Looking to buy 2013 or 2014 LS460
10-17-16, 09:11 AM
#1
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Looking to buy 2013 or 2014 LS460
Hello, so I'm very close to buying a newer CERTIFIED pre owned LS460. One of the local dealers has some good low milage cars for sale. Their internet prices seem honest as well. But no, I have not gone to look at them in person. My wife and I are figuring out our budget right now and talking about them.
When i do so go to the dealer, I want to have some knowledge about what to bargain for. For example, I know here in Texas regardless of the car, batteries simply don't last more than 3 or 4 years max. The heat just kills them. So right away, either install a new battery or lower the price.
But what else? Several of their cars are around 20 thousand miles, so breaks and tires should be good. I guess what I'm asking is what other items wear out from age rather than miles? Air filters? I just want to feel like I wasn't robbed, if you know what I mean.
Another reason I'm waiting is I have one of the diesel VW's. VW is supposed to buy them back. I'm getting close to 20k back from mine which will be my down payment. So tomorrow is the 18th, and evidently VW gets the final court approval to start that process. Let's hope it's quick. I have talked to many people who own diesel VW's....everyone waiting patiently....
so thanks in advance.
When i do so go to the dealer, I want to have some knowledge about what to bargain for. For example, I know here in Texas regardless of the car, batteries simply don't last more than 3 or 4 years max. The heat just kills them. So right away, either install a new battery or lower the price.
But what else? Several of their cars are around 20 thousand miles, so breaks and tires should be good. I guess what I'm asking is what other items wear out from age rather than miles? Air filters? I just want to feel like I wasn't robbed, if you know what I mean.
Another reason I'm waiting is I have one of the diesel VW's. VW is supposed to buy them back. I'm getting close to 20k back from mine which will be my down payment. So tomorrow is the 18th, and evidently VW gets the final court approval to start that process. Let's hope it's quick. I have talked to many people who own diesel VW's....everyone waiting patiently....
so thanks in advance.
10-17-16, 09:35 AM
#2
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Hello, so I'm very close to buying a newer CERTIFIED pre owned LS460. One of the local dealers has some good low milage cars for sale. Their internet prices seem honest as well. But no, I have not gone to look at them in person. My wife and I are figuring out our budget right now and talking about them.
When i do so go to the dealer, I want to have some knowledge about what to bargain for. For example, I know here in Texas regardless of the car, batteries simply don't last more than 3 or 4 years max. The heat just kills them. So right away, either install a new battery or lower the price.
But what else? Several of their cars are around 20 thousand miles, so breaks and tires should be good. I guess what I'm asking is what other items wear out from age rather than miles? Air filters? I just want to feel like I wasn't robbed, if you know what I mean.
Another reason I'm waiting is I have one of the diesel VW's. VW is supposed to buy them back. I'm getting close to 20k back from mine which will be my down payment. So tomorrow is the 18th, and evidently VW gets the final court approval to start that process. Let's hope it's quick. I have talked to many people who own diesel VW's....everyone waiting patiently....
so thanks in advance.
When i do so go to the dealer, I want to have some knowledge about what to bargain for. For example, I know here in Texas regardless of the car, batteries simply don't last more than 3 or 4 years max. The heat just kills them. So right away, either install a new battery or lower the price.
But what else? Several of their cars are around 20 thousand miles, so breaks and tires should be good. I guess what I'm asking is what other items wear out from age rather than miles? Air filters? I just want to feel like I wasn't robbed, if you know what I mean.
Another reason I'm waiting is I have one of the diesel VW's. VW is supposed to buy them back. I'm getting close to 20k back from mine which will be my down payment. So tomorrow is the 18th, and evidently VW gets the final court approval to start that process. Let's hope it's quick. I have talked to many people who own diesel VW's....everyone waiting patiently....
so thanks in advance.
10-17-16, 11:06 AM
#3
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Thanks!, No... I am by no means an expert in finding hidden problems with cars and Yes, I thought about getting a pre purchase inspection done. This is one reason why I want to buy from a dealer. The one here in town, Sewell, has a good reputation. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I would think they would be just a little more honest than some guy on the street whom I don't know. One of the cars they have advertised has less than 14,000 miles on it. But it's still 3 years old. It sounds like a good deal, but in the back of my mind I'm curious why it has such low mileage and how many months at a time it just sat without being driven. I know that is harder on cars than driving them day to day.
And thanks for the good ideas about checking the values. I don't want to go to the dealer until I'm more informed about the cars and what they are worth.
And thanks for the good ideas about checking the values. I don't want to go to the dealer until I'm more informed about the cars and what they are worth.
10-17-16, 11:23 AM
#4
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Thanks!, No... I am by no means an expert in finding hidden problems with cars and Yes, I thought about getting a pre purchase inspection done. This is one reason why I want to buy from a dealer. The one here in town, Sewell, has a good reputation. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I would think they would be just a little more honest than some guy on the street whom I don't know. One of the cars they have advertised has less than 14,000 miles on it. But it's still 3 years old. It sounds like a good deal, but in the back of my mind I'm curious why it has such low mileage and how many months at a time it just sat without being driven. I know that is harder on cars than driving them day to day.
