LS430 What Have I done?

jonthetourist · July 3, 2019

I love my LS430. What more could you want in a car? I thought I might like a 460 eventually, but Haylands experience, detailed on this forum, put me off.

So after 4 years I am replacing my car with . . . drumroll . . . another LS430. At an outrageous price!

Some of you may have seen this already: https://www.stellarmotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/lexus-ls-430-4-3-4dr-bolton-201905228219778

They have offered £3k as a trade-in, although no doubt they will chip that when I get there next week. So not at all the cheap option. But we only live once.

Jon

Farqui · July 3, 2019

Looks smart Jon, lets have a pic

jonthetourist · July 3, 2019

It's a nice colour! One of the things I like is that low mileage has been consistent - 2 or 3k per year, rather than sitting for years unused.

Stupot · July 3, 2019

Have you already done the deal and paid a deposit?

Vlady · July 3, 2019

That's what I call LEXUS, this is how Lexus should look like! Beautiful!

jonthetourist · July 3, 2019

31 minutes ago, Stupot said:

Have you already done the deal and paid a deposit?

Why do you ask?

Jon

Stupot · July 3, 2019

32 minutes ago, Stupot said:

Have you already done the deal and paid a deposit?

And I'm not asking because I want the car.

royoftherovers · July 3, 2019

2 minutes ago, Stupot said:

And I'm not asking because I want the car.

This Company has only been registered in the last 18 months or so and started to advertise the assets of a Company which operated out of Bolton and whose name I cannot recall.

I would be very wary of buying from them.

They are not an authorised Lexus Dealer.

I would scrutinise the MOT history, for which we need the reg no.

I would wish to speak to the last owner

Buyer beware,

jonthetourist · July 3, 2019

I have, but curious as to why the question. Do you have any inside info?

Jon

Stupot · July 3, 2019

The Stellar Car company used to be Moses Gate Car Sales. They had a Lex I liked the look of but after I read this online (link below), I was put off even going to look at the car. They seem to have a very bad rep... I have no connection and of course, these bad reviews may just be fake from their competition.... but as RoyofRovers says, proceed with caution.

https://www.cardealerreviews.co.uk/dealership/moses-gate-car-sales-bolton-lancashire-england

jonthetourist · July 3, 2019

Yes, thanks for that. I had found their dodgy past, but they do seem able to source good cars that main dealers would not sell on age grounds. I have registered a query with the servicing main agent to make sure the history is kosher. But it would seem very hard to fake a one owner / one dealer history?

Appreciate the concern.

Jon

The-Acre · July 3, 2019

1 hour ago, jonthetourist said:

I love my LS430. What more could you want in a car? I thought I might like a 460 eventually, but Haylands experience, detailed on this forum, put me off.

So after 4 years I am replacing my car with . . . drumroll . . . another LS430. At an outrageous price!

Some of you may have seen this already: https://www.stellarmotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/lexus-ls-430-4-3-4dr-bolton-201905228219778

They have offered £3k as a trade-in, although no doubt they will chip that when I get there next week. So not at all the cheap option. But we only live once.

Jon

That looks superb! If I didn't have one I'd be very envious!

cruisermark · July 3, 2019

Yes it looks a very nice car

I remember it came up for sale not long ago by its original private owner.

jonthetourist · July 3, 2019

That's interesting! presumably cheaper, yet no-one bought it. I certainly hadn't seen it.

Malc · July 3, 2019

hhmmmm is that a dead fly I see on the front passenger seat :whistling:

she looks a lovely car ..... hope it's " right " for you and all ok

well done

Malc

Stupot · July 3, 2019

3 hours ago, jonthetourist said:

Yes, thanks for that. I had found their dodgy past, but they do seem able to source good cars that main dealers would not sell on age grounds. I have registered a query with the servicing main agent to make sure the history is kosher. But it would seem very hard to fake a one owner / one dealer history?

Appreciate the concern.

Jon

Glad you were already aware. It's a fine looking example, enjoy.

ambermarine · July 4, 2019

18 hours ago, jonthetourist said:

I love my LS430. What more could you want in a car? I thought I might like a 460 eventually, but Haylands experience, detailed on this forum, put me off.

So after 4 years I am replacing my car with . . . drumroll . . . another LS430. At an outrageous price!

