RyanIL

I am about to purchase a 2006 RX400h with 206k for $3,700, pending personal inspection. We are meeting 1/2 between a long drive, so having it inspected at my local shop isn't an option.

Price is low due to fender and passenger door damage. Is cosmetic. I've found matching replacements in great condition for $700 total.
Lexus dealer combed the records up to 9/2015. All scheduled maintenance done. Said the original owner kept up on everything. No major issues or replacements. Only thing skipped was the spark plug replacement. Can my mechanic "easily" replace those while doing the timing belt?
Timing belt was replaced at 117k, so I will have this and the water pump changed immediately.

Current owner claims she's had no problems, other than a/c repair in the summer.

Questions for owners (please):
Does this seem like a reasonable deal. I will be spending about $1,700 on timing belt kit install, exterior parts and tires by the time it's in "good" condition.
What should I be looking for, other than the usual cross-contaminated fluids and pink coolant drips?
If not a good deal, what are the risks, or what sales price seems reasonable.

My other "local" option for the money is a 2008 xc90 in excellent cond., 140k. $5,500 I really want to Lexus more, from everything I've read.

Thanks for your time.

ukrkoz

Nope. i'd not buy it.
1. It was in accident. Who knows what else is damaged
2. Sellers are tellers. "She runs good"? Of course she does. According to him.
3. Too many miles. Yes, yes, I am well aware to cohort of over the 200 000 miles hybrid SUV owners. Small cohort. At that mileage chance of getting traction battery issues soon is rather high.
4. Why exactly do you need a hybrid?
5. You always get what you paid for.
6. 140 000 miles is always better deal than 200 000 miles.
7. Dollar 1 700 for timing belt kit? Is it made out of gold or something? I paid $450 parts and all to replace t belt on wife's then RX. Buddy shop, of course. But still...
8. Two parts for $700. Ok. Plus how much is paint job and color match? Door fascia on RAV4 done buddy shop outta da door was $500 itself. That's big time buddy. You looking at around $ 1200 fender+door+paint job. Unless you are really good with and well equipped for paint job.
9. How much is registration, tax, and such? Another $500 or so?
So let's do the math. $3700 + $1700 +$1000(I'll be conservative on body work)+$500=$7K. That's for a vehicle inspected in a rush "somewhere in between" and I know how those inspections go. 70% of issues are missed. Vehicle needs to be inspected by two people: 1. body shop fella 2. Toyota mechanic with Techstream software and knowledge of hybrids.
As I wish you well.

joedaddy1

iTrader: (1)

How bad is damage?

timing belt will have another 20k of life.

RyanIL

@ukrkoz:
1. Was backed into in a parking lot. I've found a matching door and fender, both 202 black onyx, so no need to paint for $700.
4. I commute three days per week. My 06 highlander hybrid just got totaled. Hoping this is my replacement.
7. $160 for the kit, plus 5 hour installation at $75/hr
9. Insurance paying for TTR
I'm caution/nervous. I've talked to the seller at length, and don't believe she's trying to hide anything. I also don't think she knows much about the vehicle- gift from her father a year ago.

@joedaddy1: Damage is not bad at all. Could go without repair, but I'd like to make it nice again. Spark plugs were never changed, so I'd like to change both at some point, if it would save some money.

RyanIL

I spoke with my mechanic. With spark plug change and timing belt, closer to $900. Not liking as good of a deal.
Thanks for all of your input. I’ll be sure to check back in case anyone else chimes in.

smassey321

Expensive repairs can include transmission or inverter coolant leaks. Look for pink crust on both. ABS pump is also expensive. Be concerned with ABS like feel for normal braking. $3k car is low risk for someone who does their own work on cars. Paying people to fix my car would get expensive fast.

RyanIL

Are there signs of impending inverter failure, or do they just go?

ukrkoz

I'd NEVER touch a hybrid that had rear end collision. Hybrid battery is there. Well, not so much on hybrtid SUVs, it's more towards the middle yet...
This is actually quite common to let sale handle by an ignorant female. Makes it more convincing.
Ryan, I feel your desire. But. Also don't forget that anything Lexus is premium over anything Highlander. And anything Made in Sweden is a special tool starting at $300 and up.
Look, you are under pressure. Your HiHy was totaled. You need a car. Rush. That's when people jump on "deals" that turn into money pit later.
One thing I know about market is that you buy something, next day there will be two more better available. This is how we missed a beautiful 400H for my wife. Bought RX350, next day - boom, beautiful red 400H, less miles, less money. Still kicking myself.
Either way, hybrid needs to be scoped with Techstream for hybrid battery state. Cells charge and such.

smassey321

They don't fail and leave you on the side of the road. They leak like a failing water pump and make a mess. It starts slowly.

thomas1

Sounds like a great deal to me, I would check for inverter leaks and see make sure inverter recall works was done. My wife car has 216000 on it and it runs great.

RyanIL

I ended up looking at it yesterday. No coolant leaks, however it has a significant oil leak, alignment issues, ABS weirdness and some noises that were just not normal (including for a hybrid).

Thanks for all of the great input!

ukrkoz

See. Told you. Too good to be true.