inrisls400

Thats what i thought tom57....she told me it was chipping when she bought it...but never garaged it so the sun ate it up...no dents on hood and i know its original cause theres some rusting under the hood....i also check all panels same vin numbers..

toddmorr

unlike many of you I really wouldn't say this car is that good of a deal. It sounds rough but assume it really does only need say 3k worth of work to make it drivable. I haven't seen it, but keep in mind there are always surprises with used cars and this one has certainly been around the block. But even with 3k in fixes, that makes it a 6k car. You might get lucky but it would take some time and effort to sell a 165k '03 it probably wouldn't bring more than 7-8k...if that.

warminwisc

Totally agree above, still it may be a good deal, but yur telling me you have not really driven it. Cars in NY get pounded and spend alot of time in traffic crummy roads. I would look for a meticulous owner and if it is yur dream car ya always wanted plan on driving for a while does your budget allow 10-12-14k$ as you can prolly get an 04 with under or around 100k from a meticulous owner if ya look and aren't afraid to drive to get it. I have done a few of these too good to be true cars and it backfired.

inrisls400

Even a well kept one could give u a surprise i guess...you just never know with cars....even though i think most of it is cosmetic you never know....that's why I'm gonna drive it for a bit before i buy. And im actully from Chicago...all 60 lexus service records show that the car has been maintained near chicago suburbs all its life...

inrisls400

Here is a pic of the car...as u can see rust on the doors and clear coat peeling off the hood but no dents, head lights are discolored but that's an easy fix....

Tom57

Rust on the driver's door is common on '01s in the northern climates ... you'll need a new door skin and paint if you want to fix it correctly.

inrisls400

Aren't the door skins a pain to do?

BradTank

If your plan is to "restore" the car, then no, I don't think you should buy it. I could easily see it costing you more than simply buying a nicer one.

If it's just for a cheap form of transportation that you just want to do the bare minimum to get from point a to point B, then I think you can make a good case for it as a "beater." At least here, an economy car that can move under it's own power and has working AC usually starts pretty close to $2,000. So an LS for $3k is not bad at all.

But for me personally, it's not something I would really want to fool with for my main transportation.

inrisls400

Gonna buy tomorrow...i wil post more pics shortly...thanks guys for all the input

Tom57

Installing the door skin isn't so much the issue. Whoever does it must be sure it's sealed correctly to avoid future rust. Also, matching the Millenium Silver metallic paint requires some skill.

Arcturus

I've owned a few beaters in my time expecting them to go boom, but have been pleasantly surprised. There's usually some repairs when you first buy them them, but if you change the oil and do basic maintenance you can run modern cars for a long time and save yourself tons of cash. Even if he has to drop 5-10k of cash on this one he will still be further ahead than buying an average new economy car. My only concern was that 3k for an LS of this year was unusually low, but if it's mechanically sound and he doesn't mind a few bumps and scrapes then he's got a good deal IMHO.

inrisls400

I actually bought the car....pics coming soon....very pleased with thr purchse...trans shifts like butter...can even feel it shift and quietest engine ive ever heard. Only problem is exhaust leak and strut...plus cosmetics...glad i didnt pass on this and i actaully got it for 2700 since it was missing gps dvd.

jimbosr1

well bought.enjoy you wont be disappointed.

inrisls400

Here's the first pic...fixed the exhaust leaks and it took away the check engine light problem, total cost 90 dollars but the cat converter gaskets are still slightly leaking so im going to fix that next...ordered used oem complete struts for the rear and am currently searching for the front.

Tom57

Consider picking up a door skin (~$300) plus installation and paint. If you intend to keep the car, especially in Chicago weather, you'll be glad you did.

http://www.lexussouthatlantaparts.co...711250030.html