by "sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
Published 06/21/2017 at 15:21
by "sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
Published 06/21/2017 at 15:21
No Tags
STARS: 9
When it came time for me to part ways with my finicky but beloved 2001 Audi A8L, I told all of you that I still wanted something posh for around the same money, but that it had to be a little bit more durable and lest costly to work on. “GET A LEXUS!” you all roared in almost perfect unison. Happily, I had my heart set on finding myself an LX470 even without that advice. I’d driven a few, and in addition to how cool I find them, I knew they were big, spacious, versatile, powerful, comfortable, and capable. Most of all, though, I knew that as a rebadged Toyota Land Cruiser, even a higher-mileage LX470 would be about the most reliable car I could get my hands on.
This lead me to let my guard down, and that was my downfall.
I found what seemed like the perfect rig less that two hours away from my college. It was newer and, with 170,000 on the odometer, had 20,000 fewer miles than any other 100-series I’d found in my insurance-check budget. Only problem was, it was listed at around $13,000, almost twice what I could afford. Long story short, a dealer friend of ours worked some negotiating magic on the dealer selling the truck, and managed to get it in our driveway for $7,500. Shortly after, we started discovering why.Due to logistics issues, we bought the truck sight unseen, with nothing more than a gentleman’s agreement between our dealer and the dealer who sold the LX that the truck was to be in perfect shape. We picked it up, only to discover that neither the head unit for the stereo nor the air conditioning were functioning. And the lock actuator for the driver’s door was broken. And the truck squeaked over any form of bump, which turned out to be tie rods and ball joints in desperate need of replacement. Two weeks ago, the alternator went. No sooner did we get the truck back from that repair when, on Monday, the starter motor died. This was not the first car my family has purchased sight unseen, but it is the first time we’ve had any issues in doing so. Like I said, shame on me. The grand total for the work listed above, plus several other little niggles we’ve had to work out like a fog light full of water an a misaligned rear bumper, and this bank vault has been doing its best to empty our bank account to the tune of around $5,500. Never mind the fact that it goes through gas like nothing else (which I knew when I bought it) and costs $100/month more to insure than the Audi (which I should’ve checked on).
The moral of this story is: don’t be stupid. The fact that a car is legendary for its reliability and ease of maintenance doesn’t negate the risks of buying a 16 year old car with 170,000 miles sight unseen, especially when it comes to the stuff that isn’t the drivetrain. Now that everything has been set right, my Lexus is an absolute joy to own and drive. The smoothness and comfort come frighteningly close to the Audi, which is impressive for an old body on frame truck. It just wound up costing a damn good piece more that I had budgeted for.
Now I just have to get the stealership sticker off the back.
"Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing)
06/21/2017 at 15:26, STARS: 4
GM Builds the best full size SUV’s. Sorry you’ve had such bad luck with the Lexus.
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
06/21/2017 at 15:29, STARS: 4
People make the mistake with these trucks of confusing “reliable” with “maintenance free” and tend to neglect the trucks until costly repairs pile up. That being said, You seem to have the bad luck of the starter and alternator failures which are not uncommon but seem to be totally hit or miss.
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/21/2017 at 15:31, STARS: 1
Thats really unfortunate, but any car with over 150k without the proper maintenance will nickle and dime you to death until everything is replaced.
That does seem like a lot of money for what broke though. I guess depending on the shop or what brand you replaced the parts with. I bought my first 4runner knowing it needed almost all the things you replaced and had them all in line for less than $1800, but I did some of it myself. 4runner parts I would assume are cheaper as well and my mechanic like to help my family out and get work done for cheap.
"Arrivederci" (arrividerci)
06/21/2017 at 15:31, STARS: 0
Hopefully you’re just getting all of the issues out of the way early on - the rig was probably neglected by a previous owner, so you’re just getting it back up to snuff.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 15:33, STARS: 5
On the one hand, there’s probably no $7500 GM full size SUV that would’ve already cost me that much to repair.
On the other hand, I’m not sure there’s a $7500 GM full size SUV that I’d particularly want to drive in the first place.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 15:36, STARS: 2
I did nothing myself, and that number also included a few personal choice things like the rear roof spoiler, which was broken off but which I could’ve chosen not to replace. Also, the replacement head unit I got was a fairly high-end aftermarket unit with Bluetooth, Pandora, AUX/USB, iHeartRadio, and hands-free calling.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
06/21/2017 at 15:37, STARS: 1
Also purchased an LX, though a tad older and the previous gen. Bought it wtih 132k miles but no maintenance records, took a bit of a gamble after seeing how clean and untouched it was. Probably went a bit overkill on the baselining and PM, but i’d 100x rather fix it on pavement than when we’re out in the sticks.
http://overland.kinja.com/what-it-cost-to-own-an-80-series-11-months-and-20-000-1794518103
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 15:38, STARS: 0
Fingers crossed.
It wan’t 100% neglected though. I’m only the second owner, and it drives as beautifully as the day it was new.
