IcEnPinKi

iTrader: (1)

I went to look a 2002 white SC430. He offered it to me for $38,500 with a little over 50k miles. I've checked a bit and and it seem fair. Overall the car looks great and I'm itching to pull it out the lot. I'm still going to try to talk him down a bit, but what do you guys think??? Is this a fair deal?

mellowcmb

iTrader: (1)

Seems more than fair to me. I bought a 2002 myself and paid $44,500 with about 55,000 miles on it. Just make sure the car is clean and has no history of accidents. And if you can talk the dealer down more, well more power to you!! I think the price their offering you is a great deal. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.


Carlo

Joe Peters

If it is a Lexus dealer he should be happy to print a service history
on the car. Also the buyers for the dealers have a gismo that checks
the thickness of the paint ( lets you know if any panels have been
repaired or repainted. Each panel (hood, door, fender so on) has
a matching # on it . make shurt the all match.
If you ever want to sell or trade all these things mean$$.

gs400998

Try the Power Search at autotrader.com and check for SC430 100-300 miles around your area even if you don't plan to buy a car outside your area. You will at least know whether the current SC430 that you found is a great deal or not.

OneOfOne

there is one in connecticut available from a non lexus dealer with 27000 miles on it for 36000. I asked what my ultra ls 430 was worth in trade and was told 28k since they had a couple on the lot and 'not much interest in that car'. I know mine is worth at least 34 in trade from the online guides so I think the guy wants the customary 'lexus 8000 spread'. the sc I am talking about is black with ecru interior.

ShadyJC

iTrader: (2)

Digital_B, do you recall what dealer this was?

OneOfOne

do what I did, go to cars.com and search for the sc 430. then list the results by price.you will see the dealer there. I dont want to give him free pub since he tried to screw me on trade in but it is a good price for the sc if its not a salvage or something.

ShadyJC

iTrader: (2)

In case anyone was curious, I had someone stop by the dealer and take pics so I have them, the car LOOKS good and mechanically appears ok, but a CarFax check on the VIN shows that it was issued a "Junk Title" in Pennsylvania in November 2004 as the result of an insurance total write-off. That's why it's so cheap.

OneOfOne

thats cool. 1 question though, if youre in cali how did you accomplish this?

ShadyJC

iTrader: (2)

The power of the Internet! Asked around on the Infiniti FX forums where I am a moderator (we are a smaller but close community) if someone lived nearby and could do me a favor, someone was kind enough to volunteer, drove over and took pics.

OneOfOne

please post pics anyway or if its possible send some to me. TIA

ShadyJC

iTrader: (2)

Here are some pics... it is a clean looking car.

Exterior




Interior




Engine bay

OneOfOne

ok not being a criminal justice major and knowing nothing about the insurance biz I am very curious what that complete insurance write off could have been from.

SSK0771

I got mine 02' SC430 w/ 61k Miles couple of month ago for $35K. I bought from a private party.

It had bought extended warrenty from Lexus so I have warrenty up to 7/2008 & $100K miles.

I thought it was pretty good deal.

ShadyJC

iTrader: (2)

This is what I have heard, I think it is pretty simple - this year car with this milage at auction is probably worth ~40-45K... for the insurance co to declare it a total loss means the cost to repair from whatever damage it sustained (accident most likely) would exceed 50% of the value... $20K should not be that hard to rack up on a car like this, completely scrape up one side so you have to replace front and rear quarterpanels and door, then repaint the whole car... or maybe ran the engine with no oil until it blew?

Gotta say tho that if there was a major repair like that at least from the pics they did a pretty good job, the car looks pretty clean.