Looking '98+ Gs Around $8k

MARK LOVECCHIO · September 29, 2006

Im looking for a cheaper SC or GS, most likely with high mileage around 150-175k. From what I read here, they run for 300+ if you keep putting power steering & water pumps and timing belts on them, right?

Im bad with prevantative maintenance, I'll probably fix things AFTER they break, aside from changing fluids. I also tend to drive hard. let me know if Lexus is not the car for me. :)

Ive found a 98 GS400 with 153k miles and with navigation and tires that look like nitto455s for $9850 at a used car lot. I plan on haggling but i dont think they will move much.

I took a quick look in the owners manual and its had its 140k service done. It seems to have a new ps pump (on inspection), working ac and has no leaks, but i hear a slight tick from the pass side, sounds like a lifter...its just BARELY louder than the engine noise and with the hood open you cant hear it. The tranny fluid had small red particles in it, so it probably needs a change.

The pass wheelwell is misaligned and 2 of the 4 screws under the front bumpercover are gone which leads me to believe its been hit there around the pass door and front passenger side, but not hard enough to bend any metal or the hood. the rear bumper cover was also missing screws, so its been replaced too. its got a 4" tear in the seal or weatherstripping under the pass door and has about a 1/4" x 6" of missing paint under the drivers door from getting in and out. The front plastic underbody sheath is skratched from a steep driveway or speedbump. the seat shows minimal wear, but wear nonetheless.

what else should i look for and should i keep looking? these GS only show up about 2 a week around dallas

SCs on the other hand are more common, I can find an older 92-95 for as low as 5 thousand with 150k on it.

If i like both cars equally, which is the 'better' choice?

thanks

MARK LOVECCHIO · September 30, 2006

Can a MOD please move this up a level to the GS forum and not in the 93-05s..I think it will get more views and i meant to put it there.

dcfish · September 30, 2006

Can a MOD please move this up a level to the GS forum and not in the 93-05s..I think it will get more views and i meant to put it there.

Beware :whistles: Awfully inexpensive for that car............... :ph34r:

SW03ES · October 1, 2006

Can a MOD please move this up a level to the GS forum and not in the 93-05s..I think it will get more views and i meant to put it there.

This is the forum it belongs in, the main GS forum will be closed to posting anytime now.

I agree with dc, thats a really low price for that car even with that mileage. I'd get a bodyshop to look at it, I bet its been in a more serious accident.

MARK LOVECCHIO · October 1, 2006

Yesterday I took it to Sewell Lexus, and they took a 2 hour look at it and scrolled through the history. Since around 80k, its been in for service about every 5-15 thousand miles untill about 500 miles before now. They did the bodywork there, and there was some hail damage, which does show up on the trim around the windows if you look closely enough.

Things I remember replaced were ball joint(s), steering column,a few timing belts, water pumps, steering pump, various fluids and filters & flushes, differential fluid, a 90k service and 60k service, brakes, tires and a brakelight. No repair work on the transmission.

In manual shift mode, I cant get it to go into L, or shift below 2 (it just stays at 2) I don't know if thats normal or not because the transmission seems smarter than I. In the trunk, does the trunk liner fit completely under the metal of the back of the car? or are there places where you can see the edge of the trunk liner...maybe it was rear ended worse than I thought?

The carfax shows it had one 3 owners before this dealer bought it.

I talked the guy down to 9100 for THIS one (he wanted 9850), and he's going to replace the radiator and one HID headlight, and polish the foggy headlight cover.

As for other cars, since I havent bought this one yet, can I expect to find a lower mileage car for this price, or find a similar car for cheaper? Everything I looked at yesterday under 11-12 looked wrecked and BADLY repaired. I talked to a friend of the family who has a dealers license, and his warehouse he told me to look at was the same place with a number of leaking, squeaking, and wrecked lexus cars of all kinds. Are these the majority of cars I can expect to find at auction?

SW03ES · October 2, 2006

If it checks out at Sewell, buy it. You wont find another one thats not been wrecked for that price.

If Sewell did the bodywork, will they replace the clips that are missing for you?

The transmission, do you mean the shift lever won't shift down into 2 or L?

MARK LOVECCHIO · October 2, 2006

Thats definately worth asking about the bumper screws. The shift lever moves into L but theres no gear change and the dashboard light stays on 2.

One thing i'm wondering is if the car was taken into sewell all the time to fix niusances because of an extended warranty or because it was actaully breaking, and now thats its higher mileage with no warranty, will it continue to break or require service that cant be completed in my driveway.