Picked up a 2005 CL LS430
01-03-10, 10:43 AM
#1
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Picked up a 2005 CL LS430
Well I kept looking and found a LS430 with 45k miles CPO at Fresno Lexus. They were cool to deal with and I got a 2005 LS430 with the following:
- Black on Black Semi Aniline Leather
- Custom Luxury Package
- Smart Key
- 18" All-Seasons with Chrome Wheels
- Trunk Mat
- Wheel Locks
- Cargo Net
Original MSRP was $67,464. I got it for $26,500 CPO with just over 45k on the clock, which is one of the lower mileage CPO cars I've seen on lexus.com here in CA that wasn't $35k! Financed through Lexus Finanical at 4.99%, which wasn't bad. They had it listed at $34k, but I emailed them and they came back with $26,777 - I decided to counter with 26,250 and we met in the middle. They had the car on the lot for 90+ days, and decided it was finally time to get it moved down the road. They had a White 2005 ML, a 2006 Flint Mica CL, and this 2005 Black CL. The car is very clean, tho the exterior needs to be clayed, buffed, and waxed. I left Sacramento around 4:15 PM and was test driving by 6:30 PM in Fresno. Then I had to wait my turn with the finance guy, so I didn't get the deal closed until around 8:50 PM. Got back to my home around 11:15PM and got some sleep. The car drives like a dream. So quiet, so comfortable. Love the laser cruise - I just set it for 80-85 the whole way home and it did the rest. It does take a bit of getting used to the car braking for you, but it was flawless. It's got a couple of squeaks in the interior, but I think it's the window seals and door seals. Also a bit of buzzing coming from the front passenger door when the speaker is playing lower frequencies.
I inspected the car this morning and it looks nice. Found a couple of things I missed last night. The piping on the drivers seat bolster has a little wear, though the leather is perfect. I also inspected the battery terminals and found the positive terminal to have a lot of corrosion. I want to say this was part of the inspection, but in 90 days on the lot it could have came back. I'm just going to disconnect the battery to 'reset' things anyhow, and I'll clean the terminal and put it back together. If it corrodes over the next couple of months I'll insist I get a new battery. The car did include two master keys, the valet key, and the wallet key which was a good thing.
I also found that the little rubber strip around the chrome on the very border of the door is torn on both rear doors. It's basically where you'd grab the door while getting in the car. I'll have to dealer check it out here in Sacramento, but I'll give it a month or so to find any issues I want corrected. All told I'm perfectly happy with the car. I did want the sport package, but those are hard to come by.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS
- Black on Black Semi Aniline Leather
- Custom Luxury Package
- Smart Key
- 18" All-Seasons with Chrome Wheels
- Trunk Mat
- Wheel Locks
- Cargo Net
Original MSRP was $67,464. I got it for $26,500 CPO with just over 45k on the clock, which is one of the lower mileage CPO cars I've seen on lexus.com here in CA that wasn't $35k! Financed through Lexus Finanical at 4.99%, which wasn't bad. They had it listed at $34k, but I emailed them and they came back with $26,777 - I decided to counter with 26,250 and we met in the middle. They had the car on the lot for 90+ days, and decided it was finally time to get it moved down the road. They had a White 2005 ML, a 2006 Flint Mica CL, and this 2005 Black CL. The car is very clean, tho the exterior needs to be clayed, buffed, and waxed. I left Sacramento around 4:15 PM and was test driving by 6:30 PM in Fresno. Then I had to wait my turn with the finance guy, so I didn't get the deal closed until around 8:50 PM. Got back to my home around 11:15PM and got some sleep. The car drives like a dream. So quiet, so comfortable. Love the laser cruise - I just set it for 80-85 the whole way home and it did the rest. It does take a bit of getting used to the car braking for you, but it was flawless. It's got a couple of squeaks in the interior, but I think it's the window seals and door seals. Also a bit of buzzing coming from the front passenger door when the speaker is playing lower frequencies.
