internalau

Update: I'm buying the car!


My sister/brother-in-law backed out of a car deal with a colleague who is selling her 2012 CT200h with around 200,000 km and Lexus dealership maintained.

My friend is selling the car for $6k CAD (Canadian) and so it's a car I'm contemplating replacing my 02 Honda Civic 5 MT because we have a 16 RAV4H and have been happy with the fuel economy and lack of issues.

Someone on another forum nicely pointed out the EGR valve / pipe / intake manifold issues that I should be aware of and when I read a little bit more about it, realized symptoms could be:

• significant rattling/vibration during cold start ups,
• coolant level going down because they could leak through the gasket,
• rough idling
• excessive motor oil consumption

Am I missing any other symptoms and is the risk a blown head gasket or are there more problems that could happen like bent pistons? What are the chances of these happening if none of the above plagued the car? I'm not a techie (can't wrap all technical aspects around my head) but so far that's what I read.

When I asked my friend about these telltale signs, she said she isn't aware of the vibration during cold start ups and her car doesn't have excessive motor oil consumption or coolant depletion. We are in Toronto so winter is typically cold but hasn't been this year. The car no longer has any warranty, even with respect to emissions control.

I'm thinking of paying her the asking amount of $6k but with a caveat that she give me back $1k in case I notice these problems within a year of ownership. I think the parts costs $500 USD (so around $650 CAD) already and I'm not sure how handy I am besides doing my own oil changes, fluid changes, and tire swaps so labor will be a few hundred dollars. Also it seems this EGR/manifold cleaning will be an every 100,000 km affair but we have other cars in the household anyway.

Is this issue really prevalent for 2011-2013 CT200h? Or is it magnified online?

The car was serviced late last year and the following were performed:

• oil change, 55 multi point inspection, replaced both headlight bulbs, replaced wiper blades, replaced ATF
• throttle body and injector service (not sure if that helps with the issue)

Brakes are 9MM in front and 4mm in rear and my friend will throw in a one y.o. winter tire set so I think it's a very good deal.

Any advice/suggestions will be appreciated? I don't mind topping up a full tank with injection cleaner if that will help.

LexusfanVA

iTrader: (1)

You seem a little demanding of a friend for a 8 year old car with 200k km's asking a low price.

internalau

She was asking $6k.

I'm taking it. I don't lowball but she agreed if there were any issues around EGR/manifold/gasket/engine, she will refund me a max $500 (50% of the repair bill). But she really says she hasn't experienced any of those vibrations/shudders on cold starts plastered all over the internet.

I will have to buy a set of rims for the winter tires, she only has one set.

E46CT

Aside from the EGR stuff, this is a simple car to maintain. Don't be too wowed by "xx-point inspection" dealer this dealer that.

All this car needs, ever, is 4 quarts of oil every 10k, oil filter, air filter, transaxle fluid svc every 100k (i do it at 40k just cause it's so cheap and easy), plugs and coolant every 130k (pretty much never). toyota built them that good.

So for all intents and purpose, all prius/ct200h needs is oil changes. Outside of visual inspections (which anyone can do using their own eyeballs) there's nothing really to "inspect"

so don't let an "inspection" necessarily drive up the value of one of these cars.

instead do your own checks to see how the car was treated, talk to the owner (if possible) do a bit of human intelligence gathering which can pay dividends compared to a sheet that says "inspected". Look at tires, interior. Will give major clues as to how the car is treated.

unless you're talking a ferrari or AMG, then yes you'd want to emphasize inspections on those.

internalau

^ Will keep those in mind. I'm surprised this car needs more babying than our 11 Accord coupe. No wonder the Toyota Dealership was upselling me some carbon build up treatment for $250 CAD. I didn't know carbon build up wasn't a thing of the past for fuel injected engines of the early 2010's (before GDI engines with lack of port injectors) but I guess these Atkinson cycle engines and EGR stuff could be more prone to that.

Just found out she opted for the F-Sport package. I think we hit the jackpot. She didn't even know hers is suppose to be equipped with the rearview back up camera.
http://media.lexus.ca/releases/live-life-in-the-moment


I couldn't find the 2012 brochure but here's the one for 2013.
https://cdn.dealereprocess.net/cdn/brochures/lexus/ca/2013-ct.pdf

Premium Package
Includes Touring Package plus:
Lexus 10-speaker Premium Surround Sound System with
Automatic Sound Levelizer (ASL) and in-dash, single disc
CD/DVD player6
Leather seat surfaces
Electrochromic (auto-dimming) outside mirrors
Electrochromic (auto-dimming) inside rearview mirror with integrated
backup camera2 and digital compass
Reverse auto-tilting outside mirrors
Lexus Memory System to control power driver’s seat (except lumbar)
and outside mirrors
Integrated garage door opener
Rain-sensing intermittent windshield wipers with mist cycle

F Sport Package
Includes Premium Package plus:
F SPORT 17-inch 10-spoke aluminum alloy wheels with F SPORT centre
wheel ornament, P215/45R17 all-season tires
Premium black leather with white perforations seat surfaces
F SPORT scuff plates
F SPORT-tuned suspension with front and rear lateral performance
dampers
Aluminum sport pedals with rubber inserts
3-Spoke F SPORT steering wheel
F SPORT upper and lower grille inserts and rear spoiler
Striated graphite metallic dash panel trim