Ls400 [Salvaged-Broken-Running Cars FS-Craigslist and others- The Mother thread]
 

Sorry I just can't figure some folks out. I guess when the link goes then I'll delete this if I can.
So what do you think of this STEAL?

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/5626399817.html

Makes me think my 1997 LS400 is worth at least $20k:p

I wouldn't pay $100 for that car. What's ironic is the sticker in the rear window......

The last time I looked in local Craigslist there were only parts cars. The number of nice LS400s is dwindling.

holy cow what a mess. sadly most of the ones I see pop up are like this now.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/5641249782.html
Ooh la la. For you Gen 1 lovers. Still see beauties like this once in awhile in No Cal

Still one I would not want. Those fender trim eye brows are just stupid. Its a low option car.
There was a nice looking one here but the paint was not in good shape I think it sold its deleted.
Yeah its too bad more people don't at least try to take care of them. If its not the paint pealing off its the wiring all messed up or fenders bent up.

http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/ctd/5669337438.html


If not for the front driver's side fender having what looks like a dent this one would be perfect. The price is reasonable as long as all maintenance is up to date.

A gorgeous '91 with 93K on it.

http://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/5649235822.html

Yeah what a deal, huge bummer, all the good ones are pretty much a zero option car. Just like that one.
Its nice but not many options, I didn't know the floor mats were an option! No CD, No Trac, No heated seats, sticker says driver memory, and leather seats, it calls it a SUN roof ? And really too bad its the blaaaa cream interior, those burgundy ones look so much better with the burgundy interior.
Same with the dark walnut pearl with the dark brown interior. Its a nice car but bland. If I had a museum and the $ I'd get it.
At the advertised price it would cost me $7400. plus and add on shipping if deciding to go that route.

Title edited.

Seems like a beat up car, though the pricing is hilarious I guess. Maybe a typo from $200?

Wow, that is beautiful. :o

I feel the problem with finding fully loaded cars is that they were so desirable over other examples, that many have been used up by now, having had multiple owners each. There are still fully loaded ones that pop up once in a while, but it seems to be that most of the original owners still have them or pass them on to friends and family before they hit the market.

There was a 1993 on Craigslist with both front and rear end damage that was free in the SF Bay area, last week. That first car you shared the link from should nearly be that.. Even though the structure damage isn't nearly as bad as the crushed 1993. The rear windshield stickers don't help with the value of that listing, either. :D

EDIT: This is more like your kind of car, dicer. It's on Ebay - Trac, leather, moon roof, carpets, low miles, etc. Can't get much better than that, but the price is high for that reason.

So is it black or brown? And it is equipped like the one I have, again low options just the Trac and heated seats that's it. Tape no cd. No seat memory, no power steer wheel extend.
Its in good shape but I want all options to pay that. Walnut pearl is good, I won't look at a black or white car. And can't stand cream interiors.
And to buy that I would need a written guarantee that it has never been painted or had body damage of any sort. I guess I should have gone for that 3000 mile one last year, even though it was a zero option car, well it may have had a few.

I just noticed a huge flaw on that car. The front bumper is broke, the teeth are showing, my $1000 wonder has the same problem. So its not as flawless as they think. The rear bumpers been hit or bumped, looks like some door edges bumped into stuff, and lots of possible paint chips here and there from rocks or gravel. I wonder if its factory glass? All mine have Lexus glass. I just found one pic that looks like its not the Lexus glass. I'm very picky.

Here's another example of low mileage vehicle for sale in DFW area...

http://dallas.craigslist.org/search/...te&query=lexus

High priced, but does look clean with only 46k on it.

Autotrader.com is also a great source...

Yeah, it's overpriced, but it does look all original, which leads to the listing price. I didn't notice the front bumper, but the rear scratches and side damage I did.

I don't blame you for being picky - One thing I really don't like about that car is that it only has the valet key and no master keys with it. Unfortunately, these cars are getting to be 30 years old now, so it essentially is what it is.

Not sure I would call that one high priced given the low miles and original paint. If I were looking for an LS400 I would buy that one.

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/cto/5672562069.html

Well here is another one. And from what he says, it has some not so nice blemishes, for top dollar it should have none. And talk about a zero option car. Gosh what is going on? Maybe some day I'll find a car.

That one is not too bad but I can't wrap my head around the cloth. Knowing what problems lie ahead with these cars it may be gambling a bit. I'd rather buy a car with service history and the items replaced like the power steering pump, hoses, timing belt stuff and so on. But to each his own. I just bought a low mile '75 Malibu Classic. I know, but I like them and I'm playing hell replacing all the soft stuff that has just failed due to age and lack of use. Not any fun.

But, with our '92 with 160k on it I wouldn't sell it right now for what the book says its worth cause I wouldn't be able to replace it.

Cloth wears better, but I don't like the look. It is a rare car in many ways. No moon roof that's pretty rare.
It is interesting how all the burgundy cars are not 2 tone. I like when they have the burgundy interiors.
What is the mark on the lower portion of the driver door near the vin tag?

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/5663604540.html
Another junker Not. Was this the ebay one?

If you had $10k and were looking for a daily driver why not? What else are you going to get on the market for $10k that will give you the ride and comfort of one of these? Now maintaining one may be a challenge if you are not handy under the hood but their are a lot of independent shops around that will do a good job.