I inspected the car this morning and it looks nice. Found a couple of things I missed last night. The piping on the drivers seat bolster has a little wear, though the leather is perfect. I also inspected the battery terminals and found the positive terminal to have a lot of corrosion. I want to say this was part of the inspection, but in 90 days on the lot it could have came back. I'm just going to disconnect the battery to 'reset' things anyhow, and I'll clean the terminal and put it back together. If it corrodes over the next couple of months I'll insist I get a new battery. The car did include two master keys, the valet key, and the wallet key which was a good thing.
I also found that the little rubber strip around the chrome on the very border of the door is torn on both rear doors. It's basically where you'd grab the door while getting in the car. I'll have to dealer check it out here in Sacramento, but I'll give it a month or so to find any issues I want corrected. All told I'm perfectly happy with the car. I did want the sport package, but those are hard to come by.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS
01-03-10, 12:14 PM
#2
Lead Lap
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nice car, congrats on a great deal, car looks very clean. and btw welcome to CL!!!
1 question: please let me know how much they want to repair that little rubber weather strip on the rear door part when and if you get repaired. one of mines is the exact same way and it often bothers me to see it like that, even though i'm prolly the only one who knows its messed up like that.
thanks for reminding me, i'm going to go reset mine now too, been meaning to do this for a while now.
1 question: please let me know how much they want to repair that little rubber weather strip on the rear door part when and if you get repaired. one of mines is the exact same way and it often bothers me to see it like that, even though i'm prolly the only one who knows its messed up like that.
thanks for reminding me, i'm going to go reset mine now too, been meaning to do this for a while now.
01-03-10, 12:32 PM
#3
01-03-10, 12:52 PM
#5
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Thanks all for the warm welcome. I've been cleaning wax residue off the car in the nooks and crannies. Black cars.... UGH! My first was a 2003 Mercury Marauder.. a huge boat. Then a 2006 Mustang GT. Then a 2000 Yukon XL, even bigger boat. Now this. I swore with the first one I'd never have another black car... lol. I was kind of laughing, cause once you're in the drivers seat.. you don't see much of the paint, and I fell in love.
I also did not know there was not an option of the sport package on the CL. The UL makes sense as it has the air suspension, but none the less I'm fairly certain the differences are minor.
Thanks for the comments on the G8 GT. She's a beauty, only 5,900 miles. Probably going to part ways with the car though, since the LS430 can give me most of the performance that car can while pampering me in luxury. It's a great car though, lots of SIDEWAYS fun!
I also did not know there was not an option of the sport package on the CL. The UL makes sense as it has the air suspension, but none the less I'm fairly certain the differences are minor.
Thanks for the comments on the G8 GT. She's a beauty, only 5,900 miles. Probably going to part ways with the car though, since the LS430 can give me most of the performance that car can while pampering me in luxury. It's a great car though, lots of SIDEWAYS fun!
01-03-10, 03:43 PM
#6
Very lovely car and a very good price to boot. I got my '04 CL just last year and I paid $28K for it, with 38K on the dial. Black is so luxurious, but you can wash it on your driveway and back it into your garage and it's dusty already... 
Enjoy it, I have for the last year and 20K.
Enjoy it, I have for the last year and 20K.
01-03-10, 04:30 PM
#7
Congrats on the car, I really wanted a CL for a while as well but couldn't find one 
looks very clean!, and my rear doors are the same way as well! i noticed that on most ls!
1 question: please let me know how much they want to repair that little rubber weather strip on the rear door part when and if you get repaired. one of mines is the exact same way and it often bothers me to see it like that, even though i'm prolly the only one who knows its messed up like that.
looks very clean!, and my rear doors are the same way as well! i noticed that on most ls!1 question: please let me know how much they want to repair that little rubber weather strip on the rear door part when and if you get repaired. one of mines is the exact same way and it often bothers me to see it like that, even though i'm prolly the only one who knows its messed up like that.
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01-04-10, 05:09 AM
#10
01-04-10, 06:29 AM
#11
01-04-10, 09:23 AM
#12
Nice car and color combo!
I got my California-based car back to Alabama and tinted my front windows. Your car reminded me of how it looked when i picked it up.
And, when the guy was tinting the windows, he said "a black car is awesome, but keeping it looking good requires you to love it more than your family". I found this to be close to true It is a challenge to keep clean, but looks fantastic when it is!
