Yes I own an LS430...Year 2001... Yes I'm looking for that low mileage 05-06 LS430 that every one on this forum is also looking for if need this car. However, finding a low mileage LS430 is getting harder to find due to it's age as well as dealers getting them as trades and marking up the prices. I've come close, but then the car turns out to be crap and needs work.. Still looking all the time as the inventory diminishes.

 

Keep looking and you will find that nice clean LS. My brother is all over me to sell him my LS and I may end up doing it. I just added a loaded 2006 GS 430 with 38k miles to my collection and am getting a little heat from my wife to get rid of one of my cars. It's hard selling a mint 93k mile LS that I think is better built and drives better them most new cars on the road. I may only sell to my brother because!!! He's my brother.

 

Understand.. Keep it in the family.. Good choice.

 

It's hard because I know my brother will not care for it like i have. Lol.

 

I have 215K on our '01 LS and also keeping one eye out for an '05-06 gem as well (but I'd have to drug the wife into letting me get it as she gives me a hard time about the SC I will never part with).

A few have popped up but prices range between $12 - 18K and I would likely only fetch $6-8K at best for the '01. There is nothing notably wrong with the '01 other than a wonky passenger mirror and the front bumper could really use a repaint.... I could invest in the '01 for a lot less expense than reaching out for an '05 or '06 but we have had the car now for 13 years so if the right car came along who knows?

Keep looking for your gem.... It is out there and patience will pay off......

 

My 02 had an interesting history...when I first purchased it from a used dealer, I knew going in I was the 4th owner, it had one accident on record, the paint was a bit burnt, there was sun damage inside (meaning it's been baking under the sun for god knows how long), shoddy maintenance record, list goes on...but it was the UL trim on the cheap at 100k, something that doesn't come easily, and mechanically everything seems to work. I bit the bullet and bought it...and ended up spending 2/3 of what I paid for the car on repairs, including flushing what looks like chocolate cake inside the engine bay...so yeah, it's been sitting around for quite a while, and whoever had it before gave it zero love for maintenance and care.

All said and done, I paid close to average price for what now looks and drives like a well maintained car. Yeah I would prefer to not go through all the pain and misery, but for the condition it is now, I would probably have to pay more if I was to buy the entire thing from someone. So it's all relative, and while I was an unwilling participant in the trials repairing the car, the takeaway is that it was all repairable, just needed time.

 

And, there ya have it, folks.

Stop looking for the unicorn and give a homely girl some love. You'll save some money, intimately get to know her, and she may turn out like Farrah Fawcett.

Take stock of how many miles you drive yearly and put that up against the average miles-per-year of a cheaper car - mostly, it'll be close to 10-13k yearly, which is quite reasonable.

 

I find it interesting trying to locate used parts is even harder. It seems that no matter what issue I think I have, google it, and it's a been there/done that for somebody else. The latest is the lower b pillar cover showing wear, and this even carried to the LS460 with a TSB. When I look online, wouldn't you know everyone is selling a used pass. side, not driver? lol $35 used, wrong side. and color, $180 list new, cheapest I can find is $128. Don't think I can do that.

So I was thinking, if you find that perfect car that you want, it likely has all these little things which would be harder than the initial search, unless one is willing to pay for new parts....if I were buying, I would be deducting all the imperfections at internet retail discount...this would probably cause the deal to fall through, but it is what it is....(it's an 11 y.o. car, it's not gonna be perfect....yeah, but even with online discounts, it will cost $600 to fix it....)

 

You can always start with your expected price and see if you're willing to compromise on a middle ground. To put it in perspective, I bought new A pillar covers and new upper B pillar covers, custom made and ordered in Toyota JP, because the Ecru interior trim brand new almost doesn't exist (remember, UL trim), and Toyota US can't even custom order most of these things anymore, outright refused my request. The price is actually very reasonable, shipping was what made it painful. But look, I know what I want, and I was willing to pay to get it. As you mentioned, it's a question of expectations vs. reality, and how much are you willing to stand by it. The seller/dealer only budged slightly for me, but I committed to it anyway.

You might also want to look for a reupholster or leather repair service nearby you. Could be a cheaper way to go.

 

Buying used car parts requires patience and luck. The parts you want will almost certainly come up for sale but you may have to wait - 6 months or 6 days, set up a ebay alert and wait.