Question on Purchasing a 2008 LC

[BlackRifle]

Hello All,

I am new to this site and was originally interested in purchasing a Sequoia or 4R.

I managed to bump into an opportunity to purchase a 2008 Dealer Demo LC with Up Package/loaded with everything.

It has roughly 26,000 miles on it, some rock chips in the bumper, and a roughly 3-5 inch gash/cut in the leather hehind the 2nd row seating. Otherwise, upon initial inspection, everything else is fine.

Dealer is asking $56,000 (plus or minus a few benjamins). Originial price being roughly $72K.

1. What say you LC veterans to this deal? What would be pay for a vehicle in this condition?

and

2. How reliable is a dealer demo going to be? Personally, it makes me nervous, almost more than buying a Certified Used vehicle since it is being sold AS IS with the remaining balance of the new car warranty.

Thanks for your help!

BR

 

[donjuanmiguel]

I paid 59K (64K out the door) for an 08 with 200 miles on it last December. I think you can do much better for one with that many miles on it. If it is being sold with remainder of warranty then it should be considered used, regardless of who's driven it. I drive the heck out of mine and still only have 14.5k miles. Negotiate hard towards the bottom end of 50K and make sure you have those things repared.

 

[BlackRifle]

Thanks for the reply, DJM.

Right now I'm struggling with whether or not to let this one go. As I said, I was never in the market for a LC. Heck, I originally was looking for a 4R but then got hooked by a Sequoia and now I've moved on to the LC.

To me, $56K seems high for the mileage and the "condition" that it is in. I was even going to approach them with an offer in the mid to high 40's. I'm just not sure what my bottomline should be.

On top of that, slow vehicle sales and a taking economy should be working for me, but those variables sometimes make a bottomline price harder to determine vs. during good economic times.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

15% depreciation per year for 2 years. So If it was $70k to start, now it's $49K. Offer $45 and be prepared to settle a bit higher. Those dealer guys don't baby the truck.

 

[BlackRifle]

15% depreciation per year for 2 years. So If it was $70k to start, now it's $49K. Offer $45 and be prepared to settle a bit higher. Those dealer guys don't baby the truck.

And that there is my fear. I don't want to be paying that much money for a car that has gotten the s*** beat out of it for the past 26K miles by a dealer that thinks he/she is just going to dump it on some unsuspecting customer.

Also, that is a HELL of a lot of miles for a roughly 1.5 year old vehicle. So many questions, so few answers. Buying a car has got to be the s***tiest process every created.

ETA: Thanks for the pricing guidance. I may take your price point and see how far it goes.

 

[donjuanmiguel]

And that there is my fear. I don't want to be paying that much money for a car that has gotten the **** beat out of it for the past 26K miles by a dealer that thinks he/she is just going to dump it on some unsuspecting customer.

Also, that is a HELL of a lot of miles for a roughly 1.5 year old vehicle. So many questions, so few answers. Buying a car has got to be the ****tiest process every created.

ETA: Thanks for the pricing guidance. I may take your price point and see how far it goes.

Look at it this way, if you were not in the market for a lc, then what have you got to lose? Remember, you are in a position of power in that you don't have to buy while they have to sell. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[sptsdn]

I think this would be a good deal.
<snip>
Haggling a dealer demo is a lot harder than a new car because YOU should treat it as a used car while they still insist it's new.

To me, more than a few hundred test drive miles is USED regardless of who registered it.

I don't have much more to add but I agree about the $45k offer. It's been used by the dealer so they have to take the depreciation hit, not you. There is another thread about a new one for $18k off making the price somewhere around $56k. (This assumes it has little-to-no miles on it).

I've been watching Autotrader a lot (okay, for a very long time - I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger!) and have seen used ones with ~10k miles asking for around the low- to mid-fifties so I would use that as a guide. If the dealer doesn't budge, there are other ones out there to choose from.

