LS400 search
Thread Starter
10th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: New Brunswick
LS400 search
Hi,
I am looking for a 1998-2000 LS400. Like other buyers I want a car in excellent condition, low mileage, with service records etc..
I live on the east coast of Canada. There are very few of these cars where I live. Recently I had 3 bad experiences while shopping. I spent a day driving to the province of Nova Scoria and another full day driving to the province of Prince Edward Island to look at cars that were described to be in excellent condition. At best, they were in fair condition. Recently I almost flew to Connecticut to buy a car that indeed, on paper, appeared to be what I am looking for. Before making that journey I convinced the private seller to take it to the nearest Lexus dealership where I arranged an inspection. Glad I did that. The car had less than 70,000 miles and the only issue, according to the seller, was the radio display was fading. The dealership sent me a copy of the inspection report as well as videos. the rust damage under the car and to components made the dealership label the car as not road worthy. Wow, that was almost a waste of time and money. People lie!
So now I’m searching farther afield. I can travel to buy a car or I can have a car shipped but that sounds really risky.
I found, what looks to be a great car, at Hedsalescompany.com in Houston, Texas but the reviews are bad for that used car dealer. Similarly I found a nice car at Empire Motors Auto Sales in Philadelphia. He won’t allow me to arrange an inspection at the local Lexus dealership as he thinks they will find faults that they will get to repair. Plus he doesn’t want to waste an employee’s time doing that. He did say he would be ok with a mechanic going to his sales lot to inspect the car. I don’t know how to find an independent mechanic to do that.
So.......
Does anyone have advice for long distance car buying? Do you have suggestions for how to find independent mechanics? Any other options you could suggest?
Thanks for your time and help,
Greg
I am looking for a 1998-2000 LS400. Like other buyers I want a car in excellent condition, low mileage, with service records etc..
I live on the east coast of Canada. There are very few of these cars where I live. Recently I had 3 bad experiences while shopping. I spent a day driving to the province of Nova Scoria and another full day driving to the province of Prince Edward Island to look at cars that were described to be in excellent condition. At best, they were in fair condition. Recently I almost flew to Connecticut to buy a car that indeed, on paper, appeared to be what I am looking for. Before making that journey I convinced the private seller to take it to the nearest Lexus dealership where I arranged an inspection. Glad I did that. The car had less than 70,000 miles and the only issue, according to the seller, was the radio display was fading. The dealership sent me a copy of the inspection report as well as videos. the rust damage under the car and to components made the dealership label the car as not road worthy. Wow, that was almost a waste of time and money. People lie!
So now I’m searching farther afield. I can travel to buy a car or I can have a car shipped but that sounds really risky.
I found, what looks to be a great car, at Hedsalescompany.com in Houston, Texas but the reviews are bad for that used car dealer. Similarly I found a nice car at Empire Motors Auto Sales in Philadelphia. He won’t allow me to arrange an inspection at the local Lexus dealership as he thinks they will find faults that they will get to repair. Plus he doesn’t want to waste an employee’s time doing that. He did say he would be ok with a mechanic going to his sales lot to inspect the car. I don’t know how to find an independent mechanic to do that.
So.......
Does anyone have advice for long distance car buying? Do you have suggestions for how to find independent mechanics? Any other options you could suggest?
Thanks for your time and help,
Greg
Dysfunctional Veteran
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,103
Likes: 319
From: Van Alstyne, TX
^this. You will pay alot over the value to have it inspected, fixed and shipped to you. Better off flying to Texas and spending a few days driving around to various places until you find one you like. Then, at the end of the search, drive it home.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 807
Likes: 36
From: Ca
I get so irritated when people claim their cars are in "excellent condition" only to go look at them and see they are in nowhere near excellent condition. Private sellers are mostly guilty of this, but dealers can be just as bad. Anyways, I have seen this LS400 sitting on Craigslist for quite a while. They are grossly overpriced IMO, but the LS400 is getting harder and harder to find with low miles and in exceptional condition. Might be worth checking this one out somehow if it's what you are really wanting.
