I finally went and bought a car!
Quick specs:
- 1998 Lexus GS300
- 261K on the ODO
- $2500 before tax, title, etc.
- Service history unknown, but is in pretty good shape.
- Everything but power locks work.
Stuff it needs, in order of importance:
- License plate lights. Probably just bulbs, but technically not legal without. (probably very cheap)
- Timing belt (unsure of when it when it was previously changed, so preventative. Will also do water pump and tensioners. Since it’s got a straight six, there’s plenty of room to work around so comparatively cheap).
- Some drain is clogged (most likely), so it’s damp in the passenger foot well. I had the A/C going but it was also raining, so hard to tell which it is. Any advice is much appreciated. (hopefully cheap)
- Brake pads have 25% life left. (doesn’t need to be done for a month or two)
- Right rear strut coil is broken. According to the mechanic, not a big deal. (unimportant)
- Power locks aren’t working, hoping just a fuse but doubtful. (annoying but livable)
- VSC/ABS/VSC OFF lights on the dash. Doesn’t really affect the drivability and will most likely be costly. (unimportant)
Interior (and exterior for that matter) are in great shape considering age and mileage. Center armrest has lots of wear, as do the floor mats and steering wheel. The Cooper tires are in pretty good shape too.
Things I don’t like with the car itself? Small trunk (only 2 or 2.5 bodies), smallish rear seats (not uncomfortably small, but not roomy either), and tremendously long hood (looks great but a pain when parking and I’m used to the super short overhang of a minivan).
Things I like? Everything else. The way it looks, the way it drives, the power, the luxury, everything. It’s sporty, but a comfortable highway cruiser. While it doesn’t look modern, it’s not dated either. It’s quick, but not going to get you in a lot of trouble. Overall I’m very happy and we’ll what the next couple of months hold in store...
P.S. Name ideas? A ton of my friends like Louis...