Newb purchase advice (1 Viewer)

[Jay Kay]

Hey all,

I'm looking to purchase an LX and found a couple within 3 hours of me. Cosmetically, they both look good from the pictures, no glaring issues that I see. I pulled up the service records and found some issues so I could use your advice!

Option 1
2000 with 135k miles for $8k
Sat for 3 years (20k miles from 2014-2017) and the rear rotors, hardware, and shims were all replaced due to severe rust. Should I be worried about rust underneath? It's a CA/GA car that ended up in MD for those 3 years. Lexus recommends: replace front sway bar links, front brakes, and all 4 tires. TB/water pump replaced at 90k.

Option 2
2005 with 160k miles for $14k
Has been "seeping" fluid from front axle boots since 2015/18k miles. No record of TB replacement, it was recommended at 97k miles. Lexus recommends: replace right rear diff fluid, transfer case fluid, left CV boots, front brakes, and repack front bearings.

Thanks!

 

[2001LC]

Always be concerned with rust. 3yrs in MD, not good. Get lots of pictures of undercarriage, make sure some are above spare tire. Also back of upper rear hatch, along bottom edge so you can see the lic plate lights and opening handle, look for rust bubbles.

The 05 sounds good if you wrench cost will be about $600, $2k if you don't, just for items listed. Those are common items BTW.

There will be cost to baseline over next year or so with either.

 

[Jay Kay]

The 05 sounds good if you wrench cost will be about $600, $2k if you don't, just for items listed. Those are common items BTW.

There will be cost to baseline over next year or so with either.

I can do BASIC maintenance but I've never tried anything that involved. $2k sounds a tad high, it's something we'd have to consider. Thank you!

 

[thex2]

Rust is a huge concern, especially if you plan on keeping the vehicle for a while. I purchased my first LX 470, sight unseen. I had it inspected at a Toyota dealership and specifically asked them if it had any rust; they told me it didn't. Once the vehicle arrived, it had tons of rust. I didn't want it and I was worried about not being able to sell it. Luckily the gentleman I sold it to was okay with the rust because he was going to use the vehicle to back a boat into salt water daily.

Do yourself a favor and look underneath the vehicle for a long time before purchasing. You want to make sure it's clean. I'd even take the underside plastic skid-plate things off and look carefully with a flashlight if the seller will allow it.

 

[Jay Kay]

Rust is a huge concern, especially if you plan on keeping the vehicle for a while. I purchased my first LX 470, sight unseen. I had it inspected at a Toyota dealership and specifically asked them if it had any rust; they told me it didn't. Once the vehicle arrived, it had tons of rust. I didn't want it and I was worried about not being able to sell it. Luckily the gentleman I sold it to was okay with the rust because he was going to use the vehicle to back a boat into salt water daily.

Do yourself a favor and look underneath the vehicle for a long time before purchasing. You want to make sure it's clean. I'd even take the underside plastic skid-plate things off and look carefully with a flashlight if the seller will allow it.

Thanks, that seems to be a common concern with these trucks. Can't believe a Toyota dealer would say there's no rust when there's that much! I'm getting one inspected this week and will do my own visual check as soon as I can look at it. How can I tell between "surface rust" vs something that I should be concerned with? Is it possible to get an anti-rust spray applied underneath? We looked at Sequoias briefly and I noticed there was a recall or TSB to apply a coating for rust, can a dealer apply that if I pay for it?