MMM

I just bought a 99 silver GS400, 16" silver wheels, black leather, HIDs, Certified Pre-Owned with 51k miles yesterday for $30k.

Before I left the dealer lot, I tested the windows and found that the rear left window wouldn't open. They said they would look at it and gave me a loaner car. The wierd thing is, while I was waiting, they demo'ed another car to me (instead of my car) before I took delivery of my car.

Now, the car is certified pre owned and it sounds like the module went out - which is covered by warranty. They've ordered a part which should come in on Monday. I don't know if I want the car anymore since right out the gate, I found a problem. I'm wondering if there might be something else wrong with the car.

Would you keep the car or return it?

Thanks for the advice.

MMM

JYOO

Chilllll, sounds like you got a good deal on a nice ride.
Its just the rear window, and theyre fixing it for free, whats the problem? Maybe if the tranny went out or the engine started knocking I would have a prob , but its just a window.

TRDGS3

This is a hard one to answer...but the way I feel about buying a used car is....you are buying someone elses problem....you have to ask yourself why did they get rid of the car....but hey stuff does break nothing is perfect....and it is certified....they covered the cost to fix if....sounds to me like it was just the right time and place....wow....i totaly contirdicted my self....but i would buy it....as long as nothing else is wrong with it

-KRis

MMM

Thanks for the advice.

I did do a CARFAX on the car before I even e-mailed their internet sales dept. The carfax came back clean - it was a leased/commercial vehicle in the SoCal area (local to me).

I just feel bad about two things:

1. They demo'ed another GS to me before I took delivery of my car. Makes me feel like they knew about the prob in the first place.

2. I bought the car yesterday and I couldn't drive it off the lot! (Though I did drive home the loaner ES300 instead - good or bad, I don't know.)

Anyone else have opinions?

Thanks

MMM

Vlad_Stein

Even new cars have problems..., sometimes right off the lot.

The important thing to consider is:
1) Are these major problems?

2) How does the Company / Dealership takes care of you.

Granted, with a used car, you don't know how it has been used and you will probably have slightly higher maintenance costs (because of higher mileage). But you are getting 100K bumper-to-bumper warranty with a certified car, I believe.

Basically, it comes down to YOUR own comfort level (with the dealership) and tolerance of break downs.

Confront your dealer about the different demo and see what they say. You can probably get a good feel of whether they are being sincere or they are lying to you.

There are other dealers out there that you may like better.

newyorker

Please check the car with any accident record....
or it is best to check that vin# sticker on every door and trunk hood as well as engine hood....
it is not dulpicatable so if the car has all the stickers than...
it has never been in a big accident....As I know...this is how professionals usally check at the first time...

check the stickers...vin number....they have to match and..

if you can not find it? then that parts has been replaced...

in that case If I am you? I will return it ....I don't care about warranty....I just don't want to buy used car with accident..
because you never know how big was it....

R.U. IN AW?

Hey MMM,

Congrats first of all, but if it was me I would go with my gut instincts. If in doubt, don't do it. I agree with you on this one, why show me another vehicle, means they know that there are problems with the one I really want. It's like something is telling don't do it, you know the inner you. Hope everything works out.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

You have that option? If you do and you don't feel comfortable, return it. Never good to start off with a bad feeling even if there isn't a real problem.

Well... I know a LOT of GS's on ClubLexus were bought used so I'm obviously in the minority opinion, but I've heard so many stories about and actually talked to people who have leased cars and NEVER changed the oil! I actually met someone who BOUGHT cars though and never changed the oil either, and traded 'em in before the warranty ran out! :eek:

THAT's why I don't buy used, even if it's CPO (which just means they did a check list of checks and changed the fluids and fixed any obvious defects. Sure I pay more, but I don't have doubts about the car.

MMM

Newyorker:
Good advice. I'll have to do that when I look at the car again on Monday evening. It'll be dark, so I'll have to bring a flash light. Can anyone clue me in on the VIN number locations, specifically, that I should be looking at?

Bitakahuna:
I asked the dealer whether or not I was obligated to purchase the vehicle at this point. They gave me the opportunity to cancel if I didn't feel comfortable with my purchase.

I'm leaning towards keeping the vehicle. Do you guys think I got a good deal on the car? Or, do you think I can do better? Looking at the http://www.lexuscpo.com, it looks like it's gonna be difficult to find a better deal - but I could be wrong.

Another option was to go through an auction broker, however I (think) I feel better knowing it's a CPO.

Thanks to all who responded with advice!

MMM

newyorker

First...

Engine area....

Open the hood....

There is vin number on engine area...easy to see...
or ask them... that number should match with the vin number
in the driver side windshild...

If you look at from outside,,, driver side....right lower...
you see a vin number....that is original number...

1...Engine vin. Engine hood vin.(located right middle of hood.)
depends on model year...

2. open all doors... for example driver door,,, you follow the side line of door ...at the bottom where the bottom of door and body meets when it closed... you will see the number..sticker...
check the number with one in the windshield.

