About to get LX470 Need your opinion. Thx

[BnvS]

------------ TAKE TWO -------------

so the first car didnt work out below so now i am looking at this one.

Hey guys.. so lots and lots of searching have brought me to this one in Austin. Its from a dealer. 2001 LX470 with 186k on it. It looks clean.. i'll be going from Atlanta to Austin to get it. I dont have full details of it yet.. the dealer said he will send me additional pics, underbody pics, etc (should i ask for anything else specific to take photos of) I have him for $8300. Which i think is a decent deal. The few cons are obviously the tear in the front seats. What do u guys think of this buy?

He said it was owned by old couple from Louisiana. Anyways i'll have the carfax of the car tomorrow as well.

2001 Lexus LX 470

------------------ TAKE ONE ------------------

Hi Folks,

So have yet to get a LC/LX yet. But basically i need a reliable car and I thought why not get something that is very reliable. That being said I am buying a LX with 200k miles for around $7000. I think its a decent deal. I am traveling to go get the car and get it checked by Toyota dealership. The owner said he has service records for Timing belt & water pump change as well as new plugs and valve cover gasket.

So I am looking for your opinion on 1. Price is okay good great? 2. I can see why the TB WP is changed but why the Valve cover gasket? what it because it was just leaking. Do they tend to leak?

Anways since i will be drive 300+ miles to get the car what else should i look for? I mean for the pics it looks good.

Also if the owner has all the records should I even take it in to have it checked at a Toyota/Lexus dealership? or just take a ride also have a look at the engine condition and if it checks out just ride it back down? I am thinking just ride it back down.. But it worth it to get it checked for $100 bucks

TIA.

 

[nmatcek]

I can't comment on the price because I haven't looked around enough to know if that's a good deal. Seems reasonable enough if it's clean and rust-free.
The valve cover gasket leak is pretty common. Mine was leaking at 145k and just snugging the bolts was enough to keep it from leaking going on 10k miles.
$100 seems like a good deal for a pre purchase inspection. Certainly wouldn't hurt. The fact that the TB and WP were changed is a big plus.
Good luck.

 

[labcab]

$100 is cheap insurance. Run a CarFax on the VIN and plug it into the Lexus owners site. How long ago was the TB done? They should have replaced it 20K ago for the second time.

 

[OG 91 LC]

Here's my $.02.

1. Carfax is good.

2. Lexus owner site is good.

3. $100 at at Toy/Lexus is a great price. It's usually $130 or so.

4. Check for original windshield.

5. Ask if you may spray the vehicle with water(lots of water all over) and check for leaks. Then turn vehicle on and check for any funky electrical stuff that may occur.

6. Try to drive the vehicle for more than 50 miles to see if check engine light comes on.

7. Drive the vehicle over 70+ mph and check for any pull on the steering. Rack and pinion may be an issue.

8. Check the AHC system carefully. Do your homework on this site. Make sure you're not buying a LX with AHC system that is on the way out.

Price seems reasonable.

There's so much more I can add. Hope others chime in.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

The dealership inspection provides -
A piece of mind knowing the overall condition
Solid negotiating help if something is not perfect
A good chance of making home without issue

 

[ponytl]

I don't see where you mention what year it is... 7k is a good (for you) price if it's a good truck... NO RUST if it's 300miles from you as long as it's not 300miles north you should be good... chances are if it looks good/cared for in person then it will be fine... these 100's are like Hillery you can't kill em and you can't polish a turd...

 

[DTCsk8er]

I just bought a 2000 Cruiser a couple weeks ago; 232k on the clock, very clean inside and out, no rust.. good tires, sliders, but otherwise stock. TB/WP was done earlier this year and a handful of upgrades around the rig also thrown in. Needs brakes, and door lock motors replaced, but I paid 8K for it, and drove it back 180 miles to Houston. I know I got a good deal, as I couldn't find anything local that was as taken care of, and had proof of maintenance being done.

The others have said what I would say about checking it out. Familiarize yourself with common issues by searching around MUD.. my biggest concern was transmission noise, and steering slop. Luckily, mine had neither. These are pretty reliable vehicles, as long as maintained. I test drove a handful, and I can usually tell which were actually cared for by paying attention to details.

 

[BnvS]

Ooh yeah its a 2000 LX470 - It is North of me but thats still decent weather.

I have never driven the LX or LC actually how would I drive it? dont want to go to a LC/LX owner and just ask them hey I am not here to buy this.. just to drive..lol Anyways i think i can go to a Lexus dealer but they might not have such an old truck.