You'll probably find a better deal on a Sequioa just because there tend to be more of them out there. I've looked at those too but I'm not a fan of the size (even though it's not that much bigger), and the quality doesn't seem to be as good. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[triplenet]

I paid 51k for a 2008 with 1400 dealer miles this month..... I could have done better....

Keep looking - deals are out there......

 

[Atticus]

15% depreciation per year for 2 years. So If it was $70k to start, now it's $49K. Offer $45 and be prepared to settle a bit higher. Those dealer guys don't baby the truck.

I agree, except that I would offer 45 and that would be it. You weren't in the market, remember? If they don't sell it to you for a screaming deal, don't buy it.

 

[uzj100]

I would offer around 45 or less and they have to fix the items mentioned and provide the 100k warranty at no additional charge.

The LC can take the abuse.

Remember, you do not need a car. Make them sweat.

I usually just take a sticky note and write your price and phone number on it and walk out. No need to play their game.

$45,000 - Out the Door ( Includes ALL fees and taxes and tags)
Fix rock chips and leather gash.
Phone number.
Include 100k mile warranty.

 

[JBHorne]

$45,000 - Out the Door ( Includes ALL fees and taxes and tags)
Fix rock chips and leather gash.
Phone number.

I think this would be a good deal.

There have been a few threads on here about dealer demos, and they make me iffy.

It's like buying a rental car once it's done being used as a rental. Who takes care of a rental? People hit speed bumps at 30+, etc....

I'd also check with the warranty. You should get the full "new" warranty. Make sure they ADD the milage that is already on there as the warranty is 3yr/36,000 mile warranty. Even if they give you the 3yrs, 36000-26000=10000. I would never buy a "new" car with only a 10,000 mile warranty....get my drift?

I don't know what Toyota's policy is on dealer demos, but I would insist that by any means necessary (even footing the bill for a "premium" extended warranty), you need to get the full 3 year "new car" warranty.

Haggling a dealer demo is a lot harder than a new car because YOU should treat it as a used car while they still insist it's new.

To me, more than a few hundred test drive miles is USED regardless of who registered it.

Good luck!

 

[BlackRifle]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots of solid bargaining info.

The LC is certainly a totally different animal vs. a Sequoia or 4R - both in interior quality, technology, and reputation/history. I just never thought there would be any amazing deals on a LC so I crossed the car out even before my SUV/truck search began.

I'm going to approach this negotiation after the test drive (no, I have not test driven it yet) as one that doesn't really matter to me. It's sad to say, but this vehicle does seem to be one that I can (and probably should) walk away from since there are newer and less questionable opportunities out there.

The comment about going over speed bumps at 30+ kind of got my attention (thanks JBH). That would piss me off knowing that I am purchasing a car that went through that kind of BS. I mean, I know how much of an a$$hole I am when it comes to getting a loaner from the neighborhood BMW.

I know that abuse probably wouldn't do much to an LC and Lord knows I will probably do worse sh!t to it, but at least it is I who will be doing the abusing, not some dealer.

Oh and Triplenet. $51K is one hell of a deal. May I ask if it was fully loaded?

And as a tid-bit of info for you guys:

I work in the US for a Chinese based company so I occasionally travel to China. A LC 200 would be worth rouhgly USD $200,000 - almost, if not on par and beyond par, the same amount of money as a BMW 7 series or Mercedes S550. Even if one were to drive it for a whole BUNCH of miles, you could actually sell it to some of the new money bosses out there for roughly USD $120,000 - $160,000. Thus making money on the deal even AFTER keeping it for the mandatory 2 years (as required by the PRC gov't).

I can't contribute much since I know next to nothing about the LC, so I figured I'd give back by contributing some useless information.

Thanks for all the help!


If the deal goes through and I get it, I'll post a picture of it getting acquainted with all my evil black rifles.

 

[triplenet]

MSRP on mine was around 68k...... I think the only thing missing would be the rear seat ent system...

I searched for 2 months before pulling the trigger - Those deals are out there... You just have to be willing to go get the vehicle anywhere USA... I got lucky and found this deal at a local dealer....

cars.com, ebay, autotrader.com,,, etc... Do a search daily until you find the right one....

