Potential 100 Series Purchase

[nc-grayson]

I'd like to gather some opinions about a potential 100 series purchase, specifically a 1998 LX 470.

Carfax 1-Owner, clean history and mileage records. It's lived in the southwest it's entire life, rust free. It shows a decent amount of regular service history on the My Lexus website. 101,000 miles.

Here's the deal, I live in NC, it's across the country. I paid an independent mechanic in that area today to do a pre-purchase inspection. The third party mechanic's report came back excellent.

The ONLY potential hiccup is there is no record of the timing belt being done in the service records. no sticker on the cover to show it's been done, and the guy who did the inspection can't tell with certainty if it's been changed. So by default, I HAVE to assume it hasn't been done and is original....from 1998.

Obviously this gives me leveraging power when it comes to $$$$, but would driving it 1800 miles home be a horrible idea?

I know that any LC is virtually bullet-proof, but I feel like I've finally found my "unicorn", and now I'm making myself paranoid thinking it's too FEW miles for it's age.

So should I drop what I'm doing and get my plane ticket? Or walk away because driving home could potentially be a huge gamble with an unknown TB history?

HELP!

PS....I've been lurking on Mud for a while, wan't some other opinions!

 

[papabeach]

I'd like to gather some opinions about a potential 100 series purchase, specifically a 1998 LX 470.

Carfax 1-Owner, clean history and mileage records. It's lived in the southwest it's entire life, rust free. It shows a decent amount of regular service history on the My Lexus website. 101,000 miles.

Here's the deal, I live in NC, it's across the country. I paid an independent mechanic in that area today to do a pre-purchase inspection. The third party mechanic's report came back excellent.

The ONLY potential hiccup is there is no record of the timing belt being done in the service records. no sticker on the cover to show it's been done, and the guy who did the inspection can't tell with certainty if it's been changed. So by default, I HAVE to assume it hasn't been done and is original....from 1998.

Obviously this gives me leveraging power when it comes to $$$$, but would driving it 1800 miles home be a horrible idea?

I know that any LC is virtually bullet-proof, but I feel like I've finally found my "unicorn", and now I'm making myself paranoid thinking it's too FEW miles for it's age.

So should I drop what I'm doing and get my plane ticket? Or walk away because driving home could potentially be a huge gamble with an unknown TB history?

HELP!

PS....I've been lurking on Mud for a while, wan't some other opinions!

Curious what you ended up doing?

 

[nc-grayson]

Curious what you ended up doing?

I bought my ticket and flew out there and drove that sweet sucker HOME! One of the coolest experiences of my life! I can now say without a doubt that there is NOTHING similar in the bonding time with a vehicle arena than a 1400+ mile trip cross country, sleeping in the back, alone. I REALLY got to know this truck.

And I have to admit that I lied in my OP here about the vehicle specifics......there was just under 100K when I picked it up......I didn't want to lose my unicorn to someone else out there! Read about it here:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/general-discussions/203443-lexus-texas.html

Since then, I've done nothing but TLC cosmetic maintenance, (nit-picky stuff really....scored 98% of everything needing "refurbishing" at the local pick-n-pull for under $50), lifetime alignment at firestone, oil change, and replaced a stripped wheel lug, (no thanks to firestone on that one...), and added some sweet 33's! Read about that here:

What have you done to your 100 Series this week?

In conclusion, I've learned 2 things:

1. I will now ALWAYS drive/own a TLC/LX for the REST of my life.
2. I'm now on the hunt for another 100 series to drive daily, as I've decided this one LX in particular is a beaut, and I plan to keep it "Sunday" for it's entire life. If I could find the storage, I would park this LX for years to come and keep it immaculate forever.

 

[papabeach]

I bought my ticket and flew out there and drove that sweet sucker HOME! One of the coolest experiences of my life! I can now say without a doubt that there is NOTHING similar in the bonding time with a vehicle arena than a 1400+ mile trip cross country, sleeping in the back, alone. I REALLY got to know this truck.

And I have to admit that I lied in my OP here about the vehicle specifics......there was just under 100K when I picked it up......I didn't want to lose my unicorn to someone else out there! Read about it here:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/general-discussions/203443-lexus-texas.html

Since then, I've done nothing but TLC cosmetic maintenance, (nit-picky stuff really....scored 98% of everything needing "refurbishing" at the local pick-n-pull for under $50), lifetime alignment at firestone, oil change, and replaced a stripped wheel lug, (no thanks to firestone on that one...), and added some sweet 33's! Read about that here:

What have you done to your 100 Series this week?

In conclusion, I've learned 2 things:

1. I will now ALWAYS drive/own a TLC/LX for the REST of my life.
2. I'm now on the hunt for another 100 series to drive daily, as I've decided this one LX in particular is a beaut, and I plan to keep it "Sunday" for it's entire life. If I could find the storage, I would park this LX for years to come and keep it immaculate forever.

Great story and congrats! Really sounds like a unicorn...pics are great!

 

[10ga]

Congrats on the Lexus / LC!! I bought my 1st LC in 1993 and I've had one since. My first was a 1983 FJ60, one 100 series, and 7 or 8 FJ80's. I currently have a triple locked FZJ80 and it's the first one I've build for a trail rig. I have a 3rd gen T4R for a DD but I'm thinking serious about buying another 100 for a DD. I love 80's but but can't beat the overall comfort of a 100 series.

 

[4Marathon]

Excellent car forum . Active participants and really know a lot about cars.Thank you so much.