Your thread says 07, but vehicle is 08.

As mentioned, vehicle pricing is somewhat based on location. I bought essentially this car, but 07 and 70k mi, a year ago from an 85 yr old client when she bought a new 17 LS. At that time dealer offered her 12.5k and said they could sell for 15-16k in a heartbeat. Car had been serviced at dealer every 5k mi and had new tires and brakes. She offered it to me at the 12.5k, but I gave her 13k to help offset loss of sales tax credit.

As to color, Golden Almond Metallic, when my client first bought the car I did not like the color, but it has grown on me. I like the fact that there are so few of them. And I have received several positive comments on the color.

Comments about Carmax being high seem accurate. Out of curiosity I did search and the closest vehicle to me is an 07 with 67k mi over 5 owners that is priced at 20k in Jackson MS. Who would give that much? While the car looks pretty good, the 5 owners are enough to scare me off.

 

I purchased a 2008 Lexus LS 460 with 98,000 for $12,999 at the end of August of this year. Very clean. Runs and drives like new. Everything worked except a sensor that cost me $250.00 to replace.

 

I live in Sacramento, CA where this LS is located and I don't consider the price is that bad. 17K seems reasonable to me in our locality from a Carmax. When I was searching for an LS 460 almost two years ago, something like this was around 17K-18K private sale. I recall a 2009 with similar mileage going for 20K in early 2017. Yes, Carmax prices can be a few thousand dollars higher than private sale but I find their prices are not much different than other dealerships in California, and sometimes lower than Lexus dealerships for comparably equipped cars in similar condition. The bigger concern to me is condition of the car.

If you go out of State then prices for an LS 460 are really low and they make California prices look over-inflated in comparison. I almost went to Texas to buy a well-optioned white 2007 460L for only $17K from a private seller. A similar car near home would have been $20K at the time. The listed 2007 actually looks in pretty good condition from the photos. Many other 2007 models have leather seats in very poor condition. I would at least test drive this one and see how it operates mechanically, check all the switches and functions, ask for a Pre-Purchase Inspection at a shop or Lexus dealership of your choice ($160), etc. I know the price appears high for many others but not by California standards. You can find other 2007s listed on CarGurus for $14K-15K and can probably bargain down further, but you can't base it just on photos and price. You have to check out the condition of the car for yourself. I recall test driving a handful of 2007s and 2008s from local dealerships and they all rode rough (suspension issues, poor shifting, interior stains, condensation and dripping from windshield, etc.). I wouldn't focus entirely on price or else you could get yourself into a money pit situation. Check out several cars and you'll develop your own internal barometer for what is a good value. If price is your primary concern then be willing to buy a one-way ticket out of State and drive an LS home. It will be one heck of a road trip and story. Several members have purchased their LS in this very manner and I almost joined that club. Enjoy your search and be patient.

Edit: I am not entirely sure why car prices are more expensive in California but so is everything else from food, gas, to general cost of living. Commercial real estate is also more expensive so overhead is higher for dealerships and that is reflected in the cost of cars sitting on an expensive section of lot space. I remember a few years back reading a news article about a single parking space in San Francisco being sold for $250,000! A friggin' narrow parking space at that. That is more than the price of a new 4-bedroom, 2600 square-foot home in the Midwest.