"Your boy, BJR" (jerseyshoreben)
06/21/2017 at 15:38, STARS: 11
So you mean to tell me that the stereotypes keyboard car enthusiasts preach like the word of god are sometimes bullshit?
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 15:39, STARS: 0
I remember seeing that, great write-up!
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 15:41, STARS: 0
Surprising, I know.
But then again, you were on the Lexus bandwagon as well...
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
06/21/2017 at 15:41, STARS: 1
A new fan clutch will put it just a hair under $7k in parts and labor at present. Not cheap, but hoping it will pay off over time as we’re in it for the long game.
If I make it out to the Parker C&C, you can check it out!
"I have another burner, try to guess it!" (ihaveanotherburner)
06/21/2017 at 15:42, STARS: 2
NO we must satisfy the internet warrior’s pride and ego!
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 15:42, STARS: 0
Absolutely!
"Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing)
06/21/2017 at 15:47, STARS: 0
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/6166278545.html
https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/6162989302.html
And sure it’s a little more but it’s also nicer
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/6186348366.html
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
06/21/2017 at 15:51, STARS: 4
Everyone always screams “get rid of the Audi”. I’ve had 4 over 20 years time and never spent more than $800 in any year on parts except on my daughters car that I bought knowing it needed $1200 in parts which I installed. In some years I’ve had under $200 in total parts & maintenance in a season. I’ve worked in several dealerships and done parts for about 10 makes. I’ve always believed in proper maintenance and catching small problems before they become big problems.
"Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero" (sampsonite24)
06/21/2017 at 15:53, STARS: 3
yeah a 7500 dollar suburban does not sound like a fun time
"Manwich - now Keto-Friendly" (manwich)
06/21/2017 at 15:57, STARS: 1
Stories like this are why I have never buy any vehicle without inspecting it in person and testing it myself.
There has been at least 3 times where I got excited by a prospective vehicle, but then walked away because when looking at it, there was evidence that it was a flood car or had tons of poorly done bondo or some other serious issue that the seller said was ‘minor’ or claimed ignorance of.
And when looking at reliability ratings, you’re just looking at averages. The most reliable vehicle can become an unreliable POS if the previous owner got the car stuck on the beach at low tide and then let it get flooded with salt water as the tide came in... as one example.
Conversely, some cars that are rated as being “unreliable” can be good buys because their reputation makes them cheaper to buy used... and can be decently reliable if they were taken care of.
And sometimes a vehicle’s design flaws can be addressed with higher quality aftermarket parts.
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/21/2017 at 16:02, STARS: 1
Makes sense. The easiest thing I did myself was audio. Got a nice bluetooth double din and door speakers for cheap and installation was a breeze. Mechanical stuff I dont like to venture too deep...
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 16:07, STARS: 0
Yes but you see I don’t like any of those. Especially the white one.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 16:09, STARS: 0
Words of accurate wisdom.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 16:11, STARS: 2
I will say, the speakers themselves in this car worked fine once the head unit was replaced, and I’m extra glad about that because it has the upgraded Mark Levinson speakers which are terrific and much nicer than what I could afford if I had to replace them.
"Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing)
06/21/2017 at 16:13, STARS: 1
better than a $7500 lexus...
"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
06/21/2017 at 16:31, STARS: 1
What an odd looking contraption. Never seen one before but it looks like a Lexus version of a Landcruiser
"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
06/21/2017 at 16:35, STARS: 0
Because that’s what it is. Don’t really like the looks either.
"Tristan" (casselts)
06/21/2017 at 16:43, STARS: 0
Good lord... Those prices are literally HALF of anything I see around me.
"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
06/21/2017 at 16:51, STARS: 0
And this is why people need to stop telling people to buy Toyota products because “you can literally drive them forever and they’ll never need anything” you end up with potentially dangerous cars with bad ball joints and tie rods that could fail at any given moment.
This is also why states need mandatory safety inspections every time plates need renewed or a vehicle is sold. But that’s a rant for another time.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 17:27, STARS: 1
That’s exactly what it is. And I like the looks.
"R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet" (r-saldana)
06/21/2017 at 17:29, STARS: 0
Sooo... you want to sell it?
To me......
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
06/21/2017 at 17:44, STARS: 0
When I first read your title I thought it was going to be air suspension issues, but nope.
I bought my car sight unseen but I had the seller take it to a BMW dealer for a full pre-purchase inspection, and send me all his service records. I actually did this after someone here on Oppo recommended it because honestly the PPI hadn’t occurred to me at first.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 18:32, STARS: 2
No. I like it. Go away.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 18:34, STARS: 0
1. They’re actually hydrualic.
2. Yeah, there’s some irony to the fact that the bits of suspension that broke were the normal metal bits that all cars have and not the complicated hydraulics (which still work fine).
"GS400SV650CB350-4" (gs400sv650cb350-4)
06/21/2017 at 19:29, STARS: 1
Just out of curiosity, did anyone recommend you buy a vehicle with 170,000 miles on it sight unseen? I hope you have better luck with reliability in the future and getting it right doesn’t require too much more coin.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/21/2017 at 20:15, STARS: 0
Nope, that was just what was in my budget and how it played out.