I too have the door trim problem around one of my rear doors. I found the part and learned the rubber trim is about $70 (+/- $10) for each side.
I got my California-based car back to Alabama and tinted my front windows. Your car reminded me of how it looked when i picked it up.
And, when the guy was tinting the windows, he said "a black car is awesome, but keeping it looking good requires you to love it more than your family". I found this to be close to true
It is a challenge to keep clean, but looks fantastic when it is!I too have the door trim problem around one of my rear doors. I found the part and learned the rubber trim is about $70 (+/- $10) for each side.
01-04-10, 03:41 PM
#13
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Well all cars are difficult to keep looking "great" if you don't take care of them. Thankfully I have the huge water deonizer, microfiber everything, and polishes by the shelf full. I have two buffers, a Makita, and a Porter Cable RO as well. It's not my favorite job by any means though. lol.
Most of my cars in CA have had front tint, however I never tint darker than 70-75%. It's enough to break up the sharp contrast from a 20% or so tint in the back, to an untinted front window. The police have not been attracted by that, though I usually play it safe and roll my windows down. People here roll around with brite blue tint, reflective tint, and 5% limo tint on the front windows. Those are the ones getting busted. For that matter my neighbors next door had a SC430, and they had some reflective blue tint. That lasted about four months, until I came home one day and the fronts were not tinted. It's all about drawing attention to yourself. I may have the fronts done at 70-75%, not sure yet.
Thanks for the tip on the trim. I'm going to push on the dealer to just fix it, since it's a CPO car. If not, I'll just live with it for a while or maybe just trim the rubber down so the loose piece is gone. It's not like it's doing a whole lot at this point.
I work for ALLDATA, so it's time to dig through TSBs and such and see if I can find any updates for this car. Fun, fun, fun....
Most of my cars in CA have had front tint, however I never tint darker than 70-75%. It's enough to break up the sharp contrast from a 20% or so tint in the back, to an untinted front window. The police have not been attracted by that, though I usually play it safe and roll my windows down. People here roll around with brite blue tint, reflective tint, and 5% limo tint on the front windows. Those are the ones getting busted. For that matter my neighbors next door had a SC430, and they had some reflective blue tint. That lasted about four months, until I came home one day and the fronts were not tinted. It's all about drawing attention to yourself. I may have the fronts done at 70-75%, not sure yet.
Thanks for the tip on the trim. I'm going to push on the dealer to just fix it, since it's a CPO car. If not, I'll just live with it for a while or maybe just trim the rubber down so the loose piece is gone. It's not like it's doing a whole lot at this point.
I work for ALLDATA, so it's time to dig through TSBs and such and see if I can find any updates for this car. Fun, fun, fun....
01-04-10, 10:56 PM
#14
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Congrats on your find and welcome to the forum. Looks clean from the pictures.
I too have the rear door trim issue but only on the driver side rear door. I noticed that this is a common problem on many LS430s I was checking out while looking for the "right" LS for me. I would be interested to find out if the dealer you work with agrees to cover this under CPO warranty. Actually, I will ask the local dealer here tomorrow, since I am suppose to be picking my LS up from the dealership after they replace my side mirrors and mirror switch, as well as my trunk shocks, all under warranty.
I also notice that you have a couple of interior dings, most notably on the rear part of the front passenger seat. Those
scuffs and/or possible tears can be addressed by many interior detailed places and/or automotive upholstery places.
Have fun with your "new" LS.
I too have the rear door trim issue but only on the driver side rear door. I noticed that this is a common problem on many LS430s I was checking out while looking for the "right" LS for me. I would be interested to find out if the dealer you work with agrees to cover this under CPO warranty. Actually, I will ask the local dealer here tomorrow, since I am suppose to be picking my LS up from the dealership after they replace my side mirrors and mirror switch, as well as my trunk shocks, all under warranty.
I also notice that you have a couple of interior dings, most notably on the rear part of the front passenger seat. Those
scuffs and/or possible tears can be addressed by many interior detailed places and/or automotive upholstery places.
Have fun with your "new" LS.
Last edited by jman-LS430; 01-04-10 at 11:21 PM.
