tinisha

Hi, I am a newbie here. I have been looking to buy an LS and I found this low mile one owner UL and I want your feedback. It's a 2005 LS430 UL with 65k miles. One owner with complete service history. Water pump/timing belt service done as well as two new shocks. Asking 14k. The seller (used car dealer) is firm on the price. KBB, NADA and true value all showing 11k to 12.5k. I am puzzled if its worth spending almost 2k over blue book value? what do you guys think? Carfax is clean, but shows duplicate title and also shows rental. According to seller, the title was lost and they got a duplicate one. He says it was a lease that's why carfax shows rental. I saw the pictures, pearl white with beige interior. looks brand new!. what you guys think about the price? Appreciate any feedback. Thanks

Dave144239

I saw one with the same miles and spec on Craigslist last year, and it was listed at $14.5k. It sold within a few hours of posting.

If it's worth it to you, and you plan to keep it a long time, then the $2k won't matter in the end. However, you could jump to an LS 460 for around that price...

Peacebay

TriC

Many of these were leased when new, then purchased. A duplicate title is issued when the original is lost, not an unusual occurrence. Based on the information provided, $14,000 is a fair dealer price. If it's what you've been looking for, do not hesitate as nice low mileage examples sell promptly.

toddmorr

think that's high. Put it this way, I bought a 05 UL with 65k miles 4 yrs ago for 16.5k. That was an OK deal but not killer then. The dealer is betting on somebody that absolutely has to have low miles and willing to pay up for that. He may or may not be right. But as others have said, if you're committed to keeping the car for a long time and it's exactly what you want then the premium doesn't really matter.

bradland

From a worse case scenario point of view...
What happens 6 months or a year from now when the other 2 air struts need replaced? All of a sudden $14K turns into a $17K (or $18K with labor) 14 year old car !?!

The allure of low mileage, and paying a premium for it, just doesn't apply to an LS. IMHO they are ideally bought with approx. 125k miles. In a car that will EASILY go 300K miles, possibly more, the additional 60K is only 20% of it's lifespan. Granted, the good ones are getting tougher and tougher to find, a 125K mile LS shouldn't cost you over $10K.

kevin3344

I always feel that KBB is a little under value...here's why. When looking for our SC430 a little over a year ago KBB values were right at $10,500 for year/mileage. However, there weren't any within 100 miles of my location in good condition. I had to go to FL where I found the car and had it shipped to NC. I paid $11,800 including shipping. Today, KBB says the car is worth just under $10,000...but I wouldn't sell it for less than $12,000....almost exactly what I paid for it. Again, there just aren't that many here in good condition. Not to mention ours is garaged and dealer serviced only.

When you think about it value is really up to you....I look at it a number of ways. How hard is it to find the same car in excellent condition? One owner is definitely a plus. Something you may not want to think about is, if you had to sell it how hard would it be? I would think that you would get your purchase price or a little under. For me, that's enough if I want to enjoy a car that is getting to be more and more difficult to find IMO.

Bocatrip

The SC430 is the exception to the rule for Lexus depreciation. Although these cars hung around dealer inventory when new, they have recently appreciated in value and are sort after in good condition. It's amazing but true but these cars are holding their values and in some cases are appreciating. Not the case with the LS430.

tinisha

Thank you so much for all the inputs! I have decided not to buy the LS 430. Like Brandland said I don't want to spend 18k for a 14yr old car.

Dave144239, I haven't thought about LS 460 until you mentioned it. Thank you!

I found a 140k mile LS 460 with all the service history for 10k. Private seller. It looks like he is willing to negotiate on the price. will see the car tomorrow and getting inspected at the Lexus dealer near by. Here is the link to the add

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto...768344722.html,

Anything I should be looking specifically when I see the car tomorrow. What do you all think about the high miles (140k), I am a little concerned about it.

Thanks again!

Romanova

Gonna have to head over to the 460 forum if you want 460 purchasing advice... GL!

Johnhav430

I don't think there is ever a reason to spend more than the book says, unless it's a specialty type of vehicle, my .02. And off the top of my head the price is high as well, 14k imho is a price from 2 1/2 yrs. ago. The vehicle is 14 years old...

lorenr

iTrader: (1)

LS 430 is probably on of the best cars ever built. They are well engineered and pretty easy to maintain. Replacing parts is not that difficult. The exception is the air ride suspension.

Never heard that many positive comments concerning the early years of the LS 460. Harder to maintain.

Bocatrip

Johnhav430

There are cases where something is hard to price....Ford Raptor like my bro just got. I don't understand the pricing I see online--some used, to me, look like new prices. Or say a BMW M2 Competition. Or, a several year old BMW 1M, costs more used than a M2 new. Just cases where the demand is out of whack with the supply....but of course not so with the LS430....

I would also say firm may mean firm, but not to you the buyer. You don't have to feel put off by if a person says firm, well, throw out your best offer. You say 14k firm, we can do something at 11.5, but if not, we just part ways....

TominPT

Before I bought my 2005 LS430 I looked at the LS460 and based on all my research decided against it. One area of particular concern is the very expensive repairs to suspension systems that these cars often need. I looked at a 2007 or 2008 (not sure) one owner with about 100,000 miles on it and sure enough the suspension was making all kinds of noise when I test drove it. Get a pre-purchase inspection for sure with the LS 460!