Not sure what gave the "rushed" impression, but as you might gather from my handle, rushing into something is not my style.
I've been on the hunt for the LS430 UL for about a year, so I'm studying long and it won't do me wrong. (I took 10 months+ to find just the right SC, so no worries).

 

Just an expression, "no need to rush" not saying that you are rushing necessarily. If you've waited voted over a year, you're definitely not rushing...

For me, just lucky that I found mine in like 1/2 year.

 

Post mortem on this particular LS430UL:

• After raising the price $1,000 the day I checked it out, an AutoTrader search this morning shows Ace Imports has raised it yet ANOTHER $1,000.
  
• $24.950 doesn't sound awful until you observe and consider the "cover up the road rash" paint job hurriedly applied to it.
  
• The sad thing is, someone will badly want this car and won't notice the paint issues without a professional review of the car. And they'll buy it for too much.
  
• Sad. Bizarre.

As the LS430UL search continues:
I think I might be opening up my search criteria a bit to include white. The more of your white LS430s I see, the more I really like them.

Thanks for keeping an eye out for a long-time CL bro guys!

 

hey sloooow,

i too was looking at that ultra. I'm located in florida so i didn't have the chance to physically see it.

i was trying to call them all day yesterday. by the time i did get to speak with the manager at about 530pm central time, he informed me the car sold about 20 minutes prior for 28k....guy said there were two parties on the lot in a bidding war for it.

 

Wow. I'll drive by and see if it's still there. Since the AutoTrader price went up today, it seems like they might have been mistaken. The owner is in such a dream-state thinking the LSs are about to go sky-high in the market place. It's strange.

Given the paint state, I wouldn't hit it.

 

I found 5 ULs in the SF area of Calif, from 12k to 47k and all 2005s or 2006s. All white and one moonlight pearl. Good luck, I'm looking too!

 

wow, i would think it would be hard to find one in alaska. do you plan on getting one from cali and driving it back??

 

No can do, needs to go on the barge, no roads in here, except the Marine Highway!

I've been looking on the west coast trying to stay away from any rust issues. But I hate the CA sales tax @ 8%. The only way around that is to ship out of state. I'd prefer to drive it to Seattle and then into the container there!

 

when i bought my car in NJ 3 months ago i didn't pay any sales tax in their state but as soon as i got back to md and tried to title it i had to pay sales tax. i always thought you paid sales tax in your home state, not the state of purchase???

 

I have noticed that a lot of 2006's coming off lease in last few weeks. Prices should go down a bit, I am thinking. I see quite a few 06 at and below the $30k range. I want to wait for a bit longer and see a few of the earlyLS460's coming out to play.

 

i bought mine two months ago. it's 01 silver on black. mint condition, one owner, UL package with 81k miles on it for $14500 out of the door.

it drives like new.

 

I got a ls460 06 last week, Searched the web for the ultra, and got one with Modern package. Would not even consider anything without a Navigation package. While it has it's limits, I felt worth the effort. Using the override makes it a more useful. If and When you want to sell, you will get a quicker sell with the goodies on board.

Don't settle for less than you want. Be sure you are happy with everything,

Yep lots of the 06's coming off lease. Not a bad thing, but maybe will be drying up again soon. Not sure if they continue to flood the market for any length of time. Nice thing about the Lease cars, is that they have to be serviced, and Miles are a bit lower.

 

I kinda played the same waiting game here for a while.
Apparently that last one that I tested did sell and for perhaps more than when I looked at it. Bizarre.

Even more odd was the almost immediate paucity of LS430ULs thereafter, until late April. More strangeness...
(months later, no one can accuse me of being impatient with this purchase)

Moving on to today...
I've got the following I'm pondering:

1. 2005 LS430 UL ~ Black on Black ~ 83k miles ~ $24,996 (no haggle)
   • $599 transfer fee from CA to TX
   • CA car; does that mean it has all the CA emissions crap on it?
     
2. 2004 LS430 UL ~ Black on Black ~ 63k miles ~ $26,900 (Lexus)
   • Local car
   • Do Lexus dealers haggle on used, 'scuze me, pre-owned pricing?

I'd like to check out the 2004 before paying to transfer the 2005 here.

You guys were awesome with the near-purchase above...
What say you?
No extreme differences between the 2004 and 2005?
Do you prefer the newer car yourself?
Do you take the car with fewer miles?
Do you take the out-of-state car?
Do you take the local car?
Opinions?
Preferences if you were in my shoes?

 

WOW. With all the discussion about the 04UL and their issues with the air suspension, I thought all you guys would be persueding Slooooooow NOT to get the UL!?

Slooooow, do you REALLY want the UL? The CUSTOM gets you everything except the saggy, lopsided suspension lean. You will also "benefit" for the high potential for air suspension problems? Also with the UL, you will get a rear coolbox (seriously, does ANYONE ever use it?), and headlight washers (that will get the front bumpers soaking wet/streaky while the rest of the car is DRY!)

A true benefit on the UL is it's optical sanitizer that may/may not kill the SWINE VIRUS...lolol!! (however it's for the rear occupants, so put your coughing passengers in the back). As they're back there coughing, they can annoy you and play with your stereo presets/controls, turn up the volume to cover their hacking coughing..lol, with the controls located on the back armrest. How often will (you) or people really be sitting back there? I am SO glad I didn't get an UL now, but ONLY after reading this board!! If I had to do it again, I'd upgrade my Modern Lux w/nav to Custom Lux w/nav!!!

Supply and demand is the force behind the price. I think only 5% of 04-06 LS's were UL's. I know it can feel "cool" to have something that is more rare, but let's be honest and real......CUSTOM Lux, in my opinion, is the way to do it!!

ps..sorry in advance for offending you "UL" guys.

 

I don't have a UL, I have a CL, so not offended at all. :P As for the headlight washers, the CL has them too, so I get to have leaky pants with the big boys too.

I agree, unless you WILL USE all the UL features, why have extra gadgets just to "have it all" and either sit or break later. With that said, I would have gotten an UL if I did not have three kids sitting in the back, which totally kills the middle row's functions. Plus door sunshades I got me some 20% tint and was done with it.

As for SLOOOW's questions:

1. 2005 LS430 UL ~ Black on Black ~ 83k miles ~ $24,996 (no haggle)
   • $599 transfer fee from CA to TX
   • CA car; does that mean it has all the CA emissions crap on it?
     
2. 2004 LS430 UL ~ Black on Black ~ 63k miles ~ $26,900 (Lexus)
   • Local car
   • Do Lexus dealers haggle on used, 'scuze me, pre-owned pricing?

No extreme differences between the 2004 and 2005?

** No, there were no differences between the two model years, except maybe a paint addition for 2005. The 2004 did have two recalls in the early production run that required a transmission swap and a fuel pump or something replacement. That you would have to look out for.

Do you prefer the newer car yourself?
Do you take the car with fewer miles?

** Not if it costs more just for being newer, but with your two choices, I would go the newer one because it will actually carry more value later for being one year older. If everything being equal in quality and body condition, the 2005 is cheaper now because it has more miles, but 80K for an LS430 is not much at all. $2K more for 20K less miles and one year older, I don't feel is worth it.

Do you take the out-of-state car?
Do you take the local car?

** The LS430 was classifed as a low emissions vehicle, so I don't think it needed anything special for California. So, moving the 2005 to Texas isn't going to affect anything. My vehicle did not travel as far as your's did, but it was a NY vehicle that I got in NJ. Also, not sure why you would think state origin matters...

Opinions?
Preferences if you were in my shoes?

** If they are in near perfect condition... then get the 2005.