Assuming your time and labor is free, how do you do fix these for 2K? Honest question here because I always want to have a cheap project car, something to tinker over weekend, not my dd. By my estimation the parts itself are: 5 tires + install and balance $1K, suspension (either fixing AHC or new regular suspension) $500-1K, tbelt, wp, hoses, etc $500 . That is 2K right there.
I have not added up the brakes, exhaust, interior/leather, radio, climate control, steering telescope, steering rack, mirror plus whatever unknown you will find when you dig in.
Inspecting is key, know what you're buying. Reduce offer for areas of concern. Most important is can the rig be made 100% safe & reliable to drive coast to coast cost effectively. Safe means brakes, wheels/tires, suspension, wheel bearing, ball joints, steering rack & TRE etc.. Or is it a parts rig, this is what one must determine.
The work I do would cost tens of thousand to have a great shop like Slee OFF Raod or Robbie in Boulder do, which wouldn't be cost effective for a non gearhead to pay for. That's where the low millage 100 series, newest with great maintenance records come in. But I'd stand my finish product next to anyone's.
Tundra Tires w/wheels full set $160 to $300 off CL, lots of choice. I buy Toyota Parts mostly from Dealer, they give me wholesale (20% off list). I've not done seat skins yet, but new can be had for $300 per row. I do clean & condition with Leatherique which is pricy, but good stuff which I like more each time I use on interior. Used parts are hard to find at least some of the body parts. I don't have a paint booth, so body is one area I must be careful with buying any damage bodies or bad paint. I replace only parts that are no longer serviceable, not whole components. Example is tensioner pulley $60+ from Dealer, NAPA/others parts stores have bearing for $10 to $15, which I've found last longer than OEM. OEM T-Belt w/pulleys can be done for $150 in parts, water pump and seals would be extra. Hoses don't need to be changed, except PCV's hoses and some vacuum lines. The factories installed coolants rubber hoses are the best you'll find. Swollen hoses mean overheating so avoid if engine is a concern or price according. Starter is $60 if you replace intake gasket, otherwise $30 for plunger, contact & seals. Heater Tee's $30 with clamp. Fluids (oil, lube grease ATF & coolant) get expensive as I only use M1 & Toyota red. Wheel bearing are usually good and have been replaced in most case. Most wheel bearings just need to be set up properly, and a few new seals/parts $60 ea. Hub flange and snap ring $52 ea, if needed. Axle $125 for OEM rebuilt by CVJ. Brakes rotor caliper & pads $150 ea if needed. OEM spider joint (U-joints) and machine shop pressing $100 ea, as needed. I've seen good stereo head unit on CL for $100. Steering rack usually just need ploy bushing. Steering Racks if needed can be rebuilt or rebuilt OEM purchased.
Cleaning & inspecting is key. When done it should be as clean as day it came out of factory. Remember your factory parts are the best you can get, keep what you can.
In the 1998 LX; ABS' light then ACH would be first to fix. I think the exhaust can be fixed for $50 labor for a welder (I don't have). If they (starting with AHC) can't be done relatively cheaply, then I'll stop and this rig will become a parts rig.
First thing I do is take tons of picture, especially of wet or oil spots. Then I clean exterior and I mean clean. Picture help give clues to bad seal & issue. Leaks must be stop and components inspected for damage.
I did Graybear (00 LX470) which was bought ($800) for parts, but turned out to be savable with about 60 hours (over two months) of work and for $1,400. $1,400 included trailer for towing, gas (1k miles of test driving), parts, 4 wheels & tires, cleaning, detailing & shop materials. PO's shops gave him estimate of $3k just for brakes. I did for $150, and can say without a doubt: I did better job then shop would or could have. This same shop did lots of work giving me some good parts to work with. But Garybear had bad owner which did not maintain or pay attention to sound, smell, leaks & drivability changes, made it the most unsafe vehicle I've ever seen. I had to redo everything the shop did, it was unbelievable & negligent. These rigs are very safe tanks, most issue come down to a seals or clip, generally something small that needs proper procedure (by the book ) to set up right. But I'd not recommend a none gearhead buy anything not at 95%> mechanically ready to go and never buy rust. I'll not buy a rust belt rig, they're best left for parts. Some minor spot rust is ok, but means flipping for less.
It's been a hobby of mine, started just to see how these rigs with high millage hold up. I was proud when a mechanic bought Graybear from me. He said it was cleanest and best driving he'd found. I had to say you need to be aware of some issue of rust like around windshield and it wasn't my finest work. Some people think I'm dumb for disclosing hidden issues, but, I've spend the last 30 as a stock broker in the most speculative/risky end of the industry, and never had even one complaint. Something very few brokers at my end of industry can say. I believe in DD, full discloser and proper pricing so that both parts feel good after the deal it is done. As a US Army Veteran I also feel pride in our country, and can't stomach those that feel everyone is there pray. That includes those that will sell a product they no is unsafe or junk while saying differently or even just not disclosing known issues. We've to many of the ME generation these days, and only passing it forward will make a change IMHO. That said "buyer beware" inspect inspect inspect,
I found Garybear and now the 98 LX looking for body parts for White lady 01 LX. I overpaid for whitelady a bit, but well below KBB. I say this because of the time I've spent on it and body issue (hood). I also went overboard doing things that were not needed, just for the experience or because I'm such a perfectionist. I felt "Oh no big deal" when I bought Whitelady with what was minor hood work and it looked good anyway, but was wrong. Body issue can be pricy and paint condition matters. I could just flip as is and it is really clean, looks great and drives great, but not showroom ready yet in my book. I pride myself on giving a product that is near 100% or at least I'll disclose any issue I know of.
Someone in a post on previous page, said; asking price (seller sets) is/are based on condition, and should be paid be paid or walkaway if you don't like. I don't agree, most sellers especially LX owners (no offense) just drive until it must go in shop. Sure they start out with pride and take to shop every 5K, to have oil changed/fluids (most) but as it ages they don't even bother to clean anymore. They have no idea what the rig needs, only what some tech tells them. It takes a good eye to know what to look for, and even I will not find it all in two, three, four or five hours of inspecting plus DD online in advance. But something's do give me clues as to what to expect and look for, like lack of grease slunk from lube points.
Now that value has drop on the 100's to point insurance companies are totaling with minor accident damage, we'll see more and more parts come to market.
I stick with 01 & 02, no NAV for the most part as they're a good price range. I also feel from reading mud and my experience, they are the most trouble free, reliable and bullet proof of the 100 series.
Good hunting.
