HI, first time posting on Lexus forum, hoping to become a Lexus owner soon. I have been a 2004 Toyota Camry 4 cylinder owner for, well, 14 years. I over done maintenance on that car. I changed water pump, 4 struts, shocks, rack and pinion. I change Mobil 1 synthetic oil with Mobil 1 oil filter, transmission fluid religiously. I changed front brakes (easy), top oxygen sensor (bank 1 sensor 1) my self. I recently changed the alternator (Denso 100AMP) in a shop for $450 (ouch). I could had done it myself but I did not know it was the alternator that's making noise. I flushed out engine coolant, brake fluids myself. I spend $1000-$2000 a year on my camry for maintenance. I came aross this Craigslist listing selling GS430. Imagine myself when I talked to the owner and the owner didn't know much about maintenance other than an oil change and battery replacement.


craigslist link

He has not done any maintenance except oil change and battery. Not even transmission fluid, brakes, etc. There is a ECB light on. Another thread said it's the alternator going bad. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...b-message.html Cost is $700 to $1,400.

What problems and maintenance do I need to be aware on this 2006 GS430? Would you buy this car? How much maintenance cost do you spend per year on a Lexus?

Right away I am seeing
-alternator
-water pump
-timing belt (does it have timing belt or chain?)
-brakes (4 wheel disc brakes?)
-pcv valve (should be piece of cake)
-spark plugs
-synthetic oil change (the owner said the oil change is $30. that really worries me. He has been putting in regular oil. The synthetic oil and filter material alone are at least $30 )
-air filter
-brake fluids flush
-transmission fluid flush
-engine coolant flush
-steering wheel fluid change

Possibly another 30K miles, the car would need
-struts -I don't know how much for Lexus for Camry it's $600 that's if you do it yourself. And you need an alignment on top of that.

As you can see, owning a camry and learning about it has helped me what to be aware of what needs to be done on a car.

What price would you offer this guy? He is selling because he just got a LS460, nice car. I am tempted to offer him $3,500 and go from there.

 

I have a 2002 gs430. Look at my thread, the cost of ownership, and you'll get a good idea.

 

Salvage title! Nope, walk away...fast.

 

Thanks. I am looking at LS 460 now. I talked to 2 GS sellers, they are selling because they are getting LS.

 

the salvage title alone isn't a deal-killer for me, especially given that it's reflected in the price. Depends on why it was totalled out, could have been relatively minor impact damage.

It's the "vsc and ecb lights on the dash board . Don't know what they are." that scares me off. You could chase that for years and never fix it. If i weren't scared of that, well, $5500, has been sitting there for a month.... I'd wave $3,500 cash under his nose and see what happens.

 

Thanks. I asked him for service, maintenance history. He never responded. I called him on phone. All he mentioned was oil changes. I told him it could be the alternator and that's $1000 to fix according to someone mentioned at clublexus. He said his car has not passed smog.

Anyways, I have gotten a LS460. link