Hi,

We're looking to buy our third Lexus. My wife wants a convertible, and after convincing her that SC 430 is better than a Miata for her purposes, we started looking around for a nice one.

We saw 4 cars so far but I keep going back to one particular car. It's 2004 with only 44k miles. Pearl white with Saddle. Dealer (not Lexus dealer) wants $21k and doesn't seem to budge. Is that a fair price for that car?

I was hoping to get a 2006+ car for her, but that 2004 is immaculate. Apparently it was the dealers owner's mom car. Car fax is clean, Lexus serviced...etc. Leather looks new, no creases, no scratches, just super clean. I didn't bother test driving it unless I could work out a deal and financing.

It seems a bit high to me and there's 57 other SC 430 in our area currently for sale. I'd appreciate any feedback.

Cheers

W.

 

I just got a 2004 from dealer here 27k miles,clean car fax,nice inside and out..Payed 22k for it as have been looking for a while and this was the best one I have see...Kinda boils down is the price right for you?? I decided that it was a little hight but still below blue book...I will be putting some money in it for a timing belt service about 800..Also
a trans service 125 and new trunks supports about 60.00.. the car came with new Dunlap run flat tires,new brakes,
and battery..The guy that had replace these part not because needed but because the year ..So I love the car ,its
a joy to drive and really quick for a small V8..I say you only go around once so if you can afford it , go for it...Just my view...

 

Your lucky to have alot of cars to choose from...The only thing i dont care for is the run flat tire but because there new will run them for a while..This is just a summer car for us so probably wont rack up a ton of miles.. Have a good one and enjoy....ruger

 

Buying a pre-owned car can be a challenge. Especially a low production vehicle like the SC430. The SC430 is a great car and an excellent decision. Now you have to decide what is most important. Probably best to make up a list of desires and then prioritize them. Things like color combo, pre or post 2006, low miles, dealer serviced, few owners, actual cost and no accidents are the normal considerations. Some members have looked around for months to find the right car, even buying it sight unseen and having it shipped across the country.

For your 2004, the price is a little high but the miles and pristine condition are a plus. If the wife loves the color, then get it checked over at a Lexus dealer or your trusted indy mech and if everything is OK, make a solid realistic offer, then negotiate. Prices are up because summer is here...

 

...also Lx, if you were hoping for a 2006+, I would look for one in the same price range as the 2004. If you find one or a couple that you like, then compare it to the 2004. Then the question might become....does the 2004 with less miles,compare to the 2006+ with more miles & newer technology,.....in the end, it's probably going to be a decision of giving up one thing, for another. Either way, I think you and the Mrs. will be a happy camper when you find the right car for you.....good luck in the search

 

Thanks everyone for the advise. Ruger, thanks for sharing the price you paid on your 2004 as it gives me a reference to go with.

There's a 2008 around the corner from my place that I haven't seen that the dealer (also not Lexus dealer) has for $18k with 79k miles on it. I checked the carfax on it and it was single owner, always dealer serviced and only had a small rear end collisions in 2012, that carfax says light damage and Lexus dealer repair. It's a dark blue with light interior. I'll look at it and see. I think one has no control over rear end accidents, you could be waiting at a light in the rain and someone just slips into you bumping your bumper lightly. These things are inevitable I suppose.

Somehow I also find when I'm really picky, as I typically am, that nature plays a joke on you and someone eventually hits your car so I'd rather get that out of the way by buying a car that done to it ��.

Joking aside. The advise I've gotten is all solid advice. I really like that 2004 and I'll put an offer on it, if they go for it, great, if not then I move on. Black book value with the low miles and clean condition is $15.5k, so I'll offer them $18k and see. Also the fact that it's 12 years old means very few banks will finance it, while a 2006+ is not an issue. So the dealer should know that and hopefully they'll make a deal. I might actually end up liking that 2008 more when I see it...how knows. Right now we have severe weather with flooding in many areas so I'll wait until that weather passes.

Cheers

LXdude

 

I would choose the +06 with little higher mileage over the 04.

What I know from this forum, some has wished they had bough the +06.

