Advice on buying a high mileage LS430 (merged threads)
07-21-19, 05:22 AM
#181
07-22-19, 08:29 AM
#184
Like the others, I'm thinking $4,500 tops, given the mileage. If you love it, and everything works well and it drives well, go for it. Finding the perfect car is tough, so it's worth over-paying a bit if you love it.
If you ever plan on selling it though, just know it's going to be hard to sell unless it's really cheap.
If you ever plan on selling it though, just know it's going to be hard to sell unless it's really cheap.
07-22-19, 12:29 PM
#185
The thing is, to those of us who are actually familiar with the LS 430 and its various models, the UL is desirable. To anyone else, including used vehicle dealers and the typical clientele buying sub-$10k luxury cars, whether or not it's an UL will not matter. Plus, factor this into the extremely expensive repair costs on the UL's air suspension and it's not really worth any added premium. At the end of the day these cars are 13 year old Lexus' on the used market - they've certainly survived the test of time/overall reliability and exchange for reasonable values, but that's about it.
07-22-19, 03:36 PM
#186
The thing is, to those of us who are actually familiar with the LS 430 and its various models, the UL is desirable. To anyone else, including used vehicle dealers and the typical clientele buying sub-$10k luxury cars, whether or not it's an UL will not matter. Plus, factor this into the extremely expensive repair costs on the UL's air suspension and it's not really worth any added premium. At the end of the day these cars are 13 year old Lexus' on the used market - they've certainly survived the test of time/overall reliability and exchange for reasonable values, but that's about it.
07-23-19, 01:35 PM
#187
Sure, I'm not denying that to those who care, that matters. But by "most dealers", you mean Lexus dealers. I'm not sure about where you are located, but where I am, a car that's any more than 5-6 years old is headed straight to wholesale/auction, and no Lexus dealer would bat an eye at whether or not it's UL or not. Non-Lexus dealers (aka used vehicle dealers, which is typically where these are now) don't care either what the UL is.
07-23-19, 03:39 PM
#188
No, I mean "most dealers" as it Lexus and non-Lexus dealers. These guys aren't dumb. They use every angle they can to justify a higher price. I rarely see a UL model that I think is priced like a non-UL. They are almost always priced on the high end of the market.
08-30-19, 08:35 PM
#190
Instructor
Hi I'm new to the forum, just wanted to know if I should buy this used car. It's a 2005 Lexus LS430 with 250k miles for $6000. It's had 1 owner the entirety of the car and the owner has the maintenance logs as well. The car looks incredibly well taken care of and the guy sounds like he's 60 or something so I'm sure he didn't rough it up. That being said, the mileage seems pretty high to me. How many miles is too much for these types of cars?
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tallcaguy (09-03-19)
10-08-19, 08:17 AM
#191
Instructor
Buying a Used LS 430: Does Mileage Matter?
Buying a Used LS 430: Does Mileage Matter?
While interweb searches may yield both very many lower mileage (many used LS 430s on the interweb have less than 100,000 miles, less than 75,000 miles is common, and a few have less than 20,000 miles) and higher mileage LS 430s, it seems there is an endless debate among LS 430 enthusiasts over the significance of mileage. Some say it's the current condition that really matters, while others say that if a car doesn't have low mileage, it's not worth buying at all. Should someone searching the interweb for an LS 430 understand the arguments on both sides? What are the pros and cons of an LS 430's mileage?
Some Pros: Less Wear and Tear
Even a car with low mileage can be a beater if it hasn't been cared for properly. However, all else being equal, doesn't lower miles mean longer life from most LS 430 components? Wouldn't that help keep ownership costs down? Many discussions on ClubLexus are around transmission problems after a certain mileage, and oil leaks after so many miles. What about suspension parts? Isn't the lower the initial mileage of ownership of an LS 430, the longer til those miles are hit?
It seems many interweb ads advertise low mileage, even when it seems really not the case. But, If one does buy an LS 439 with very low miles, it may still have low miles a few years down the road. So, wouldn't repairs required be less likely to happen than with a higher-mileage LS 430, even with the Lexus reputation for reliability?
Some Cons: Cars Like to Be Driven
A problem with older low-mileage LS 430s may be that they haven't been driven regularly. Some parts may get brittle if they're not used regularly, and drive train components should have fluids moving through regularly. So, as attractive as low mile LS 430 may appear, it can also mean repairs, reconditioning, and sometimes even a car which may not run quite right. Should someone looking to acquire an LS 430 look at multiple LSs and perhaps compare low-mileage older LS 430s with a higher-mileage LS 460s, especially ones years newer? If the newer LS has a maintenance history and drives well, could it be a better long-term bet? Does a newer LS often mean better, even if the miles are considerably higher?
If one is looking for an LS 430 as daily driver for service for some time well into the future, what is the real difference, say, between 17,000 miles and 90,000 miles? How about 90,000 and 190,000 miles? Which is more significant?
Intraweb searches may yield very low-mileage LS 430s cars which can be very attractive. But, shouldn't someone, looking for an LS 430, look for one that is the best fit for one's wants and needs?
If one is looking for an LS 430 as daily driver for service for some time well into the future, what is the real difference, say, between 17,000 miles and 90,000 miles? How about 90,000 and 190,000 miles? Which is more significant?
Intraweb searches may yield very low-mileage LS 430s cars which can be very attractive. But, shouldn't someone, looking for an LS 430, look for one that is the best fit for one's wants and needs?
10-08-19, 08:55 AM
#193
This was a beautiful piece that obviously took a lot of time to prepare and transcribe. I found myself nodding my head in agreement with increasing vigor until the last line, where I let out an audible cheer, fist raised in the air in a rare moment of complete clarity.
The brilliance demonstrated with “ But, shouldn't someone, looking for an LS 430, look for one that is the best fit for one's wants and needs?” changed my outlook on used car buying forever. In fact, I’m sure this piece will transcend the Ls430 forum and live in the dear hearts of prospective used car buyers across the globe for years to come.
Now before this thread gets locked who can hook me up with a dead horse meme?
The brilliance demonstrated with “ But, shouldn't someone, looking for an LS 430, look for one that is the best fit for one's wants and needs?” changed my outlook on used car buying forever. In fact, I’m sure this piece will transcend the Ls430 forum and live in the dear hearts of prospective used car buyers across the globe for years to come.
Now before this thread gets locked who can hook me up with a dead horse meme?
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bradland (10-08-19)
10-08-19, 12:37 PM
#194
Forum Administrator
iTrader: (2)
Let’s get this thread back on topic of High mileage ls430s please. Personal commentary is not needed here... if this thread goes into ‘repetitive’ topic areas where I’ve warned in previous posts just report it and let the moderator team review.
Last edited by DaveGS4; 10-08-19 at 12:40 PM.
10-09-19, 12:40 PM
#195
Instructor
MODERATOR EDIT - 430SLOwner: Unless you are personally considering purchasing a vehicle and want feedback, please don't start posting a string of found cars in this thread or others.
Last edited by DaveGS4; 10-09-19 at 04:25 PM.