Thecar

I am interested in opinions (good, bad, or ugly) on my current potential deal.

2005 ML with 94400 miles. Very good condition, several minor accidents on Carfax. No physical evidence (to my untrained eye) of accidents on the car.

Timing Belt has NOT been done, but I feel capable of tackling it myself within a few years (I do about 6k miles per year on my car).

Tilt steering wheel not working, wheel position is livable but not ideal.

Dealer will be replacing either the alternator or battery (car did not charge battery during test drive, so I could not re-start it when I tried to, fortunately I was already back at the dealer).

$10,935 out the door at a small dealership. I am currently awaiting the finance guy to confirm stuff with the credit union, so I have time to back out if need be. So far I like the car, though.

Thoughts?

Romanova

How are the tires? 18s or 17s? Your timing belt will probably be fine for another 12k but for piece of mind, you should make that an immediate priority. With several minor accidents and needing the 90k service, I'm at $9,500 out the door, assuming everything else is up to snuff.

Without pictures or more details, it's hard to really gauge the price. Make sure you have some cash because even a low mile car can have problems pop up on it just due to age.

Gronemus

Tilt steering motor can be had for $250-$300 as a DIY although I surprised that the dealer didn't fix that one. You can get by with a broken telescopic (in-out) but I wouldn't want to deal with a faulty tilt (up-down).

If you can DIY the timing belt, than no big deal for it not being done. It's likely the reason that car is sitting at a dealer right now. Some may argue that it should be done sooner than later but it wouldn't bother me if I waited a couple years to do it.

The charging issue needs to be corrected with a guarantee that they will fix the problem if they don't nail it the first time.

I think the price is a little high even taking into account this is the out the door price (taxes, registration, fees, etc. correct?) because of the accidents listed. I suspect that these cars are more expensive down there than they are up in Wisconsin but unless you keep this car for a long time you will take a bath on it when it becomes time to sell. I suspect that there are better samples available that would fit your price range but might end up having more miles on them.

In the end, it is up to YOU to decide if you like the deal or not. Do you due diligence on the car so that you have no surprises once you do buy something.

Good luck...

Thecar

Tires are new, but they are Uniroyal Tiger Paws (bleh). Wheels are 18's.

Thecar

Thanks! From what I have seen in the last month or so the pricing is normal or even a bit lower than other LS's down here, and most of the others have slightly higher mileage. One problem is that it seems the Orlando area doesn't have as many LS's as other areas of the state, and I haven't committed to driving hours to look at cars yet. There are a few examples of higher-mileage LS's at small dealers in the area with much lower prices ($5k-$7k), but I find it hard to trust those dealers who have lowered their prices that much, it makes me ask why?

That said, I have bought cheap cars from small dealers before and I have mostly been pretty lucky. Helps that I can handle many smaller repair jobs myself.

LS430inDE.

Can't comment on the price whether it's good or not, but I can comment on the appearance. It looks beautiful, and is exactly what I have--Modern Luxury option on Mercury Metallic with black leather. The silver never shows dirt, the black leather looks super luxurious, and the modern luxury is a great option to give the interior an even more upscale look from the simple radio/hvac control panel. From what little I can see, the rims and even headlight plastic seem to be in good condition also.

Something else you can look for, regarding the 'severity' of accidents and potentially a bargaining chip?.....look at the glass. ALL the pieces of glass should say Lexus on them. That's how mine is, even though I had the windshield replaced from a rock hit, I asked for Lexus glass, and got it. If it was in an accident with glass breakage or if owner had windshield replaced because of a rock chip, etc, you'll at least have a little reassurance the owner was an OEM type of owner, and I'd be more inclined to buy from an OEM fanatic than an aftermarket/modded vehicle, if that makes sense to you?

Good luck, and keep us informed!

rkw77080

I noticed a couple of pieces of engine covers are missing...

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

Thats weird seems like a red flag.

Thecar

Yeah I saw that too. I figured that it was just the two plastic covers and I didn't really get upset by it. It did prompt me to check that the underbody panels are there, and they are.

Johnhav430

Timing belt is not a deal breaker, the car passed 90k, it needs it, take $750 off and we're square (do not let them do it).

To me, wheel not working, and car not starting, are deal breakers. Also, in the side by side pics showing the missing covers, the brake fluid appears black (hard to tell but seems so).

I went to look at a 2005 LS430 at a Lexus dealership, and it would not start. If this vehicle isn't reliable, it's nothing....this isn't a S550 or A8 where we are dead on the side of the road, but feel rich anyway!

OG Member

iTrader: (1)

Wonderful to read that you're asking for our expertise/opinions, it's great having a conversation on these type of topics!

After carefully reviewing your description and images (also echoing what others have shared), here are my thoughts:

• "Minor" accidents can be a headache - especially not knowing the quality of the repairs. These vehicles were manufactured with precision, quality, reliability, durability in mind, so ensuring quality parts and repairs were completed will align with the way the vehicle was originally assembled and designed
• Timing belt is not terribly difficult, just labor intensive. If you decide to complete the belt replacement yourself, consider allocating additional down time due to age/mileage. You may find the need to replace obvious and not so obvious worn-out parts due to age and mileage, which will take additional time to locate/ship
• Tilt Steering solutions are abundant throughout this forum and can be time consuming
• No Start or could not start could be a bigger issue and if the vehicle is sold 'As-Is' could be a headache. Alternators found on LS430's are rather robust, so I'm a bit skeptical. Did the dealer place the vehicle through a XXX point inspection?
• The OTD (Out The Door) Price seems high to me, especially given some of the above mentioned

Overall, it could be a solid deal and in reading the tone and tenor of your posts, it appears you have experience purchasing vehicles, so just follow the same formula that has been successful for you.

Looking forward to reading an update on how things are progressing!

Thecar

Yes, I have experience, but mostly buying cheaper cars for cash. I am very interested in getting this one right since it will be the most expensive car I have ever bought.

I did hear from the dealer yesterday, their mechanic (the guy down the street, heh), diagnosed the non-start problem as a bad alternator fuse and replaced that along with replacing the battery (which looked older anyway). I have my multimeter in my car for when I go back down to see the car again, and I will certainly be checking the alternator output at that time.

I will say this though: after thinking about it some more, the alternator itself might be fine. They had to jump the car when I first looked at it (and didn't charge it at all once it was started), and then I test drove it for about 10 miles, and then idled it in the parking lot for a while as I checked the interior and played with the AC. If the alternator wasn't charging the battery, I would think the car would have died again during that testing, no? Either way, I will be checking the voltage to be sure.

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

Have you googled this dealer and read any reviews on them? I just want to make sure you do not end up buying someone elses headache been there done that numerous times.

Also look for over spray on the rubber trim on the doors, hood, etc even on the paint just to make sure there is nothing out of place.

Johnhav430

There's nothing like looking the vehicle over in bright sunlight. Normally a lay person can recognize repaired panels. The color is matched perfectly, but the texture has a f'd up appearance. See this even on brand new nice cars. Cars this age likely are a crapshoot as to whether they have body work or not. But ones without are out there...

Thecar

I have looked at reviews, and they are all "extreme" in the sense that they are either 5 stars or 1 star. The 1-star reviews mention mechanical issues with the cars. I will say though that MOST of the 1-star reviews were for BMWs and Mercedes.

I did pay close attention to the rear end (collision accident listed on Carfax and Vehiclehistory.com). I couldn't see any repairs to the body/paint, and I got down and looked under the rear end and it looked normal. Undercoating wasn't even cracked. The collision stated it was $3,000 in damage (in 2014), perhaps the rear bumpers on these cars are that expensive?