StClair

Peacebay

If the TB had been changed and the car was in near perfect condition it's worth about 12 I'd say. Very hard to say without seeing any pictures or a listing of it.

Fish

iTrader: (26)

TriC

13K seems a bit high given the mileage and need for a timing belt change. However, if it's always lived in a salt free environment, is extraordinarily nice, and/or is a CL or UL, the price is not out of line.

LS430FL

check out service history on Lexus owners site as well to see how the car has been thus far service wise.

BCT

So TB service is about $1K. That makes the car ~$14K. What else does the car need? Tires? Brakes? Shocks? If the car been maintained at Lexus, you should be able to see the history online. Kinda surprising that the car been maintained at Lexus, but TB has not be changed, 12 year regardless of the miles is way overdue imo.

Peacebay

Johnhav430

I think the way to look at these is somewhat like buying a house, refinancing, etc. There is a "transitional" cost. If you are planning to keep this car until the wheels fall off, then, 13k, 11k, 10k, isn't as critical. These are retail numbers thousands over what the seller put into it. If this is an impulse buy because of the price, then 13k is too much.

I've often heard that 10 yrs is a good minimum stay to buy a home, some say 5. But I've even seen friends moving into a house because the price was too good, then they move out in 2 yrs. I can't imagine how much that cost. When people went buck wild with refinancing, I got very curious, how are they able to ignore the break-even? One banker told me, there is no such thing as a zero cost refi, there is a zero out of pocket where fees increase the principal, hidden by an extended repay term. His point that drove it home. "Do you think I would pay your title insurance? No banker would."

Who kinda makes such points is a colleague at work who deals cars. He told me a 2006 LS430 like mine is 4k tops all day long at the auction. My BMW 6k. And you see my BMW on eBay for as high as 14k. Retail pricing imho is where you don't take any chances. It needs a timing belt? Either the seller does the job, or knocks off money. I get they will never knock off retail, which is $1,800. But take something off.

Jabberwock

Miles on a 2006 are pretty low, so $14k with new TB and water pump and if is really nice shape might be OK. $12.5k max with no TB service but again only if the car is in cherry condition otherwise. You can buy dirty, beat to crap high mile LS430s cheap and easy to find, really good low mile LS430s are getting tough to find and will cost significantly more than a beater LS.

Romanova

This thread is pretty much worthless without a link to the actual car in question. If you present the car, we can go through it visually and give you a better way to make a fair offer.

FWIW, I paid $14k for my 06 with 78k on it last year and it still needed the timing belt. I still felt it was a fair price due to the condition and ownership history.

IMXCITD

iTrader: (1)

If it's super clean, good service history and what you want....then no. If you have to pay a little more for what you want...so be it. That being said.....if the timing belt/water pump need to be done......not counting tires, brakes, battery etc....would be nice if you could get the purchase price down 1k minimum. Good luck and let us know what happens. Btw...I am watching LS430's and LS460's now and clean '05/06 430's seem to be in that range.

jimbosr1

OP look at the Macon GA craigslist. 05 for $9000 114k miles looks clean.