FiveSeven

iTrader: (3)

Hello all,

I recently gifted my GS300 to a family member that had to total loss their daily driver. Anyway I found a real gem.. a 2005 LS430 with 30k miles black/black no navi, pdc, premium wheels.. in mint condition. The owner happened to be a friend of a friend we've agreed to negotiate at 17k..

Being that the car is mint condition is 17k a fair asking price? also is there any common problems with the LS430? For example in the GS300 its well known the lower ball joints eventually give out, the Throttle bottle position sensors go bad, Charcoal canisters go bad, seals need to be replaced over time, etc etc...

What can I expect in terms of maintenance in this car? I'm almost thinking of shelling out the extra 10k to buy a used 2013-2014 GS350.. what do you guys think?

Gronemus

Well I guess you could go through all of this thread to see what others have experienced. I suspect that with only 30K miles and if it has been properly maintained, I wouldn't expect too much to breakdown on it fo ra long time.

Some will suggest having the timing belt changed out due to age if it hasn't been done already. Some other age related factors might be torn speaker surrounds, tires, weatherstripping.

My opinion only but I think $17k is too much for a base model even with only 30k miles coming from a private party. There are others though that might be happy to shell out that kind of cash.

Good luck on your quest for a replacement car. Let us know what you end up with...

enigma25

^^^What he said!! Also, $17 seems a little rich to me as well. Any room with the seller or are they firm on $17?

How about tires and brakes? Just thinking of bargaining chips you could play.

Sounds like a great car, just would like to see you get a better deal!

Johnhav430

If it were me, I'd go for higher mileage, and lower price, since people say these are 200k cars all day long, and hopefully 300k.

My sweet spot is still in the 60k range....and those cars seem to be in the $12-14k ballpark. If you're in at 13k, I think it's reasonable to drop a little into maintenance and still have gotten a very good deal....also just me but I'm sticking with the FLA cars...someone pointed out that salt water/air damage would be visible on the body itself, unlike in the northeast one has to lift the vehicle to see all the damage/corrosion....

Bob04

If the timing belt hasn't been done, or if it needs new tires, then $17k is too high.

FiveSeven

iTrader: (3)

unsure about timing belt but recently had new tires, rotors, and brakes installed.. here is the link to the car:

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...165046775.html

Im really on the fence about this car.. I might just shell out the cash for a new GS350.

Johnhav430

Just me, with brakes I want OE....my car was sold as new brakes (maybe within a year would have been more accurate), and I believe them because the new car dealer redid the fronts with OE, and gave me back the old parts. The returned pads were akebono proacts which I do think are good pads, barely worn, but the rotors were pulsating and rusty on the hats...of course they suggested turning them, I said no lets just do all new OE and you pay, they said ok....the returned rotors had been turned so must be the tech didn't get the message yet when he did that...the description says 30k then below 37k, when I see discrepancies on eBay I usually pass....

2KHarrier

The biggest problem with the LS430 is that Lexus has stopped making them.

That being said, this one does look very clean. As an owner of a low mileage 2005, I would normally say that 17K is not a bad deal, considering the car is the cost of a new entry level Kia.
However, it probably is a little on the high side. Realistically, it's probably worth 15K or so. Doubtless the timing belt has been done, so that is an expense that should be taken care of sooner, rather than later.
If you like the car, then go for it. It'll last longer than you want it to.

As far as spending more on a newer GS350? I can't comment on it. I'm sure it would be nicer, but it will be a higher initial investment

enigma25

Trust your gut. If something doesn't sit well with you about the car, continue your search or go new as mentioned.
If I were in your situation and was on the fence, I would jump off the fence and keep looking. Just my .02.
I am shopping for a car now, and as Johnhava430 said, if I see any discrepancies I move on.
Best of luck with your decision!

enigma25

Breaks? Brakes! 30k in headline, 37k in description. Brand new tires... what kind? Michelins or Black Round things made in China?

Just being Devil's advocate here.

tallcaguy

Voting w/ the crowd here. I think 17 is too much. Sure ultra low miles are nice but things also wear out because of age. Why does it have such low mileage? Yes there are 430's that only get driven to church on Sunday. With the base model, no NAV (obsolete anyway), no blue tooth, basic stereo, etc. I'll probably get nailed to the wall because this is the 430 forum but I'd buy the newer GS350.

enigma25

I agree with tallcaguy.

Bob04

Check the steering wheel tilt and telescoping functions.

Jabberwock

30K miles on a 2005 is nice low mile find if the interior is in mint condition. But I'd wonder why there are 4 new rotors and pads on a 30k mile car especially in California. I'd be sure to double check the Carfax report and the Lexus owners site with the car's VIN before going any further to make sure everything about the low mileage adds up and the maintenance looks 100% right.

Some folks love that black on black. Being in the South it is a color combo I would never own and would be a hard sell where I live.

If the TB has been done, interior is fresh and clean, and new tires are decent quality and not Chinese junk, I'd think $15k would be about the right price given the low miles. If TB is not done, subtract $1200, subtract $800 if tires are junk.

Bocatrip

Rubber + 12 years. If you went to replace your radiator hose or fan belt, would you want a new part that was sitting on the shelf of a auto parts store for 12 years? Just imagine all the parts of our cars that have been exposed to heat, rain, and all sorts of conditions but were only driven very few miles. Ok, some stress and wear are removed from the equation but all the parts in the car are still old. When we watch these tv shows on cars that are found unmolested for decades, don't they usually replace almost everything on the car if they want to bring it back to like new condition? Yes the low miles are very nice, but the 17,000 big ones is over the top price wise, as you will definitely be investing thousands into the car due to it's age. 12-13 sounds more realistic, especially for a base model, and color combos also bring value. Low miles alone don't justify paying such a high price and in some instances is actually a negative for lack of use and only short drives! Just my opinion.