LS400 on eBay - is it worth the money?

ambermarine · January 8, 2019

This debate is interesting to me in that it highlights my own mint ls400 Mark 4, It isnt a DHP version but it only as 41k on the clock and condition is comparable to the advertised example .

I paid £3750 with 19k on the clock six years ago and I know the gent I bought it from had been trying to sell it for more for at least a year.

At the time a couple of members on this forum were foaming at the mouth and beseeching me to contact them if I ever intended to sell it.

Well six years on it is virtually the same condition as when I first laid eyes on it and I learned so much from my previous Mark 1 of 16 years ownership regarding preventive corrosion practice that there is no rust on my car and it is now twenty years old.

If you were to put the advertised example in that scenario ,then you have a car for the rest of your days at my age and £9K for that peace of mind is nothing when a second hand compact will cost you that.

As the advert says its a Lexus LS400 Mark 4 in mint condition, go and find me another one and you are not getting mine even if you offered Nine grand

Stupot · January 8, 2019

5 hours ago, ambermarine said:

This debate is interesting to me in that it highlights my own mint ls400 Mark 4, It isnt a DHP version but it only as 41k on the clock and condition is comparable to the advertised example .

I paid £3750 with 19k on the clock six years ago and I know the gent I bought it from had been trying to sell it for more for at least a year.

At the time a couple of members on this forum were foaming at the mouth and beseeching me to contact them if I ever intended to sell it.

Well six years on it is virtually the same condition as when I first laid eyes on it and I learned so much from my previous Mark 1 of 16 years ownership regarding preventive corrosion practice that there is no rust on my car and it is now twenty years old.

If you were to put the advertised example in that scenario ,then you have a car for the rest of your days at my age and £9K for that peace of mind is nothing when a second hand compact will cost you that.

As the advert says its a Lexus LS400 Mark 4 in mint condition, go and find me another one and you are not getting mine even if you offered Nine grand

Phil... If I owned yours, I would not sell it for nine grand either, but out of interest, would you buys yours now for £9k if you did not already own it?

RgrWynne · January 8, 2019

Phil it is an interesting debate, and ever since I purchased my 3rd Lexus,an LS430 ,my pride and joy, and then joined this club, I am bemused by the constant desire to drive the prices down.

I have always taken the view, that because these are superb cars, and past maintenance without skimping is key, then the annual maintenance cost is likely to be less than depreciation of a newer upmarket model. It is therefore to me a no brainier , and has proven to be the case. These cars will become classics and the prices will go up.

I set my depreciation figure at £3k p.a., so if you take Scott’s LS 400 at £9k, in 3 years it has paid for itself. That depreciation figure by the way is low in today’s market. Regarding insurance, I’m sure a Classic policy would easily agree that valuation.

Some particular cars, like yours sounds, and Scott’s £9k model for sale, are exceptions , and there are plenty of people around who want to invest. Interestingly my friend has a Rover 75, which he expects one day will be a classic, and the Rover 75 club has the same arguments. I have a superb LS430 which I have for my own enjoyment and pleasure, and like Malc I think that they are to be enjoyed, but probably just as many people would wish to be collectors if there were enough good examples around.

Good luck to Scott, I say, for those of us who are owners he is certainly not harming us. That is my opinion, cheers, Roger

ambermarine · January 8, 2019

2 hours ago, Stupot said:

Phil... If I owned yours, I would not sell it for nine grand either, but out of interest, would you buys yours now for £9k if you did not already own it?

