[bpassmore]

Greetings

I am new to this board, but I have quickly fallen in love with this 80 series vehicle. I have found an LX with the right options and milage here in Houston, and I need your help.

Since I am still new to the FJZ crowd, I was hoping a fellow Houstonian could come with me on Monday to inspect the specimen.

So how bout it? Any fellow Houstonian want to come by Spring Branch and help a brother out?
Thanks in advance

[Clint Z]

Can someone help? I have known Brett for 15 yrs and he has been driving my 96 LC for the past month during Ike. If there is anyone in Houston that can go look at the truck with him on Sunday or Monday it would be great. Thanks again for everyones help from Mud!

Clint Z

[ranma21]

Hmm, I can help up but I am away working now. I would not be back til Monday evening. So the earliest I can help up probably after 12pm on Tuesday if that works for you. In fact, I am very close to Spring Branch.

[bpassmore]

I would love your help - My time frame is very short unfortunately.

I know beggars cannot be choosers, and as such your offer is appriciated and accepted, pending anyone else that can come by tomorrow or Monday in the day.

Thanks again, and my email is bpassmore@gmail.com - please drop me a line.

[ranma21]

Sent you an e-mail with my contact, so just give me a ring if you need my help.

Originally Posted by bpassmore

I would love your help - My time frame is very short unfortunately.

I know beggars cannot be choosers, and as such your offer is appriciated and accepted, pending anyone else that can come by tomorrow or Monday in the day.

Thanks again, and my email is bpassmore@gmail.com - please drop me a line.

[Sc0-]

Fellow houstonian here as well, I am newish to Landcruisers but not to automotive vehicles or 4x4's. Are you looking for haggling points to lower the price a little or just to ensure you don't have a basket case?

I purchased a '94 with 118k miles for $8200 or so, brother paid $9500 for a '95 with lockers and 120k miles.

[bpassmore]

Originally Posted by Sc0-

Fellow houstonian here as well, I am newish to Landcruisers but not to automotive vehicles or 4x4's. Are you looking for haggling points to lower the price a little or just to ensure you don't have a basket case?

I purchased a '94 with 118k miles for $8200 or so, brother paid $9500 for a '95 with lockers and 120k miles.

Im happy with the price (97 LX with 74k miles and lockers, $9500) but I want to make sure that I dont get taken on the vehicle with reguard to its integrity.

If anyone could assist in that manner, that would be awesome.

[Beowulf]

Brett,
Get a Carfax. Get the VIN and call your local Lexus dealer. They will, with a little coaxing, run a report of all the vehicle service. All body panels, tailgate, rear hatch, bonnet, doors, etc. will have a Toyota VIN sticker. If the truck had panels replaced then those VIN stickers won't be there.

Obviously, being a Gulf Coast vehicle, you want to look for signs of water damage.

Don't dally too long because there are very few 74k vehicles around. Even less that are locked LX's.

-B-

[bpassmore]

Thanks Beowulf.

I got the Carfax from 2garfields in Chit Chat

Anyone with a carfax account?

And i will check those panels.

Do you know if that Lexus service history is a common thing they do? Will they know what I'm talking about if I stop by with just a VIN? Will they block it until i show them a vehicle for privcy/ security reasons?

Btw, it was a florida truck for most of its life. Spent a few months when new in New York (from Feb 97 to Aug it looks like, then moved south.)

Thanks!

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by bpassmore

Do you know if that Lexus service history is a common thing they do? Will they know what I'm talking about if I stop by with just a VIN? Will they block it until i show them a vehicle for privcy/ security reasons?

Lexus dealers have a nationwide database of service by VIN. Some of the data gets archived so older vehicles don't have quite as much data available. The service department will give you the information if you work with them and let them know what you are after and why. Tell them you are looking for confirmation that "required" maintenance was performed. If Dealer "A" refuses, then go to Dealer "B". Since you are in Houston you have several to choose from. Let Dealer "A" know in a nice professional way, that their cooperation will influence where you purchase parts and have service done.

They will block the prior owner's information; name, address, payment methods, and maybe the payment amounts, but you don't care about that anyway. You just want as much visibility to the prior service history as you can get. When I bought my used LS400 from a private seller, the local Lexus service department was very cooperative and printed everything out for me to take home. I also took it back after I purchased it for a full "pre-purchase" inspection ($100). They did a very thorough job and found a couple of things that I already knew about and a couple of things that I didn't find in my inspection.

FYI, those of us buying Toyota's don't have this option because, up until recently, Toyota maintenance records were not in a national database.

I will again emphasize that locked LX450s with 74k miles are a rarity. Very rare, and since the price is what you are prepared to pay you should move quickly to start the negotiations. If the asking price is $10k, you might be able to get it for $8k or $9k.

-B-

[bpassmore]

Thanks B

[bpassmore]

I posted some pictures here on my blog of the LX.