When I got mine in 2016 I must have been here on the forum lurking, and I remember thinking "passenger side mirror wont tilt" properly as being the #1 major issue and laughing. Yes I should have read more carefully lol because it wasn't until I got the car did I see the LCA bushing deal etc. If I had seen it sooner I woulda realized the dealer was only scaring me (they quoted $1600 and said I may not pass a state inspection). To buy a LS430 or not. Is similar to a question my buddy texted me this morning--his sister can get ThinkPad 2 in 1's refurbed for $449 at work, they are from the refresh at her co. Skipping all the BS all I need to know is the processor (because my personal laptop is a 2015 ThinkPad T450s). Core i7 6th gen. OK, you've got a 2016 machine that costed about $1800 new, and they want $400. You don't have much to lose it's got Win10 Pro. So you get the LS430 price down, like $5k, and you don't have much to lose. my .02 is no 5 fig car should be considered. 7 is tops. Below 7, you're moving into a $400 ThinkPad price where risk is low, benefit is high.

 

May you cease your personal attacks on other ClubLexus members. They have no place in these forums. Whatever issues you may have which causes you to sometimes strike out at other ClubLexus members may be unfortunate for you. However, your regular and consistent attacks on other ClubLexus members, with whom you seem to take issue, is very unbecoming and contrary to your knowledge of the LS 430 which you have shared with others. Have become embarrassed FOR you.

 

Label it what you will it's nothing personal I assure you. My only concern is the spread if misinformation and the cancerous effect it has on the integrity of the forum.

 

I have to laugh a little at this man, you have nav and ML yet it's base lol! I kid but it's kinda funny since base base is like my car, literally don't even have heated seats......I really don't understand how that's even a thing on a car of this tier. I mean HIDs and really effective auto climate control and wipers are standard but no heated seats?

My car has been good, I'm not over $7000 including the car itself and all parts including tires too ($970). In my case labor was free but I would still have been under $9000 if I went to a shop for the work. Only thing I still have left is my drivers door actuator motor since I did the passenger and just haven't pulled my doors unit yet.

 

hehe I think you're right where you want to be. I don't care if someone has "the best little LS430 this side of the Rio Grande!" No more than $9k, and closer to $7k is preferred. When I bought mine in 2016, there were still some at $22k hahahahahahahahaha and also $17k hahahaahahahaha Today when those folks look at their CarFax app they must feel like dang when they see a 3 as the first digit as to trade-in value lol

Really good condtion, nothing needed that is known, $7k, good chance it'll work out well.....

 

You know I think I'll post pictures of my car to show what I think a reasonable $5000-5500 car should look like giving detail to what's wrong on mine.

Mechanically at 200k I would say expect LCA bushings, possible tie rods, belts, valve covers (very very likely), trans pan (also very very likely), maybe a rad if it's not been done at that point with one of the timing belts, and all fluids and filters. Brakes are as needed so check them but they are obscenely easy. Door actuators may not work in the front, check those and the power folders and those are most apt to break along with the tilt/telescope wheel motors. All not necessary items at all but can and will really annoy people.

Give me a second for pictures, keep in mind I had some areas in my car professionally detailed since I messed up and got in my car one time in my work coat and transferred dirt to my headliner......then when I felt it happen I got pissed off and left quickly and scuffed the seat front. So yeah. Don't do that.

https://imgur.com/a/vhL5MCX

There you go, if it's not pictured in the detailed part the car doesn't have flaws there. There are no dents or rust anywhere and this is an Ohio car, it should never be an excuse to allow rust since owners who care don't allow it to happen. The interior damage is bad enough I'm looking for a new drivers door panel and rear seat bottom still, hard to find ones that are perfect though. This is what a $5200 car should look like if it needs the mentioned mechanical stuff, my seller wanted $7000 but I fixed that in a hurry.

 

I ordered my BMW so it was exactly as I wanted it, was an interesting process back in late 2006 because even the web wasn't where it was today. 4 weeks into it the web said my car is "black sapphire" when it's supposed to be space gray (I was given someone else's allocation, picture getting a 2020 Corvette, that's what getting a 2007 335i was like). The rep on the phone said don't worry I am looking at the order, what you see online is no good and inaccurate.

The car was brand new and what does my company do? Issue new BlackBerrys. This was back in the day, we holstered them. D*** BlackBerry scuffed my new red leather as the car was a ZSP with sport seats (larger bolsters). No matter how much saliva I put on it, the scuff would not go away (wasn't at home no Zaino haha). Though very annoying on a brand new car.

 

Oh I would lose it on a new car and buy a seat if a upholstery shop couldn't fix it perfectly. I was getting ready to get new seat plastics in my old *** 430 but thankfully my detail guy did his magic on it. I hope you got your BMW worked out?

I have have to be careful as well in this car with what I wear and where I place my boots after a work day, not at all like my Jeep that has simple black interior bits and cloth seats that are all very easy to clean.

 

Yes, this is a base model with 2 factory options. Nav and 17” wheels. Maybe the ML came with the Nav option.

 

Someone swapped my factory 16s for 17s, not sure when/how/why buy my spare is still a 16!

 

Lots of good info in the previous posts. Good choice of car. Waiting for a really nice one (and knowing it when you find it) is the hardest part of the process. It may very well be the first one you look at and test drive.

 

Your LS430 looks pretty good no one from afar would see those minor flaws and you fixed the ones that stood out. Nice! I think I want my ls430 in a Black Cherry Pearl, Black Onyx, or Millenium Silver Metallic color

 

Thanks, I actually didn't fix anything in the outside lol. $5-7k should get you something similar, enough to overlook the small stuff since it can be fixed easily. It's dents and paint mismatch that should not be present on this tier or above. For $3000 sure but it had better still be clean inside......

Only the interior was cleaned a little, I still have to have the chips repaired on the outside and the front plate area re-brushed. My car has the weird gold emblems and they are fading and need to be replaced with silver ones to match all the other stuff on the car......for the life of me I don't understand why you would buy a gold package and the interior emblems are all still silver?

You should be able to do this, I'm 24 and going for a masters-PhD right now and also own my own repair shop, if you just want to keep a 430 nice and in the road it should pose no issue.

 

My spare is a time capsule--it was used before, because it has pebbles in it, but the rim is mint and still has grease markings from Tahara Aichi, tire is the OE Dunlop SP Sport 5000M with 10/32 of tread. I never woulda thought of this in a million years--the selling new car dealer, took it out, armor all'd it, mounted it on the car, and took a closeup for the cars.com ad. Then, took it back off and put it in the trunk! lol

A few more marketing tricks, are to not show the brake reservoir too closely, and to not show the tool kit missing from the trunk.

edit: the implication is people like you and me see a Sport 5000M and assume that all 4 tires have been replaced with OE tires. You could see the yellow and red balancing marks, original from 9/05.

 

A lot of dealers and private sellers will tell you about maintenance histories that sound good and "no accidents on Car Fax". But truth is "due diligence" and having proof of maintenance, etc. Not someone's word. "Curb appeal" (a pretty car) can be a sales tool as well. An inspection by an independent mechanic can reveal hidden damage from accidents that don't show on Car Fax as well as mechanical issues. As you said, switch and photo a tire to create an illusion. There's lots of honest people out there but even they sometimes aren't aware of problems with a car they're selling.