Pros & Cons Of Buying Another 96 Ls 400 For My Wife

[toowen]

I have an opportunity to buy a close friends '96 LS 400 which he purchased new. I rode in this car the first day he owned it back in '96 and many times since then. The car has been pampered, is without a scratch and has about 115,000 miles, it's been dealer serviced since new and garaged when not being driven. The offering price is around 10K. I know he can get more so I have to pay the price to get a great car.

Should I go for the '96 that I know or, just to have something other than a second '96 (I already have a'96 LS 400), buy the wife some other year vehicle that I know nothing about??

[jcrome04]

$10g is way too much. Even for mint low mileage.

Yeah it's an awesome car.. but he shouldn't be THAT proud of it.

I always use NADA... don't much like KBB

http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars.aspx?LI...1&mi=115000

Only con I could think of is you wanting it for yourself! B)

[curiousB]

well the pro's are that you know exactly what you are buying because you have one already and you are familiar with the owner. The con's might be it will be ifficult to negotiate with a friend as aggressively as a stranger and the risk if something goes wrong after you buy it puts a strain on a friendship. Another pro is if one LS dies you could keep it as a parts car if it gets to the point it isn't worth fixing.

Bruce

[blake918]

$10k for a '96 with 115k miles, is he serious? How about a LS that is 5 years newer and has fewer miles for $900 more? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-Lexus-...d=p4506.c0.m245

[billydpowell]

I have an opportunity to buy a close friends '96 LS 400 which he purchased new. I rode in this car the first day he owned it back in '96 and many times since then. The car has been pampered, is without a scratch and has about 115,000 miles, it's been dealer serviced since new and garaged when not being driven. The offering price is around 10K. I know he can get more so I have to pay the price to get a great car.

Should I go for the '96 that I know or, just to have something other than a second '96 (I already have a'96 LS 400), buy the wife some other year vehicle that I know nothing about??

If you are really thinking about this, let me tell you about some ocean front property I'm trying to sell in Nebraska....

[toowen]

I have an opportunity to buy a close friends '96 LS 400 which he purchased new. I rode in this car the first day he owned it back in '96 and many times since then. The car has been pampered, is without a scratch and has about 115,000 miles, it's been dealer serviced since new and garaged when not being driven. The offering price is around 10K. I know he can get more so I have to pay the price to get a great car.

Should I go for the '96 that I know or, just to have something other than a second '96 (I already have a'96 LS 400), buy the wife some other year vehicle that I know nothing about??

If you are really thinking about this, let me tell you about some ocean front property I'm trying to sell in Nebraska....

I checked NADA again and I thought the price was close and it is. NADA list for a top of the line '96 Lexus LS 400 is about $8900. So 10K is not too much out of line for an asking price. Golly, the man could ask twice that amount if he wants but it doesn't mean that he'll get it.

Thanks for all the input.

[toowen]

$10g is way too much. Even for mint low mileage.

Yeah it's an awesome car.. but he shouldn't be THAT proud of it.

I always use NADA... don't much like KBB

http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars.aspx?LI...1&mi=115000

Only con I could think of is you wanting it for yourself! B)

NADA top of the line price is about $8,900, so 10K is a good place to begin negotiating down. Where are good ones like this one for sale at the bargain basement prices I hear are available??

[nc211]

In 2007, I sold my 95' with approx 130k miles for approx $7,250, down from the original listing price of $9k. I SERIOUSLY doubt your buddy's is nearly as nice as mine was, as I invested a few thousand dollars replacing the entire suspension system of the car with new, genuine Lexus parts. From the struts, to the control arms, to the ball joints, motor mounts, trans mount, engine computer, differential mounts, drive shaft, brakes, plugs, and a dozen other parts that I can't recall at the moment. It was a "hobby" of sorts.

We're all telling you...$10k is WAY WAY WAY too high! He'd be lucky if he gets $6,500 for it.

[billydpowell]

$10g is way too much. Even for mint low mileage.

Yeah it's an awesome car.. but he shouldn't be THAT proud of it.

I always use NADA... don't much like KBB

http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars.aspx?LI...1&mi=115000

Only con I could think of is you wanting it for yourself! B)

NADA top of the line price is about $8,900, so 10K is a good place to begin negotiating down. Where are good ones like this one for sale at the bargain basement prices I hear are available??

throw your book away, go to craigslist there in KC and look:

Lexus 1996 LS400 (Reduced) - $5995 (Northland) and

1997 Lexus LS400, chrome 20's auto, 113k - $6750

also others... try being a smart shopper.

by the way, mileage dosent ruin a ls, like other cars.