hanfrac

Hi, all. My first post here. Looking to add a 3rd car to the stable (joining my 911 turbo and her MDX) - was sure I'd get a Benz E-class or BMW 5-series, but have gotten spooked at the horror stories around major repairs. So I stumbled across a local car - 96 GS300, 2nd owner, 125k miles, fastidious service records, all from the local dealer, 8/10 condition, which is pretty good for an 11 year old car. It's better than most cars that old cosmetically.

Seller wants $8k (he believe KBB private party value is fair). Seems pretty high to me, but it is a very well maintained car and perhaps $1000 now won't seem like much if the car just runs forever.

What do you guys think? Thanks.

Seize

I think that's a fair price. I just did a search on autotrader.com and it seems that high 7K to 9K is the range for the 96' GS300 with that type of mileage. If the owner was indeed meticulous with the records and keeping it well maintained. I'd say it's a pretty fair deal.

Oh and another thing. Ask the owner if the 120K service performed on the car, if not, maybe you can use that as leverage when you negotiate the price.

As far as the mileage is concerned. A properly maintained first gen GS300 will run for a very very long time. There's quite a few of us here who have cars with well over 200K on them and I'm one of them

Ay-nako

iTrader: (25)

yes same here too the chassy mileage on my sc is at 277k if it wasn't for the 1jz that was in it i think it probably have the stock engine in it still! , but yes the 1st gen gs is one heck of a reliable car!

Aristo-cat

I would get him to go to $5k

hanfrac

the seller won't go to $5k, so I wonder how you would get him to do that. He believes his car is worth $8k. Maybe I can get him down to $7500. but I doubt he goes much lower than that.

Note that another car I can get for around 7500 is a 99 Q45t with maybe a little less mileage. I know it's a little bigger and that the early Q's were expensive to maintain. But that's another option.

A.R.

The Q WILL run you more money than the GS. I was looking at a few and I'm a member on some great Nissan forums and they let me know off the bat. lol.

Maintenance + Gas on Q = You better be rich/prepared to sell your 911 lol.

hanfrac

Yup - I expect the ownership cost to be somewhat higher. Just don't know how much. In return for somewhat higher operating costs, I'd get:

- a car 3 years newer
- 20,000 fewer miles
- 45 (or something like that) more horsepower

Sounds like one of the big complaints on the Q is that you pretty much have to go to a dealer for repairs and the mechanics are hit and miss, and the parts are $$$.

There's a BMW 528i out there that is tempting me as well. But I'm wary of the repairs.

99SC42

iTrader: (44)

i will say between 6K and 7K it's your call if it's really clean then i say get it
GL

Aristo-cat

just to give you an example, i bought mine for $2k. I wouldn't spend that much on a 1st Gen GS, no matter how nice it is. But again, its your call.

dario

If you wan't a car in that price range 6-7K and you are afraid of high maintenance costs get yourself Honda Accord or Toyota Camry and be done with it.