Hey guys would like your feed back. I'm in the market to buy me an RC F 2015-2016. Been shopping around for 2 weeks trying to get a great deal and found one almost sent my deposit in since I'm buying it cash but dealer stated to me it's a Branded tittle due to it having an A/C issue which he claims is fixed now. Did a Car fax on it and it's clearly Branded on 2/11 but back on the market on 2/13. Dealer refuse to drop the price from 45k. I explained I can get a clean title for that price and they are like "nope that's the best" the only reason I'm trying to still negotiate is because they have the color combo I'm looking. Would you buy a Branded tittle. Now keep in mind that I'm shipping this outside the continental US so the warranty means nothing since I'll be paying for all repairs "if need be out of pocket". What's your thoughts guys?

 

is a branded title a "lemon law" or "buy back" car? if that is what it means, I would stay away. I have had 2 vehicles bought back since 2010 (not Lexus) and I know the dealer resold them as flagged buy back cars without ever fixing the issue, and since they were buy backs the issues were excluded from continued warranty coverage.

 

"Vehicle title branding is the use of a permanent designation on a vehicle's title, registration or permit documents to indicate that a vehicle has been written off due to collision, fire or flood damage or has been sold for scrap."

I wouldn't touch it for $45k. You could likely get one with a clean title for that price.

 

 

Maybe this was one of those cars people had the fuel pump noise? I think one or two people got Lexus to buy back. But yeah. A lot of money. Maybe keep searching

 

Expand your search! To a few states in the USA...

And since your exporting, check country laws to where its going. I was going to do this a few times [in the last few years] but chickened out since some places have weird restrictions regarding branding and vehicle condition on top of some wild tariffs.

If title isn't an issue, then just get a branded car [with the parts required], there's one on ebay with front end damage for 23k..., you'd possibly pay a much lower import tariff on a "rebuilder" than you would on a "clean" car... just a thought.

 

Well, in order for a car to be branded for a lemon law. The car has had to have been repaired for the same issue multiple times. The OP states that the dealer told them it was for the A/C. Assuming they are telling the truth, what makes the dealer think the issue is fixed this time? I'm sure they thought it was fixed all of the times before the car was branded under lemon laws too...

If you're willing to accept that the A/C may never work correctly, go for it. That's also assuming there are no other issues.

 

thanks for the feedback. We have no restrictions here on titiles. But I don't want to spend 45k to get into a fixer either.

 

Yeahs I'm hesitant about the entire approach since they waited until afternoon we decided in a price to tell me about the tittle. Might be biting off more than I can chew with that one. Guess I'll have to pony up another 3k and just get a clean tittle that I'll enjoy

 

It is already deemed a lemon.

Are you trying to turn it into a lemonade?

The price HAS to be AT LEAST 45% OFF the current used comparable price for me to even contemplating looking at it (ASSUMING WHATEVER IT WAS THE LEMON IS NOW ALL FIXED).

I WOULD GO ON AND BYPASS THIS ONE. IF for some reason, you still want to buy it, I would proceed with caution and at least 45% OFF current market price. Just leave your contact info and the price you want it at with them. I doubt they will sell it at the current asking price (if they declared it a lemon openly which they DID NOT UNTIL THE PRICE IS SET). If this is a "Lexus dealer" I will raise hell and tell the salesman you ARE GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH LEXUS HQ AND ANY OTHER GOVERNING BODIES ABOUT HIS NOT SO HONEST APPROACH!!! I'm OK with dealers explicitly stating that it is a lemon buyback or salvage title IN THE AD so there is absolutely no misunderstanding. But if the dealer did not and I wasted my time like you had, I will be upset!!!

Good luck.

 

Lol nah don't like lemonade... the dealer is not Lexus but another high end automotive. At this point I walked away from the deal but the salesman called me left a VM stating "I thought we agreed on a price. We can provide documentation from Lexus saying the A/c issues was addressed if that's your concern. Give us a call back this is a hot car and won't last" LOL guess they need to meet quota..

 

Like I said, typically after a car has been bought back under Lemon Law, the problem is flagged and excluded from further warranty repairs. In the case of both my buy backs I know for fact they were never repaired and the vehicles continued to have the issue, I have looked up the car fax on them several times and seen repeated repairs for the same issues AFTER it was bought back.

 

if you intend on keeping forever, do it. if you aren't, don't. learn from other people's mistakes. if you can't afford a clean title one, you can't afford the car currently and its not worth it.

the rc-f has a few branded titles for sale when i was buying my car. RC-F is one of the few exceptions that can be bought back as a lemon and the original problem can be fixed permanently and you have a normal reliable car which is the fuel pump ecu fix. lemon buy backs for BMW/GM/Ford is a nightmare. but the fact of the matter is, the branded/dealer buy back, causes your car to be worth less. whether you do a trade or private sale.

 

also depending on your insurance company they may only cover the vehicle for less than market value usually 50%, so if you total the vehicle you only get half it's current value... I know this is true with a salvage title, I don't know about a buy back title.

 

thanks for the feedback. The affordability is not the concern. The color combo and package availability is since I'm not buying brand new. That "Branded title" had the features and package that I wanted. But i found a different color with the same package for 3k more clean tittle that I locked in... figure I can always modify anything but color "unless I spray over " which I ain't even trying to do..