"Chairman Kaga" (mike-mckinnon)
11/06/2015 at 15:12 • Filed to: None
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"Chairman Kaga" (mike-mckinnon)
11/06/2015 at 15:12 • Filed to: None | 1
| 18 |
Really digging it, actually. Tight steering, responsive, light on its feet. Compared to a similar vintage 3-Series, it’s not as athletic, but it’s also still running.
Single owner, perfect Carfax, 95k miles, top spec trim (navigation, which is hilarious, heated seats, full leather), silver/gray, Bridgestone Potenzas, timing belt and water pump done 4k miles ago, asking $8900, which is totally fair based on other similar cars in a 500 mile radius of Austin.
A few cosmetic issues. Melty dash, although not as bad as I’ve seen, curb rash (every car in Austin though, due to all the street parking), a few bumper scuffs, a dent in the hood, and the silver interior surface of one taillight is sort of blistering and peeling. Also I don’t think the seat memory works, which isn’t a problem because I’d be the only driver, and I don’t think the autodimming mirror works. I could handle most of that in my garage, and get a Craigslist dude to pop the dent for $75.
I dunno. I’m having a hard time seeing the downside of this deal. It IS an automatic, but that’s been a criteria from the beginning (unfortunately).
ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 15:24 |
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Great car. Sounds like it has been well maintained. I would try to get it lower, obviously, but it is crazy how well those are holding their value.
The auto in that car isn’t terrible either, and finding a 5-speed is like hunting unicorn snipers.
Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 15:29 |
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I love my 2001 IS. If I would’ve been a little more patient, I would’ve waited for a newer one with less miles, like the one you’re driving. My main thing, is that it holds my family of 4 comfortably (even with a car seat). I just had an ATS for a week and while it was nice, I preferred my IS over it, mainly due to the size issue.
Like ADabofOppo said, the factory 5-speeds are hard to come by.
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Chairman Kaga
> ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
11/06/2015 at 15:33 |
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There is a 5-speed for sale locally, but my wife’s ONE criteria is that whatever I get be an automatic so she can drive it in a pinch. Her reasoning is sound - if a situation arose where she had to drive my car instead of her’s, she would probably not be in any sort of condition to safely handle a manual. I’ve seen her drive stick in perfect conditions (no traffic, no traffic signals, no need to do anything but practice shifting) and it was terrifying. Sitcom material.
Anyway, I hate my CRV and know I could sell it outright for around $13k. This would essentially put at least $3000 into savings for my new-new car in 4-5 years, and I suspect the Lexus will continue to hold its value better than the CRV, as the Honda hasn’t yet hit that big whack of depreciation just yet.
I also know the Lexus is good for at least 100k miles with nothing but routine maintenance.
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ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 15:37 |
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You could do much worse in terms of a driver’s car that is easy to keep running.
Also, tape deck adapter for your tunes!
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Chairman Kaga
> ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
11/06/2015 at 15:51 |
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It would be my daily driver. Like a BMW, but reliable.
I have a box of 80’s movie soundtracks that I keep in my Alfa. Normally the vintage Blaupunkt just eats them, but I suspect Lexus’ hardware might be a little more gentle with Cocktail: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Steve in Manhattan
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 15:54 |
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Click and Clack took a call once from a guy who had around 350K on an LS400, to see if he should get a new car. All he’d ever done was tires and bulbs - not even new plugs. Not to say that this car is as reliable, but underneath, they’re Toyotas, and pretty bulletproof.
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Steve in Manhattan
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 15:54 |
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That said - make the sale contingent on your mechanic going through it.
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Chairman Kaga
> Steve in Manhattan
11/06/2015 at 15:58 |
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Monday morning.
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ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 16:01 |
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You’ll have get an old pager to wear when you drive the IS.
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Chairman Kaga
> ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
11/06/2015 at 16:04 |
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Oh, no. Not a pager. This.
Luken10
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 16:05 |
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Definitely a great car. These WILL have a drift tax very soon. Get one now before they are all modded and beat to hell.
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Chairman Kaga
> Luken10
11/06/2015 at 16:22 |
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This one was owned by a 50-year-old woman who traded it in on a new IS350. It’s totally unmolested.
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Chairman Kaga
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 16:23 |
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Why did the enthusiast community decide they didn’t like the IS300? Because it wasn’t a BMW? Maybe when new, but at this point I consider that fact an asset!
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Steve in Manhattan
> Chairman Kaga
11/06/2015 at 18:32 |
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Good - gave a friend of mine purchasing an S4 that advice, and it turned out it needed an engine.
dr861
> Chairman Kaga
11/07/2015 at 21:57 |
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I used to work at lexus and was always surprised by the IS. It’s a really great car that I don’t think gets enough props.
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Luken10
> Chairman Kaga
11/09/2015 at 03:06 |
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You should really go for it if you have the means and can live with / are okay with the automatic. I really don’t see these cars dropping in value much more.
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Chairman Kaga
> Luken10
11/09/2015 at 10:09 |
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My wife hated it. On to the next car...
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Luken10
> Chairman Kaga
11/09/2015 at 15:11 |
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:(