Some of you may have seen this already: https://www.stellarmotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/lexus-ls-430-4-3-4dr-bolton-201905228219778

They have offered £3k as a trade-in, although no doubt they will chip that when I get there next week. So not at all the cheap option. But we only live once.

Jon

Hi Jon

The price may look high but the comparisons are indeed worthy of note ,the mileage is very low the condition is excellent the history is tracable with one owner and you have something very rare, a car that is everything you desire.

As for the future, if you look at forward value it will at least hold the price you have paid as it heads for classic status, my mark 4 which as the same mileage and is similar in condition as appreciated in price as I paid £3750 and it as been valued in its peer category at around £6k.

The point is where are you going to get Luxury cars of this calibre and style in todays suv dominated market for that money.

I was in a car park yesterday and a youngish guy with a medium size hatch back approached me saying what a headturning elegant car mine was and said he would love to own it as he had always admired the model.

You won't regret your decision.

jonthetourist · July 4, 2019

On 7/3/2019 at 6:26 PM, cruisermark said:

Yes it looks a very nice car

I remember it came up for sale not long ago by its original private owner.

I don't suppose anyone here went to see it when it was previously on sale?

A specialist dealer would spot an opportunity to mark it up and make a turn on the deal, I guess.

Newbie1 · July 5, 2019

Looking at the reviews the dealer does not deserve to get any money.

For half that price you could import a Celsior with that mileage.

jpjsavage · July 5, 2019

Have you bought it yet? I'd be I treated to hear how this story turns out. Good luck with it and I hope it is all ok.

Sent from my LG-H870DS using Tapatalk

jonthetourist · July 5, 2019

5 hours ago, jpjsavage said:

Have you bought it yet? I'd be I treated to hear how this story turns out. Good luck with it and I hope it is all ok.

I am away on holiday at present. No word back from servicing dealer as yet.

BMCWP · July 5, 2019

My own 2006 car is one owner from new, currently 80,500 miles and I have a full service history and receipts for lots of work done over the years and my car cost half that including all the little jobs I did like new tyres and cam belt 😕

However I ran the plate through a little app called "Vehicle Smart" that can show the previous MOT results including advisories and to put it mildly that car has had a colourful past. I can only speak for myself in saying that I would personally walk away from that one. If it was cheaper maybe I would consider it as they do say the cam belt was done but I would most definitely insist on seeing the service history first 🙂 Sorry if I am sounding like a doom merchant but there are plenty of good cars out there and my gut instinct is that is not one of them. Just my ten pence worth and I am happy to be ignored as I often buy cars with my heart and not my head and wonder why I keep doing that to myself 🤣

jonthetourist · July 6, 2019

Thanks for this, Brian. I am curious how you got the results from Vehicle Smart when they don't publish the reg? I asked for the reg and ran the car through the gov MOT checker site. Initially I was horrified at the number of fails. My car doesn't fail. But looking at the dates they at least verify the service history as they match the stamps. And most of the items listed are not concerning - tyres, brakes, number plate spacing. The big one was a shock absorber fluid leak, which I assume they rectified on service. In fact my reading is they took it for MOT pre-service each time then again post-service for the pass. But I do need to have that conversation with the service dept.

If it wasn't my favourite colour combo I would probably be walking away. But I shall persevere for a bit longer, I think.

Thanks again,

Jon

PS If anyone is interested in the dodgy history the reg is LE04 DTZ

Malc · July 7, 2019

to me, the mileage seems a bit too low in recent years for the car to have ever had a good airing ! :no2:

although I mustn't preach what I have done in the past and that was to buy my earlier 1994 Ls400 in Dec 2007 with just an amazing 8561 miles and absolutely genuine too

and she drove a dream, like a brand new car too until some vandal wrote her off at 42k ? miles in 2011

Malc

royoftherovers · July 7, 2019

14 minutes ago, Malc said:

to me, the mileage seems a bit too low in recent years for the car to have ever had a good airing !

although I mustn't preach what I have done in the past and that was to buy my earlier 1994 Ls400 in Dec 2007 with just an amazing 8561 miles and absolutely genuine too

and she drove a dream, like a brand new car too until some vandal wrote her off at 42k ? miles in 2011

Malc

To me, the items requiring attention at MOT time as per the DVLA site are not consistent with the advertisement which stated that it had spent much of its time in a London underground car park.