Bretsuaz

I am helping a friend look for an SC430. This looks like a nice car, but it does show an accident in the history.

What is your opinion on this one? What do you think about the price?

http://arrowheadmb.com/used/lexus-sc...05-A1317A.html

Bretsuaz

Also, went to look at this one last nite, but it was already gone. Seemed like a good price.

http://www.arrowheadlexus.com/VehicleDetails/675401583

iolmaster

iTrader: (1)

Pretty expensive for 2005s.

PHXSC

Edmunds prices it ~ $30k from a dealer, but they don't provide for the value of being a Pebble Beach edition. Private party is in the $25k range. If it was in a bad wreck, that would offset the added value of the PB edition.

Bretsuaz

70 yr. old man traded it in on an E class. The accident was a golf cart ran into the bumper.

TooCoolSC

Of the two, I'd choose the blue one at the Lexus dealer because it's a CPO and has a 3 year/100k warranty. But I still think it's priced too high.

The '05 Pebble Beach is also too high. Not only has it been in an accident, but it's not being sold by a Lexus dealer, so it won't have the CPO warranty.

Here's the main reason I think they are both too high. One of our CL members bought an '05 Pebble Beach SC430 a few months ago for about $30k. Not only did that price include the CPO warranty, but it had no accident history. The price also included shipping from CA to TX.

So you see how much play there is in the prices on these cars. Most of the time, buying from a Lexus dealer is the prudent thing to do precisely because of the CPO warranty. It's just an invaluable thing. Yes they cost a little more, but it's almost always worth it. And the peace of mind you get is immeasurable. I've never heard of anyone that was sorry they got the CPO warranty.

Here's a handy way to find all the Lexus preowned (CPO) cars all over the nation.

http://www.lcpo.com/cpo_poresults.ps...SortOrder=desc

Just click on "Refine Search" and you can get pretty specific to the car you're looking for. Not only does it help you find a car, but it's a great way to see the going price range of the cars you're looking at.

Bretsuaz

They are putting new tires on it (not sure what kind though) and they said they would come down about 3k.

IStoSC

Prices seem very expensive for 2005s...

Bretsuaz

For this area, those prices are some of the better ones. They sell fast.

Yes

if prices run high locally, i'd expand your search regionally. you can probably find a 2006 in that price range in california or texas and drive it back. a lot of members live in the southwest. so if you find one you like, someone might even look at it for you in person.

Yes

i just did a quick search and found this one in AZ. would be worth checking out...

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

i saw half a dozen 2006+ models in texas and california for under $30k. many more if you were to search nationally and ship it.


edit: it doesn't look like cars.com lets you post direct links. but there's a white 2006 in tucson for $29k. 46,000 miles. looks clean. private party sale.

JerryB

Hi Bretsuaz,

Determing value vs what you want is like determining what you want in the way of women. Some guys like blonds & some like redheads.

I might suggest that you decline any install of new tires by the current owner and take a price reduction then put the tires that you want on the car.

My experience is that most sellers will put quite cheap tires on a car just to say 'New tires'.

Value is in the eyes of the beholder!!!!!

Jerry Baumchen

nkx1

Just for reference, my fiancé and I recently bought a 2005 SC430 for $25.4k from an Audi dealer in Oakland, CA. Clean Carfax, clean AutoCheck report, single owner, 37k miles. It seemed like a great deal, and when we first looked at it, there were no obvious indications of repainting or body panel replacement. However, once we got it home and went over it a little more thoroughly, I noticed that the front bumper had probably replaced or taken off to be repainted (two corners near the headlights don't fit perfectly as stock). The hood and one or both quarter panels also appear to have been repainted upon closer inspection. I didn’t see any obvious signs of prior frame damage.

I have no idea if the paintwork was because of an accident or because of simple paint damage. I would like to think that a major accident would have been reported and picked up by at least one of the history reports we got, but I know that isn’t always the case. It's definitely not a good feeling to pay $25k for a car and then find out it wasn't quite what you thought you were buying. We're getting a warranty through my credit union to cover any mechanical repairs for 5 years, so luckily we will have some peace of mind in that regard.

In summary, I agree with some of the opinions of others, which is to look into a CPO car. A little more expensive, sure, but I would have to assume that the dealer is a little more selective of the quality of the CPO cars, and you are probably less likely to get one that has had extensive paintwork, etc.

azkaty

I checked the history on this car..the damages are to the front of the vehicle.
I have an issue with vehicle damages in the front because of all the electronics.

Accident was in 2008.

Check Lexus.com for the vehicle service history..that is important.

Vehicle history at Lexus shows front axle work three times.

This appears to be an out of state car.. Chicago. Therefore, I think this might be an auction car.

Katy

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

^^^^^+1 Stay away from that car...was that the Pebble Beach?

The front end work repeatedly at the Lexus dealer concerns me, although if you bought it for $28k with new tires, that would be a respectable deal.

No CPO, wreck, non-lexus dealer selling etc etc I don't know.

If the golf cart story is true, then why did it need all that front end work done? If there is anyway you can get more details on the work done at the dealer for the front axle and/or pay to get an inspection, I think this would be prudent.

You could be sitting on a sweet, low mileage, limited edition rare car for a decent price with new tires, in great condition (that just had a golf cart hit it and needed some realignments or tie rods replaced)...OR you could be sitting on $30k worth of trouble with lots of unknowns and future problems. You could get a non-lexus warranty for that car.

The Lexus CPO in blue might be a safer bet, but matters the most is your friend's personal preference. If they like the Pebble Beach, there is one on eBay right now too.

2005 Pebble Beach 28k miles no accidents beautiful, appears spotless, great eBay car wholesaler of luxury automobiles...sold many SC's on eBay, etc for $32k

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lexus...fCarsQ5fTrucks

This might be a better car than the AZ one. The blue CPO would be a GREAT choice (risk-wise) if you could get it for $28-$29k. The year/color combos makes that price a little high as well from a resale standpoint. For $32k you could easily find a black/camel 2006 with good history/miles and get the advantage of all the 2006+ refinements.

Ah!!! What's this? Oh, look what I found!! One right down the road from me!!!

Nice 2006 black on ecru $31k, 28k miles, one owner carfax certified. Depending on the inservice date, you can probably go into any lexus dealer and get the three year, 75k or 100k extended service plan (bumper to bumper, no deductible) for $2k or less. If you could get this car around $30k you see what a great deal this would be compared to the other two 2005 cars? I am not sure if you know or not, but 2006 added lots of great things to the SC such as: Six speed, manumatic transmission, LED tail lights, revised front end with new headlights, updated navigation (same as 2005 though), wheels and some other minor changes as well. Most people would take the 2006 over 2005 for the same price, unless it was a color combo preference. For example: You cannot get a Pine (green) or Absolute Red in 2006. BUT, you could get a blue in both years. You could get black, white, silver, etc. See what I mean?

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...3D28705&aff=cj

Let us know more about your friends' wish list. Sounds like dark color, around $30k and warranty or low miles is important? Give us the pecking order and we'll help. Thanks!