Not Quite The Bargain It Seems To Be Maybe?

[steve2006]

Just browsing like you do and came across a 53 plate LS430 currently at £1K and a mere 70,000 miles.

Only when you start reading the description do you then realise the whole story.

Presently has 70,000 miles and dealer service history shows last service at 55,000 and the owner has only had the time to change the Battery and have it MOTd so it's been driven for the last 15,000 miles with not even an oil change?

Cam belt never replaced but it doesn't need doing until 100,000 miles, forgets to mention or 10 years whichever comes earlier so well overdue and would you fancy driving it home say 300 miles.

Steering adjustment gone and we know the motor prices alone, windows delaminating, "speaker blown" plus a few other bits.

Car comes with 3 keys but only 1 works may be just the batteries but the owner can't be bothered to buy 2 for a few quid to confirm.

Then we have the "selling the car for a mate" who is now being made redundant and can't work a computer ( he'll soon learn that skill at the local jobcentre)

I'd like to see the MOT advisories because to me this car has been bought by an owner unable to maintain it which now needs some serious money spending on it that the new owner will now finance.

Top money at the present asking price me thinks with more than that needed immediately after purchase and then there's the cosmetics to sort although I am obviously wrong here "but I'm sure the next owner could make this car absolutely perfect with little expense." Never been to a Lexus dealership or a body shop recently then :)

It's a no from me :)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-53-LEXUS-LS430-AUTOMATIC-PREMIUM-PACK-/131525628468?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9f89d234

[is200 Newbie]

Got 5 bids so far .... mentions a price at the bottom which seems to state a guide price for the car or is that a bit of "subconscious" advertising ?.... wow, good luck with that

[Bluesman]

Just browsing like you do and came across a 53 plate LS430 currently at £1K and a mere 70,000 miles.

Only when you start reading the description do you then realise the whole story.

Presently has 70,000 miles and dealer service history shows last service at 55,000 and the owner has only had the time to change the battery and have it MOTd so it's been driven for the last 15,000 miles with not even an oil change?

Cam belt never replaced but it doesn't need doing until 100,000 miles, forgets to mention or 10 years whichever comes earlier so well overdue and would you fancy driving it home say 300 miles.

Steering adjustment gone and we know the motor prices alone, windows delaminating, "speaker blown" plus a few other bits.

Car comes with 3 keys but only 1 works may be just the batteries but the owner can't be bothered to buy 2 for a few quid to confirm.

Then we have the "selling the car for a mate" who is now being made redundant and can't work a computer ( he'll soon learn that skill at the local jobcentre)

I'd like to see the MOT advisories because to me this car has been bought by an owner unable to maintain it which now needs some serious money spending on it that the new owner will now finance.

Top money at the present asking price me thinks with more than that needed immediately after purchase and then there's the cosmetics to sort although I am obviously wrong here "but I'm sure the next owner could make this car absolutely perfect with little expense." Never been to a Lexus dealership or a body shop recently then :)

It's a no from me :)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-53-LEXUS-LS430-AUTOMATIC-PREMIUM-PACK-/131525628468?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9f89d234

Hello doctor Steve, I am emailing you as I have a friend who has a rather embarrassing problem in an embarrassing place...............

One to leave alone lets hope its not an LOC member that gets stuck with it. Mike.

[steve2006]

Got 5 bids so far .... mentions a price at the bottom which seems to state a guide price for the car or is that a bit of "subconscious" advertising ?.... wow, good luck with that

Wow it's up to £2700.00 but worth at least £12,990 according to the seller's mate.

Not only is it overdue services with mileage but also the last one was in February 2012 so also overdue in time.

I'm sure it will make a nice project car for someone,nothing wrong with a project car except I paid £200.00 for mine.

