Hello everyone, I just joined this evening. I currently have an '01 ES300 w/62k and a '93 LS w/165k. I am giving the '93 LS to my nephew in January. I like the ES, it was my parents, but there's something under the drivers seat that hits my bottom and makes long drives uncomfortable. I prefer the size and drive of the LS's. Today I looked at a 2004 LS430. The owner bought it from a non-Lexus dealer in Apr '09, at which point he had the local Lexus dealer perform the 30K scheduled maintenance to the tune of $1300. The car had 37,000 miles when he bought it, and now it has 44,000 miles. For options, it only has the 1st option package with Mark Levinson stereo, navigation, heated rear seats. None of the upper echelon options like headlamp washers, heated/cooled rear seats w/massage, and so on. It drives very nicely, then engine is quiet, smooth and powerful (290hp, 320 ft/pds torgue). He is asking $23,000 and seems quite firm on that. When we met today, he had several printouts showing the dealer price at $26,000.
I'm tempted to buy it, but 23k is a chunk of change (I have no income, living on savings). For $10,000 less I could get a mid-late 90's LS.
I would probably sell the ES, or keep it for a winter car with the FWD.
Oh, and I found a 2002 112k, black on black, for $13,500. Haven't seen it in person. I'm familiar with the seller, he buys luxury cars from other dealers or auction and sells them under dealer price but above private-party price.
I'd welcome anyone's thoughts on whether a 2004 with such low miles is worth it over a higher-mileage '97 or something. Thanks.
