LX450's Cheaper than LCs? (1 Viewer)

[MH_Stevens]

IN my search for a 93-97 80 series I have found few to choose from so I added the LX450 to my search list and was surprised to find, at least in the ones reported by AutoTrader, that the few LX450's I found were a little CHEAPER than the 80's. Is this the norm or expected, or just an abberation in thoses now available?

Mike Stevens

 

[Gumby]

I suspect Lexus buyers tend to buy new so the resale value is less. Buicks have always had a crappy resale for the same reason.

Toyota buyers will pay top dollar for a used Toyota.

 

[mabrodis]

There are several threads about this in the past, also as to which is better, glorified pissing match basically.

I can't say that I've always seen the LX450 to be cheaper, in some cases it does appear to be cheaper, but it's so hard with any vehicle to compare apples to apples. Some will have more miles, but cleaner inside, others will be a color you may or may not want so even if cheaper you may not go for it, etc. When I bought my LX it was cheaper than any other '97 LC I could find, but I was also buying from a crap-hole-in-the-wall used dealership vs the LC at a Toyota dealership, so that alone could account for the price difference.

I've watched many on ebay and it's hard for me to say the LX always goes cheaper. The LXs often have fewer miles, but that ofcourse doesn't always hold true...basically hit or miss. I have never looked up the actual bluebook value to see if the LX is actually cheaper in the book or not, that would be interesting.

 

[RavenTai]

others have reportd the same thing that LX were cheaper, when I was searching in my area they were about the same.


there have been some thearies as to why, best one I have heard is Lexus owners are on average less interested in driving an old Lexus. they can afford a newer one. where as a Toyota has more of a demographic to go to at each stage of its life.

as with most things LC VS LX the diffrence is only in the name.

Edit: too slow

 

[NorCalDoug]

I think the LC vs LX pricing depends on region. Sometimes they're cheaper...sometimes not. If you can find a deal on a LX over a LC, get it. I did...twice

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

I think the LC vs LX pricing depends on region. Sometimes they're cheaper...sometimes not. If you can find a deal on a LX over a LC, get it. I did...twice

Becky and I were ticked Friday. JUST missed a '96 LX450 that was mint with 102K miles and owned by an old couple right in Tucson. $13,900. ERR!

 

[Cruiserhead05]

I think Doug hit the nail on the head. I've heard and seen this brought up numerous times but so far i really havent seen that LX's are any cheaper than Lc's in the DC area. if anythin i tend to think they are higher b/c people around here would pay a little more to say they have a Lexus, as compared to a Toyota.
Kids at school will even tell me the LX is nicer than my 80 but in reality it is basically the same thing.

 

[Romer]

When I was looking a found a similar conditioned Lexus's to be cheaper, thats why I bought mine. The subwoofer is nice as well.

 

[MoJ]

Perceived to be more expensive to maintain.

 

[agomez]

Lexus alot more brand new than the LC. Maybe the LC has a better resale with niche market?

Andy

 

[Tools R Us]

I found a higher percentage of "perfectly serviced" LX's than Cruisers, probably Lexus buyers tend to be more careful with their investment?

 

[Walking Eagle]

I just bought an LX. Don't think it was any cheaper than the Land Crusier's I was looking at, but I think the dealer was more willing to deal cause it needed front rotors, and who buys a luxury SUV that needs work right? Probably the same guy who bought it only cause it had the factory lockers.

My dad bought his LX at a dealer that had a Land Cruiser and a Lexus of the same year. The LX had fewer miles, was in better condition and was a grand or two less. So sometimes the LX Cheaper theory does hold true. Hey, if it wasn't true some of the time, it'd never become a stereo type.

 

[hoser]

When I was looking, the LX and LC's were about the same price. But definitely, there were more low mileage LX's and in general, the LX's were better maintained.

 

[sixsracing]

I bought mine in Feb. this year and the prices were about the same. Blue book is higher on the LX's.

One thing I did notice was that insurance for the Lexus was less by a substantial amount. Allstate wanted $600.00 more per year for the 97 LC over the 97 LX. Go figure?

 

[OZCAL]

When I was shopping for my brother's truck six months ago in Southern California (he eventually got avery clean 97 locked LC), there wasn't much of a disparity. They all seemed higher than the national average, going by Ebay sales anyway.

David

 

[reffug]

I think the LC vs LX pricing depends on region. Sometimes they're cheaper...sometimes not. If you can find a deal on a LX over a LC, get it. I did...twice

Just remember this advice comes from a rather large fellow who wears pink thong panties.

 

[sonoranfun]

I see it like this, Lexus owners don't seem to mind holding out for months to get what they think their Lexus is worth. They just don't need the money and have a "well, if I don't get $xxxx I'll just keep it" mind frame. I've seen a lot more 450s with owners just willing to sit on them till they're a year older. There seem to be less of them for sale but I don't know the production numbers on the both so that may be the reason.

I think it's also repair costs in peoples minds.. My Mechanic told me today he wouldn't let me buy a Lexus because it cost SOOOO much more to fix!

Seeing the 450 was an extra 20% new that upcharge isn't there now for whatever reason. Plus the LX470s are right there and just a touch more so all but the 4x4 fans are after those.

 

[offroadkid]

I too noticed the price differences here in the Bay Area when we were shopping for our Cruiser.

How about this? Maybe the LX450 owners are ready to move on to the even more plush 470, and aren't concerned about keeping the solid front axle with locking F&R diffs they never used for the intended purpose? They can now get a V8 with more room. So it gets sold at a fair blue book price.

Whereas people that bought the 80 series know the desired gem they own and probably will keep it. And if by chance they are going to sell it, they know they can get top $ for it.

My 80 was a trade in at a GMC dealer. They said the guy traded it in for a Yukon.

 

[Montana Cruiser]

Seeing the 450 was an extra 20% new that upcharge isn't there now for whatever reason.

Is that accurate? I have the window sticker from my 97' LC @ $49,408 so a 97' LX with similar equipment was $9881.60 more @ $59.289.60?

If this information is correct, I would assume LX owners dont mind taking it in the shorts and will let their 450's go for less

Seriously though, thats crazy! That must be one hell of a sub-woofer in the console

 

[NorCalDoug]

Is that accurate? I have the window sticker from my 97' LC @ $49,408 so a 97' LX with similar equipment was $9881.60 more @ $59.289.60?

If this information is correct, I would assume LX owners dont mind taking it in the shorts and will let their 450's go for less

Seriously though, thats crazy! That must be one hell of a sub-woofer in the console

As I recall, the LX 450 was about 10 grand more than a similarly equipped LC when sold new. But hey, for that extra $10k, you also got better fake wood, softer leather, a 6CD changer, patented Lexus body armor and 3 out of 4 sliding windows...

For the new owner, however, the customer service experience is like night and day when comparing Toyota to Lexus sales and service departments.