CL460

Hey everyone, in desperate need from the CL community to decide whether to make the leap or stay away.
I am considering a 2011 LS Sport Ed but the production date is 12/2010, I have read about the things that concern me, the brake actuator, the control arms issues.Should I be concerned about the air suspension as well?
I have read from so many different sites about these types of issues are practically eliminated from the mid 2011 production cars to 2012.
Since this car was produced in Dec of 2010, should I skip this LS
and focus on mid 2011 and 2012 cars, if the late 2010-early 2011 production cars are known for these issues?
I went on the Lexus driver site and checked on the maintenance records and there aren't any records or repairs/ replacement.
If anyone here in the CL family is willing to walk me through making an informed and careful decision, I would be most appreciative,
Thank you so much in advance.

Sincerely,

Clay

R Z

Clay, Welcome. Most of the usual suspects from the 07-09 cars were remedied with the 2010. I'm not a soothsayer so I can't tell you whether this is a perfect vehicle that will go maintenance free for the life of the car. But I do know, the 2011 and 2012 were the best years. If you are seriously interested in the car and aren't a car mechanic, it would be worth the few hundred to have an independent inspection of the car. That way you can feel better about it. You can also check around for an extended warranty which would give you some peace of mind. You can ask your local Lexus dealership what warranty they offer and what warranties they honor. Good luck.

Nospinzone

Obviously the previous owner(s) didn't have the car serviced at a Lexus dealer. So the question is what service did they have done and how frequently. You are taking on some risk buying this car. RZ gave you good advice. Have an expert do a PPI and consider some form of warranty. Many members here have expressed positive experiences purchasing a warranty through their credit union.

CL460

Thanks R Z for the warm welcome, the car has less than 40k miles on it so I don't expect too much work to be done, it does show that it got the ZLZ work done recently.
I'm trying to get more info before I make the plunge. I really wish it was a late 2011 or 2012 but I can't be too picky at this point, lol.
What would should this vehicle be priced at, it's between very good and excellent condition?

Dave144239

My 2011 was also built in Dec 2010, and after 67k miles, it's had no issues at all. I bought it in Dec 2017 at 52k miles with a full service history from the Lexus dealer.

Anfanger

I don't believe "Lexus serviced" means anything. I went to a Lexus dealer 4 times and they are as ignorant as every other dealer. What sets them apart is access to some unique tools and Lexus database.

There are ways to inspect a car yourself as far as you know what to check. If you have access to a good diagnostics tool, it will make your life easier.

LS430FL

I agree with others above. Some cars may have the issues and some don't. I am a big proponent on a warranty for complex cars. Even with low mileage things can break just due to time alone. I bought by 2011 with 30,000 miles on it. I now have 102,000 miles. The warranty I got through lexus covers everything and has paid for itself a few times over. If you are a person that does dealer service then things can add up. If I was buying a car with air suspension as I have in the past I would especially consider a warranty and confirm it will cover the repairs. The ride of the air suspension in a normal LS is superior to coil overs. Not sure how it is with the sport. My understanding is the LS sport is largely cosmetic changes.

As noted above I do not think that Lexus service is a deal breaker as long as you can confirm service history. In my opinion Lexus service carries great weight here because it is easily documented and easily accessed via the lexus owners site so service can be confirmed quickly. Independent is much harder without receipts but again like Anfanger said above I have had more than my fair share of issues with Lexus service. I put up with it for the rental car, the warranty and documentation.

TriC

Clay, a fair price for a low mileage 2011 should be in the range of low to mid 20s. Failure of control arms, air suspension, or brake actuator can happen although obviously lower mileage at least in theory postpones the risk. I would not be at all concerned about a 12/10 build date.

DavidinCT

Welcome ! You will find this a great resource for owners

See if you can get a CARFAX on it, they report services at bigger places. I saw even 3rd party oil changes on mine (others would say serviced at that location but, not exactly what it was). I had to use the combo between Lexus service and the Carfax to get a solid service history on my car before buying it.

I knew my car's features and history more than the dealer I was buying it off of. ! LOL

CL460

Thank you Everyone for your input, much appreciate the wisdom that is shared here on this forum. My concern and I already checked with Lexus is that this car no longer qualifies for any of the Lexus warranties as much as I wanted to purchase one. It used to be a L Certified car too. So what are the alternatives for warranty? Any suggestions would be welcome. I'm putting a deposit down today to at least lock in the car since the photos and small rock chips are almost done and I don't want the car to be listed with the photos.
I would have better peace of mind if I can secure the car with a reputable warranty company.
Thank you for any and all great input CL family. Very grateful for everyone here.

TriC

The best type of warranty is one that is exclusionary, i.e., it spells out what is NOT covered, CL460.

MY 600 is covered by such a warranty issued by CNA. They recently paid for replacement of a rear air strut with no questions asked. The bill was $2014 (including tax). My deductible was $200. This warranty (the most comprehensive they offer) was purchased by the previous owner of the car in May 2018 at a cost of $2887 for 6 years/48,000 miles of coverage. The car's mileage (a big factor in pricing) was 66,000 at that time.

CL460

One other thing, are the exterior paints with MICA, has the same pearl effect as the Starfire Pearl color? I'll look into the CNA warranty and other exclusionary terms from other companies. Thanks TriC!

TriC

Mica colors are more affected by lighting conditions than a white pearl. My 600 looks almost black in low light (in fact, it sat in the garage for a month after acquisition before my wife realized that it was not black!). However, in bright sunshine it is stunning with golden flecks throughout.

Nospinzone

Many members here have expressed positive experiences purchasing a warranty through their credit union.

CL460

Thank you everyone for your help so far. I put a deposit down, I will most likely pay it in full as the used car loan rate is in the 3s.
The mode color I initially wanted was a Starfire Pearl with the 19' dark wheels but it was snapped up by smarter guy that was able to get there before me.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to get there before him because I had to put my beautiful mini Schnauzer girl to sleep. Had her for almost 17 years.
It was a double whammy that day.
The car I'm buying is a Smoky Granite. It's the opposite in terms of exterior color but I am grateful that I was able to find another one.
I currently have a 2014 Toyota Prius in the Blizzard Pearl. I have always liked the Pearl color due to the hot summers in So Cal and reflecting some of the heat rays from the car.
The darker colors seem like a "grown up" color for the refined, mature crowd. I still like it though. I hope it's a step up from the GX460 that I drive occasionally.
I had a '07 RX400h and it was by far the most comfortable Lexus I have ever owned, I wished Lexus would go back to that L design instead of the ultra aggressive spindle grill.
Would appreciate what your thoughts are about your LS and what to expect and to look forward to.
Have a good evening everyone!