V8_Fan

I'd pass. Just because it's CPO doesn't mean it's mint. I've seen CPO's that have been rear-ended, others that have been driven hard (curb rash on wheels, had to depress the gas pedal a lot to get it to accelerate, indicating PO had a heavy foot). The best used vehicles come from CA or AZ, although w/ the latter, rubber components wear much quicker than elsewhere due to the dry, hot weather. My '05 ultra was absolutely mint when I bought it...only 21K mi, and owned by retirees (lease trade). Best of all, it cost the same as two other '06's at the same dealer (one of them was only 3 months older than my 05) and was in far better condition.

Personally, I'd avoid any used car w/ repeated electronic issues.

thinkin

Well let's try and put 1 and 1 together here. There was damage to the left rear quarter panel necessitating repaint, AND the left rear control arm was replaced. The two taken together suggest an accident; I would check that whole area out very closely.

Not that I think the car suddenly becomes worthless just because it had a (hopefully) minor fender-bender back there. If the work was done well I wouldn't be terribly concerned, but it's definitely a negotiating point. Of course they could just blow you off and hope the next guy isn't so curious, but they will lose a sale that way. If you otherwise love the car just make sure it's truly right before you buy, and make your offer reflect how you feel about the condition it's in.

DDLexus

obvious question... did you pull a CarFax or AutoCheck report. My guess if that it shows an accident on the records.

TKPK430

The Carfax looked fine -- no accidents. The funny thing is that the service history the dealer faxed to me shows all service since new done at their dealership (5k, 10k, 15k, 20k, etc). But only that dealer's services from 20k mi. and after show on the Carfax. Weird.

I do agree with the point that it seems more than coincidental that the left rear lower control arm was replaced... in the same area where the panel repaint occurred.

Also like the point about avoiding cars with repeated electronic issues.

For anyone who's interested, here's the link to the listing on the dealer's website. And thanks again for all of your input on this! The search continues...

DDLexus

the link didn't come across...

warminwisc

I would call the previous owner get the body shops name and do some investigating. I have gotten names on all the used cars I have boughten and it has worked out.

TKPK430

Second try on the link.

http://www.lexusofnorthhills.com/Veh...d-PA/814530953

jimbosr1

if the paint work was a from a miner accident,check your vin tags to see if any boby panels have been replaced i would consider it if the price is within reason.where in maryland are you?i grow up in baltimore md and moved from belcamp to ga.ps, what ever you do ,do not buy from len stoler lexus.crooks and will sell anything even severly wrecked vehicles.

TKPK430

Jim, I'm in the Silver Spring, MD area (right near Wash. DC).

And if anyone wants a laugh, today the salesman from the Pittsburgh dealer with the CPO 05 ML called me. (He was off yesterday when I had a mechanic look at the car.) I laid out the issues with the mechanic found. In response to my mentioning that the rear power sunshade mechanism did not work right and was missing the sunshade fabric, he noted that the dealer's shop was backed up with several weeks of work. He then suggested that, since I would want to get the car soon, I could just take it to a Lexus dealer in my area to get the sunshade fixed under the CPO warranty. So it's been sitting on their showroom floor for months as an example of a CPO "cream puff" but they haven't taken (and won't take) the time to fix the sunshade.

Doesn't sound like any kind of pursuit of perfection (relentless, passionate, or otherwise)!

jimbosr1

i traveled to walter reed all the time years ago.lexus dealers are no different then any other dealers with the exception that a oil change is 75 dollars and you can enjoy a coke while you wait to get rapped.

tkbalt

Time to walk away - if this was a true "cream puff" and priced in the range of it's value - it would not still be sitting there 3 months after they took it in. Nice examples are out there - I'd keep looking.

thinkin

I agree. I also mistook your original post and thought it was a CL until I saw the pictures. For that money you could be looking at least at a CL which is a big step up interior-wise from the ML with the leather arm area, lower center console, etc. which look and feel substantially more upscale - just MHO.

Lust4Lexus

Couple of things-

1. I paid 26.5K almost a year ago to the day for my CPO ML 05 LS430 from my dealer. Not exactly mint, but pristine. A few minor issues here and there. So the price you are getting quoted is too high. You also need to be able to see a diamond in the rough.

2. Things like mirrors, seat motors etc, are all peripherals and should not be considered red flags if these things show up on a history report. As long as the drive train and major components are clean on the report, then I really would not worry about the car unless there is some glaring issue.

3. The Lexus service is second to none. That being said, may of us, myself included, will take full advantage of it, and have all little things that bother us, get taken care of. For example, I have had my passanger mirror, driver window run channel, right rear weather stripping, gas tank and fill pipe (long story- did not even need to be replaced after all as it was a pinched hose) and tires replaced with michelins due to a shimmy caused my the dunlops, ALL from the amazing guys in the service department. You guessed it- it made the service history into a novel. My point is the car is still 99% perfect and you would never know anything was ever "wrong" with it.Would'nt you rather get an honest car with all documentation from Lexus than get another car that may have been worked on by some unknown "mechanic"?

4. I personally would not get that car posted because of the obvious repaint of the drivers side rear door. The paint isn't even close. I know silver is difficult to blend- but I would not spend that kind of money to go out and look at my car in the parking lot with a glaring color mismatch. That alone would make me pass.

warminwisc

Funny about carfax. I looked at an 06 at a dealer know for buying wrecked cars at the auction. It had no accidents on carfax on autotrader. when I got there it was noted it had repaired frame damage. It was dark and I took it for a ride anyway and the tranny went into gear alot different than mine, kinda knotchy. Carfax is not foolproof and should be used as a starting point to a good workup.

Jabberwock

I have posted this a couple of times before but its worth noting about car fax and the other reports available on car history. My step daughter has a 2005 Honda Civic - she has averaged close to one minor accident every 6 months with her car. None of the accidents were major or involved the frame but the car has had virtually EVERY panel professionally repaired and repainted over the course of the last 5 years (except maybe the roof). There have been multiple insurance claims. We looked at the car fax on her car last August and it was totally clean - no accidents. The only thing a clean carfax proves is that the car has a clean carfax. It does not in any way indicate that the car has not been in accidents.