Toyota Stalking, er...um, SPOTTING with Charlie™ (Cars, vans, SUVs, Lexus, Scion, and brochures)!

1999 Lexus ES300 with just over 136K miles; I would like to know where Thompson is getting all of these cars so my girlfriend can buy one before the dealer gets ahold of it and marks it up!


October 14th, 2024:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

They've dropped the price $1,200; I think that this is a $3,500 car at most…

 

If you look closely, you can see dents in both doors. If this car was 100% pristine and had less than 100K miles, it would be worth $5,000…

 

2015 Lexus GS350


October 16th, 2024:

North Wales, Pennsylvania

 

1999 RAV4 Special Edition


October 17th, 2024:

Newtown, Pennsylvania

 

October 18th, 2024:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

1994 Lexus ES300; I’ve been seeing a lot of these lately!


October 26th, 2024:

Chalfont, Pennsylvania

 

2005 Scion XB with 5 speeds and 3 pedals!


October 30th, 2024:

North Wales, Pennsylvania

 

2006 Lexus LS430


November 1st, 2024:

Ivyland, Pennsylvania

 

2002 Lexus LS430


November 5th, 2024:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

So mint, and in my opinion still a timeless design at 30 years old!


November 6th, 2024:

North Wales, Pennsylvania

 

We are thinking of buying the ‘02 LS430 so Amanda has something to drive. Unfortunately, it has more rust problems than previously thought, but Amanda loves the damn thing after driving it yesterday!

 

There's always another car out there.

 

I own two LS430s and helped 2 friends buy one. They are truly excellent automobiles. IMO, there is nothing out there that can match the comfort, luxury, and reliability that a LS430 offers.

My LS430 buying advice: get the nicest one you can afford. I bought my 2002 LS430 for only $3,000 because it's a really rare spec. But I've spent at least another $3000 fixing stuff that I knew it needed when I bought it. And it's probably not worth $6k.

The other LS430, which I helped my mom purchase, is a single owner, low mile California car. We spent $10k on it, and it was worth every penny. It's been cared for so much better than the '02.

There's lots of them out there. Don't be afraid to pass on a car or two (or three).

 

Do you think the mirrors, steering column, and passenger door lock are a fuse or something worse?

 

All something else.

The folding mirrors can fail just from age and use- but this is a lot more common in really hot climates. The fix is either to buy used mirrors that work, or set the toggle switch so that they always stay out. It's also possible that they just need some cleaning/lube and some working back and forth.

I assume the steering column tilts but doesn't telescope, or vice versa. Super common issue- my '02 does this. I believe it's just a little plastic gear that gets worn/stripped with age. I looked into this a long time ago and don't remember specifics, but I think it was a fairly easy fix.

Passenger door lock is broken. Door lock actuators are another one of the (few) common issues that these cars have. I think the part is somewhat expensive, but I don't think replacement is too difficult. Removing the door panels in a 430 is nice because there are lots of screws, and not many clips to break.

On the topic of removing door panels- I saw you mentioned that the rear speakers in the car above don't work. I'm guessing that the only speakers that were really working were the tweeters on the dash. The foam surrounds on the speakers deteriorate with age and crack, rendering the speaker inoperable. It happens to nearly every car with the Mark Levinson sound system. You can't buy replacement speakers- but you can get a foam kit for about $70 that allows you to "rebuild" the original speakers and subwoofer. It takes about 20 minutes to do each speaker, but once you do, the sound system is unbelievably good. Like really, really good for a 20 year old car.

People on the Lexus forums will tell you to check a fuse for every little problem that could be electrical. As a general rule of thumb- it is never the fuse, unless it's for the 12v outlets. For some reason that fuse blows all the time.

Feel free to DM me with a listing or specifics of a car if you want. Don't want to hijack your thread.

 

The steering column doesn’t work at all, and I would just replace the speakers with aftermarket; I don’t know it the car has the Mark Levinson system, because apparently it wasn’t standard on the LS.

 

I'd look into the steering column. If you can hear motors whirring, then it's likely stripped gears. If not, then I'd suspect an electrical issue.