And thanks for the good ideas about checking the values. I don't want to go to the dealer until I'm more informed about the cars and what they are worth.
And thanks for the good ideas about checking the values. I don't want to go to the dealer until I'm more informed about the cars and what they are worth.
10-17-16, 12:36 PM
#5
Racer
Yes, from what I have heard on this forum, Sewell Lexus (Dallas?) is a great dealer. Yes, they will be honest but ultimately you have to look out for yourself. I learned the hard way. I bought my previous 2012 LS CPO from Lexus of Madison and they did not disclose that the vehicle had been repaired for front bumper and underbody damage (carfax was clean but autocheck flagged it, but I only found out much much later). To their credit, Madison Lexus covered the repair costs at my local dealer, but perhaps they thought they could get away with it.
10-17-16, 12:42 PM
#6
One of the cars they have advertised has less than 14,000 miles on it. But it's still 3 years old. It sounds like a good deal, but in the back of my mind I'm curious why it has such low mileage and how many months at a time it just sat without being driven. I know that is harder on cars than driving them day to day.
.
.
10-17-16, 12:58 PM
#7
Racer
I dunno, 2v1g, Bliz460 is right to be at least mildly curious about the mileage. I don't get how people can own an expensive vehicle yet not enjoy it everyday. It's not a collector car. The LS should be driven and enjoyed daily!
When we found our LS430 that we eventually purchased, I inquired how the owner could drive it only 1,472 miles in four years. Turns out age and health had relegated the previous owner to a wheelchair and he could no longer enjoy the car. The time sitting around didn't do much damage to the LS430, Bliz460. However, the rats in the area did gnaw on some parts of the wiring harness and caused the power steering to be heavy along with setting off various check lights. Replacement of the wiring harness was $6000 but fixed all the issues. Doubtful you'll encounter rodent intrusion at the dealership but doesn't hurt to look at the strut towers for evidence of animal droppings. If it wasn't for rats our LS430 would've been in tip-top shape despite not being driven for months at a time. Best of luck on your search and wish I could be in your shoes shopping for a new LS.
When we found our LS430 that we eventually purchased, I inquired how the owner could drive it only 1,472 miles in four years. Turns out age and health had relegated the previous owner to a wheelchair and he could no longer enjoy the car. The time sitting around didn't do much damage to the LS430, Bliz460. However, the rats in the area did gnaw on some parts of the wiring harness and caused the power steering to be heavy along with setting off various check lights. Replacement of the wiring harness was $6000 but fixed all the issues. Doubtful you'll encounter rodent intrusion at the dealership but doesn't hurt to look at the strut towers for evidence of animal droppings. If it wasn't for rats our LS430 would've been in tip-top shape despite not being driven for months at a time. Best of luck on your search and wish I could be in your shoes shopping for a new LS.
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10-17-16, 01:21 PM
#8
Wow, I didn’t know hot weather is not good for the battery. I was only told that cold weather shorten the battery life. Toyota parts told me you can get the perforated refund if their battery dies before 8 years old.
I agree with comotiger that battery & filters are too little to be concerned. I think buy a 2-3 years old LS460 is very easy. First, you go test a new 2016 LS460 and get to know what it is supposed to drive like. Remember that driving experience and make sure the used LS460 you picked drive very close like the new one. Lots of pre-owned 460 drives not silky smooth, but not failed the specs either. I won’t buy those car because those not nice thing won’t be fixed by the warranty. I’d skip the independent mechanical check because the bumper to bumper warranty will cover it when you have any problem later.
As for price, I will try to buy a car in a dealer slow season to have more negotiation power. I know Sept & Oct are busy season, summer and after Oct are slow season in my area. I think the longer the car sitting on the lot, the more pressure they have to get rid of it cheaper. I bought both my LS430, RX350 and LS460 at the dealer’s purchasing price.
As for rust, I don’t think you need to worry about it in Texas. For spotting body repaint, you need to open the door and trunk to see if there is any overspray on the edge or rubber strip. putting your hands sliding on the body surface, sometime you will feel one side feels different than the other side because one side is repainted. Manufactured machine paint will leave a little bit very evenly overspray bump along the edge of the door while repaint by human can’t achieve that.
I agree with comotiger that battery & filters are too little to be concerned. I think buy a 2-3 years old LS460 is very easy. First, you go test a new 2016 LS460 and get to know what it is supposed to drive like. Remember that driving experience and make sure the used LS460 you picked drive very close like the new one. Lots of pre-owned 460 drives not silky smooth, but not failed the specs either. I won’t buy those car because those not nice thing won’t be fixed by the warranty. I’d skip the independent mechanical check because the bumper to bumper warranty will cover it when you have any problem later.
As for price, I will try to buy a car in a dealer slow season to have more negotiation power. I know Sept & Oct are busy season, summer and after Oct are slow season in my area. I think the longer the car sitting on the lot, the more pressure they have to get rid of it cheaper. I bought both my LS430, RX350 and LS460 at the dealer’s purchasing price.