[noby76]

i dont see anything wrong with the advert, for starters its a 12 year old car. he has confirmed the car needs a service as the last one carried out was around 15k miles ago, been 3 years but doesnt mean the pistons will start melting these things are over engineered. he has confirmed issues with the car i.e steering column, etc.

he also welcomes any viewings before making a bid which its a good thing if he had something to hidehe would not accept viewings or test drives. i see it like this so long as it clears HPI check, MOT histroy check, there are no signs of leaks, engine starts up and revs smoothlky with no rattles or hesitation, gearbox shifts through all ratios ok, no engine lights coming on and air suspension goes up and down during viewing/test drive then sounds like a bargain to me.

we all know this car is not worth 13k not even 10k at its age but with all things working as its supposed to i would happily pay £3-£4k for it. these macjines were over £40k brand new and at only 70k it has a lot of life left in it. knock the price down get a full service including plugs and all fluids changed and cambelt , get it professional valeted and wheels refurbed and you good to go.

I think he has been honest..

[Cotswold Pete]

I think maybe he is a she (if based on eBay name). Given that they have only sold Moshi stuff in past, could be that they are doing a mate a favour even though they have not used eBay much just lately.

Sounds to me like this will need a bit if cash spent on it, but like any LS if done properly no reason why it should be a problem.

Does seem like the actual owner has not treated it with the respect it deserves, but then with my first LS, I took liberties with a number of things, as I did not realise at that time I was the owner of a very special car that may well go down in the history books of 'Cars you really ought to try'.

[lpgdlex]

I don't think that is a bad advert. OK, so it's not worth £12k, but at least they've been honest with the issues with the car (which are all common LS430 ones) which 90% of sellers probably wouldn't be.

OK, so it could do with a few bits doing but the buyer can make up their own mind what they do. The service is neither here nor there frankly, I bet the oil even still looks quite clean.

It's got to be worth £3-£3.5k to a buyer who know how to fix common LS430 issues. It would probably get £3500 in a straight car auction.

[The-Acre]

Knowing the cost of parts etc, I really can't understand how anyone would bid more than £1,500 for this, it's just not worth it. Full and comprehensive history is vital.

[lpgdlex]

WeBuyAnycar offer £3275 for it so the seller isn't going to accept £1500 (and WBAC or anyone subsequently buying at auction will not test the audio).

On a forecourt, with most things done, it is a £5-6k car so for someone who can do a few things it is worth a reasonable amount.

It is basically a full Lexus history car which is slightly overdue for a service, needs the amp fixed (£200-£300) and maybe (depending on how fussy the owner is and where it is stuck) the column done with a genuine 70k miles.

The biggest thing against it IMO is that it isn't a 2004 model year with all the improvements.

[Bluesman]

WeBuyAnycar offer £3275 for it so the seller isn't going to accept £1500 (and WBAC or anyone subsequently buying at auction will not test the audio).

On a forecourt, with most things done, it is a £5-6k car so for someone who can do a few things it is worth a reasonable amount.

It is basically a full Lexus history car which is slightly overdue for a service, needs the amp fixed (£200-£300) and maybe (depending on how fussy the owner is and where it is stuck) the column done with a genuine 70k miles.

The biggest thing against it IMO is that it isn't a 2004 model year with all the improvements.

WeBuyAnycar offer £3275............... That's not actually what they will pay you, when it comes down the them giving you £3275, that figure just bait. You agree to that offer then when you take the car to where Webuyanycar will take the car from you and give you your money, suddenly your car haqs got so many faults you wont even recognise your own car, you will be lucky to get £1000 for it. Don't fall for their advertising rubbish, life just aint that easy. Mike.

[Malc]

......... wbac .. my sis-in-law had a really good 02 plate Nissan Primera with full service and sub 90k miles ....... end value with wbac .... £265 !!!

and everything worked .................. and that was the price before they actually saw it !

Malc

[The-Acre]

A friend of mine was sucked into WeBuyAnycar, a 2005 Vectra estate in good order, they were offered £300!

The one on eBay is well over priced for the work needed. A new rear window is £400 before fitting, steering column motors £300 each, and there are two, plus cam belt and major service, wheel refurb, and that's just for starters.