Good Luck

 

[ttahara]

Go in with that deal..but go towards the end of the month when they are trying to get rid of old inventory..go close to closing time or go on a rainy day...maybe that will help.

 

[JBHorne]

Oh and Triplenet. $51K is one hell of a deal. May I ask if it was fully loaded?

MSRP on mine was around 68k...... I think the only thing missing would be the rear seat ent system...

Call me stupid, but I thought the 200's in the US only have one option package (there are after-purchase items available--but those are different). I have yet to see an LC without the "upgrade package"

So how the heck did you get one without the rear dvd system, but with the nav and everything else???

Upgrade Package -- includes voice-activated Voice-activated DVD navigation system [1], backup camera [2], Bluetooth® [3] wireless technology, integrated audio and climate controls, JBL® AM/FM 6-disc in-dash CD/DVD changer, 14 speakers, FM diversity reception and adjustable power antenna, power tilt/telescopic leather-wrapped steering wheel with wood-grain-style trim inserts, integrated audio, multi-function display, voice-activated navigation [1] and Bluetooth® [3] controls, leather-wrapped shift lever with wood-grain-style insert, rear-seat DVD entertainment system with 9-inch display, driver and front passenger pre-crash active seatbelt pretensioning system, center-console cooler box [4], second-row multi-stage seat heaters, color-keyed rear spoiler, headlamp washers

 

[Luke111]

Check AutoTrader, there are quite a few 2008 Land Cruisers in the low 50's with less miles .

Lou

 

[AZ997S]

Late to the discussion - and advice. Press hard - I picked up my 2009 5 months ago - with upgrade pkg - with 18 miles - for $4K more than they are asking from you. Also, hide your enthusiasm when you do drive it - great vehicle - so much better than Sequoia or 4R. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[triplenet]

Call me stupid, but I thought the 200's in the US only have one option package (there are after-purchase items available--but those are different). I have yet to see an LC without the "upgrade package"

So how the heck did you get one without the rear dvd system, but with the nav and everything else???QUOTE]

I think the "standard upgrade package" includes the NAV and other items but not the rear seat ent systemt.... The Ent system costs an extra 2k...

I have back up camera, spoiler, NAV, leather, etc etc...... Love the truck and at 51k its was the right price....

 

[JBHorne]

Call me stupid, but I thought the 200's in the US only have one option package (there are after-purchase items available--but those are different). I have yet to see an LC without the "upgrade package"

So how the heck did you get one without the rear dvd system, but with the nav and everything else???

I think the "standard upgrade package" includes the NAV and other items but not the rear seat ent systemt.... The Ent system costs an extra 2k...

I have back up camera, spoiler, NAV, leather, etc etc...... Love the truck and at 51k its was the right price....

Can you scan and PM me your window sticker? If you have everything except the rear dvd, something is wrong.

These are the ONLY option packages available.

Again, I'd love to see the right side of your window sticker that lists the options...you may be entitled to something that is not there...

And not to be stupid (I'm sure you checked...) the rear dvd screen is hidden in the roof. You open it from the front navi or the remote. Can you take a picture of what your inside looks like where the rear sytem would be???

Sorry -- I'm just really curious on this as I've never heard of this unknown build.




CF Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set info N/A N/A

UP Upgrade Package info $7,245 $5,772

NV Navigation System info $3,400 $2,790

RF Rear Spoiler info $200 $160

-- SET Destination Charge for NC, SC, GA, AL and FL info $45 $45

-- SET Administration Fee for NC, SC, GA, AL and FL info $0 $925

FE 50 State Emissions info $0 $0

 

[triplenet]

Will try and scan it today... The LC is my wifes vehicle - I sent her an email...

We leave tomorrow on a 3k mile road trip up to the Smokey Mountains - If I cant get it to you today _ I will send it when we return in 3 weeks....

BTW - Build a 2008 LC on Toyota.com - when you search inventory you will see several that have the NAV but not the Rear seat ent...