Hey Scotty! I'm looking at a 2008 Lexus GS350 with nearly 166k miles on it and it does have a few problems that can possibly be fixed from what I'm seeing. The car is getting sold at a tow yard in Phoenix, Arizona and it's being sold for $4500 on Facebook marketplace. The problems that I know of are for example is the the ABS seems to have a problem, the VSC, and of course the oil needs changed which doesn't really seem that difficult to take care of. One thing that I'm concerned is that I live all the way in Southern Nevada and the car is about four hours away from where I'm at and my one question is that will it be safe for me to drive it back to where I'm currently living at from Phoenix with a broken ABS system? And my main question is that will this car be worth buying if I would have the ability to fix as much problems as I can if I do get it? The car has been in the yard for a couple weeks right now so I hope that the car won't be screwed within that duration.
A lot of red flags for that car. Facebook is a sewer full of scammers, the thing already has known problems. Who knows how much hidden damage was done when it was towed, presumably under less than desirable circumstances since it's been sitting in the tow yard for weeks. (Those guys don't tend to be gentle when they pick up a vehicle under adverse conditions.) The ABS/VSC problem could be as simple as a hinky wheel sensor or as complex as a thoroughly screwed up electrical system.
In answer to your question, as long as the brakes otherwise work OK it's safe enough to drive without ABS especially if you won't be encountering slippery conditions. (Most of the cars I've owned, including some I own today, have never even been equipped ABS.) I'd be worried a lot more about what else is going to break down in an unknown 15-year-old car on a 4-hour drive home.
Sounds like a hard pass to me unless you can get a mechanic to get out there and verify its condition.
