I have decided to purchase a used IS250 AWD. Been reading and researching for several months now. I am trying to weigh the adv/disadv of all the used vehicles I have researched. Seems like the off-lease car is the most plentiful. But I have also run across a loaner car or two from a Lexus dealer. Interesting that the dealer did not hang onto the car but sold it at a dealer auction. Seems like the CPO cars offered by local Lexus dealers are expensive and might as well by new vs a CPO car. So here is where I'm at: (all are non-nav cars). Preferred colors are SGM or GFM.

1. 2006 IS250 AWD 25Kmiles Off-Lease sold at Auction Smokey Granite $22,945 Carfax shows routine service every 6 months with rotors replaced at 20K. 40Miles away
2. 2007 IS250 AWD 31Kmiles, Off-Lease sold at Auction Black $25,998 Carfax shows no service records. Dealer has paint thickness device that shows no paint work. 8 Miles away - test drove yesterday
3. 2008 IS250 AWD 14Kmiles Loaner car, SGM, $27,900Carfax shows routine service performed Non Lexus dealer103 miles away.

Anyway, any advice. Is the routine service shown in Carfax important factor? Shy away from a loaner? I'm guessing that more 2007s will be coming off-lease in the coming months. So another option would be to wait and see.

 

I'd be hesitant to buy a loaner--they will be more likely to be driven harder. As to #3--why would a Lexus loaner get service from a non-Lexus dealer??

 

Stay away from the loaners. Too many different drivers driving short distances. Also used and abused by dealer employees.
Leased cars are generally well taken care of. Those who lease generally don't want to go back and get dinged for excess wear and tear.
Get the vin and ask the service dept. of a Lexus dealer to run it for service reports and warranty satus. The drivetrain warranty should still be in effect for approx. three yrs.
Definitely get a Carfax for any major damage reports or if it was ever reported stolen.

 

#3 option. This was a loaner car used at Pohanka Lexus. A used car dealer bought the car at a dealer auction and is now offering it for public sale.

 

I would go with the least amount of mileage.
The loaner doesn't bug me to much. these cars have lots and lots of on board systems that will stop you from blowing the car up. As long as the maintance is kept up and no one went off raoding with it, they seem to be pretty dependable.
Good luck.
SGM

 

This might help...

I recently saw a report on TV (here in Canada) that vehicles cleared by Carfax was only half the pictures, as Carfax relies on authorities/owners to report issues with the vehicle.

I dont have anything against Carfax, but the report highlighted some important simple steps to ensure that you are getting the full story about the vehicle.

I would suggest getting a report from some other provider to compare the vehicle history. I would have an independent bodyshop look at the vehicle closely for signs of re-painting re-finishing... I hope I have not put a wrinkle in your plans, just thought it may help.

Thanks,

 

Agreed, loaners should be avoided. At my last service visit, the Lexus loaner was a 2007 ES350 with 17K miles and I was surprised how beat up the car was.

 

When I took in my 08 for the 5000 mile service I was loaned a 09 250AWD. It had sticky popsicle substance on the back and sides of the drivers seat and on the rear seat. It had approx. 3700 miles on it. People don't treat their loaner like they would their own car. Actually some may treat the loaner like their own car and that may not be a good thing.

 

lol, I would stay out of their house too, unless wearing a full Haz-Mat suit.

 

I've only purchased one loaner car, and had bad luck. Would do so again only if mileage was really low, but would get it checked out first. Otherwise, off-lease is probably safer.