Looking at 2006 LS430 with ~123k miles. Most of it's life in North Virginia , current owner has had it for 11 yrs. It does not have Nav (no screen). Not a sport suspension, but the OEM 17" wheels have been changed to 18" Costco Velox wheels in 2019.

I tried to ask the seller for pictures under the car and the attached are the best that was sent.

I am trying to see if it's worth going an checking out (~4 hours drive for me)

Is this mostly just surface rust (minus the rear rotos that is anyways due for change)







Rear wheel (rotors are due for change)


Front (new rotors)

Wheels are some Costco bought Velox wheels? (stock are 17"

 

Can you get some pics of the mufflers and resonators? Pics under the hood? see what is rusted under there.
btw - those don't appear to be OEM struts/shocks.

Depends on the history and $$. Seems to have been in some winter driving with salt/mag chloride.

 

Did you get a Carfax report? Where has it spent most of its life? Can't really tell from the photos what the general condition is, possibly aftermarket parts are rusting rest of the car not so much but I'm guessing.

 

It's DC 4 years (government) and rest northern Virginia / Arlington. Yes I did get a carfax, attached. It had dealer services till ~60k miles. Then a private shop. Timing belt done at 89k miles but at a private shop and they used a Dayco timing bet kit

@FanofLS
- how do suspect those struts are not original?

 

Paint marks on the coil springs look OEM to me. If that was a salt belt car it would not look that clean after 19 years. Why are you looking at a car 4 hours away? I know the answer could be obvious but still asking.

 

Nothing local in my area in NC that's clean enough.

 

Makes sense. It's worth it IMO to travel and get a rust free car, but prepare to say no don't buy it just because you traveled.

 

I didnt see the two colored band strips on the end of the struts. See if you can get more pics of the undercarriage, the exhaust, the engine bay. see what else is corroded.

Maybe worth looking elsewhere for a cleaner model.

 

It is most likely from salting of roads and he probably showed you the worst hopefully. It really also depends an lot on price and how much premium over black book.

 

that rust would not really concern me very much

 

I agree with weld, that looks fairly "normal" for a car of this age perhaps with some intermittent exposure to salt or magnesium chloride. But I would not just trust the seller to send you the worst pictures. Get it inspected, on a lift, not just for corrosion but for other lurking issues it might or might not have.

 

The worst of that is the sway bar drop links and they can be replaced in 15 mins at minimal cost.

The diff always rusts up but it is thick steel so can be ignored unless you want to remove and prettify it.

The mufflers may have rust on the top where it is impossible to see it without removing them.
Eventually they will rust through and start blowing. I just had both mine replaced with stainless mufflers.

I'd go look at that if the price was right.