I have an 07, 56K, and paid 28K, but I'm happy.

 

Good points.

However, whilst the 06+ has a few upgraded things, it's still the same car....

• Front & Rear Lights (thumbs up, but would be fairly subtle to most people)
• 6 speed gearbox (adds 1-2mpg, but depends on driving style)
• Slightly better SatNav (but still wayyy out of date)
• Possibility of Bluetooth (can be fussy what it connects to)
• Slightly better Instrument Gauges (subtle to most people)

so from a features point of view you may think it's a decision between "old" and "slightly younger" in terms of technology.

I would recommend you focus on age, condition, colour combination, service/accident history, price, mileage. Only use the 06+ as a tie breaker.

LXDude, we all have different priorities and yours will (I am sure) differ from mine! (and your opening post sounds like you found a good one you really like!)

P.S. I have a Nov 2001 (2002 model year) and I would like the 06+ Lights and Gauges

 

I just traded my 2002 for a very low mileage 2006. Along with all the upgrades already noted, I do want to point out that there were fairly significant suspension tweaks between 2002 and 2006 that provide quite a bit smoother ride on the 2006. My 2002 may have been an anomaly, but it rode really rough over any bumps/potholes/etc., with some side-to-side shaking of the steering wheel. My 2002 only had 46K miles, and I had the Caster Arm changed in an attempt to get rid of the steering shake (which did help a bit), but the ride just seems so much more refined in the 2006 to me.

 

The early model year suspension was dealt with by a free dealer "upgrade" the next time they saw the vehicle (in the UK anyway).

I have a yellow sticker saying "upgraded suspension" under the hood near a shock ( I think that was done in 2004). Perhaps they revised it again in 2006 (I don't know about that, I have a 2002 model year). Ride is smooth and relaxed, despite speed bumps and potholes.

 

Thank you all. You made some good points to consider. I thought about it carefully and believe the 2004, single owner with 44k miles is the best one. I went and saw a 2008 with higher miles yesterday and that helped cement my decision. The 2008 example was not well taken care of. The rear was repaired very poorly, the front bumper was not 100%. There were dings on the side, two bent rims. One rim with a chunk missing at the lip...all that made me realize, that irrespective of year, a very clean, single owner car that's been dealer maintained, is far more important.

However, after all that research, I called my insurance company to get a quote and was told it will add $550/month on my policy! That's much more than I'm paying now for a 2016 ES 350, which is $208/month and will drop to $125 after 6 months if I don't have any accidents. The funny thing is the insurance will end up much higher than the actually monthly payments for the car!

The insurance is high apparently for two reasons, well according to them anyway. Firstly I just repatriated back to the US, so it will take 6 months of clear history to bring my rates to the lower premium level, and secondly, they say parts are much more expensive to replace on the SC than the ES...but seriously, it makes no sense because the car will be totaled at the black book value of $15k, so what difference does it make? The ES is worth $45k with the 800 miles on it...������.

I don't get these insurance companies sometimes. I think the best thing to do is to wait 6 months then shop around again. Amazing how Insurance became a big factor.

BTW, they quoted me for the 2008 SC 430 with higher miles and terrible condition, $1100/month! That seems crazy to me.

 

Insurance is crazy now (in the UK). It's far cheaper to move to a new insurer than stay with the old one. This is counter-intuitive but they heavily discount "new business".

So, silly question, you did contact a few different insurers didn't you?

(my SC430 is ~$270 a year for insurance, but of course my personal driving history & circumstances may be very different to yours and they charge mostly for: risk and value. My SC430 has a lower book value)

 

Insurance varies with location, driver stats, and usage, My 04 SC430 cost me ~$700 a year as "Sunday" car, full coverage. I live in Ponte Vedra. My agent, AAA, tells me it would triple if I were in Tampa.

 

I live in the Melbourne Fl area and full coverage insurance is $397 per year.

 

It's odd, but in Texas the insurance company, Farmers, doesn't have such a thing as a Sunday car 😀. When I lived in Connecticut 8 years ago, it was common to insure a second, non primary vehicle, as a Sunday car.