Advice before buying 2013 GS 350 F-Sport
01-25-16, 05:16 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: WA
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Advice before buying 2013 GS 350 F-Sport
Hi all,
I just put down a deposit on a black 2013 GS 350 F-Sport from an independent car dealer- and need some advice.
I'm still under factory warranty, but outside of this would you take it for a Lexus pre-purchase inspection? I think they are around $250. If not are there any problematic areas you think I should check?
Also do you think the extended warranties are worth it on this model or a rip-off?
I just put down a deposit on a black 2013 GS 350 F-Sport from an independent car dealer- and need some advice.
I'm still under factory warranty, but outside of this would you take it for a Lexus pre-purchase inspection? I think they are around $250. If not are there any problematic areas you think I should check?
Also do you think the extended warranties are worth it on this model or a rip-off?
01-25-16, 05:33 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
1. Take it to an independent mechanic, have him put it on a lift and inspect everything. This car isn't prone to problems, but who knows what anyone did with it before. Shouldn't cost more than $100 anywhere. The mechanic should also be looking for respray (minor damage repairs) under the hood and under the car. A Lexus dealer *should* have that car; the fact that an independent is selling it screams "auction car" to me. Others may disagree.
2. DO NOT trust a carfax. I bought a car before with a spotless carfax in my hand with the VIN on it and everything. Years later when I traded it in, the dealer dinged me on the trade for "significant rear end collision". I was furious, but honestly that car was arrow straight and ran like a champ so it didn't matter for the 80k I put on it. Bottom line, there's a delay window with Carfax reporting (30 days, 60 days, I forgot) so it can run clear the day you buy it then get tainted afterwards. A carfax is good for lining a bird cage, nothing else.
3. How much factory warranty remains? It's a nice thing to have and again, I haven't heard of any major issues from the 2013's up. No burning oil, let's replace the engine type of things. The engine is an old design and well known, no surprises under the hood, and the 6 speed auto isn't new either. Those are the two major repairs. This model is a safe bet, used.
4. F Sports, if they're RWD, have a very specific tire size and they're staggered, so be prepared for major rubber costs if the car is set up this way. I paid 1800 for a set of Pilot Super Sports on mine once the Potenzas wore out. Since you're in WA you may only get AWD cars which use standard sizes (and you can rotate them) and they're probably all season to boot, so they last alot longer. No worries there.
Finally my opinion on extended warranties. The majority of serious things, in my experience, with Japanese cars, will happen in the first 25-35k. After that it's tires and oil. Some little bits of plastic may rattle loose, etc. but no major mechanical or electrical failures. Assuming that car has never been wrecked, has full dealer service records, etc. you may not need an extended warranty at all.
Last suggestion, run the VIN at a Lexus dealer and get a hard copy of the service records. If the car was serviced far away (dealer in New Jersey for example) it's an auction car, but that may not matter if the records look good.
2. DO NOT trust a carfax. I bought a car before with a spotless carfax in my hand with the VIN on it and everything. Years later when I traded it in, the dealer dinged me on the trade for "significant rear end collision". I was furious, but honestly that car was arrow straight and ran like a champ so it didn't matter for the 80k I put on it. Bottom line, there's a delay window with Carfax reporting (30 days, 60 days, I forgot) so it can run clear the day you buy it then get tainted afterwards. A carfax is good for lining a bird cage, nothing else.
3. How much factory warranty remains? It's a nice thing to have and again, I haven't heard of any major issues from the 2013's up. No burning oil, let's replace the engine type of things. The engine is an old design and well known, no surprises under the hood, and the 6 speed auto isn't new either. Those are the two major repairs. This model is a safe bet, used.
4. F Sports, if they're RWD, have a very specific tire size and they're staggered, so be prepared for major rubber costs if the car is set up this way. I paid 1800 for a set of Pilot Super Sports on mine once the Potenzas wore out. Since you're in WA you may only get AWD cars which use standard sizes (and you can rotate them) and they're probably all season to boot, so they last alot longer. No worries there.
Finally my opinion on extended warranties. The majority of serious things, in my experience, with Japanese cars, will happen in the first 25-35k. After that it's tires and oil. Some little bits of plastic may rattle loose, etc. but no major mechanical or electrical failures. Assuming that car has never been wrecked, has full dealer service records, etc. you may not need an extended warranty at all.
Last suggestion, run the VIN at a Lexus dealer and get a hard copy of the service records. If the car was serviced far away (dealer in New Jersey for example) it's an auction car, but that may not matter if the records look good.
01-25-16, 05:40 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
I would get the inspection. Cheap piece of mind.
Hope to see you nearby! Where in WA? I'm in Mukilteo.
Hope to see you nearby! Where in WA? I'm in Mukilteo.
01-25-16, 07:48 PM
#5
Lexus Champion
1. Take it to an independent mechanic, have him put it on a lift and inspect everything. This car isn't prone to problems, but who knows what anyone did with it before. Shouldn't cost more than $100 anywhere. The mechanic should also be looking for respray (minor damage repairs) under the hood and under the car. A Lexus dealer *should* have that car; the fact that an independent is selling it screams "auction car" to me. Others may disagree.