As for rust, I don’t think you need to worry about it in Texas. For spotting body repaint, you need to open the door and trunk to see if there is any overspray on the edge or rubber strip. putting your hands sliding on the body surface, sometime you will feel one side feels different than the other side because one side is repainted. Manufactured machine paint will leave a little bit very evenly overspray bump along the edge of the door while repaint by human can’t achieve that.
10-17-16, 01:26 PM
#9
My commute to work is only 7 mins and 2 miles away. Ha Ha
10-17-16, 01:34 PM
#10
Pole Position
comotiger, I'm a little confused. The dealer did not disclose that there was front bumper and undercarriage repairs performed (past tense). If the repair was already performed, may I please ask why the dealer had to cover repairs again? Just want to make sure I am understanding things correctly. Thank you.
Ok, I can see why you are confused. I will reconstruct my version of events.
1) First owner of 2012 SWB had front bumper and undercarriage damage that was poorly repaired with aftermarket parts. Sold to Madison Lexus.
2) Madison Lexus does "161-point" inspection and sells car to me as CPO. I am pretty sure they knew of the vehicle's accident history. Nothing on Carfax but recorded on Autocheck. At the time I bought the car, I was inexperienced. I took Carfax to be gospel, and I had not heard of Autocheck. To my eyes, the patched up bumper looked fine until several months later when I noticed some subtle but odd bumps when hand washing the car (for the 3rd time). The undercarriage damage was repaired poorly but I never checked that before buying the car. I assumed the CPO process would look out for me.
3) My local dealer did a careful check and estimated ~$3000 for the repairs with OEM parts. Luckily, one of the photos I took before buying at Madison Lexus showed tell-tale signs of the front bumper repair. So, I contacted the GM of Madison Lexus with the photos and repair estimate, and they agreed to reimburse all costs without any questions asked. I feel they knew that if I dug deeper, I would find the Autocheck accident report and escalate the situation. So, in a way, the Madison Lexus dealer did right by me and the CPO process worked out well. However, I could have done without all the stress.
4) I only learned of the Autocheck accident report when I traded in the car earlier this year to buy the 2014 LS. This dealer wanted a steep cut on the trade in price but I held firm because the car had been fixed as new.
1) First owner of 2012 SWB had front bumper and undercarriage damage that was poorly repaired with aftermarket parts. Sold to Madison Lexus.
2) Madison Lexus does "161-point" inspection and sells car to me as CPO. I am pretty sure they knew of the vehicle's accident history. Nothing on Carfax but recorded on Autocheck. At the time I bought the car, I was inexperienced. I took Carfax to be gospel, and I had not heard of Autocheck. To my eyes, the patched up bumper looked fine until several months later when I noticed some subtle but odd bumps when hand washing the car (for the 3rd time). The undercarriage damage was repaired poorly but I never checked that before buying the car. I assumed the CPO process would look out for me.
3) My local dealer did a careful check and estimated ~$3000 for the repairs with OEM parts. Luckily, one of the photos I took before buying at Madison Lexus showed tell-tale signs of the front bumper repair. So, I contacted the GM of Madison Lexus with the photos and repair estimate, and they agreed to reimburse all costs without any questions asked. I feel they knew that if I dug deeper, I would find the Autocheck accident report and escalate the situation. So, in a way, the Madison Lexus dealer did right by me and the CPO process worked out well. However, I could have done without all the stress.
4) I only learned of the Autocheck accident report when I traded in the car earlier this year to buy the 2014 LS. This dealer wanted a steep cut on the trade in price but I held firm because the car had been fixed as new.
10-17-16, 01:41 PM
#11
Pole Position
You should ride a bicycle 
.
In all fairness, my work is also less than 3 miles and 10 min drive, but there are two horrendous interstate exchanges to navigate. I am waiting for my city to construct dedicated bike lanes (not lines on the street) or bike underpasses before I would even consider riding my bike to work. My daily driver is a Subaru Legacy (200K) or a Toyota Sienna (130K). I take the Lexus to work only occasionally, and mostly for weekend and out of town drives.
.In all fairness, my work is also less than 3 miles and 10 min drive, but there are two horrendous interstate exchanges to navigate. I am waiting for my city to construct dedicated bike lanes (not lines on the street) or bike underpasses before I would even consider riding my bike to work. My daily driver is a Subaru Legacy (200K) or a Toyota Sienna (130K). I take the Lexus to work only occasionally, and mostly for weekend and out of town drives.
10-17-16, 02:10 PM
#13
10-17-16, 02:31 PM
#14
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Good point. For CPO vehicles, you may have to purchase the Platinum warranty at the same time you purchase the car. If the OP plans to go this route, please contact Toby Rivers at Shreveport Lexus for the best quotes out there. Toby will also answer any related questions.
10-17-16, 03:25 PM
#15
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Battery life is shortened by heat and cold temps. So Dallas and Chicago are murder on batteries. Yes, I've lived in both places and yes batteries don't last very long...
And thank you for all of the input. Everyone makes a good point. Thanks.
And thank you for all of the input. Everyone makes a good point. Thanks.
Last edited by Bliz460; 10-17-16 at 03:29 PM. Reason: Edited to add a thought