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What Should I Watch Out For Before Buying Gs430 '04?


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Hi All, sorry for an email which might look like I don't want to search the forum before asking but maybe somebody can point me to a thread where I can find answers, please. And since I'm more like a Volvo user I don't even know where to start with Lexus.

The story is...I can buy '04 GS430 for about £1000 and I think it is cheap. I wonder if somebody wants to sell it because road tax is high or petrol prices... or there is something terribly wrong with the car which would cost thousands to repair... especially in London.

Could you please tell me what to check to make sure I will enjoy this car instead of fixing it all the time? Which parts are the most expensive and they need to be in good shape?

Cheers,

M.

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I wonder if somebody wants to sell it because road tax is high or petrol prices... or there is something terribly wrong with the car which would cost thousands to repair

All can be true, don't forget insurance.

First you need to check it's service & maintenance history; oil, belts replaced, transmission fluid, etc. Call the dealer to find out any additional info.

- Was the car involved in a (serious) accident?

- Are there any OBD faultcodes to read? Is there a Check Engine Light?

- How many miles did the car run?

- A L430 is kind of a powerhouse, so how was the car treated by the previous owner(s)?

- How does the car testdrive: steer, brake, accelerate, auto-shift, sound, suspension?

- Are all electrical devices and powerlocks/windows operational?

- Are all masterkeys available?

- Are there any visuals signs of leakage inside the cabin (under the front carpet, trunk) or perhaps under the car?

- Does the car blow smoke, perhaps perform a compression test?

- Emissions test passed?

Things to look out for: transmission, AC/compressor, brakes (rotors/calipers), ball joints, etc.

My best advice is to let this car thoroughly inspect by a trusted lexus dealer, before you buy.

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I wonder if somebody wants to sell it because road tax is high or petrol prices... or there is something terribly wrong with the car which would cost thousands to repair

All can be true, don't forget insurance.

First you need to check it's service & maintenance history; oil, belts replaced, transmission fluid, etc. Call the dealer to find out any additional info.

- Was the car involved in a (serious) accident?

- Are there any OBD faultcodes to read? Is there a Check Engine Light?

- How many miles did the car run?

- A L430 is kind of a powerhouse, so how was the car treated by the previous owner(s)?

- How does the car testdrive: steer, brake, accelerate, auto-shift, sound, suspension?

- Are all electrical devices and powerlocks/windows operational?

- Are all masterkeys available?

- Are there any visuals signs of leakage inside the cabin (under the front carpet, trunk) or perhaps under the car?

- Does the car blow smoke, perhaps perform a compression test?

- Emissions test passed?

Things to look out for: transmission, AC/compressor, brakes (rotors/calipers), ball joints, etc.

My best advice is to let this car thoroughly inspect by a trusted lexus dealer, before you buy.

Thank you so much for you answer and hints.

The car was serviced by Lexus up to 75k miles. Right now it has 100k.

- wasn't involved in any accident

- engine check light is off

- the previous owner has Evo10 at the moment so I can assume he wasn't driving slowly but engine, gearbox, brakes and tires are in perfect shape.

- everything electric/electronic is operational except cruise control I think, I'm not sure because I was too amazed by the car in overall on motorway to check it properly.

- the only problem is/was the air con, it smells terribly, previous owner wasn't using the car for some time and that's the reason, I've bought two cans of Liqui Moly Klima Fresh already to clean it.

- I have both keys master keys

- I didn't find any leaks so far.... hopefully I won't in the future

- There is no smoke from the exhaust

- emission test was passed 4 months ago

- the car has new brake disks, pads and tires (unfortunately 19" which means it is quite loud above 90mph)

- I have to change poolen filter and oil + oil filter (will liqui moly 5-50 full synth API-SJ be good?)

And the final question. I saw on the gearbox oil dip lexus is saying we don't have to change gearbox oil. I think it's always better to change it, what do you think?

Regards,

Michal

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Well, all seems good, congrats! ;)

I'm always a bit paranoid, so I would flush the ATF and other fluids too. Re. the oil, any good brand synth will do. My manual states 5W-30, but I'm sure 5-50 won't hurt. It all depends on climate and viscosity.

You can subscribe at lexus for free and download maintenance and service schedules.

Cheers.

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