2009 GS350 that looks like a 2007
08-20-11, 07:33 AM
#46
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I don't disagree. What the OP could do is take all of this to a dealership (presumably not the one he purchased the car from), and get a written affidavit attesting to the fact that this is a 2007. In theory, a Lexus dealership should be able to point this out without all of the stuff supplied here, but we all know that very few could do as good a job as the experts on this forum ... we just wouldn't qualify as an expert witness. In all likelihood there was a mutual mistake made here, and the deal would simply be nullified.
I'm no lawyer either, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.
Honestly though, I'd be shocked if the Lexus dealership didn't recognize that they made a mistake and make the OP whole. Either by refunding him the price he paid (plus all of his expenses), refunding him the difference between an '07 and '09, or something else mutually agreeable. I think I'd take a refund and buy a new car ... too much going on with this one.
My bet is that someone tampered with the VIN plates and labels. It's the simplest conclusion, given everything the OP has posted so far. One other thing to check out would be to have a dealership read the VIN off of the ECU. This would really be tough to alter.
I'm no lawyer either, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.
Honestly though, I'd be shocked if the Lexus dealership didn't recognize that they made a mistake and make the OP whole. Either by refunding him the price he paid (plus all of his expenses), refunding him the difference between an '07 and '09, or something else mutually agreeable. I think I'd take a refund and buy a new car ... too much going on with this one.
My bet is that someone tampered with the VIN plates and labels. It's the simplest conclusion, given everything the OP has posted so far. One other thing to check out would be to have a dealership read the VIN off of the ECU. This would really be tough to alter.
08-20-11, 08:07 AM
#47
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Isn't there also a VIN on the engine somewhere? I find it very hard to believe that they would be able to find and change every instance of the VIN. There has to be one that they missed.
08-20-11, 08:11 AM
#48
This suck looks like you're driving a "can" or a "box"...
Basically you get the serial numbers off a smashed one and swap it with a stolen perfectly good one. Only stupid thing is they didn't realize the cars were different. Very bog business and they say I significant amount of cars out there are like this...
Bot WOW you bought it from a dealer like this and they didn't know.
I would demand my money back, if at any point the old owner finds the car and can recognize it and prove it's theirs you run the risk of loosing the car.
Basically you get the serial numbers off a smashed one and swap it with a stolen perfectly good one. Only stupid thing is they didn't realize the cars were different. Very bog business and they say I significant amount of cars out there are like this...
Bot WOW you bought it from a dealer like this and they didn't know.
I would demand my money back, if at any point the old owner finds the car and can recognize it and prove it's theirs you run the risk of loosing the car.
08-20-11, 09:57 AM
#49
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swapping out all the VIN number stickers/plates isn't too hard but the one on the firewall is etched on so it has to be cut and re-welded. Look around that area for any suspicious work.
Like jtrue28 said I think there are vin numbers on both the engine and transmission. Well, at least the transmission on my scion tc had a vin plate riveted onto it.
Like jtrue28 said I think there are vin numbers on both the engine and transmission. Well, at least the transmission on my scion tc had a vin plate riveted onto it.
08-20-11, 11:10 AM
#50
You're a fraud victim.
Clearly someone has taken a 2007 car and then put 2009 VIN plates on it. Most likely the original car is a salvaged title or something like that and so to make money on it the seller or one of the previous sellers replace the VIN plates with 2009 ones.
The big mystery is how did the fraudster get clean carfax 2009 VIN plates?
Clearly someone has taken a 2007 car and then put 2009 VIN plates on it. Most likely the original car is a salvaged title or something like that and so to make money on it the seller or one of the previous sellers replace the VIN plates with 2009 ones.
The big mystery is how did the fraudster get clean carfax 2009 VIN plates?
08-20-11, 02:31 PM
#54
08-20-11, 04:23 PM
#56
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Oh wow. I was somehow under the impression that this happened at a Lexus dealer. Therefore getting it resolved would be easy, now third party dealer, this just became worse. Lawyer up man.
08-20-11, 06:02 PM
#57
When he gets to his appt with the dealer he should run the VIN through the part # system as see what it says for exterior and interior color. Doubt if they switched everything it was done on a exact same color car Int/ext. Also it will show options and could see what it should have.
