How Much Should I Pay: 2005 Lexus LS430 & 2008 Toyota Avalon
Question From John: How much should I pay for these two.
2008 Avalon limited with 10K miles purchased from Avis by dealer who will certify car.
How much should I pay for a 2005 Lexus LS430 with 30K certified. Of the two, which is better car.
Queen of the Road: Hi, John. Welcome to our blog! Unfortunately, there aren’t very many 2008 Toyota Avalons that have been through the wholesale market since they’re quite new. However, I can tell you that from our experience cars from rental companies are discounted more heavily than average. The premise being that people who rent these cars end up driving them really hard (cough cough….not us of course).
In regards to a 2005 Lexus LS430 with 30,000 miles, prices range from $29,200 (being in above average condition) to $26,700 (being in average condition) and $24,100 (being in below average condition). Keep in mind that the numbers above are the wholesale prices. A dealership will usually aim to sell it for +12%-14% more than wholesale, so their estimated retail prices could range from $26,400 to $32,000.
We’ve actually purchased an LS430 for a business friend of ours from the wholesale market. Its been a year and so far he still has nothing but nice things to say about it. As you probably know Lexus and Toyota vehicles share many of the same components. At the end of the day it comes down to whether you want a newer Toyota Avalon with less mileage or an older Lexus with higher mileage. With both prices being about the same I’d say the Lexus would be our pick. It is a “premium” name and a super comfortable car that is a lot a car for the money. Also, since the LS460 has been out the Ls430 has been deeply discounted… a great deal is out there.
If you let us know how much the offer for the 2005 LS430 is and we’ll tell you if it’s a great deal.