BTW i really appreicate the help you guys with ur quick responses. I'll look for a thread on transmission noise and steering slop. Thx

 

[labcab]

Search cars.com or autotrader for 1998-2007 LCs or LXs and sort by distance from your zip. At least a handful will come up at dealers instead of private sellers. Let them know you're in the market for one and checking out what's available locally. I don't see any issue with taking a couple for a spin, and you may even find a better deal.

If you've never driven one before, you're coming home with that truck...busted steering rack, rust-bucket or whatever else is wrong with it. At least drive one or two locally to get the excitement out of your system and add a bit of perspective e.g. That other one had nicer leather, turned tighter or was quieter.

Post it up here as well. There may be another Mudder close by that could check it out before you drive the 300 miles.

 

[Simplespirit]

I'm in WNC if that helps. My LC actually came from Spartanburg, SC because all of the examples here were overpriced and/or too rusted or worn out for my taste.

 

[BnvS]

Okay guys an update. I didnt get the LX mostly because the owner was not very forthcoming on the "service records" he said he had. So I was not going to drive 300+ miles to get there and then discover all this. Thanks for your input.

I actually took the time to go to a dealer and drive a LX.... man i like this car.. and my wife who was give me grief that I am buying a 13-16+ year old car loved it..That being said..

My search for the elusive Yetti is still going on. Want your though on some of this stuff..

1st- I found a 2002 at a dealer that I can get for 7k with 185k miles.. but the navigation is not work - thats all the info i know as I got this info from the dealer which is why he is selling a 2002 for so low. Now for me, if its just the navigation and radio thats not working I'll live for a while b4 i can fix that. But i bet the AC(HVAC) is also goes the navigation right? How much would it be to take a risk on this knowing the Nav is not working. Is it a 1k repair, 1.5k repair or a 5k repair? and do I have any other options here? I have done some search on this forum and googling.. doesnt look like it but still let me know.

2nd - If I found one how bad is bad in terms of rust? cause i am finding a few in NE area where obviously there will be rust.. is there a mid way where you say so much rust is bad(lilke all over) else if its just a little bit of rust then its not a problem? LIke would u buy a car from the north that has been there for 10-12+ years in Snow weather. btw whats so bad with this rust.. cant it not be fixed with paint? (i am a newbie)

3rd - Is the 5 speed transmission thats good.. but then i would have to look for 2003 and higher which might come with NAV again..what a PITA...

4th - The AHC how should it work? like if I put it on i see HNL light blink for a long time.. and does the car ever go to the L mode? cause the one I used didnt go to the L setting at all.

Either case I am trying to get this car sooner or later... thanks folks.

 

[labcab]

For the navigation, taking it to a Lexus dealer and having them install a new unit is probably a $5k repair. Finding a used unit on eBay and replacing yourself is likely $500-$1k. Converting the dash to non-integrated HVAC is possible. I've seen some professional aftermarket installs, but it's the type of work most shops wouldn't even take on and it can't be cheap. Probably $2-$3k in parts and labor + whatever you spend on new gear.

These trucks are beasts and will run forever with regular maintenance. The only thing that will kill them besides some idiot smashing into you is rust. You can slow it down, but its hard to get rid of once it starts. Aside from rotting out the structural integrity of your truck, it makes it very difficult to work on when you're constantly breaking bolts because they're rusted out. A little rust underneath wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with a wire brush. If it's started on the body at all or there are holes, find another truck.

Can't speak to the 5-speed, but I've never had any complaints with my 4-speed. AHC can be expensive to repair and awesome when it works. If you are going to do a lift, broken AHC might not be a big deal if it's getting gutted.

I've had my 98 for 13 years. Be patient. The right truck will come along. Just keep stashing money away while you're being picky and add some flexibility to your budget so you can jump when it does pop up (or fly out to the west coast for one.) Don't buy one with issues to save a few bucks in the beginning. Chasing them down can be more expensive in the long run. Not to mention, a terrible start to your journey with what is typically an ultra-reliable, trouble-free vehicle.

 

[BnvS]

@labcab - So your saying not go with a 2002 i found that has an issue with Nav..and hopefully at max it might be $1.5k to fix it? is that even something I should look into, or just skip it and wait out until i get the unicorn that was made for me..lol

 

[labcab]

@labcab - So your saying not go with a 2002 i found that has an issue with Nav..and hopefully at max it might be $1.5k to fix it? is that even something I should look into, or just skip it and wait out until i get the unicorn that was made for me..lol

With a little luck and doing all the work yourself, you might get away with replacing the Nav with a junkyard/eBay unit and tearing out the AHC to put in a conventional suspension for around $1500.

