After a month and a half searching, I bought my first GS
02-05-11, 07:56 PM
#1
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After a month and a half searching, I bought my first GS
Well guys, after well over a month of hardcore searching for a 1st or 2nd gen GS, I finally found I deal that I was lucky enough to be the first to act on (rather than the numerous 2nd and 3rd I had been so often). I was after something with 120k-160k mile range as I had a $5kish cap on what I could spend (with little flexability). What I bought was a 1998 GS 300 with 156,000 miles on it for $3500. Car runs great, the engine drives smoother/pulls harder than either of the other two Lexus I've owned; I mean this engine feels new!
So why so cheap? For smart buyers, this might raise a bit of suspicion, and the entire way there to go see the car I was preparing myself for the likelihood that this would just be another "not what I'm looking for.."
So I drove up and greeted the seller and began inspecting the car. I wasn't there a couple minutes before a 2nd buyer pulls up. I had replied to the craigslist ad within minutes of it being posted, and apparently this guy had too. So I seized this opportunity to request a test drive and took the car around the block.
The first thing I notice is that the car pulls to the left slightly, like the guy said, but I quickly become overcome with disbelief at how the car drives other than that. It felt better than anything I've tried even as low as 110k-120k miles. Everything worked great, no noises. Since it was exactly what I was after, and given how much love I'm prepared to put into the car, I bought it as soon as I pulled back in.
So here's the story on the car. The guy I bought it from was selling it for his wife. His wife had financed the car "in-family" to cousin or nephew or something and she had to repo it because he couldnt make payments. The car was picked up and brought to their driveway at their house, where it sat for a bit until it was put up for sale. The car was just a mess - inside and out. It had bird crap all over the rear. Some kind of babie food, or little tike snack all over one side of the back seat. The guy and his wife just didn't really want to deal with it - time is money - and priced it to sell fast but get what they needed to come out even and cut their losses. The car was a mess and it likely needs an alignment, and it's a color 3rd or 4th on my top color list, but the price was right and I've been looking for too long.
The pictures show right after it was taken home, still a mess, not washed or cleaned yet. I took it in earlier today but didnt take pics after, but more pics coming of many more changes. I'm happy to be a GS owner!
So why so cheap? For smart buyers, this might raise a bit of suspicion, and the entire way there to go see the car I was preparing myself for the likelihood that this would just be another "not what I'm looking for.."
So I drove up and greeted the seller and began inspecting the car. I wasn't there a couple minutes before a 2nd buyer pulls up. I had replied to the craigslist ad within minutes of it being posted, and apparently this guy had too. So I seized this opportunity to request a test drive and took the car around the block.
The first thing I notice is that the car pulls to the left slightly, like the guy said, but I quickly become overcome with disbelief at how the car drives other than that. It felt better than anything I've tried even as low as 110k-120k miles. Everything worked great, no noises. Since it was exactly what I was after, and given how much love I'm prepared to put into the car, I bought it as soon as I pulled back in.
So here's the story on the car. The guy I bought it from was selling it for his wife. His wife had financed the car "in-family" to cousin or nephew or something and she had to repo it because he couldnt make payments. The car was picked up and brought to their driveway at their house, where it sat for a bit until it was put up for sale. The car was just a mess - inside and out. It had bird crap all over the rear. Some kind of babie food, or little tike snack all over one side of the back seat. The guy and his wife just didn't really want to deal with it - time is money - and priced it to sell fast but get what they needed to come out even and cut their losses. The car was a mess and it likely needs an alignment, and it's a color 3rd or 4th on my top color list, but the price was right and I've been looking for too long.
The pictures show right after it was taken home, still a mess, not washed or cleaned yet. I took it in earlier today but didnt take pics after, but more pics coming of many more changes. I'm happy to be a GS owner!
02-05-11, 08:10 PM
#4
Thats not a bad price considering the color and conditions.. $3500 is about trade-in value on the car at best but not to down the color but its not a color many people want especially on a GS.. But $3500 is fair.. and a pretty good deal considering everything.. That would be an awesome little beater.. can't beat $3500! Nice pickup..~!
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02-06-11, 08:28 PM
#14
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definitely hate it when ppl mistreat this car. Hopefully you do put a lot of love into the car. I would spend the 1500ish that you saved and go do the maintenance that everyone is recommending. Judging by how they kept the car i doubt they serviced it. Good luck with the car
