Planning on purchasing a used Lexus

[dontwalkhand]

I plan on purchasing a used Lexus LS430. This will be my first time purchasing a used car of any type, so do you know what I should pay close attention to? I know that there are lots of warnings saying make sure you know what state it came from, to make sure it isn't a snow state, due to rust on the bottom of the car.

Also, how much use should I expect out of a 2004 used LS430, or even IS300 with about 100k miles on it? With proper maintenance, can I expect it to last me a good while? I plan to be doing a lot of driving, albeit in town only, as I work in a job that involves meeting clients on site and it could be a stretch across the city in a matter of hours at a time, back and fourth 5 to 6 times a day.

 

[Tomorrow]

Also, how much use should I expect out of a 2004 used LS430, or even IS300 with about 100k miles on it? With proper maintenance, can I expect it to last me a good while?

With proper maintenance, you should expect to get at least 150k out of it, and maybe a 50/50 chance of getting 200k.

Thing is, the "proper maintenance" stuff is not what's most likely to start going out on you. Around the 120k mark is when a lot of cars start having ancillary stuff crap out, like electrical stuff (turn signals, power seats, stuff like that), suspensions, belts/hoses (not cheap to replace), power steering or water pumps, etc.

Keep the oil changed, the radiator flushed, and the transmission serviced, and your biggest (costliest) headaches can be avoided. Start saving money for all the other stuff, though; it's just a sad fact of owning an older car.

 

[applefan1997]

Well, Lexus generally has good reliability ratings. But have it thoroughly checked to be sure. Only time will tell for the LS430, but the LS400 has a astonishing level of ratings, with most examples having well over 200k. The 430 should be similar. With many electronics in the car, watch for them too. Service it often for your kind of driving, and good luck!

 

[OceanView]

Most can go over 200k without any major problems.
My 98 has 275K miles on it and still drives well.
I think I can put another 200K on it.
You just have to expect some level of maintenance costs for a car with this many miles. Expect about $1000 per year in maintenance and unexpected costs.
This is cheap compared to German cars which can be in the $2K-$3K per year.