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/la...691025466.html
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/la...691025466.html
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,088
Likes: 245
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,997
Likes: 248
From: California
this one looks pretty good....https://macon.craigslist.org/cto/d/2...695990834.html
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 555
From: fl
Hi,
I am looking for a 1998-2000 LS400. Like other buyers I want a car in excellent condition, low mileage, with service records etc..
I live on the east coast of Canada. There are very few of these cars where I live. Recently I had 3 bad experiences while shopping. I spent a day driving to the province of Nova Scoria and another full day driving to the province of Prince Edward Island to look at cars that were described to be in excellent condition. At best, they were in fair condition. Recently I almost flew to Connecticut to buy a car that indeed, on paper, appeared to be what I am looking for. Before making that journey I convinced the private seller to take it to the nearest Lexus dealership where I arranged an inspection. Glad I did that. The car had less than 70,000 miles and the only issue, according to the seller, was the radio display was fading. The dealership sent me a copy of the inspection report as well as videos. the rust damage under the car and to components made the dealership label the car as not road worthy. Wow, that was almost a waste of time and money. People lie!
So now I’m searching farther afield. I can travel to buy a car or I can have a car shipped but that sounds really risky.
I found, what looks to be a great car, at Hedsalescompany.com in Houston, Texas but the reviews are bad for that used car dealer. Similarly I found a nice car at Empire Motors Auto Sales in Philadelphia. He won’t allow me to arrange an inspection at the local Lexus dealership as he thinks they will find faults that they will get to repair. Plus he doesn’t want to waste an employee’s time doing that. He did say he would be ok with a mechanic going to his sales lot to inspect the car. I don’t know how to find an independent mechanic to do that.
So.......
Does anyone have advice for long distance car buying? Do you have suggestions for how to find independent mechanics? Any other options you could suggest?
Thanks for your time and help,
Greg
I am looking for a 1998-2000 LS400. Like other buyers I want a car in excellent condition, low mileage, with service records etc..
I live on the east coast of Canada. There are very few of these cars where I live. Recently I had 3 bad experiences while shopping. I spent a day driving to the province of Nova Scoria and another full day driving to the province of Prince Edward Island to look at cars that were described to be in excellent condition. At best, they were in fair condition. Recently I almost flew to Connecticut to buy a car that indeed, on paper, appeared to be what I am looking for. Before making that journey I convinced the private seller to take it to the nearest Lexus dealership where I arranged an inspection. Glad I did that. The car had less than 70,000 miles and the only issue, according to the seller, was the radio display was fading. The dealership sent me a copy of the inspection report as well as videos. the rust damage under the car and to components made the dealership label the car as not road worthy. Wow, that was almost a waste of time and money. People lie!
So now I’m searching farther afield. I can travel to buy a car or I can have a car shipped but that sounds really risky.
I found, what looks to be a great car, at Hedsalescompany.com in Houston, Texas but the reviews are bad for that used car dealer. Similarly I found a nice car at Empire Motors Auto Sales in Philadelphia. He won’t allow me to arrange an inspection at the local Lexus dealership as he thinks they will find faults that they will get to repair. Plus he doesn’t want to waste an employee’s time doing that. He did say he would be ok with a mechanic going to his sales lot to inspect the car. I don’t know how to find an independent mechanic to do that.
So.......
Does anyone have advice for long distance car buying? Do you have suggestions for how to find independent mechanics? Any other options you could suggest?
Thanks for your time and help,
Greg
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
10th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: New Brunswick
The Los Angeles car is exactly what I’m looking for but their asking price is way out of line.
The car in Macon is also interesting. Thank you for the tip regarding a lack of picture showing the wear area on the driver’s seat. I will ask for one or two.
Thanks everybody,
greg
The car in Macon is also interesting. Thank you for the tip regarding a lack of picture showing the wear area on the driver’s seat. I will ask for one or two.
Thanks everybody,
greg
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