aldo23

my friends, i call on u guys again...
I went to infiniti to look at the G35 coupe,to my dismay, it will not be released till late october, early novemeber. So i drove the sedan, it's ok, i didnt like it that much. As some may know, i was going ot buy a 03' GS430,but im in a deal to buy a house, so I want to drop my cost..sooo...Im looking into buying a 00 GS400 platinum, for a fairly good deal, and less than 33k miles, which is pretty much what I have on my acura. So here goes the questions...
1)I was going to buy the car from a private seller, but i decided to go through the dealer b/c they said they'll give me 100k warranty, smart or stupid move?is the warranty full of holes?(i would prefer some1 who has a gotten a CPO to answer this question) b/c to me it seems like a safe-bet?
2)Does the car have HID's, and yellow fogs?
If not how much would it cost to put in?
3)The instrument panel, is it fairly the same as the newer modles?
4)The grill, is that different,if so how much to mod?
5)The steering wheel, i want that fancy logo crest w/ the wooden grip, can i get that aftermarket, if so how much?
6)the lights in the back, how much do they run about?
7)what other little things can I do to make this car look newer?
8)alot of questions guys i know, but im ready to move sooner than expected, and i hope im making the right choice chosing an older car than a new1. By the way my theory is, that GS was built to sell for 45-50k, therefore the car had to be built right considering the market they're after, not the same as a g35 w/ the price range of 28-35k, so i feel good about my deicision. Anyways please help me w/ whatever info u can, i would greatly appreciate it, and i know this is a topic discussed many times, so i apologize for beating a dead horse..
thanks...
Any1 have any problems w/ there 00 GS400, just curious???

BananaGS

1) depend on how much saving and the car condition, factory warranty if 4y/50K miles already, I am sure your 2k GS should still be in factory warr either case.

2) yes, all gs4 has HID (I haven't seen one w/o, I think it;s standard on 2000 model) and yellow fog.

3) same, 2001 as a chrome right around the edge

4) No diff in grill (at least not obvious),

5) yeah, I want that too, see the group buy section on clublexus for picture and price.

6)2001 has different tail light (~$340 to change them out)

7)Newer??? wash and wax the paint

8) no problem with my 99 GS4, you may want to check out my webpage.

Get the GS4, you won't regret it.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yes get the gs4, it's a great car. i got it from private party and everything is good so far. my car is not CPO so i don't know what to say about it. my guess is extended warranty never hurts. for the grill, i believe the 01+ is a bit difference but it's definitely not obvious. for other stuff banana pretty much said it all already.

Iceman

It's a free country so you can do what you want, but why are you looking for a new car already? If your finances are tight because you're buying a house, why not hold off on the new car? It seems like you'll be settling for something less than what you actually want, dumping a lot of money into mods, and then you'll still probably want a new GS in a year or two anyway.

Again, it's your money but it sure seems like this is not a logical move.

Mariusz

1) Smart move if this is 100K bumper to bumper. If it's not, you are bound to find some holes, but that is the case for all dealerships. My 2000 GS400 has't had a single problem for 70K.

2) Yes. All 2000 GS4 have yellow fogs and HID.

3) Similar, but the newer ones might have a slightly nicer finish.

4) Not sure, but I would not waste my time worrying about the difference in the grill or about modding it.

5) Not sure, but a nice aftermarket replacement it will probably be on the expensive side.

6) You can try copartfinder.com to find a set probably for around $220 or try Steve Ganz from Carson Toyota.

7) It is not the little things such as the lights and steering wheel that will make your car "look" newer. The things to look at is the shape of the leather and the paint.


Looks to me like you really want a GS430. There really isn't that much difference between the two and you should not feel as you are buying the "older" version of the GS. As far as the lights are concerned, it's a preference. I like the other style.

aldo23

good point on settiling for less, but u must understand everything 1st. I have an Acura, this is my 2nd or 3rd transmission, it rattles, it has 30k miles, and im not happy w/ the car. Im getting an eager buyer who wants to buy the car. I want a car that I can appreciate and still have it stock(very important). Aside from the steering wheel and the lights(thats very minor). To me its really a lateral movement, and it fits in my scope. Now the house will bring me slack, but a paid off car would be nice considering its a beauty
And, i now how I am, in 1-2yrs when that new GS comes out, and if its hot, im going to wanna buy it, so why lose all that money by depreciation(considering the 1st 2 yrs are the hardest on cars), and as of now, the 98-00 will steadily be in the 30-38k range for some time to come which to me is a freakin steal...
thanks for the advice....
banana nice web page, to technical for a layman like me, maybe ill PM u some questions if the car falls into my hands

Murph

My 99 is a CPO. I've had it a year. It had about 40K mileswhen I bought it and it has 67K now. The only things not covered are wear and adjustment items. The Lexus CPO warranty is a good one in my opinion. The dealer pays $1500 to Lexus when they certify a car and sell it. This is an insurance policy to them but looks like a warranty to you. In my opinion CPO is the only way to go.

Murph