sayow

So the dealer just called to inform me that my beautiful White 2010 460 Sport w/65k miles has arrived for my inspection.

I plan to really go over the car, specifically looking for dents, swirls and interior imperfections plus inspect the brakes, bushings, tires and air bags.

Other than this and during the walkaround and test drive, what other items should i be looking for? I am super excited to this car but want to be pragmatic and not let my desire for the car let me overlook trouble issues (car will have a 4/60 warranty on it).

My pristine 98 LS will be sad but these are exciting times lol.

Thanks!

comotiger

Congrats! I thought you said on another thread that you have already purchased the vehicle . Didn't you get these things checked out and test drive before buying the vehicle??

Looks like you are pretty savvy about cars, so maybe a pre-purchase inspection by an independent company/mechanic is not needed. If the paint has swirls, I doubt the dealer will spend 100s of $ to correct it. I am not sure how you plan to check the air bags, but good luck with the inspection!

roadfrog

Right off the hop, I'd be looking at the control arms and the water pump. Also check to make sure the overflow tank nipple attached to the top of the radiator hasn't cracked. The water pump can leak for years without being noticed by the owner. The weep hole at the top of the pump will have a build up of pink crust, signalling a leak.

Enjoy!

R Z

Gratz on the new car. Look forward to some photos.

sayow

I got pre-approved and placed a deposit/transfer fee to ship the car from Texas (I am in Missouri). So it is reserved for me and i will lose a little bit of money if i do not buy, but I can still back out if something is wrong. It will be bought, when I put some pics up here

comotiger

OK, got it

Since you are being justifiably cautious about the purchase, I would recommend a pre-purchase inspection by an independent company (I posted links on the other thread). It will cost less than $150, and nothing beats a second pair of eyes going over the vehicle for mechanical and other issues. You should be able to re-negotiate the final selling price for minor issues (paint, dents).

roadfrog

I agree with Comotiger about an independent inspection. However, I would prefer the inspection be done by a Lexus dealer, as they know the weak points to look for especially with regards to the CA's. Failing that, a Toyota dealer would be my second choice. The added benefit of a Lexus dealer is their access to the vehicles service history/recall history (provided service was done by Toyota or Lexus).

comotiger

I had the PPI done by a Lexus dealer when I purchased my 2014 LWB in February, and they missed a lot of stuff with dents and paint. I don't think they did a thorough job. They did replace the battery (under warranty), and noted alignment issues. I discussed the inspection with the SA (in addition to receiving the service report), and he said the vehicle was mechanically in excellent shape. I am sure they raised it and checked all mechanicals including control arms etc. They did a 27-point inspection, but don't think they bothered checking the service history. I had checked it prior, and the vehicle had a stellar history. But overall I feel I got stiffed

In reading the description of independent PPI companies, they seem to be really impressive in the thoroughness of the job they will do, especially with the bodywork. Then again, who knows....

jasone36

Absolutely be sure to connect an OBDII tester and check for engine codes!

See this thread:

"When buying a used Lexus, ALWAYS check engine codes - My Story"

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-my-story.html

roadfrog

Was this done by the selling dealer? If not, then I agree...unacceptable. However, I don't believe that's the norm. Either that, or Lexus dealers in the U.S. are generally incompetent compared to up here.

My dealer even gave me a printout of the car's service history when I bought it.

comotiger

I bought the car from a used car dealer, and had it PP-inspected at a nearby Lexus dealership. I missed the paint and dent defects in my walk-around inspection of the car. But as professionals, I would have hoped (expected) the Lexus techs to notice these things.

I don't think this is necessarily the norm, but the Lexus PPI may not have included "cosmetic" issues. Then again, they may have asked their least-experienced tech to do this job. I was familiar with the car's well-documented and extensive service history, so that is not a sore point.

SW17LS

I wouldn't have expected a Lexus inspection to include cosmetic defects. They're mechanics, and they're evaluating the mechanics of the car.

comotiger

In that case, one should definitely do a PPI that evaluates paint and bodywork also. Something that I wish had been done

SW17LS

Did you buy it sight unseen?

comotiger

Of course not, but I completely missed slight dents on the front and rear bumpers in a 30 min inspection. Maybe I was excited by the prospect of buying the car (I had driven 6 hours to the dealership) and a bit tired. Maybe I was thinking the Lexus PPI would have spotted things. But I only noticed the front dent two weeks after buying when I was hand-washing the car and the rear dent a month later when the sun hit the bumper at a particular angle.

When I got estimates at body shops later, they could tell rightaway that the front and rear bumpers had been removed, repaired and re-installed. As an amateur unfamiliar with bodywork issues, I wouldn't have noticed these "red flags" by myself even if they were staring me in the face (for example, compression marks in the paint made by the dent or slight differences in gaps between panels on the two sides). Now I know!