Looking at an LX with a few issues

[a200]

I wonder if I could get some opinions from you guys on an LX I just went to check out with 168k. I actually test drove this about 2 years ago but was not quite ready to buy. Anyways it is for sale again. The story I got is the previous owner needed a suburban. 1 owner before that.

• The rust situation has gone down hill since I last looked at it. Most of the welds have some light surface rust, before there was no sign of rust. The AHC bits and the front control arms are showing it the most but still much more paint than rust. The LX is puling to the left, I worry that some seized alignment bolts may make this an expensive alignment. Any thoughts on that?

• The AHC goes up and down like it should. I did not notice a big difference between sport and softer but the ride did feel fine. The service history says the rear shocks were replaced at 108k. The front shocks show some oil residue and dirt but no sign of a leak.

• The left rack boot seems to have some evidence of oil on the bottom half. The power steering fluid was on the low end of things.

• The rotors feel warped and look pretty rough.

• There was no documented oil change from 51k to 68k. The vehicle was at the lexus dealer several times in there for stereo repair and tire work

• In the service history I see this and I do not know what it means. The LX was sold certified after this event.
  View attachment 3019430

• after 128k there is no service history. The story I was told is it was owned by a mechanic.

• The passenger front seat heater does not work or the switch does not work. I am not sure if the cool works. I know that the cooled seats in these is not super eventful.

• The wood insert in the dash on the passenger side is cracked and warped. Has anyone else seen that?

• This LX did not come with this package, and that seems odd. What is this worth? What is the other stereo like?
  
  

1. View attachment 3019434

 

[kwelhand]

The mechanic owned vehicle means nothing... have you seen their personal vehicles?
What's the asking price? it better be spectacular based on your description.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

after 128k there is no service history. The story I was told is it was owned by a mechanic.

This, along with warped rotors and the other miscellaneous issues you've listed tells me the "owned by a mechanic" story is bullsh!t, and that the LX has simply not been maintained. Any half-decent mechanic will keep a log of the work they do. The fact that it was listed for sale 2 years ago suggests the owner has been wanting to get rid of it for a while, and has likely not done a shred of maintenance.

The actual problems/items you've listed sound fairly reasonable and expectant for the mileage, but I don't like seeing all of them "at once," so to speak. Suggests problems have been building up for a while and the owner has been ignoring them.

The service history item likely means the LX threw an error code and the dealer sorted it out. Since it was sold CPO after that, I'm guessing they resolved the issue, whatever it was.

My personal line of thought is that I'll take a higher-mileage vehicle with documented service over a lower-mileage one without service documentation. I prefer to own things that have been well cared for, and this particular LX does not sound like it fits that bill. As always, money talks, and if it's priced stupidly cheap it may be worth the gamble, but if it's priced inline with the market, I'd pass.

 

[tincan45]

Your answer probably comes down to price and what you are willing to put into it. Assume the worst for everything you mentioned above and add another 50% in potential repair costs. Let's just assume it needs 10K to get it back in shape. Is the seller willing to go 15K below market prices? Are you willing to deal with all the unknowns? I think with a little patience you could probably find a clean, well maintained, LX and spare yourself the headache. I see them pop up in this market fairly regularly. I assume you are in NW Arkansas area. Look in Little Rock, Tulsa, OKC, Kansas City and Dallas. I wouldn't go north of Kansas City though. Lots of well cared for rust free "Mom" LX's in all of those markets. I picked mine up in Little Rock.

 

[El Skywalker]

Run Forest Run!

 

[a200]

Your answer probably comes down to price and what you are willing to put into it. Assume the worst for everything you mentioned above and add another 50% in potential repair costs. Let's just assume it needs 10K to get it back in shape. Is the seller willing to go 15K below market prices? Are you willing to deal with all the unknowns? I think with a little patience you could probably find a clean, well maintained, LX and spare yourself the headache. I see them pop up in this market fairly regularly. I assume you are in NW Arkansas area. Look in Little Rock, Tulsa, OKC, Kansas City and Dallas. I wouldn't go north of Kansas City though. Lots of well cared for rust free "Mom" LX's in all of those markets. I picked mine up in Little Rock.

