1997 LEXUS LX450 - LAND CRUISER 80 SERIES ENTHUSIAST OWNED

1997 LEXUS LX450 - LAND CRUISER 80 SERIES COLLECTOR OWNED - BLACK ONYX/PARCHMENT LEATHER INCREDIBLE CONDITION - A RARE ORIGINAL "SURVIVOR"California truck its entire life, never subjected to snow or salt so ZERO RUST OR CORROSION anywhere. Comparable conditioned LX450's go for $15K and up on eBay so lowballers will be ignored.

This truck has been relegated to occasional weekend use and was rarely taken out of the garage over the past year and has been in my family since 2001. The original owner leased the truck from Lexus Beverly Hills and only maintained it there. My brother purchased the truck in 2001 and used it in Santa Monica, with all major services up to 200K miles done at Lexus of Santa Monica (outside of oil changes, tires, and small things). He told me he was going to trade it in May 2015, and I told him I wanted to buy it. Over the 15 months I have restored the truck to its glory and have invested over $13K and countless hours into the truck getting it to where it is today. The truck has minor, tasteful mods (i.e. smoked LED taillights etc) and is setup to handle any terrain. I am ready for my next project and am clearing some garage space up at this time. This truck has full time 4WD and a power sunroof.

Overall Condition

As you can see from the pics, the truck is one of the nicest 80-series still in existence. The suspension has been upgraded to brand new Rancho all-terrain shocks, ARB Old man EMU steering stabilizer, four matching Yokohama All-Terrain tires, wheel bearings, and swivel hub packing/service. The AC compressor and belt is also brand new and ice cold. That being said, the car could be driven across the country today with absolutely no issues. Most of these 80-series are rusted through and this truck does not have any signs of corrosion or rust anywhere.

Brand new PA inspection and emissions w/ stickers valid until September 2017 just completed 2 weeks ago (new four matching all terrain tires put on at inspection). If you are not familiar with PA, this is a very thorough inspection that looks at everything (suspension, brakes, exhaust, emissions, rust, tires and almost any part that is wear and tear). All lubricants changed when inspection was done. A more complete list of recent repairs is shown below. There are no check engine or dash lights lit. All power windows/locks, tach, speedometer, lights, work fine. I invite you to drive this after others with half the mileage (if any exist still) and feel the difference. The truck feels and drives like it has 20K miles.

Exterior

There are no dents or body damage and not 1 scratch anywhere on the exterior. No record of any accidents and straight as an arrow on every panel. The VIN numbers match everywhere. The paint on the body has a rich shine to it. The truck was parked in a garage for most of its life and it looks that way. Also, as mentioned there is zero rust. I would be more than happy to provide additional pics of wheel wells, undercarriage etc upon request to show there is zero rust anywhere. That is very rare for this model truck to not show any signs of corrosion and rust.

Interior

The interior is original and has held up fairly well. The carpet is original and the mats are brand new Lexus floor mats with no stains. The dash is perfect with no cracks and the trunk area is also. The interior is all original, including the OEM head unit still installed. The third row seats show almost zero wear. The driver's seat has a waterproof protective cover because the original leather seat bottom ripped (common on these trucks). The passenger seat leather is in great condition with no rips. The third row seats can either fold up against the windows or be completely removed, if desired. The third row has sliding windows.

This car comes with everything it came with day one.... a full size spare with tire, lift jack, and owner's manual.

Mechanical

As mentioned, the original owner leased the truck from Lexus Beverly Hills and only maintained it there. My brother purchased the truck in 2001 and used it in Santa Monica, with all major services up to 200K miles done at Lexus of Santa Monica (outside of oil changes, tires, and small things). The LX 450 was the top-ranked full-size SUV inJ.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Survey, with the lowest number of problems during ownership and the 4.5L engine has legendary reliability.

Brand new PA inspection and emissions good until Sept 2017. Approximately $7000 in mechanical work has been put into this car over the past 1000 miles to restore the truck. The truck currently has 206K miles (approx 10K miles/year).The motor runs as strong as ever and you will be hard pressed to find one that feels as smooth as this through the entire power range.

The LX 450 was Lexus's first SUV and was almost entirely based on the sixth generationToyota Land Cruiser (J80).The LX 450 was powered by a 4.5-liter, twin-cam, four-valveinline-six and front and rear axles were solid. Externally, the LX 450 was identical to the J80 series Land Cruiser, with the exception of the grille, side body cladding, and wheels. Side running boards give step-up access and the truck has additional sound-absorbing insulation.

Recent work done with under 1000 miles:

New Rancho all-terrain shocks,

New ARB Old man EMU steering stabilizer,

New four matching Yokohama All-Terrain tires (under 200 miles on all tires)

New front wheel bearings (done at local Toyota/Lexus dealer, Tri-County Toyota July 2016 w/receipt)

Front swivel hub packing/service. (done at local Toyota/Lexus dealer, Tri-County Toyota July 2016 w/receipt)

New AC compressor and AC belt

New 4-wheel alignment (done at local Toyota/Lexus dealer, Tri-County Toyota July 2016 w/receipt)

All fluids and general tune-up items done.

Many other different random parts have been replaced to restore the truck to its glory.

The car is 19 years old and will qualify for classic plates if you chose to go that route next year (although I use standard plate on it with valid emissions stickers). I currently pay $12/month for full coverage classic insurance.

History/Background (for those who enjoy extensive reading)

The response to the 90's SUV market demand was the 80-series Land Cruiser/LX450. The aim of the 80-series was to be both at the forefront of technology and luxury. Along with passenger car like styling in the front design, wide tires and large fenders gave it a bold effect, looking something like a luxury battleship that could cruise the land. It was a break from the tradition of the Japanese 4x4. Moreover, accommodations remained for off-road applications, such as space in the instrument panel to install wireless communications equipment, and a rail for mounting a roof carrier. In ’96 two FZJ80's took the number 1 and number 2 spots in the Dakar Rally.

Scott Brady from Expedition Portal wrote in 2011, ranking this 1997 80-series LX450 as a Top 4 overland offroad vehicle ever made:

"The 80 Series is a serious exploration tool with solid front axle, robust frame, good factory ground clearance, class-leading payload and excellent technical terrain performance. Land Cruisers/LX450's are incredibly reliable and with a complete freshening, you will have one of the finest expedition vehicles possibly built in the US – but it is going to cost you. The FZJ80 is the ultimate overland vehicle ever imported to the US, but is in the top-4 position due to age and difficulty finding clean examples.Pros:

1. One of the finest overland vehicles ever constructed

2. Quality construction, design and materials

3. World-class durability

Summary: Hard to find a clean one anymore, but worth the search.

DETAILS & TERMS:

• This LX450 is in my garage in Royersford, PA (30 miles outside Philadelphia, PA).Inspections are encouraged and welcomedPRIORto the close of the auction/sale. All sales are final after the auction though.
• It has a clear& cleanPA title in my name. The registration is current.
• $800 deposit due via Paypal at the close of the auction.
• Balance due via cash in person, cashiers check or bank wire transfer within 3 days (72 hours) of auction close.
• Buyer responsible for shipping, although I’m happy to assist.
• Please email me with any questions prior to bidding.