Very much enjoy seeing the listings...

I think the crux of your frustration is that your definition of what "excellent condition" is on a 27 year old car is not what most people's definition of "excellent condition" is on something that old. To me, that car looks to be in astounding condition given its age.

The problem is not the condition they are in, my frustration is that it seems the only ones in that condition don't seem to ever have any options. They are cheaper examples of what was available back then. I'm looking for one like that with all factory options. I'd give or take the phone it was not a factory option. And I won't even look at a black or white car, unless it was in top shape and low price.

98 with less than 110k

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/5666661527.html

Big issue with that one is that those clearly are not the OEM leather seats.

Wow. That is s nice one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexus-LS-/26...m=262515890864

Here we go again.
I wonder if they cut the wires to put the stupid aftermarket radio in? Why on a low miles good shape car? And then brag about original paint and the like?
Darn close, but missing too much stuff.

How do you bridge the gap from salvaged cars to a mostly mint low mileage car, with literally nothing changed aside from a radio.

You act as though an act of great sacrilege was committed. It's a freaking radio, if you are looking for a concours car it can easily be put back to stock within an hour of rewiring. If you're looking for a clean daily driver, the majority of people are unlikely to specifically want a 30 year old cassette deck. A modern, bluetooth enabled headunit is a solid selling point.

I'm going to guess without asking, but someone that has taken care of a car like that surely would have had the radio done professionally. Which means a harness. Factory radios are all over ebay and are cheap. I'm just wondering if it is worth $8k or not. But if the TB was done and all other maintenance then I guess it goes back to what else are you going to get for the money.

Absolutely, people want that better technology, and after 30 years my guess is the stock speakers are dry rotted no longer function to the same level they did originally, which is another reason why someone would replace the system. This aftermarket system is clean, well done.

This looks like a pretty good car...

This wasn't a car that someone just bought and stuck in a garage. These are ordinary cars, people bought them and drove them and used them as ordinary daily driver cars. To find one untouched by the hands of time is a losing proposition.

Its simple sense, there is no reason to put an after market stereo in a car like that. Got it figured out why?
Reason number one its super stupid to be driving it far enough to even need that kind of sound system. With such low miles every mile added to it is loosing value and threatening total loss.
If they did a sound system did they do speakers too?
But that was low on my list and the reason for" here we go again" is the low options on a nice low mile decent shape car.

It's losing value every day anyways. It's not a classic car, somebody is going to buy that car and drive it as their car. its going to have miles out on it. It's not "stupid". If it's a total loss, oh well they'll go buy another car.

Give it a few more years and you will change your tune. I got a 55 chevy for $100 back when they were considered junk too. You can pretty much gauge someones age when they make a comment like you did.
I lost out because when I was younger I said that too.
Yeah may not be a classic in a book some place but to some people they maybe a classic.
And who would have thought that some day these butt ugly things would be classics????????????
And if your going to buy an LS to drive don't spend top dollar on a pristine example, that's just going to get trashed, try to save a few good examples of the cars. Even in pristine condition its still going the need the normal work and have the normal problems of all the older ones, except for paint and body. Until it hits a parking lot.



Oh I just saw another pretty nice LS400 with not too bad miles, owner says "SLIGHT DAMAGE" wants around 3000 for it. Problem is the damage would cost $4000 or more to fix. Other wise its super nice looking and clean. I'd say the price is slightly high.

I'll ignore the dig about my age lol

If you feel that way they you should buy one and put it in a garage and keep it. I'm not saying that you should not buy one and keep it as a classic, don't put miles on it, etc if thats what you want to do. Go for it, but you can't blame others for using them as actual daily driver cars and doing things to them that make them better for that purpose because thats what people actually need, and these cars are excellent for that task.

Plenty of 55 Chevys and Hudson Hornets were driven for transportation too and "ruined". Did those people "miss out"? They had a good vehicle to drive...most people don't have the money, space or desire to keep a bunch of cars sitting around hoping that one day they may hit as a classic. Do you use the furniture in your house? One day it'll be antiques you know.

Will the LS400 become a classic? It will always be a car of significance...but my guess is no. We'll see which one of us is right.

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sf...660674207.html
This is interesting

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/la...667229305.html
Is this one even worth $100? And I've seen cars with this kinda paint job with 2500 price tags.


https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/5645220103.html
I wonder how much he spent on the wheels and tires? Why?


One day this will be a picture of an LS400
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/5680718013.html

Some of these seemed pretty nice for the price
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/5654370409.html

http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/cto/5659914544.html

http://ocala.craigslist.org/cto/5673580423.html

Garage find
http://muncie.craigslist.org/cto/5667505504.html

That one looks terrific, price is way too much though.

I can see these cars as classic / desirable in the future once most of them are gone and they are truly a rare site in 20-30 years from now. think about how crazy a Ls400 will seem on the street in 2040?!

Just like seeing a Datsun Z car or Fairlady coupes. There will be owners who cherish them to have in original and modified states. Good example is the Japanese Classic Car show in Long Beach. They won't be rare until attrition over time has played out. Just like any of the American classics. Not all are part of saving.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/5677684772.html