How much LX470 can I expect for 40-45K?

My own preference would to purchase from an individual prior owner, someone with whom I was acquainted. However, they may be reluctant to sell to you outright because in most states they lose the trade-in tax credit (toward the new car).

You should be able to have no trouble finding a 2002 LX470 in your price range. Mileage and condition will govern from there. Bear in mind also that dealers generally enjoy a better profit margin in their used cars than in new.

Fully loaded the 2002 sold new in the upper 60's and of course consider that it's about to have a birthday.

I honestly doubt you'll find a used 2003 in your price range unless the mileage is high (over 20k) or it's been in a wreck.

Thanks for all that; it moves me along. I reckon the question now becomes with does it mean to say "high mileage" on the LX. I've had an LS a little over a yeard and it has 13k miles on it and the car is as good as brand new. So 20k doesn't seem like much for a Lexus. Nor does

1. But 40 does and 50 definitely is. At least I think it is.

Have you considered a Toyota Land Cruiser? It has essentially the same running gear, but is $10K cheaper new, so I expect used prices would be similiarily reduced. I would expect $45K would get you into a 2003 with very low miles or you could get an earlier model and get down to your target $40K figure. The car is pitched for someone who wants a LX470 but is price sensitive - which sounds like you. I suspect right now you could swing a near invoice deal on a new one which would put you right about $50K, if you could swing this.

Whether Lexus or Toyota, these are stout vehicles, so I wouldn't worry about miles much. Just be sure to get a careful mechanical checkout - it will still have some warranty left so this should give you peace of mind. I'd also look for a private sale as a car on a dealer's lot will be marked up several thousand for dubious benefit. But these cars are seldom sold privately when they're only a year or two old, particularly in states who charge sales tax on the delta rather than the full price of a new car.

- Mark

Generaly speaking, the national average annual miles is said to be around

13-15k. Any figure that works out signifigantly less than that, say average 8-10k per yer of age or less constitutes low mileage and a potential cream-puff. Just remember when shopping that the vehicles celebrate a birthday every year in the early fall, say right about now. In other words, a 2003 vehicle today would already be considered 1 year old and therefore should logically be expected to have a commensurate amount of mileage showing on the clock. Any new/unsold 2003s still sitting on the lot at this time of year should be steeply discounted or have strong sales incentives attached.

High mileage is anything greater than 15k average per year. Extremely high mileage is anything over 25k per year and may be indicative that the vehicle was in livery/for hire service (taxi/limo) or may have been a corporate "pool" car or else one used by a travelling salesperson or someone with a hellish commute. If those miles are primarily "road miles", they're usually OK, but in any case indicate extraordinary wear and tear. Be careful.

Mileage figures will also vary by region. Vehicles registered in or near major cities, where commute distances are greater, will understandably have more than "average" annual mileage but may also have spent a great deal of time at or near idle speed sitting in traffic jams. Those are some really "hard" miles.

Lease returns can sometimes be a good deal, but avoid rental car returns. With few exceptions, most rental cars get beaten to death. Unlikely you'll find any Lexus rentals around, but they do exist.

Pr>>I honestly doubt you'll find a used 2003 in your price range unless the