Stu

Very good question and to be perfectly honest I have to say no ,but I have one as good as that so it makes me a bit tight in the wallet ,should anything awful happen to mine then I would be making a bid for it.

cruisermark · June 10, 2019

The car in the question was on an eBay auction recently and has now ended up at a dealer priced at £11,995

messi · June 10, 2019

He's dreaming

royoftherovers · June 10, 2019

1 hour ago, cruisermark said:

The car in the question was on an ebay auction recently and has now ended up at a dealer priced at £11,995

Is a link available please?

messi · June 10, 2019

It sold for 6k on eBay recently, the person who was selling it originally wanted 9k for around 2 years, but then put it up on eBay on a no reserve auction and now this dealer who bought thinks he will get 12k for it lol

cruisermark · June 10, 2019

eBay Link

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-LS-400-BEIGE-LEATHER-SAT-NAV-ONLY-57-250-MILES/153520163302?hash=item23be83c9e6:g:Yw0AAOSwDO9c~ND0

Chasdad · June 10, 2019

Loads in japan

The-Acre · June 10, 2019

2 hours ago, Chasdad said:

Loads in japan

True enough, and you can get a mint import for far less and with very low mileage.

Chasdad · June 10, 2019

Id have bid on this if i hadnt bought the crown. Bit gutted really. 80k kms .

The-Acre · June 11, 2019

12 hours ago, Chasdad said:

Id have bid on this if i hadnt bought the crown. Bit gutted really. 80k kms .

Interesting one, it doesn't seem to have a gear shift knob. If I ever bought another LS it would without a doubt be a fresh import. That way you'd know the underneath would also be in near mint condition. I'm really looking forward to your Crown pictures!

Chasdad · June 11, 2019

They hide the gear shift knobs in the car so they dont get stolen .

I think the crown may need a bit of a tidy up .as even though it was a good grade its got a mark on front lip and a possible scratch on rear quarter. Was reasonably cheap compared to others ive bid on. Looks very clean underneatg though.

This was my 08 cube i just sold. Looks new underneath

Tinonline · June 11, 2019

I like good information and honest detail.

But one can tell over verbose, enthused, hyperbole. Least said the better with a line of honesty.

Made my point?

cruisermark · June 12, 2019

john which site do you buy through?

Chasdad · June 12, 2019

Im still allowed access through a company ive used in the past. My mate lets me use his too but normally you have to leave a deposit to gain access.

You can try ts exports . Thatll show you some. Or tradecar view but they buy to sell. If you want some more info feel free to pm me.

Its becomes a bit addictive . Even though ive got one on its way im still looking even though im skint now😆

runsgrateasanut · June 12, 2019

Thsi looks an interesting opportunity for someone who wants an early vehicle and has the know how to sort the problem which could be ECU related. Peanuts price for a nice looking car.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-LS-400-76k-ONLY/192946072947?hash=item2cec7b6d73:g:ZTwAAOSw5p5c~mzk

Newbie1 · June 13, 2019

On 6/11/2019 at 9:22 AM, Greer said:

This is king of the crop, only 12k, it's gold so must be worth it

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-LS-400-BEIGE-LEATHER-SAT-NAV-ONLY-57-250-MILES/153520163302?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D57b904c71a2d4e96b6d4249dcbc1eb17%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D254253314863%26itm%3D153520163302&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A8da040f3-8c21-11e9-af24-74dbd180916c|parentrq%3A459e5d1f16b0ad31c3820a5fffe9c234|iid%3A1

Gone up £6000 since he bought it last week. The guy will never sell it for that money. I just bought a Celsior with 42k miles for a lot less than half that price.

cruisermark · June 13, 2019

Phil

I do agree with you but I have a feeling someone, somewhere will pay the price - The dealer facilities will give it the slight edge over a private seller.

3 - 4 years ago a very similar condition LS400 went from a private individual to a dealer in oxford who sold it for (IIRC) £12995 within a week

The buyer came on here briefly to say he was on the lookout for one and bought it on the spot.

We'll see . . . . . . . . .

messi · June 13, 2019

There's always a mug out there who will pay the asking price.

RgrWynne · June 13, 2019

But in a free world presumably a “happy mug” who thinks it is worth it. In the grand scale of buying cars, not a lot really.

EddC · June 17, 2019

Am I allowed to post a link to my listing in here? I'm talking about a rather battered '96 LS400, Spares or Repair though it still has some MOT left . . .