IStoSC

My parents are tired of our BMW constantly needing to go to the shop so I proposed that they look at a used Lexus LS. We test drove one at the dealership which my dad absolutely loved. They were asking 61K for a 2008 with 9k miles...I basically told them to f off and no. We're in no real rush though my dad believes we may be able to get one for a ridiculously low price (low 40s out the door) late December as a means of last minute incentive for salesman. Anyway I had a few questions before I began my quest to seek out the ideal car.

1) I know that no changes were made between 2007 or 2008 but are there any major reasons I should opt for the '08 over the '07?

2) Does a car with the Navigation / ML speakers automatically mean that it is "fully loaded" and have the automatic parking sysem?

3) What do you think is the best price I can get an 2007 LS (both short and long base) "fully loaded" with less than 40k miles for?

4) Will purchasing the vehicle closer to the new year really help or is this just myth?

AceVA

1. There were a few changes - such as the laminated glass "update" -- some of these were applied to very late 07's, however.

2. I believe advanced parking was independent of the ML in 2007? I really wouldn't worry about that though - I have it and have only used it twice, to show "look what my car can do" -- it's more of a novelty feature that takes too long to use for those of us who are capable of parking our own cars.

3. I can't really answer that, sorry. I can tell you, there's generally a significant price difference between certified pre-owned (CPO) and non-certified or private party. If you want CPO, be prepared to pay for it. Above all, ensure you're happy with the vehicle. It's not worth saving a few extra thousand if you're not going to be completely satisfied.

4. I assume since you state your parents are sick of the BMW, they're trading it? If so, of course you can get better deals the longer you wait. On the flip-side, the value of the BMW is also going to continue its decline.

Good luck.

IStoSC

^Thanks ACE...yea they may keep the BMW as a weekend warrior that POS is a fully loaded X5 (and I mean every option) that is worth a laughable amount now so my parents may keep it for home depot / grocery runs...and your answer does remind me (I did a search and found that CPO really depends dealer to dealer for all cars) but...

5. If you could quantify the "worth" of CPO what would it be? I mean if we bough an LS from a private seller or another dealership we can certify it for a few K anyway? So that may end up saving us money?

Thanks ace and THANKS IN ADVANCE TO OTHERS as your opinions really do help and mean a lot especially for questions 3,4,5...

AceVA

Someone mentioned yesterday that they bought an LS private party and asked a dealer to certify it. Just for my own curiosity, I contacted Lexus customer service today and asked about this (of no relevance to me as I purchased from the dealer, but might be handy for future reference) and they said this is not possible -- as "the sales manager, service manager and general manager" must all certify the vehicle. I suspect the aforementioned individual either got lucky with a dealership who fudged the paperwork, or they in reality purchased an aftermarket warranty.

Of course, I could have been led in the wrong direction by Lexus Customer Care, but it does seem odd that a dealer would certify a vehicle they didn't sell... which is why I called. Worth investigating anyway.

Along those lines - there are some dealers that will certify just about anything, so be weary. Good dealers give the vehicle the rigorous inspection and reconditioning that Lexus demands and if they can't/choose not to, it's not certified. Plus, you get the same benefits that the original owner does - roadside coverage, loaners, etc.

As an aside - I'm not sure what has happened to german quality as of late, but there sure are a rising number of stories such as yours. What a shame.

jimmyford1

5. If you could quantify the "worth" of CPO what would it be? I mean if we bough an LS from a private seller or another dealership we can certify it for a few K anyway? So that may end up saving us money?

A CPO vehicle goes through a 161 point inspection by a technician that gets paid to find things that don't meet Lexus CPO standards. (services up to date, minimum 50% brake wear left etc) A dealer will typically spend 2k to get a vehicle certified plus the cost of the certification warranty. This can only be offered by a Lexus dealer and a private party vehicle cannot be certified, but an extended warranty can be purchased as long as the it's within the original 4 year, 50k factory warranty period.