As for the speakers- do not replace them!! Trust me, don't!! Rebuilding the speaker foams takes barely more time than replacing them would, and when the system is in working order, it really really rocks. It's astonishingly good for a 20 years old. I believe it's a 450 watt system, the amp in the trunk is huge.

 

What if the car doesn’t have the Mark Levinson system?

 

I'd try to find one with the Mark Levinson system if you can. I'm sure the base one is fine- but the ML one is really incredible. There typically isn't much of a price difference between base model and non-base cars. I believe the speaker foam deterioration still applies to the non-ML system.

The ML system also comes with the touchscreen, which is actually really nice for being 20 years old. You can also get CarPlay for the stock screen, which looks a lot more factory and retains the A/C controls via the screen. It's also cheaper to get CarPlay for the stock screen than retrofit an aftermarket. touchscreen head unit.

 

Also, this car has an aftermarket Pioneer head unit with a backup camera; I believe that 2003 was the first year you could get a backup camera in an LS, and I know this was a thing because I’ve seen pre-redesign (2007) LS430s with factory backup cameras. My girlfriend wants a backup camera and if the car we buy doesn’t have one, the factory radio is going bye-bye. One of the things that’s so appealing about Spencer’s silver 2002 LS430 is that it is has a $500 head unit and backup camera already installed!

 

@FiatRunner

And by the way, I don’t consider this hijacking the thread, the conversation is about Lexus and I want other members to see the conversation and offer their opinion!

Anyway, one thing I’ve noticed is that the 2007-newer LS is far less common than the older ones. Even early 1990s LS400s enjoy a remarkable survival rate here in Southeast Pennsylvania. Amanda and I are willing to go as old as 1995 for a Lexus or Toyota because all of their cars were OBD2-compliant a year before it was a requirement. My trusted mechanic prefers not to work pre-OBD2 cars, and you probably know how easy it is to just drop by AutoZone and scan for a code when the CEL comes on!

That said, while I always have and always will view the Lexus LS as a fine automobile, the 2007-newer ones lack the character of the previous generations and probably also lack the quality.

 

That makes sense. A backup camera was also on our list of requirements when I helped my mom buy hers. The factory ones are surprisingly nice considering the age.

I’m not positive that they were available on 2003s, but I know for sure that they were on 04-06s on any trim above base model.

Speaking of trim levels, here’s a super simple and easy way to determine the car’s trim level based off of the switches on the dash:


I’m actually working on a “buyers guide” that goes over all the intricacies of LS430 buying, for a friend of mine. I’ll post it here once I’m done writing it up.

That’s really interesting. It’s the other way around for me here in northern Illinois- LS400s are basically non existent.

I’ve worked on and driven a handful of LS400s, and my advice to you is to buy the nicest one you can afford. The 400s aren’t as easy to work on as the 430s, and repair costs are often significantly more than a 430.

They also have very different driving styles- the LS400s really feel like a boat compared to a LS430. I’m sure you guys don’t care to much about maximum cornering performance, but if you want a car that feels modern to drive and use, I’d recommend a 430 over a 400. Still fantastic cars though.

 

I’m not a huge fan of the front end on the LS430 compared to the LS400, but I would prefer newer and easier to work on…

 

So, I’ve got an update…

Spencer’s silver 2002 LS430 has rust issues that are fixable, but would likely prevent the car from passing a safety inspection. The car also has hole in the exhaust that would need to be addressed before it could pass emissions. This car would be perfect for an LS enthusiast who has the knowledge, money, and patience to restore the car. However, my girlfriend needs something that is ready to go and doesn’t need any work. If she does go with a Lexus, it’ll likely be a late 1990s ES300.

 

2001 Camry CE; I see these with dented bumpers all the time, but this isn’t as common…


November 16th, 2024:

Warminster, Pennsylvania

 

1990s ES300 sounds like a great plan to me! Those are awesome cars.

Agreed with you on the LS430… it seems to have just about every one of the common issues on a LS430. Which is great for an enthusiast, like you mentioned, but you’re right- just doesn’t make sense. Good luck on your ES search!