1997 Lexus LX

SUV

Straight 4.5 litter six cylinder

Automatic

JT6HJ88JXV0180551

Clear

Gasoline

I am the third owner of this beautiful Lexus LX450 (Toyota Land Cruiser with added options and soundproofing) that has lived nearly all its life in the PHOENIX area. I have owned Hugo (name given it by my late wife) in northern Iowa for three years. It has been garaged most of that time. There is NO rust on the body (see pictures) and only a trace of surface rust on the undercarriage. The features that distinguish this Lexus from a Land Cruiser of the same year include one-inch wider wheels; softer suspension; sunroof; killer audio system with six-CD changer (mounted below the center console), high-end cassette player, remote amplifiers, and seven speakers, including a small woofer mounted in the front of the center console. The Lexus also has more soundproofing than a Land Cruiser, and higher-quality wood trim and leather seats. The vehicle has been extremely well cared for by me. All routine maintenance has been performed by a certified Toyota mechanic at the local Toyota dealership, and many thousands of dollars have been spent on replacement parts to make it as like-new as possible. Hugo has the standard features you would expect in a premium Toyota/Lexus: Power steering, power brakes, power windows, power locks, power seats, air conditioning, leather seats, nice audio system, sliding 3rd-seat windows, running boards, roof rack, alloy wheels, and a towing hitch. This 1997 is the last of the FJ80 Toyota Land Cruiser series. It is the last one with a straight six-cylinder engine, and the the last one with a fold-down tailgate. I purchased the vehicle on eBay in February, 2015. It arrived in March, 2015 with 136,000 miles on it. As it is a desert southwest vehicle, there is NO RUST on the body, but the clear coat on the hood and part of the roof is breaking down (see photos). I tell my friends Hugo is "sunburned". There is a very small dent in the rear bumper on the passenger side, some nicks in the paint on the corner of the bumper on that side, and the passenger side rear-wheel trim has been scraped and touched up (see photo). Half of the tailgate was repainted sometime in the past (see closeup photo). Otherwise, aside from a very few parking lot dings and tiny scratches around the door handles, the body is in excellent condition! It is missing one wheel center cap (available on eBay). Mechanically, Hugo is also in great condition! Before I purchased Hugo he received a new exhaust manifold gasket. I have had the following major parts replaced: Power brake booster and master brake cylinder; 10-year old tires with four new Michelin LTX M/S tires; passenger-side outside mirror; radiator and hoses with OEM parts; 12-volt 72-month Toyota battery (January, 2018); both front seat belts (gray; tan is no longer available); both front visors (again, light gray; tan is no longer available); spark plugs, wires, and distributor cap; 6-CD changer (used from eBay); power steering pump (new, not rebuilt); hood stays; lift-gate stays; front shocks and cushions; front passenger door lock assembly ($$$); and front wheel bearing on passenger side; and transmission, transfer case, and differential fluids changed. In addition, all regular maintenance has been performed while I have owned it (oil changes, tire rotations, alignments). What does Hugo need? He will need a catalytic convertor in the near future. It has tripped the check engine light a couple of times, but I have been reluctant to spend the money on it as it doesn't affect Hugo's performance. The power antenna only comes up four inches (I had it replaced in 2015; sigh). The rear-window washer needs the pump unit under the hood and rewiring to make it work (rear wiper works fine!). Power passenger seat may go forward, but is unlikely to return consistently. I have had this seat repaired twice, so I just leave it all the way back and tell passengers to not touch it :). I couldn't include all the pictures that I wanted, so here is a little additional information. The headliner is in great shape! A few marks (very few) and no tears. All the seats, including the third row seats, are in like-new condition, except for the driver's seat. The tear in that seat is about four inches long, and there is a close-up picture of it. The speaker grills in all four doors are dented. I have not used the sunroof, so, I cannot honestly say that the sunroof works or doesn't. The CD changer works exactly as it should! There are extra CD cartridges in the lower, larger-capacity portion of the two-tier center console. The carpet near the third row of seats has been broken down by a liquid (bleach?). The picture without the cargo liner shows this. Those broken down spots are now covered by a thin rubber mat, which is topped by the water-proof cargo liner. Gas mileage is 10-11 mpg around town in the winter, and up to 17 on the highway at 60 mph. At 70-75 it drops slightly to 16.5 mpg. All that weight and power come at a cost. Recently the oil has been changed and the tires rotated, so Hugo is ready to roll. Hugo comes with the third-row seats sealed in plastic bags with mounting hardware (I prefer having the storage area and no obstructions of my view from the rear seats being folded up), the seat belts with mounting hardware for the third row seats, and the original set of floor mats. The original owners manual and supplements are included, as are the receipts for Toyota service that has been performed since March, 2015. Three keys are also included with the vehicle (no fab). A nearly full tank of gas is also included. Please see all the pictures and ask any questions! THE FINE PRINT-PLEASE READ: This auction will run until it closes. If you wish to purchase this vehicle and have the financial resources to purchase it, please bid. I will NOT accept any offers, no matter how good they may sound. I will not sell this vehicle outside of eBay; it is not for sale locally. If the winning bidder does not deposit the full deposit amount through PayPal within 24 hours (non-refundable), or makes the deposit but does not complete the transaction within seven days, then I have the right to cancel that incomplete transaction and either re-list the vehicle or offer it to another bidder. SHIPPING THE VEHICLE: I will only sell and ship the vehicle within the lower 48 conterminous states. If you live in Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico, or internationally, please do not bid! Very sorry, but I don't want the delay nor the hassles of transporting the vehicle out of the lower 48. PICKING UP THE VEHICLE: If you are the successful bidder and wish to drive Hugo home, please make arrangements to fly into Waterloo, Iowa airport (ALO). I can meet you at the airport, and you can drive home from there! As an added bonus, if you pick up the vehicle I will throw in a few extra miscellaneous parts in my basement.