Little help deciding.... (1 Viewer)

[gregnash]

The Marysville thing makes me wonder... guy has it for a year and never fixes the issue? I'd be wary unless it goes super cheap and you are feeling adventurous. B/C remember that no matter what you get, no matter how clean -- it'll be old, so you'll be throwing some $$ at it after purchase regardless.

Right... that is what I was kinda feeling. Started off good, then noticed the missing rear badges, he told me upfront about the code but just doesn't drive it much (his words). Then when I saw the wheels and fronts were at 80% but rears at less than 50%??? then the stuff about the fading on the roof but no where else on the vehicle. Just something feels like it's not adding up.

This was a similar scenario when I purchased my 60. Everything seemed fine except for a "couple small spots" of rust here and there. Here we are 7yrs later and I have a bunch of hours in metal fabrication because I was replacing steel in the rear quarters, not to mention completely replacing 2 of 4 doors and the lower tail gate because they were rusted so badly. Really don't want to go through that adventure again, don't mind some work but don't want to have to pull the vehicle down for days on end while I do stuff like that.

Hence why something just isn't adding up on that one. Wife and I are going to take a ride into Reno to do a walk around of the LC to see whats what. Like you said, this guy seems "normal" and has been pretty up front with everything. Main thing I am kinda sorta questioning is the 250k+ as a partial towing vehicle in the Sierras.

 

[hydronos]

I don't think "nav delete" should be a deciding factor as to what year 100 you buy. With the release of the Android "Tesla Style" headunits it makes better sense to get a 03-07, unless having front and/or rear lockers is a must.

 

[gregnash]

Well the Sacramento 99LC was a bust. Went down this morning, checked it out and seemed like it was in decent shape. Not great by any means but what do you expect from a vehicle with 239k on it. Leather was still in decent shape though a bit sun bleached in some areas. All the "wood trim" that was on it was peeling off and also faded. Electronics all still worked and underneath was clean but the god awful smell of a 1 owner SMOKER vehicle was INTENSE. So bad that when the wife and I took it for a test drive we actually had to roll the windows down. The interior had been cleaned but you know, 20yrs of someone smoking in it will do that.

Few other cosmetics that were not great and ZERO service history on it (no indication of TB/WP ever being done) and tires were mfg. in 2012/2013 had me offer him $6k cash on the spot. Funny enough the guy apparently knows of MUD and has a somewhat built LX470, he just smiled and said "Price is firm". Nothing more. I am sure he will get more from someone else, but definitely not the one for me. Sucky part was there really aren't any others in Sac in my price range and worth looking at. By the time we were done it was 1pm so commuter traffic was starting up. Got home a little after 5pm after all that but that was with stopping for linner in So. Tahoe. So pretty much an entire day spent on that with no outcome. Whatever, part of the game I guess.

As for the "Tesla style" units on those with NAV... yeah not my style. Think they are ugly as sin. Larger, like 8" or 9" screen, in front is fine but outside of that, nah not me.

 

[gregnash]

LOL... this is going to be interesting for the next few weeks while I work things out. One vehicle between the wife and I, multiple christmas parties on the weekends, lots of other things going on... wow I picked the perfect time apparently...

There is one locally that I am looking at, stopped by to check it out (owner wasn't home but I let him know I would stop by), little rough around the edges, NEEDS new tires and TB/WP service, 254k and front seats are pretty torn up. He has owned since 2012 (i think or 2013) and says it has never let him down. He is looking for all his service records as they recently moved back to reno from LV (he's med student). Not asking a whole lot ($6200) and is flexible on price due to known issues above.

Also have my cousin looking at an LX470 in Marin that has 155k but asking max of what I have to work with. So dilemma again....

 

[gregnash]

Went and drove the Reno one yesterday and all told there is probably a good $3k+ in stuff that needs to be fixed. I was under the truck and notice that the steering rack on the passenger side was wet to the point that it was almost leaking. Follow it up and sure enough it is leaking at the pump and lines are completely dirty and sweating. Small valve cover leak at the passenger side as well, seemed to ride a bit rough (rougher than my 11 4Runner) and shocks looked old but not OE. So between that, needing new tires ASAP and need of TB/WP (his shop told him it was coming up due) yeah was just a bit too much needed to get it to a "fun" truck. He said his rock bottom was $5200, I said I wouldn't feel good doing it for more than maybe $4k as it had at least $2200 worth of stuff just between the TB/WP and tires at which point I would need the steering rack evaluated and that is what, $1600?? So then we are looking at close to $4k if that is true. So I thanked him and am on the hunt again.

