and painted. So, some corners must have been cut somewhere during the repair process where you cannot see them easily.

Of course, there is a chance that this is an OK car (the body shop, for example, could have stretched the repair estimate a little to get to the salvaged title), but is it worth the risk? I don't think so.

Good luck.

 

I personally wouldn't buy any salvage car, but it may be worth it to someone other than me.

The pictures are of two different cars. If you notice some of the pictures are of a blue IS, probably the blue IS parked bedhing the one in question

 

I'd consider it if it was theft recovered. But since it had body work done then given salvage title, I'd pass. This one does look tempting though. Good luck!