Thanks for the input everyone. I am pretty sure I am going to pass on this one. I did stop and take a few photos for you guys of the rust. I assume I can find one with less if I look further south. I am pretty much looking at all the southern states right now. I don't think I want anything from the KC area, they get a fair amount of snow and then top it off with salt. This LX will be replacing a toyota I have had for 15 years and I expect to keep this 200 for at least that long, so I want to get it right. I am in no hurry.

 

[tincan45]

Thanks for the input everyone. I am pretty sure I am going to pass on this one. I did stop and take a few photos for you guys of the rust. I assume I can find one with less if I look further south. I am pretty much looking at all the southern states right now. I don't think I want anything from the KC area, they get a fair amount of snow and then top it off with salt. This LX will be replacing a toyota I have had for 15 years and I expect to keep this 200 for at least that long, so I want to get it right. I am in no hurry.


View attachment 3021846
View attachment 3021848

That rust isn't terrible. ...But why settle?

 

[tacoduck]

Meh. If it’s a good deal, I’d buy it. Lx570’s can take a lot of abuse and deferred maintenance. They also rust significantly less than 100’s. Imo the lx570 is getting to the end of its depreciation curve. All those 100’s will eventually wear out, and Mr T made less 200’s vs 100’s, so they could hold their value and might go up.

A good baseline and new rotors and you could be good to go.

 

[bloc]

Meh. If it’s a good deal, I’d buy it. Lx570’s can take a lot of abuse and deferred maintenance. They also rust significantly less than 100’s. Imo the lx570 is getting to the end of its depreciation curve. All those 100’s will eventually wear out, and Mr T made less 200’s vs 100’s, so they could hold their value and might go up.

A good baseline and new rotors and you could be good to go.

Fifteen years is a long time for what is in the pictures to progress. Sure, much of what is visible can be treated, but there are hundreds of fasteners that have started rusting and will be a game of Russian roulette any time you need to loosen anything for maintenance in the future.

 

[pvchaitanya]

the warped wood trim is easy to fix. I bought it on carmarka website OEM for half price and replaced it myself.

 

[tacoduck]

Fifteen years is a long time for what is in the pictures to progress. Sure, much of what is visible can be treated, but there are hundreds of fasteners that have started rusting and will be a game of Russian roulette any time you need to loosen anything for maintenance in the future.

You are right. That said, I bought a pretty darn crusty 2001 land cruiser, drove it for 3 years with zero issues, and then sold it for 500 more than I paid. This happened in 2018 before land cruisers got stupid. That 8k truck I sold in now worth $15k. That truck had a lot more rot than this one. Imo a rusty truck will stop rusting in a sunbelt state. My .02.

 

[Heckraiser]

Undercarriage rust looks near negligible if you're the type of guy to keep up with it in the future. But what about the body? Any rust in the pinch welds, rockers, seams? If so, then hard pass. If not, then just make sure you pay a price that reflects the overall state of "meh" for this particular vehicle.

 

[a200]

Undercarriage rust looks near negligible if you're the type of guy to keep up with it in the future. But what about the body? Any rust in the pinch welds, rockers, seams? If so, then hard pass. If not, then just make sure you pay a price that reflects the overall state of "meh" for this particular vehicle.

The pinch welds look pretty good.

What do you guys think is a fair offer on this?

This is a different LX, but is this part of the parking sensor or is this for the adaptive cruise control?

 

[lx200inAR]

The pinch welds look pretty good.

What do you guys think is a fair offer on this?

This is a different LX, but is this part of the parking sensor or is this for the adaptive cruise control?

View attachment 3022715

Parking sensor. I believe adaptive cruise is behind the lexus emblem in the grill on those years.

 

[lx200inAR]

I think it's pretty difficult to get an idea of value. Whatever the lowest you think you can get it for is a good deal. If the market had followed a normal progression from what existed 2 years ago that would be a 18-20k truck, maybe less if you bargained some of that maintenance into the price. Now every rock you turn over someone would want 25-30k for that.

 

[Heckraiser]

You rarely see them go below $25k in this market (Denver area), even in not-great shape. I'd call anything below $25k a win and I'd buy it with a little remorse for $26k.