So Monday morning at around 11:00 A.M. I walk into the kitchen. My beautiful wife is making a snack for my kids. "Honey I just gambled $1000.00 of our money, keep your fingers crossed". As one would imagine this earned me a withering stare. Don't worry I explained it's not really gambling I know what I am doing. 
So I bought a car that does not run for $900 plus a $130 auction fee. I have bought countless running cars for a third of that price so you can understand my trepidation.
Before my bid I did some research and determined that worse case a motor will run me $700 plus installation so what's the worst that can happen right. Anyway the bidding starts at $300 and rapidly shoots up to $700. I thought I had it won at $700 but another bidder jumped in right before the auctioner dropped the hammer. What's another $200. I win for the princely sum of $900 plus fees.
I look the car over and figure it's either a popped timing belt or a bad starter. The battery was completely drained so no telling at the time of the sale...
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. $115 worth of new starter later and a charged battery = aristocrat class domination! 
300 JDM horsepower yo! 1999 GS400 with 150,000 miles.
The gauntlet has been thrown...
I am so so so so so so envious.
I "won" a 1968 eBay auction for $128 and brought this title-less Datsun Roadster that was a rust bucket and most all was shot as it sat in a Wisconsin field for 12+ years. When I towed it home my wife flipped and told me to drive it to the junkyard.
I parted it out on eBay close to $2000 (gross) and the wife couldn't believe what people paid for this old car. I told her to trust me - I know what I'm doing.
Datsun310Guy wrote: I told her to trust me - I know what I'm doing.
Boy those are some famous last words...
Too bad I don't have more time....I just found the perfect counter to that for the aristocrat class.
http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5173793022.html
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/i-need-help-with-a-salvage-auction-purchase-able-t/103085/page1/
Shaping up to be a JDM Yo version of a classic "Mustang Vs Camaro" type battle!
Sweet find, GS400s are becoming rarer by the day.
I am assuming you get to be godzilla 
pimpm3
Dork
8/20/15 10:37 p.m.
I ordered sway bars from ebay and a set of bilsteins. I also picked up a cheap set of 17's today from craigslist.
Well done sir, well done!
Niiiice! Toyota Aristo(crat) get it?
driver109x wrote:
Niiiice! Toyota Aristo(crat) get it?
I had no idea! How cool.
Wiki says:
The Lexus GS is a mid-size luxury car sold by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. It was sold as the Toyota Aristo in Japan from 1991 until the release of the third generation in 2005. Designed as a performance sedan competing in the mid-luxury class, the GS slots between the entry-level/compact executive IS and full-size/flagship LS, and shares its chassis with one of Toyota's longest-running platforms: the S-series which has been used under multiple generations of the Toyota Crown premium sedans.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_GS
So you elitist types, bring the Caviar, Champagne and a butler to serve it whilst crushing the 1/4
Wait...did you just "fast" forward through a 1UZ-FE starter replacement? 
Nice score!
Nice score! How many entrants does the Aristocrats have at this point?
I know there have been multiple discussions about challenge priced top-shelf eurotrash. A certain Jag XJR sedan comes to mind.....
Just in case anyone doesn't know The Aristocrats joke.
I don't think it would be appropriate to link an an actual performance of the joke,here, or anywhere else, for that matter.
That's a score. I was looking for a 98-00 GS400 as well when I bought my 98 LS400. That's a 7 large car.
HappyAndy wrote:
Nice score! How many entrants does the Aristocrats have at this point?
I know there have been multiple discussions about challenge priced top-shelf eurotrash. A certain Jag XJR sedan comes to mind.....
"The Aristocrats", that I am aware of, in the order which they entered the race:
'90 BMW 750iL (that means V12!)
'90 Infiniti Q45 (the reincarnation)
'95 Buick Roadmaster Wagon (seating for 8)
'99 Lexus GS 400
There are still a couple of non-commits hanging in the wings so there will be more!
We have 2 Japanese, 1 German and 1 American.
I hope we will get a Jaguar to represent The Monarchy. A Scandinavian would be nice. I think a Lincoln Mark 8 is an easy choice too.
driver109x wrote:
Niiiice! Toyota Aristo(crat) get it?
You definitely need to find a way to badge it as this for the challenge.
