Yes - totally get that - If you sort one like I have without the benefit of a garage, expect to shell out some money to get the car back halfway even.
Retail market and restore will easily put you out of any competitive resale market and you will easily go over budget even being careful, if your thinking of flipping one of these cars.
If you pick up a Hooptie like I did, I have invested 3 times what I have paid for the car from auction to get it to where it's a dependable daily.
The only saving grace is these cars can take a lot of abuse from abusive owners.
It's a real trick to get a car low and still make a profit with the cost of parts and labor so you can only take something like that so far if you intend on reselling it. Just let anyone know whats the plus and minus.
I can say I am finally enjoying the car and it drives better than my 97 Lincoln that had the fat front couch drivers seat and just as smooth as my 99 Q45. (which have way to small of seats)

 

The telescoping steering wheel is a nice feature. I had that motor replaced to restore that feature.

 

In my case, the telescoping was replaced under CPO, and my tilt is shot now. But in a good position. As I always say, these cars are not cheap. They beat a Hyundai where the engine self-destructs after 80000 miles, but probably not a Camry/es350 with a timing chain, in terms of cost...

 

Great job knowing your customer base! I'd still regularly call a few of these dealerships with $15k+ LS430s and ask them how long it's been sitting on the lot. Low volume dealerships seem to hold them for months, while high volume dealerships seem to eventually sell them at a loss. You'd be surprised how candid some of these dealerships can be talking business with others in the industry who aren't direct competitors.

The general public doesn't know that the era of dealerships making thousands on used cars is long gone, but they still expect the same level of discounts they received in that bygone era. Remember when asking $5k off the dealership's asking price was a realistic offer? People don't realize that even $500 off hurts today.

 

Yep, they are around $350 a motor and we would gladly replace it as a condition of the sale, but all our cars that have already sold were sold at a good enough price people didn't care.

 

My 2001 LS430 UL with 190k has all steering wheel motors and air suspension working. Door closing motors 2 were replaced under warranty and today 1 or 2 are intermittent. Wife use to rely on those and end up with dead battery next morning because door not shut with dome light on. Wish car never had those. Car has also always been garaged.

 

Ok, so this has digressed into a discussion about steering adjustment motors. I replaced both, buying from Bell and paying the dealer for labor. I'm 6'6" so I needed them, and it was 4 years before I had to replace, since I bought in 2019. They made a mistake and undercharged me, I believe the job is rated at 3 hours. Here are the current prices:
89232-50050 469.72 Bell Lexus 198.18 Amayama (+shipping and tariffs) 458.27 Mylparts
89231-50060 498.01 Bell Lexus 198.18 Amayama (+shipping and tariffs) 485.87 Mylparts
​​​​​​@LILEVO mentioned his margins are slim, understandable. So if he replaces these or one of them with OEM motors listed above and then deducts his own time in labor, where does he clear?!
These are not Ferraris. You cannot just keep jacking the price up for your efforts and OEM parts. While many of us here care, others don't. He cannot raise the car price $460 or $900 + his labor and claim....in addition to whatever else. Like he said, does it work or not?!

 

I got lucky and salvaged mine in the junkyard - no so lucky part was the installation -

 

This is all that needs to be said by him - and he said it - and let the guy make a profit - When you go to the store do you haggle about wholesale vs retail with the clerk at Walmart?

 

If it's not really lucrative and profitable to have a "LS430 dealership", which you've already broken by having numerous non LS's, why did you open up shop?

Don't take it the wrong way. And I'm not attacking you...but are you opening up shop as a hobby? Do you love the 430's that much, that fixing them is a hobby? Several of those 430's on your lot needed A LOTTTT of work and repairs on the INTERIOR. Looked thrashed! You're talking about swapping glass? Just curious about your business model and how successful it will be? I really do wish you all the luck in the world and admire your entrepreneurial spirit. I certainly don't have it in me....but I see you having a T100 here, a LX470 there, a Land Cruiser here, a Tacoma there, and before you know it, you're not really a "LS430 dealership" anymore? Again, I wish you luck, but personally, I don't see it. Help me understand?

 

That's the exact reason I did it. Everyone says, "It can't be done" or "it's stupid" or it won't work. I already had the shop, the lot, the space, and everything else that comes with it so it was a combination of "net zero" investment and a strong passion and enjoyment (hobby) for working on the LS platform. I have been working on Toyota and Lexus since the early 2000's.

I have an entire JDM import and sales business and other businesses so there is no financial pressure, sales pitching, or time crunch. It doesn't make much sense to open three different businesses to do the same thing, but with different cars. After I started with the LS430 there was high demand for Land Cruiser and LX470's so naturally I added those.

Everything is a grind these days. Nothing is easy and money comes when it comes. As long as I'm making some type of a profit then that makes it all worth it. If I fail and underestimated the demand for sub-$10k clean, rust free LS430's in the middle of the midwest rust belt so be it.

 

I get it now. This really isn't your sole source of income, not your primary/main gig. Sounds like you have a couple businesses going on, and you're not dependent on this dealership to survive. I get it. I also feel your drive and passion! While it's a bad reaction and strategy to simply do something because someone says it's dumb, or it's impossible, I understand and see your broader field of vision. Best of luck to you!

 

Wishing you all the best and all the luck - running a business is difficult as it is especially used car market -

 

When I bought my first 430, an 03 in 2014, I thought about the original price, close to $70k. I drove it around and it was an experience, I felt special. That is roughly $103k-ish now. I couldn't afford $70k then or now and certainly not $103k! Then in 2019 I sold my 03 and bought the 04 I have now. I drive that car and feel accomplished even though I am not near where I thought I would be at this point in life, but I digress.
My point is that you are going after a niche market, and I think you will get it. I think you will get a lot of word of mouth business. There are people driving $9-$10k Camry's and Avalon's and they will see they could be driving this. I am a nitpicker about working luxuries, but I forget that some people care only about the reliability, comfort, and cost, and they will not care if the soft close doors quit working or the fridge in a UL doesn't work. Yes, you can always buy an Benz S or Beemer 7 super cheap, but for someone on a limited budget those cars are a DISASTER!
LS430's can be safe, reliable, and smooth for Camry/Avalon maintenance budget, and then that person can feel something extra special. And these ain't Bentley's, any corner mechanic can rip up a Toyota V8 and fix it.
I think you will give people an experience...to drive something special.