Used Cars: 1996 vs 1998 ES300 Lexus, cv joints, mileage range

Question
QUESTION: Im looking into buying a used lex. my mileage range nothing over 130k. please give advice on what to do and which to get. both have clean title and dealers say they run fine. i like the 1998 cuz its newer, but the 1996 has lower mileage.

1998 es300
113k

or

1996
98k

ANSWER: If you narrow it down first to the one you like the most, and start from there it gets easier, get the car checked out please, please, please, let me know the price of the one you decide on, I will look up auction prices for you and then tell you what I would offer them, without knowing if anything is wrong with the car I can't accuarately give you a number only a range you should pay.  
I told you to get a mechanic to check it out because I could tell that you know nothing about cars, shouldn't cost you more than $100 dollars. Then we can talk about a stratagy for buying the car and making it work for you.  25% of the price of a lexus is because of the name alone, I personally buy miles over year everytime, are they both the same color, are they both equipped the same exact car just different years, if you are purely going for a status "thing" then the 98 is probably the car for you.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: ok, it not an action off car. its from a private dealer
car now that i'm looking into is a 1994 sc400 with 82k miles and cost $8499. i think this is best of all that i've checked out. i'm going to check it out today with my boyfriend who also owns a lex (91 ls400) he's more knowledgable than me.
what do you advice us to do when we visit this car. what should we look at? what questions do we need to ask the dealer??

Thanks

Answer
THE dealer probably paid between 3500 and 5500 for it, that is what the auction report shows, not that you are buying it from the auction. so 8499 sounds a bit steep.  Ask the dealer if they have the service records and any proof that the miles are actual, check the cv joints and the shifting of the transmission, lexus's are quiet cars if there is any knocking or ticking noises make the dealer check them out.  Make sure the transmission shifts smoothly and doesn't shift hard or jerk.  Sounds like a good choice for you.

One thing lexus's have problems with is that they have so much fancy electrical stuff, there is always something electrical going wrong with the options.

I wouldn't pay more than 5 or 6 for the car, however if you really like it try to get it for less than 7...