Greetings my fellow Lexus enthusiasts,

i ve had my mind set on buying an LS 460 (L) “half ultra” (after 2011 - since i ve read 2011+ models seem to have less problems) and i d like to ask for your help in solving some pre purchase questions:

Fyi : I m working in UAE (gcc) and most likely i ll be buying an US specs model (because that what’s flooding the used car market) since they are cheaper and can resist 50-60 Celsius degrees constant temperatures (average noon temps during may - august)

1. Where can i get a VIN number checked out for accurate details on the model and it s service history? (Paid or free website)

2. I m seeing cars (imports) with carfax and/or clean titles. I m assuming that it’s an export certificate saying that the car was not in an accident or at least in working conditions when it reached the customs. Which one should I be asking for specifically and what details should I be focusing?

3. I have an option to bid from used car (usa) dealers and import the car “for free” using a local dealer. While that is tempting, I don’t want to be picking through lemons and then have to wait 3-4 months until it reaches me. But maybe, you guys can recommend some states/dealers that provide full paperwork and service history ?

4. What are the top 3 mechanical issues to be looking out for at a visual inspection? Considering that I may not be able to bring my own mechanic to the uae local dealer.

thank you very much
the service history is very detailed
for example: i ve checked one car and it has some interior electronics issues (replaced with used spare part) and last check was 2 years ago (meanwhile it s been sitting since the local dealer is reporting the same milleage as the service history)

The service history is crucial and so is how the interior and exterior look. The two go hand in hand.

I'll focus on these questions, and you may have to forgive my elementary discussion as I'm not sure how familiar you are with these topics. As mentioned the Lexus site will provide service history, but that will only be service done at Lexus dealers.
Carfax, Autocheck and other VIN reporting sites will also provide you with some service history if the shop was a participant. The way these VIN reports work is insurance companies, police departments, auction houses, Department of Motor Vehicles (individual states), dealerships, body shops, & mechanical shops may or may not participate in VIN reporting services. So these can best be used as a filter, it's no guarantee there isn't a negative occurrence in the vehicles history. This also goes the opposite way in that service work done may not be reported either. It doesn't mean these things didn't happen, they just weren’t' reported. In most cases these services will pick up on what would be called a salvage/branded title however. This means the vehicle was written off as a total loss by the insurance company due to accident or damage (flood, fire, etc). A vehicle with a "clean" title is simply saying that it isn't "branded" as a salvage title, which only means it was never deemed a total loss. It doesn't mean it didn't have an accident that was repaired or experience other damage. There are cases where a branded title can be "washed" back to a clean title, and this usually means the car title was transferred to a different (or several) states. This doesn't mean a car moving to another state is having it's title washed though, state movements happen all the time, for example when off-lease vehicles go to auction.
So back to your question, there is no official documentation that exists that can guarantee a car is free from accidents, damage, or in some cases a salvage title. You'll need to utilize resources available to make the best decision possible, however there really is no way to completely eliminate the possibility of getting a bad car. Ideally you're looking for a single owner car that has stayed in the same region for all it's life, and shows consistent service on both carfax and Lexus sites. Good luck!

Wow! You made my day! I can see a full history of my own vehicle including all services done and Lexus and Toyota! Toyota’s service is 1/2 price of Lexus with the same training for mechanics and parts available. I can see every complaint I made and their recommendations.