I emailed the owner with my phone number and he called me when he got back into town yesterday. I was able to meet him a few hours after we spoke. He is a really nice guy and has some other cool rigs. Needless to say, he has received a ton of messages about this car and is apparently sorting through them in order of proximity. I told him I'd be happy to post my impressions on Mud. Here we go:
MECHANICAL
I believe the vehicle is fairly represented and I agree that the best use of this LX would be as an excellent, rust-free, base for a build. The undercarriage is truly immaculate. No rust, scratches, dents (likely never off-road). I didn't run the Carfax, but doesn't look like she ever saw salt, having lived in LA and SC its whole life. The engine sounds good. There are no squeaky belts and there are no exhaust leaks. The AHC operates quickly and flawlessly. I didn't see a timing belt sticker (run the vin on the Lexus Drivers site if you so desire), but the heater T's don't show any signs of seepage. The radiator also looks good (not too yellow/ brown/ready to crack). Needs new hood struts, which is a cheap fix. The tires are in good shape, but who cares
I decided not to take more of the owner's time for a test-drive, so I can't comment on wheel bearings, steering box, etc. In a nutshell, she seems to have been very well maintained mechanically.
INTERIOR
The driver's seat is toast, but there is a new, genuine Lexus, seat cover ready to be installed. Could use new floormats, but the carpeting is okay. Headliner, 2nd and 3rd row seats and cargo area are in good shape. Needs a new windshield. Apparently she needs a wheel-speed sensor, as the brake and stability control lights are illuminated on the dash. I didn't check the sunroof. No odors.
EXTERIOR
It is a low-mileage 100 series, but it wasn't a cream-puff, owned by a fanatic. The former owner inherited the LX from his grandfather. Grandfathers sometimes bump things. I believe there is some minor history in the Carfax, so run it if you're interested. There was paint work on the LF fender. The front bumper was replaced, as was the RF fender. The original antennae was replaced with a fixed unit. The original bumper and the RF fender were on site and were in decent shape. Frankly, I believe they could have been reused (damage wasn't major). The owner was very forthcoming about everything.
SUMMARY
I believe this car is fairly priced for a pre-'03 / 152k mike example. It would be a great base for a build. If you're trying to convince your significant other that they should sell their disposable luxury car and drive a 100 series forever, it may be a tough sell without some cosmetic touch-ups. For this reason I passed. Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a road-trip after an easy wheel-speed sensor replacement.
Hope this helps!
Chip