Still, if someone has bid nearly 3K good luck to them.

With the cost of putting it right, and the cost of purchase in the first place, I reckon it would be cheaper to buy a later face-lift version.

[lpgdlex]

In fariness to WBAC they are better now that they are owned by BCA and not Carcraft (who are now out of business anyway).

WBAC, regardless of whether they pay it or not, is always a rough guide to bottom-book trade price for a car as it will be sent to auction.

I don't think I'd buy it either but I wouldn't buy a 2000-03 LS430 full stop - I just don't think it is *quite* as bad as some people are making out and in reality most of the "immaculate and perfect" LS430s advertised out there have similar or different faults which just aren't in the advert.

[Loathecliff]

The one on ebay is well over priced for the work needed. A new rear window is £400 before fitting, steering column motors £300 each, and there are two, plus cam belt and major service, wheel refurb, and that's just for starters.

Still, if someone has bid nearly 3K good luck to them.

With the cost of putting it right, and the cost of purchase in the first place, I reckon it would be cheaper to buy a later face-lift version.

You forgot the suspension Phil. It's deflation is overdue on age, and about due on miles.

LexusChap had a collapsed 430 some months ago. He just about got a thousand for it.

[lpgdlex]

The one on ebay is well over priced for the work needed. A new rear window is £400 before fitting, steering column motors £300 each, and there are two, plus cam belt and major service, wheel refurb, and that's just for starters.

Still, if someone has bid nearly 3K good luck to them.

With the cost of putting it right, and the cost of purchase in the first place, I reckon it would be cheaper to buy a later face-lift version.

You forgot the suspension Phil. It's deflation is overdue on age, and about due on miles.

LexusChap had a collapsed 430 some months ago. He just about got a thousand for it.

Surely though that applies to any 00-03 430. Pretty much all of them will have delaminating windows, corroded alloys, the amp will blow at some point, as will the sub and the suspension will inevitably need work.

The question is whether they have been done, but if they have been done then the car will probably have 170k on it. All used cars are compromises to a certain extent.

What you are basically saying is don't buy a 00-03 430 as for not a lot more you can get a newer one with slightly fewer problems and on that I'd probably agree with you.

Depending on what they look like a lot of people wouldn't do the alloys or the windows and probably not the steering column on that car and to a degree I sympathise with that. From a financial point of view they'd be right - do all of them and it is still a 12 year old LS430 which has a price ceiling no matter what is done to it because you get to a point you can just buy a newer one.

[cruisermark]

the GS450Hs are the same - when they get over 8 years/100k Miles the likelyhood of problems with the hybrid system increases - theres currently one on eBay with a hybrid problem which the seller states costs £750 to fix (£750 buys a lot of petrol) and i think as we go forward we will see alot more of these cars with these costly problems.

I would say if you want bullet proof reliability then go for a 400 - if you want anything newer then be wary when buying and expect some big bills if you want a perfect car

[LexusCT200H]

In fariness to WBAC they are better now that they are owned by BCA and not Carcraft (who are now out of business anyway).

WBAC, regardless of whether they pay it or not, is always a rough guide to bottom-book trade price for a car as it will be sent to auction.

I don't think I'd buy it either but I wouldn't buy a 2000-03 LS430 full stop - I just don't think it is *quite* as bad as some people are making out and in reality most of the "immaculate and perfect" LS430s advertised out there have similar or different faults which just aren't in the advert.

Just purchased a car from BCA and its come from WBAC since some plonker left a sheet under the seat which says it sold for £1400, yet I purchased for £900, doesent make sense? On WBAC price right now if I sell to them is just short of £1200???? Lol something isent right...... New WBAC opened near my house, BCA loving it, taking about 15 cars per day from there!!

[Bluesman]

It may well be the car came in from a dealer and all the profit is in the car they sold too the last owner of the Lexus. Mike.