Checking out a cruiser tomorrow: Advice Please

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OG 91 LC

OG 91 LC

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Threads
100
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1,203
Location
San Juan Cap.
Hey fellas. Cruising out tomorrow to check out a local cruiser if
it hasn't sold by then. I have read the usually newbie thread and other posts as far as what to look for. My main concern is with the
e-lockers. I'm not all that well informed with how they operate and I don't want to break something on this guy's truck. Truck has def not been used off road. What may be some other overlooked items when buying a cruiser that can think of? BTW. Its a 97 LX 450.
Thanks fellas.
Al
 
What is nice about Lexus is that if it has been serviced at 1 primary dealer you can get the records from them where as Toyota won't for the most part. This could help in determining if the HG was done.
I don't have F & R lockers but I believe they are not engaged until they are lot solid and not blinking. So make sure you are on gravel put that thing into 4Lo while Trans is in Neutral. Make sure the center locker is good then I guess try the R & F 1 at a time and you may have to do figure 8's to get them to engage.

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Bluetribal said:
What is nice about Lexus is that if it has been serviced at 1 primary dealer you can get the records from them where as Toyota won't for the most part. This could help in determining if the HG was done.
I don't have F & R lockers but I believe they are not engaged until they are lot solid and not blinking. So make sure you are on gravel put that thing into 4Lo while Trans is in Neutral. Make sure the center locker is good then I guess try the R & F 1 at a time and you may have to do figure 8's to get them to engage.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD App
Click to expand...

What Mark said about the lockers. Get the truck in 4lo first, then switch the rear locker/front locker. You can drive in a straight line then wiggle the steering column back in forth like a slalom course. Gravel/dirt road would be best, but you can get away with this in a parking lot or residential street.

Socal truck? Shouldn't have much/any rust. Look behind the fan under and around the distributor cap for signs of caked oil/grime. May indicate an oil pump seal leak.

Where is this truck in OC?
 
Thanks fellas. It's a 96. SoCal truck. I would be 3rd owner if I buy. First owner bought from Cerritos Lexus. Second owner in Lakewood. Ad on CL. I'm actually checking it out tomorrow. Unless someone bought it already.
Anything else? I was thinking of getting info from Cerritos Lexus.
Thanks again.
 
Cooling and AC

In addition to the above mentioned items check the radiater, and fluid. Brown coolant would be a concern and an indication of cross contamination from red to green coolant, that could clog the radiater but only about $300 for parts to replace, if still original should be showing signs of wethering on the plastic top. Bad fluid could also be an idication of overheating which I beleive leads to the head gasket problems some have experienced.

Check for a rebuild of the birfs for leakage, it's about 10 hours of your time and $300 in parts or $1500 for the parts and service if you are not familiar with it.

I would also check the AC system if cooling in the summer is important to you, I spent about $600 on parts alone (compressor, dryer, expansion valve, condensor) with my labor to get it working.

Mine also took some exercising of the diff locks to get them to engage (several figure 8 turns) I do not think the prior owner of mine had ever used them.
 
Thanks again you guys for the information. I was scheduled to cruise by the sellers office yesterday to check it out. Seller never replied. So............ At this point no cruiser. Not sure if it sold or not. I will keep you guys posted.
 
Monk cruiser is just chillin' in the garage. This would be my beater cruiser. Seller responded. Ready to go. I will see the truck either tomorrow or Monday. The wife is somewhat bummed. Not sure if the buy will go through. Ill keep you guys posted.
 
Couldn't get to see the truck in the last couple if days. I noticed the truck was off CL today. I sent the seller a text asking about the truck. He said he had received a money order today from a buyer in Texas. He's not sure if its legit. Pending.
 
Offer was legit. 1996 white Lexus LX 450 with 108k miles with factory lockers. Went to a buyer out in Texas for $8k. 2 owner truck. And my wife gave me the green light.
 
You can not snooze on finds like that! Was it on CL? I am looking here and there for a buddy of mine not that it mattered since he is not quite done with his house re-finance so he couldn't have pulled the trigger yet anyway.

On a side note? I don't recall ever seeing a white Lexus! That seems really rare to me.
 
Yup on CL. Ad was vague. Just listed as a second owner vehicle. White with gold package. I snoozed. It was a bit of a challenge to convince my wife ( and we have two kids) that I wanted to buy yet another LX 450 just like the one that's sitting in the garage for $8k around Xmas time. By the time we had the talk and I was given the green light the seller had received his payment.
The good: I know I've been given the green light to buy another cruiser.
 
No pic in the ad. But seller sent me this one. I asked for the pic with dash and lockers. Didn't get that one. So........ Not really sure if it had lockers.


image-1763018608.webp

image-1763018608.webp
 
As Mark mentioned, Romer is selling is daughter's Lexus. Here's the link to his for sale thread on the Rising Sun forum. Lots of pics. Price $9450. Ken is a stand up guy in the cruiser community, as well as a moderator for the 80's section here on mud.

http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=18925
 
Thanks for the heads up on Romer's truck. I dig that it's all done up, but I guess I want the peace of mind that any mod done on the truck would be
by me or of my choice. Every time I think I missed an opportunity another seems to arise down the line. The coolest thing that came out of this is that I've gained more knowledge on purchasing a cruiser and that my awesome wife is ok with me purchasing a second cruiser.
Thanks fellas.
 
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