I checked some prices on part numbers from eBay units. The Nav units go $7-$10k from Toyota and Lexus. Used ones seem to go for $300-$1k on eBay and car-part.com.

You can order Slee's medium lift kit or Toyota OEM shocks, springs and torsion bars for around $1100. You could scavenge the classifieds here for parts from someone replacing their suspension and get everything even cheaper, but with miles.

It all depends on your situation and how the VIN checks out on CarFax and the Lexus Drivers site. If the truck has an otherwise spotless maintenance history, your brother is an electronics wizard, and you have the tools and the time, go for it. If you live in an apartment, have a newborn at home , and would be paying someone else to wrench on it, find another truck. If there's rust, pass. If I could talk them down to $5k, TB/WP were just done at 180k, and the wife was OK with me spending the next 2 months of weekends in the garage, I'd probably go for it.

 

[PADDO]

Okay guys an update. I didnt get the LX mostly because the owner was not very forthcoming on the "service records" he said he had. So I was not going to drive 300+ miles to get there and then discover all this. Thanks for your input.

I actually took the time to go to a dealer and drive a LX.... man i like this car.. and my wife who was give me grief that I am buying a 13-16+ year old car loved it..That being said..

My search for the elusive Yetti is still going on. Want your though on some of this stuff..

4th - The AHC how should it work? like if I put it on i see HNL light blink for a long time.. and does the car ever go to the L mode? cause the one I used didnt go to the L setting at all.

If you register an LX VIN at Lexus.com you can download .pdfs of the car's manual with a pretty comprehensive description of how the self leveling, height control and variable suspension systems work, it's capabilities and limitations. Worth the effort as you're sure to encounter many LXs in your search and salespeople with no knowledge of the system and what will prohibit it functioning ie: door or hatch open, foot on brake for +5 seconds etc. It's hard to know what's not normal/faulty if you don't know what normal/good looks like.

 

[OTSWolf]

Okay guys an update. I didnt get the LX mostly because the owner was not very forthcoming on the "service records" he said he had. So I was not going to drive 300+ miles to get there and then discover all this. Thanks for your input.

I actually took the time to go to a dealer and drive a LX.... man i like this car.. and my wife who was give me grief that I am buying a 13-16+ year old car loved it..That being said..

My search for the elusive Yetti is still going on. Want your though on some of this stuff..

1st- I found a 2002 at a dealer that I can get for 7k with 185k miles.. but the navigation is not work - thats all the info i know as I got this info from the dealer which is why he is selling a 2002 for so low. Now for me, if its just the navigation and radio thats not working I'll live for a while b4 i can fix that. But i bet the AC(HVAC) is also goes the navigation right? How much would it be to take a risk on this knowing the Nav is not working. Is it a 1k repair, 1.5k repair or a 5k repair? and do I have any other options here? I have done some search on this forum and googling.. doesnt look like it but still let me know.

2nd - If I found one how bad is bad in terms of rust? cause i am finding a few in NE area where obviously there will be rust.. is there a mid way where you say so much rust is bad(lilke all over) else if its just a little bit of rust then its not a problem? LIke would u buy a car from the north that has been there for 10-12+ years in Snow weather. btw whats so bad with this rust.. cant it not be fixed with paint? (i am a newbie)

3rd - Is the 5 speed transmission thats good.. but then i would have to look for 2003 and higher which might come with NAV again..what a PITA...

4th - The AHC how should it work? like if I put it on i see HNL light blink for a long time.. and does the car ever go to the L mode? cause the one I used didnt go to the L setting at all.

Either case I am trying to get this car sooner or later... thanks folks.

I searched for a while for mine. With a car this old, there are bound to be a few gremlins either electrical or mechanical, but the degree to which each of the issues is a deal breaker really depends on you. I searched for a while for mine and it has a few issues, but nothing that is going to stop it from driving for a long time. In the short time I have had it, I have already put on 2k miles and it is only a weekend driver for me and my family to get to good hiking spots and drive-in movies. I would tend to stay away from rust, because like it was stated earlier, it doesn't really go away. Other than that, what everyone else has said is right on. Take your time and don't let the excitement of getting one of these great trucks get the better of you.

 

[sseaman]

Being that you are in Atlanta you are in a good area for vehicles without rust within a few hundred miles of you, and a lot of cars move through there, we have bought 3 in the last couple years and drove down from Nashville. Watch out for independent dealers that buy NE auction cars and bring them south. For AHC testing, all doors need to be completely closed or the light will just blink.