6 Iron

First, allow me to thank the many contributors on this forum for my education obtained lurking here. I am planning to purchase a 430, but with them now all being 10+ years old, the idea of being able to purchase an extended warranty through Carmax appeals to me. I wanted to see if any of you have considered or gone this route, and the pros and cons of doing so. Additional cost is obvious, and of course the absence of coverage of wear items. Looking on their website, it appears that timing belts are covered.

also, any specific issues with Carmax? I live in the North, and was considering having a vehicle in the South inspected, and then driven up cheaper than I could go and get it. Thank you for your feedback.

Johnhav430

I found Carmax to be super expensive....I did see some '05 and '06 430's at Lexus dealerships and not all were expensive, but those that were not were beat up (I would have thought they'd be wholesaled). At least with a dealer they would be willing to perform the timing belt and water pump. My advice is to look until you see something you really like.....good luck

6 Iron

I just called Carmax to learn a little more about the process and warranty. The timing belt is only covered if it fails; not as a part of routine maintenance.

I agree that they have premium pricing, but if you do not do your own repairs, the warranty seems like a potentially valuable thing.

Tom57

The more time, patience and money you spend finding and buying a well-maintained LS, the less valuable (more of a waste of money) a warranty will be. Sure, a warranty takes out some risk in the purchase, but read the fine print carefully. On a pre-owned vehicle, a warranty covers mostly catastrophic things that aren't very likely to occur on a LS. Then proving that the warranty should cover a "covered problem" is often a battle as well.

tallcaguy

I only buy 430's that have a complete service history. You know what's been done. It's been taken care so that lowers the chance of potential repairs. Can see if the car's had specific problems. Depending on mileage and condition of the car, can budget for the standard problems (lower control arm bushings, Mark Levinson amp, maybe air shocks, etc). I like the base model. Sure, not many bells and whistles but fewer possible problems.

Daspyda

iTrader: (1)

If you're considering a warranty, check out your local Credit Union. Most medium to large CU's have those products at reasonable pricing.

And, 6 Iron is correct - warranties only cover what fails due to manufacturer's defect, and not normal service items.

texan_176

iTrader: (5)

I tend to agree with the people who say research the history of the car and buy the best one your budget allows. The UL models have suspension problems and stuff like the power adjust steering column breaks on these cars. The vital things tend not to break since it is a Toyota made in Japan.

With a warranty they are not stupid; they structure it to make money. They nickel and dime many guys so they can pay a few and still profit. With a German car you need a warranty because they break like candy and cost big bucks to repair.

I personally decline even the $9.99 discount tire warranty when buying tires. If they get pushy I just tell them I might get in a crash going home and die then what good is the warranty. Life is a risk.

6 Iron

I typically find product warranties to be useless. After all, the people offering the warranty are in the business to make money, That said, the warranty for the specific car that I am looking at runs from 2100 to 2800 depending on the selected deductible for 5 years or 100k additional miles. What attracted me to the 430, besides comfort and appearance, was reliability. But 10 years old is not insignificant. I figure that if all I get was an ML amp, or a rear view mirror mechanism, that, plus piece of mind may be worth it.

6 Iron

In addition, finding a car with a well documented maintenance history has proven to be a not insignificant challenge for me.

BradTank

The "exceptions" for things like wear and tear is where I see an extended warranty not being worth it. So if say your air suspension goes out, that's on you.

I just remember a relative I know had a Ford factory extended warranty he bought new and even there they weasled out of something you would think was covered The aftermarket ones are even worse for this kind of stuff and will negotiate down on repair costs, many shops won't work with them.

I'm honestly surprised there's a major warranty company willing to offer a warranty for a car with this sort of age and miles. So you're saying you could have a 12 year old Ls430 with 100k miles, and they will warranty it until 2021 with 200,000 miles for $2,100?

To me that seems to good to be true unless there's a whole lot of exceptions.

6 Iron

Brad, these are the exclusions for the Carmax extended warranty:

• The maintenance services and parts described under maintenance requirements as shown in the manufacturer's maintenance schedule for your vehicle. If you do not receive an owner's manual at the time of purchase, it is your responsibility to obtain a manual and follow its guidelines. See your selling location to learn how to obtain an owner's manual for your vehicle.
• Other normal Maintenance services and Parts including engine tune-up (includes spark plugs, glow plugs, ignition wires, distributor cap and rotor), batteries, filters, lubricants or fluids, air conditioning refrigerant, engine coolant, all hoses and belts (except for the following: engine timing belt and oil cooler hoses, transmission cooler hoses, power steering pressure and return hoses, air conditioning high/low pressure hoses), wiper blades, brake pads and shoes, brake rotors and drums, suspension alignment, tires, wheel covers, wheel rims, wheels, wheel balancing, shock absorbers, exhaust system, catalytic converter, friction clutch disc and pressure plate, and clutch throw out bearing.
• Glass, glass framework, fastening adhesives, sealed beam head lamps, light bulbs, lenses, trim, moldings, bright metal, upholstery, vinyl and convertible tops, paint, sheet metal, bumpers, alignment of body parts, flexible body parts, door panels, body panels, structural framework, structural welds, chassis frame and removable hardtop assemblies.
• Repairs made solely to meet or maintain any governmental emission standards.
• Aftermarket accessories or equipment installed after vehicle purchase date. These include but are not limited to: anti-theft systems, radar detectors, CB radios, audio/visual equipment, cruise control, sun roof, solar powered devices, telephones, lift kits, TV/VCR/DVD and related components and appliances.

Seems not unreasonable to me, but, like you, I am always interested in the fine print.

takimanpgt

I don't think these cars need a warranty. Not if you put the time in to patiently find yourself a well-maintained gem. And they are out there. Just have to be extremely patient. There are a couple on the local ads but higher mileage so look out of state.

OsideTurbo

I saw that you talked to them about the timing belt and it surprises me that they would cover a timing belt failure (and not preventative maintenance).

After reading the exclusions above, I'm even more surprised because the timing belt seems to be excluded in the first paragraph under: "parts described under maintenance requirements as shown in the manufacturer's maintenance schedule for your vehicle." The timing belt change is an item in the LS430's maintenance schedule.

Did the person on the phone mention this clause? I know the timing belt is mentioned in the paragraph below, but since it is specifically identified, I'd expect to see another paragraph which covers the timing belt and the other items singled out in the 2nd clause. Is there any mention about the timing belt elsewhere in the warranty?

Johnhav430

I think it is possible to get a private party or used car dealer price, at a new car dealer. Especially if a car was taken in trade and has sat. Carmax is thousands over such a price, even with high mileage (105k etc....not high for an '06 which is what they will say, but higher than many out there). A new car dealer will often be flexible IMHO due to reputation, about fixing stuff after the fact. At least in my case. Anyway, this is what I learned....a private party retail price can be had at a new car dealer.

i have poured over dozens of car faxes, have yet to see timing belt and water pump, really. IMHO this implies they go over 90k, and yes sellers take the position if it broke we'll fix, if not, we won't (Lexus dealer will, I asked twice, but the cars were rough)....

Johnhav430

​​​​​​​i asked two Lexus dealers if they would proactively change as the cars were 88 and 91 k, both said yes. Hehe how does one prove it was done.....