3. Trunk....this is also depend on year...but open the trunk..
see if you can find...then it can be located inside of that
trim...you may want to ask them to see the vin number on
trunk....


on more tip....
see if the gap between doors and body are constant..

and see the paint carefully....must be all same....
must see in daytime...or inside of garage where there is white light....Any very clean area is suspected because that area maybe painted...see....the difference....

further more...you can also check frame damage put it up and inspect underneath...see if any parts looks like aftermarket...
most lexus parts should have part number or logo on it....

engine...transmission....see when you test drive....check transmission shock when it change gear....important....
should not have any shock when it change gear.....since yours has miles on it....
other than that...it will be fine....

cyclemax

MMM:

I assume that since it is a CPO, that you are buying it from a Lexus Dealer? If so, I don't think they will sell a car that has any body panels replaced under the CPO program or for that matter, try to stick you with a problematic car. If it was certified a while ago, and has been in different hands since then (private dealer) it could be a whole different story. Best bet is ask them the criteria for a CPO and see if it includes anything about body damage. I think any problem cars get auctioned to those "bargain" dealers.

As others have mentioned, there should be small decals with the vehicle identification number on each door, quater panel, fender, hood and trunk lid. If they aren't there, the panels have probably been replaced.

It concerns me that they wouldn't encourage you to test drive the car you're about to drop $30K on, but it could be nothing at all. If the program (CPO) is as strict as they say, (like buying new) then each car should be the same. When I bought my Maxima, I never drove it. I just drove another one with the same equipment, and since it was new, I just chose my color and took it. They may be that confident in their CPO program, but I would still drive it, especially with vibration and brake probs these cars can sometimes have.

In closing I'd just like to say that if after you research everything (in the time you have) you are still uncomfortable with it, walk away. A better deal ALWAYS comes along,

Likecars

Wow, what dealer worked that deal? I watched the dealers for a while and the closest one that got to $30K had 80K on it.

What are the stats. on the other car they demo'd?

Tough call.

MMM

NewYorker:
Thanks for the specific locations to check out. Again, I'll have to bring a flashlight on Monday evening to check it out.

Cyclemax:
I did inspect the body exterior and test drove the vehicle first. Then, we went in to do the numbers and I offered $30k. They said that was impossible, so I left. As I was getting in my car to leave the parking lot, the dealer came out to me and said that they could do the $30k+tax+fees, which we agreed to. We did all the paperwork and waited for the car (which took maybe 2-3 hours). In that time, to "speed things up," they demo'ed another GS for me while waiting. I thought, OK, since I'm waiting, why not. Later when my car was ready for delivery, I checked things out myself and found the window problem. I'll have to further investigate the terms of the CPO program. I wonder if there is any type of "lemon law" policy that applies to used vehicles? I don't want to keep going back to the dealer to fix small, petty things every now and then, even though it is a CPO. That'd be a waste of my time and not worth the deal I got.

Likecars:
A so called Lexus "elite" dealer in Orange County on Beach Blvd off the 22 fwy. Did I really get a good deal? I paid roughly $32.5k out the door.

Attached is an image of the vehicle from the website ad.

Again, thanks to all for the advice! I'm looking forward to seeing the car soon. Hopefully, the vehicle and the Lexus CPO program meets my expectations! Hey, us Lexus customers all tend to be picky, right?

MMM

mdw131

My dad is one of those guys. I remember when I was kid we leased an explorer for 3 years. Looking back on it he never once had it serviced in 36000 miles. No oil or fluid changes. THATS BAD!!

On the first GS, for the first 10,000 miles not once did he change the oil. I finally took the keys and went to the dealer. They said the oil was "baked" in the engine and they would need to pressure wash it out. I highly doubt it was that bad but I let them do it....

It isnt that he doesnt take care of his cars. Cars that we have owned he gets checked out but his opinion is if the dealer doesnt care enough to give him free service then why should he. Futhermore why should he have spends 1000's to maintain a car he wont possess in the future. I dont agree with him buts thats what he does.

My mother is the opposite. She washes her LS every week, takes it to get synthetic oil every 3000 miles, keeps it spotless inside, gets everything changed on schedule.

SW03ES

I'm looking at CPO LS400s so I know what you're going through. I too have never bought a "used" car and I feel more comfortable with it being CPO. I narrowed it down to two, non CPO'ed 99s burgundy with tan interior for great prices with low low miles. Carfax showed that one had been in an accident, and the other had at least three owners in different states and was a commercial vehicle at one time.

I wouldn't be concerned about the window motor, those things happen, he may have had a kid that liked playing with the window switch, who knows. The only thing about your carfax report that would make me a little leary is that it was a commercial vehicle. This means that it was purchased by a company for someone to drive. That also means whoever drove the car may not have cared for it properly because it was basically a freebie. My father's LS400 is owned by his company for him to drive, and he is rough on it, forgets about service appointments etc just because it isn't his car.

You should ask the salesman some info about this previous driver, and even try looking it up at the DMV. Its also possible that it was simply put in the name of a personal business for tax reasons, this shouldn't be a problem.

My advice would be, be concerned if it were not CPO'ed. Running carfaxes and looking at cars I have seen a big difference in normal dealer cars and CPO Lexus cars. The CPO cars are much nicer, though they are more expensive. The carfaxes I've looked at for the normal cars often are not one owner, but two, or three! They've often been moved around from lot to lot. I found one that had been for sale for over a year in various states, it just keeps getting passed. All the carfaxes I've seen for the CPO cars are simple, local, one owner or lessor.

Myself, I'm hot on the trail of a black CPO LS, if the deal works out, I'll take it.