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Odd Dealer Warning About Vehicle Not Having A Limited Warranty
After picking up my GSF this summer, I just took it to the dealership for the first time to get an oil change and see how well/terribly I did in terms of picking up a clean, low mileage example with more features than I knew I wanted (hooray for Canadian spec GSFs!). Obviously I was a bit nervous, having bought my vehicle sight unseen and then importing it into the US, but my first few months of ownership have been a dream. Everything works, interior is spotless, exterior is mostly great, and the engine just sings.
I check into the dealership and I immediately realize something is odd because the person checking me in is spending an excessive amount of time after entering the VIN. I just chalk this up to being a recently imported vehicle and it being my first time at the dealership, but then things got a little weird. The service rep brings me into their office area and asks me if I know I have a salvage title car. I informed him that I was not aware and did due diligence to make sure everything was squared away before purchasing the vehicle. I then cite examples to include the Canadian title being clean, through Carfax, contact with Lexus of Canada, and actually having the prior title in-hand. Further, the Carfax report was totally squared away with regular ownership records, registration, mileage, etc. I was able to import, register, and insure the car without issue in the US too. Lastly, it's a Canadian spec Molten Pearl GSF and there are...one or two of them. For better or worse, they are easy to track online and find prior owners.
After explaining all of this, he shows me his computer and the warning is not that the vehicle is a salvage, but a system warning that the vehicle is not covered by the regular Lexus warranty and the possible reasons are salvage title, odometer discrepancy, etc. I explain that I was told, both by the dealer and Lexus of Canada, that the warranty would not carry over after importation and knew that I couldn't take advantage of TSBs, like the squeaky brakes issue or A/C servo motor issue. I knew this going into it and am fine with that.
I take it at face value and send it in for an oil change, fearing what might show up. I get the text to say service is done and there are additional recommended services, so I open it with great hesitation...to find a recommendation for alignment and THAT'S IT. I pay for the service and they comment how clean and sorted the car is, and I get thumbs up from multiple folks in the service department.
This whole experience was a bit weird and regardless of the truth, the car is imported, mine, insured, has a clean US title, and I plan to hold onto it for a LONG time. I would love feedback from you all on if importing the car, changing the title from KM to miles, or another administrative thing might have caused this warning to pop up. Alternatively, I believe it has to be pretty unlikely for the car to be a salvage and miss detection by Lexus of Canada, Carfax, the DMV, and insurance, and drive flawlessly and show no issues when taken into a dealer.
Lastly, in terms of damage/weirdness, the only issue I have found with the car is coloring on the side rear bumper. There is no evidence of structural damage, but it appears the area was scratched at some point and paint correction was done, but the blending wasn't prefect. The entire back of the bumper matches spot on, suggesting no damage there, but as it gets closer to the wheel well, the color is slightly off. I have seen other posts about the difficulty of paint repair on molten pearl and will live with it for now. Some pictures are included and, if any of you have experience, do you know how much it would cost to fix this properly and would it be a futile effort to hope for an exact match?
Congratulations, definitely the GS-F to get besides the 10th anniversary edition.
Now there are 4 Canadian spec GS-F in the US.
2 in Florida - blue and black.
1 in NYC - sliver, I got to see I'm person.
And your orange beast, not sure where it is lol.
As for your speedometer, you can switch the digital one in the middle of the instrument cluster to MPH.
My friend here in Bahrain imported his 2016 from neighboring Oman back in 2019.
The local Oman extended 2-Year warranty wasn't carried forward on import. So he got the car with expired warranty.
I also noticed his interior is forged carbon design, he has diamond cut BBS wheels and as a secondary horn where the air intake is.
I could swear his car is a Canadian one but I can't confirm without a VIN check.
Congratulations, definitely the GS-F to get besides the 10th anniversary edition.
Now there are 4 Canadian spec GS-F in the US.
2 in Florida - blue and black.
1 in NYC - sliver, I got to see I'm person.
And your orange beast, not sure where it is lol.
As for your speedometer, you can switch the digital one in the middle of the instrument cluster to MPH.
Thanks! I still laugh every single day I go out to my car, realizing I have a bright orange Lexus with a V8. I was able to easily change the digital gauges and HUD to MPH, so the only things in other units are the smaller analog speedometer in the car and the HVAC controls (I believe it's set to C at the firmware level, so not something that will change. It's also fun having things in C to confuse passengers).
My car is currently in the DFW area in Texas, but I will be moving back to the Northeast later this year and it will obviously come with me.
My friend here in Bahrain imported his 2016 from neighboring Oman back in 2019.
The local Oman extended 2-Year warranty wasn't carried forward on import. So he got the car with expired warranty.
I also noticed his interior is forged carbon design, he has diamond cut BBS wheels and as a secondary horn where the air intake is.
I could swear his car is a Canadian one but I can't confirm without a VIN check.
I'm not sure if this is the case for other markets, but the Canadian cars all have the cold weather package, which has heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. I have to imagine cars sold in the Gulf countries don't need a cold weather package, but you never know. All of the Canadian cars also have a maple leaf emissions/safety sticker under the hood somewhere, as I learned during the import process.
Thanks! I still laugh every single day I go out to my car, realizing I have a bright orange Lexus with a V8. I was able to easily change the digital gauges and HUD to MPH, so the only things in other units are the smaller analog speedometer in the car and the HVAC controls (I believe it's set to C at the firmware level, so not something that will change. It's also fun having things in C to confuse passengers).
My car is currently in the DFW area in Texas, but I will be moving back to the Northeast later this year and it will obviously come with me.
I looked all through the documentation on TIS and there is no option to change the units on the HVAC system. Lots of other things, but not that.
I'm not sure if this is the case for other markets, but the Canadian cars all have the cold weather package, which has heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. I have to imagine cars sold in the Gulf countries don't need a cold weather package, but you never know. All of the Canadian cars also have a maple leaf emissions/safety sticker under the hood somewhere, as I learned during the import process.
Correct, my Gulf Spec car does not have heated seats and steering wheel.
It also does not have the Snow button. Only TVD.
ah.. I bought mine at Grapevine Toyota and drove it back down here. The funny thing is that it was first sold in San Antonio & the guy took it up to DFW.
Then I bought it up there and brought it back down here.
11-10-22, 06:19 PM
Odd Dealer Warning About Vehicle Not Having A Limited Warranty