"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
06/21/2017 at 21:13, STARS: 0
And on the other hand, I bought a Miata with 300,000 miles hoping things would break so I could learn how to replace them.
40,000 miles later, only thing that went was the radiator, on the drive home from purchasing it!
"adamftw" (adamftw)
06/21/2017 at 21:51, STARS: 1
Exactly why I didn’t buy one of these.
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
06/22/2017 at 06:00, STARS: 1
Interesting point about ‘unreliable’ cars having their reputation drag their price down so you can potentially get a more cared for one for the same money as a beaten up ‘reliable’ car. For those on a budget, that could make all the difference.
Also, I’ve had a similar starting thought process to you, but ended up at the completely opposite end of the spectrum.
I’m perfectly happy buying a car sight unseen at high miles, but only if it’s dirt-cheap. In fact, I prefer to buy higher mileage cars dirt cheap. I know they’ll need work, but if you know what will need replacing (not too hard to figure out based on mileage and forums) you already know how much it will cost you.
Buying a car for a lot of money relying on the honesty of someone trying to make a profit out of you and your own ability to spot stuff wrong on a car you’re probably unfamiliar with sounds like a big financial risk to me.
Of course, this all falls apart if you don’t do the work yourself. The cost of paying a mechanic to fix things makes my method uneconomical, but so far I’ve yet to buy a car that I haven’t been able to fix for roughly half the price-differential between mine and a ‘good’ one.
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
06/22/2017 at 06:07, STARS: 1
Also, I’ve had a similar starting thought process to you, but ended up at the completely opposite end of the spectrum.
I’m perfectly happy buying a car sight unseen at high miles, but only if it’s dirt-cheap. In fact, I prefer to buy higher mileage cars dirt cheap. I know they’ll need work, but if you know what will need replacing (not too hard to figure out based on mileage and forums) you already know how much it will cost you.
Buying a car for a lot of money relying on the honesty of someone trying to make a profit out of you and your own ability to spot stuff wrong on a car you’re probably unfamiliar with sounds like a big financial risk to me.
Of course, this all falls apart if you don’t do the work yourself. The cost of paying a mechanic to fix things makes my method uneconomical, but so far I’ve yet to buy a car that I haven’t been able to fix for roughly half the price-differential between mine and a ‘good’ one.
"ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy" (bakeshake)
06/22/2017 at 10:58, STARS: 0
Conversely, some cars that are rated as being “unreliable” can be good buys because their reputation makes them cheaper to buy used... and can be decently reliable if they were taken care of.
Yes sir, exactly why the WJ Grand Cherokee is such a good deal. The unreliability reputation enables the purchase of very nice ones cheaper than 4Runners in awful shape.
"Manwich - now Keto-Friendly" (manwich)
06/22/2017 at 11:28, STARS: 0
Note that the most I’ve spent on any car is $5600 after tax.
I live in the city... so that makes it easier for me to see a good selection of vehicles in person.
Conversely, while I do some of the easier work myself (like oil changes, tire rotations), I take the car to a mechanic for harder stuff (like timing belts) because I don’t have a garage to do more in-depth work.
So because of that, I look for something not too old and a reasonable amount of mileage for the given age of the car... 15,000 to 25,000km/year.
Buying something too old or too high mileage for me sight unseen can result in something too worn out or too rusty to be usable to me.
Where you live makes a difference as well. Where I live, the roads get salted... so after 10 years, most cars have at least some rust. If there are rust holes, it won’t pass the safety, which means it can’t be registered, which makes the car worthless for my purposes.
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
06/22/2017 at 11:39, STARS: 1
Yeah that’s eminently sensible :) I’ve got access to a garage to work on more complex things, and a welder to fix rust.
I think you’re bang on looking for cars that have done a reasonable amount of mileage for their age. I think a lot of people assume that low mileage cars are uniformly in better condition, but once you get past a certain age it’s not nearly as straight forwards. Low mileage cars over, say, 12 years old tend to have all of their bushes and perishables shot to buggery, and because they’re low mileage they’re unlikely to have been replaced. Much better find something on the ‘reasonable use’ mileage side of things where the owner will have had to replace this stuff just to keep going :)
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/23/2017 at 17:42, STARS: 0
Also, they may have never said, “Hey, SM70, buy a car with 170,000 miles,” but they did say “200,000 is just getting broken in for a Land Cruiser!” which is close enough.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/23/2017 at 17:43, STARS: 0
*cheaper
"Amoore100" (amoore100)
06/25/2017 at 16:20, STARS: 1
Mmmmm, look at the wear on those cheap plastic buttons in a decade-old car...my dad’s ‘01 Volvo with 217K miles doesn’t even have that, and I doubt your Lexus does either. What a feature!
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/25/2017 at 16:47, STARS: 1
Very true