looking at 98-2000 ls400s and the few that i've narrowed it down to all come from the new england area(one from tx but owner wants 20% more than the others). i've heard as long as they are washed off after a snow newer vehicles should be ok. obliviously if i can see rust its a no go but what do you guys think? should i just avoid salt state cars all togther?

12/7/2013 5:51:58 AM

i would assume it would be visible surface rust if not painted over, etc.

12/7/2013 6:36:26 AM

I live in a state that uses a lot of salt now and I can tell you that they get nasty quickly, especially on the underside where it's hard to see. Obviously the cars are still on the road but you should take advantage of living close to vehicles in good condition.

12/7/2013 7:37:30 AM

Yes. More than one year up north = forget it.

12/7/2013 9:40:39 AM

Only thing worse than a rust bucket, is a foreign rust bucket

12/7/2013 10:42:00 AM

so would you guys take a vehicle with 50k more miles or a northern vehicle with no visible rust?

12/7/2013 6:33:29 PM

you talking 60k vs 10k miles, or 300k vs 250k miles?

12/7/2013 6:59:30 PM

185k vs 235k

12/7/2013 8:24:37 PM

I would pick a different car.

12/7/2013 8:42:19 PM

185 = 235 imo

^ What he said, how about a car with 50k miles. Go to a auction and find a cheap old car. I would never guy a foreign car with those miles.

12/7/2013 10:53:28 PM

us po folk can't afford a car like that (or rather not finance one). my 200K+ es300s have had fewer issues combined than any one of the 4 American cars i've owned not to mention held their value enough to sell the for at least what I paid

[Edited on December 8, 2013 at 2:08 AM. Reason : .]

12/8/2013 2:05:00 AM

By no visible rust so you mean no visible rust underneath? I say go for it, its already got 185k miles so its not like its going to last forever regardless of rust.

12/8/2013 8:29:30 AM

Why are you worrying about rust on a 185k mile car? I'll bet my life the engine/trans or a wreck happens long before it rusts out.

12/8/2013 10:58:36 AM

Why are you selling the Lexus if it has been such a good car?

12/8/2013 11:53:19 AM

Yes, no visable rust but my concern is bolts and the like being broken off the first time they're turned

My current es does have a few small issuses id rather not deal with(needs struts and has ps leak) but either way i need a larger vehicle And the v8 ls actually gets better mileage than my es

[Edited on December 8, 2013 at 12:09 PM. Reason : .]

12/8/2013 12:06:31 PM

My 4Runner spent the first 4 years in NJ. It has just enough rust that it's kind of a bitch to work on, but not enough that I'd consider there to be any kind of structural problem. The frame, axles, and suspension stuff is all fine. The bigger hardware such as the caliper bolts are all fine, but some of the smaller stuff has to be pulled with with channel locks or vice grips and replace with new.

Good example...When I replaced my O2 sensors I had to use vice grips to get the nuts off. One of them just wouldn't break free because the vice grips couldn't reach it at a good angle to clamp, but I stopped by Jeepman's place and he was able to get it off with a nut driver that was made for removing damaged hardware. Little things just end up turning into a bigger job than they should be sometimes.

[Edited on December 8, 2013 at 12:59 PM. Reason : l]

12/8/2013 12:58:11 PM

Run away from northern cars. LS400s are everywhere, surely you can find one nearby?

12/9/2013 10:30:40 PM

figured out why the nj one was so cheap and it aint rust . dude advertised it having 185k mycarfax says it had 188k in 2010. dude wont respond after i asked about it

12/10/2013 8:56:06 PM

I wouldn't expect someone to pull a carfax on a 200k mile car. GG sir

12/11/2013 6:17:09 PM

I'm from Buffalo. Very few regular folk back home drive foreign or expensive cars because they depreciate so fast from the winters. Also don't buy used rental cars from anywhere. That is all.

12/12/2013 10:12:21 AM