jakehz

Could you guys take a look at this car and carfax for me. it has really high miles 117k but you all say they last forever. there have it at 18k but i know i can talk them down to atleast 16k or 15k.
thanks
http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...be262662001003

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...&&aff=national

funglenn

iTrader: (10)

you should talk them down to 15k, but i would not recommend a car with that many miles, no matter what. Something WILL go wrong with it during your finance period.

For 18K you can find something else with half the miles! (250, maybe though). Just my two cents

jakehz

for a 16 year old do you think going from a 350 to 250 will make much deiiference. yess i know there 100 hp more but im not really into it being way faster just a really nice car with nice interior.

NitrousNik

I got mine with 98k on it for that much, but it was from a Lexus dealer. I never go to a no-name dealer, feels too risky. Also, those rims are hideous...lol

calvin2376

iTrader: (2)

Start here: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...e-threads.html

Read carefully the common issues on the 2IS, because you're going to want to check each prospective car for them. It's extra important for you because everything will be out of warranty.

Also read up on the options in that thread. You can be 99.9% sure the car is not truly fully loaded, despite appearing to be fairly well optioned.

That Carfax report is worthless. 6 entries for a 118k mile car? Also it was sold at auction, which is not in itself necessarily a bad thing, but the most likely scenario for this car is it was traded into a Lexus dealer who couldn't or didn't want to sell it so they took it to auction and a small independent shop bought it and marked it up.

Get the dealer service history and check Autocheck.

I personally would not buy a car with that high of mileage for anywhere near that price, no matter what the purported reliability was. Keep in mind that $19,000 will buy a brand new car, or an extremely lightly-used late model Accord, etc.

Despite how reliable these cars are, things do happen. Parts and repairs on a Lexus are extremely expensive, and repairs become more and more likely as you get up in mileage. You have no idea how the previous owner treated this car, though I think the rims don't bode well.

Frankly at 16 years old, you shouldn't be looking at a 250 or 350 particularly when you're on a budget. You're just starting out, and things are going to happen. In addition, insurance rates will be extremely high, particularly on a 350.

This just doesn't seem like a financially prudent decision to me. I understand where you're coming from - you have a budget of $15-16k and you want the best car you can get. A 2IS with 120k miles isn't the best decision for this. I had the same situation as you with my last car - I had a budget of $25k and I wanted the best car I could get, so I got a seemingly immaculate 2003 E55 with only 60k miles. It needed $15,000 in repairs in 6 months. I dumped it for my 350, which only had 56k miles and a warranty.

In the end it's up to you of course. Hopefully the thread above will be of help to you.

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

Those rims are enough to make me not buy the car. Pretty much tells me the previous owner probably thought he was bad *** just putting chrome wheels on...probably abused the car showing off -_- Of course that's not always the case, but most of the people you see driving around with ugly chrome wheels think they are bad *** and are usually driving all crazy

heyarms

iTrader: (5)

LOL @ that ^^

Yeah... talk them down on the price, due to the rims alone


I have an is250, I'd say for 16 years old, be happy youre driving a Lexus rather than the faster of the two. But as always, get what you can afford, and realize in the used market there isnt a huge price difference between the two.

funglenn

iTrader: (10)

I will keep my 16 old driving a lexus comments to myself, but no the 250 has just as nice interior and body. You can add most of the same accessories. I have all the bells and whistles that a 350 has, and I get better mileage.

Also insurance will be much less for you, while you still have all the safety and security. But don't buy such a high mileage car--has it had 2 owners--beware.