Funny thing is there is one in the Bay near my cousin that is a 2002 LX with 156K on it. Always a Bay vehicle, at a dealership currently getting inspected to put on their floor but they are only asking $10,500 for it???? Talking with my car buddy last night it is like, ok what gives???

 

[DFXR]

Steering rack is around $1400, so yeah you're close on that. Had mine replaced last spring. It leaked for years but never dripped, and barely made a dent in the fluid level.

Valve cover gaskets do leak on high mileage rigs like this, but you can often get by for a while with just (gently) tightening the bolts. Many have probably not been touched in many thousands of miles.

 

[gregnash]

Steering rack is around $1400, so yeah you're close on that. Had mine replaced last spring. It leaked for years but never dripped, and barely made a dent in the fluid level.

Valve cover gaskets do leak on high mileage rigs like this, but you can often get by for a while with just (gently) tightening the bolts. Many have probably not been touched in many thousands of miles.

Right... But for me that is just another thing to add to the list of a 250k mile vehicle and eats up most of my money just to get it handled.
So now I am between one in Oregon that I am trying to work the dealer down on. Low mileage, 1-owner but pretty trashed interior and exterior.

Then there is still the one in Martinez that I am trying to figure out how I can get down there on my own, working around schedules with the wife (her busiest time of year next to wedding season in the summer/fall). Right now cheapest way seems to be taking Amtrak from Reno to Martinez then quick bus ride to dealership. Would be out about $60 total for trip but would take almost 5hrs.

 

[changingground]

There’s a very clean LX470 on the Facebook marketplace with 138k(ish) miles on it in Denver for $8900. How far afield are you willing to look? Lexus LX 470

 

[gregnash]

There’s a very clean LX470 on the Facebook marketplace with 138k(ish) miles on it in Denver for $8900. How far afield are you willing to look? Lexus LX 470

Looks super nice, but think I found one on our classifieds here. Working with member to hammer out details.

 

[changingground]

Excellent.

 

[gregnash]

Alright its a done deal. Picking up @HundyLV702 truck this coming Friday and driving home. Plane ticket is booked and all!

 

[changingground]

Looks great. And nice that you don’t have to do sliders.

 

[levelseventysix]

I'm new here. About to sell my Jeep and was thinking about jumping into a 100 series. I need some of your searching skills! I'm in the Bay Area and was also thinking about checking out the LC in Martinez. But now that I see there's a significant price between the Bay Area and other surrounding cities I may need to expand my search! Glad I found your thread. Congrats on finding what you were looking for.

 

[gregnash]

I'm new here. About to sell my Jeep and was thinking about jumping into a 100 series. I need some of your searching skills! I'm in the Bay Area and was also thinking about checking out the LC in Martinez. But now that I see there's a significant price between the Bay Area and other surrounding cities I may need to expand my search! Glad I found your thread. Congrats on finding what you were looking for.

Ask away dude... That one in Martinez is definitely a good rig and a good canvas from what I can tell by the photos. Go check it out if you are close. Patience paid off for me and I found something here in NV, quick flight to vegas and then a 7hr drive home on a rig that is clean, low mileage, well maintained (service records up the ying yang) and has some tasteful upgrade.

 

[levelseventysix]

Ask away dude... That one in Martinez is definitely a good rig and a good canvas from what I can tell by the photos. Go check it out if you are close. Patience paid off for me and I found something here in NV, quick flight to vegas and then a 7hr drive home on a rig that is clean, low mileage, well maintained (service records up the ying yang) and has some tasteful upgrade.

Did you ever check the LX in Santa Cruz? I believe he sent you photos, is that right? Was there anything in particular that turned you off to that one? Sorry if I missed it in one of your previous posts.

 

[gregnash]

Did you ever check the LX in Santa Cruz? I believe he sent you photos, is that right? Was there anything in particular that turned you off to that one? Sorry if I missed it in one of your previous posts.

Negative. I never made it down there to check. He did send me photos of the undercarriage and the axles looked a bit wet and the undercarriage had a decent amount of surface rust, not something that you would typically see around here. Plus there was little to no service records (not much on any of these from dealers) so I decided to pass.

 

[levelseventysix]

Negative. I never made it down there to check. He did send me photos of the undercarriage and the axles looked a bit wet and the undercarriage had a decent amount of surface rust, not something that you would typically see around here. Plus there was little to no service records (not much on any of these from dealers) so I decided to pass.

Copy that.