To Buy or NOT to Buy... 2003 LX470

[youn1033]

Hey guys, I am new to the forum and in search of my own 100-series Land Crusier or LX470.. I've been looking for a couple months now, and I have come across a few that I like, but either the timing or the price wasn't quite right. I found this one a couple miles from my house in Houston. They want an ubsurd 17,995 for it. It's an 03 with 123k mi and looks great in pictures and the interior is in great shape. They have had it for over a year now and the new manager is trying to liquidate some of the old inventory that hasn't sold. They're (upside down) in it for $15k.. And given the negatives they aren't getting that.
- I think the air suspension is broken, won't raise or lower and is sitting in the low setting (good bargaining point for me since I'd like to pull that and replace is with a 2.5 OME lift or something of the like.
- antenna motor broken
- ac only blows cold at first then doesn't, dealer seems to think its the condenser?
- RUST ( it's all over, kinda surprising to me given how good of shape the paint is in and how clean it is, but it's got rust in many places).

My question is, given the rust and AC, what would be a fair price, or is this a rig even worth touching for the right amount? I told him to call me if they'd talk for around $11.

Search car listing

 

[youn1033]

Additional photos:

 

[youn1033]

More Photos

 

[youn1033]

And again

 

[youn1033]

Continued

 

[youn1033]

Only can post 4-5 at a time off my phone:

 

[youn1033]

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[youn1033]

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[youn1033]

I took a lot of pictures.

 

[youn1033]

And yes, with the exception of the spot above the drivers side headlamp on the hood, the paint is in as good of shape as it looks from the larger pics. The same thing goes for the interior and that's why I didn't take as many pictures of that, just the "problem" areas.

 

[camino70]

The interior and most paint looks great. The underside is worse than I'd like, especially at that price point. Then add in the known issues, I'd keep looking. It's been sitting fur year for a reason.

Good luck!

 

[silverbullitt]

Looks like a flood vehicle with all that rust.

 

[Bimmerista]

I'll keep it short & sweet....RUN!

There's plenty on the market to justify not buying one with that much rust. Besides, given your location, there's plenty of rust-free examples around.

 

[youn1033]

At the price point of $17,995 or $11,000? It's at a small poorly run lot with little publicity. My guess is it had been overlooked due to the list price but I still wonder if it could be fixed and made into a solid rig at closer to 10-11. KBB puts an '03 with that milage at $13-16.5.. It may in fact be a flood vehicle, it was in Ohio as of last October before it was auctioned off.

 

[Bimmerista]

I'd be hard-pressed to pay anything over $10K on something with that much rust. The problem with rust is that there is so much that you don't see until you're really digging deep with a flashlight & a lift. And then when you do that, there's much more behind that.

There's a reason they say rust is cancer.

 

[2001LC]

I recently pasted on Dealer at $9,500, fully doc maintenance, no rust, no reported accidents 03 LX. They started at $16K. Just to many other issues with it for me in the end. Don't buy rust. To many other deals out there. let it go to junk yard, we need the parts.

 

[snowfan]

Just say No.... I looked for 4-5 months for mine and saw many along the way that were much better than that one for less money. Look on CL in California and plan a road-trip back home... Very little rust, if any, here.

 

[txtortoise]

Can't believe it didn't go to auction ages ago.

 

[guardcompany]

Run!

 

[feddomw]

Funny how different perceptions are. I regularly see worse examples and the only thing that worries me is the rust on the lift gate.

The rest is fine or acceptable or won't rust through in your lifetime (ladder frame).

My $0.02. I would dream of buying cars like this at that price range here in the EU