2. DO NOT trust a carfax. I bought a car before with a spotless carfax in my hand with the VIN on it and everything. Years later when I traded it in, the dealer dinged me on the trade for "significant rear end collision". I was furious, but honestly that car was arrow straight and ran like a champ so it didn't matter for the 80k I put on it. Bottom line, there's a delay window with Carfax reporting (30 days, 60 days, I forgot) so it can run clear the day you buy it then get tainted afterwards. A carfax is good for lining a bird cage, nothing else.
3. How much factory warranty remains? It's a nice thing to have and again, I haven't heard of any major issues from the 2013's up. No burning oil, let's replace the engine type of things. The engine is an old design and well known, no surprises under the hood, and the 6 speed auto isn't new either. Those are the two major repairs. This model is a safe bet, used.
4. F Sports, if they're RWD, have a very specific tire size and they're staggered, so be prepared for major rubber costs if the car is set up this way. I paid 1800 for a set of Pilot Super Sports on mine once the Potenzas wore out. Since you're in WA you may only get AWD cars which use standard sizes (and you can rotate them) and they're probably all season to boot, so they last alot longer. No worries there.
Finally my opinion on extended warranties. The majority of serious things, in my experience, with Japanese cars, will happen in the first 25-35k. After that it's tires and oil. Some little bits of plastic may rattle loose, etc. but no major mechanical or electrical failures. Assuming that car has never been wrecked, has full dealer service records, etc. you may not need an extended warranty at all.
Last suggestion, run the VIN at a Lexus dealer and get a hard copy of the service records. If the car was serviced far away (dealer in New Jersey for example) it's an auction car, but that may not matter if the records look good.
2. DO NOT trust a carfax. I bought a car before with a spotless carfax in my hand with the VIN on it and everything. Years later when I traded it in, the dealer dinged me on the trade for "significant rear end collision". I was furious, but honestly that car was arrow straight and ran like a champ so it didn't matter for the 80k I put on it. Bottom line, there's a delay window with Carfax reporting (30 days, 60 days, I forgot) so it can run clear the day you buy it then get tainted afterwards. A carfax is good for lining a bird cage, nothing else.
3. How much factory warranty remains? It's a nice thing to have and again, I haven't heard of any major issues from the 2013's up. No burning oil, let's replace the engine type of things. The engine is an old design and well known, no surprises under the hood, and the 6 speed auto isn't new either. Those are the two major repairs. This model is a safe bet, used.
4. F Sports, if they're RWD, have a very specific tire size and they're staggered, so be prepared for major rubber costs if the car is set up this way. I paid 1800 for a set of Pilot Super Sports on mine once the Potenzas wore out. Since you're in WA you may only get AWD cars which use standard sizes (and you can rotate them) and they're probably all season to boot, so they last alot longer. No worries there.
Finally my opinion on extended warranties. The majority of serious things, in my experience, with Japanese cars, will happen in the first 25-35k. After that it's tires and oil. Some little bits of plastic may rattle loose, etc. but no major mechanical or electrical failures. Assuming that car has never been wrecked, has full dealer service records, etc. you may not need an extended warranty at all.
Last suggestion, run the VIN at a Lexus dealer and get a hard copy of the service records. If the car was serviced far away (dealer in New Jersey for example) it's an auction car, but that may not matter if the records look good.
01-25-16, 07:57 PM
#6
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: WA
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the great reply Afrosheen. To answer your question, just under a year remains on the warranty. If anybody has opted for an extended warranty, let me know if you have recommendations for where to get them - I say that because for my old Saab I got an out of state extended warranty for considerably less.
It looks like the car was a lease return from New York, and it was bought at an auction - Carfax came up clean but I didn't consider that it might not be reliable - should I have concerns about the fact it came from an auction?
JDR, I'm in Newcastle so not far away - in fact have a good friend who recently bought a place in Mulkiteo.
DSeag 2 thanks for the tire tip- car was definitely noisier than an ES so hopefully this could make a difference.
It looks like the car was a lease return from New York, and it was bought at an auction - Carfax came up clean but I didn't consider that it might not be reliable - should I have concerns about the fact it came from an auction?
JDR, I'm in Newcastle so not far away - in fact have a good friend who recently bought a place in Mulkiteo.
DSeag 2 thanks for the tire tip- car was definitely noisier than an ES so hopefully this could make a difference.
01-25-16, 08:22 PM
#7
Thanks for the great reply Afrosheen. To answer your question, just under a year remains on the warranty. If anybody has opted for an extended warranty, let me know if you have recommendations for where to get them - I say that because for my old Saab I got an out of state extended warranty for considerably less.
It looks like the car was a lease return from New York, and it was bought at an auction - Carfax came up clean but I didn't consider that it might not be reliable - should I have concerns about the fact it came from an auction?
JDR, I'm in Newcastle so not far away - in fact have a good friend who recently bought a place in Mulkiteo.
DSeag 2 thanks for the tire tip- car was definitely noisier than an ES so hopefully this could make a difference.
It looks like the car was a lease return from New York, and it was bought at an auction - Carfax came up clean but I didn't consider that it might not be reliable - should I have concerns about the fact it came from an auction?
JDR, I'm in Newcastle so not far away - in fact have a good friend who recently bought a place in Mulkiteo.
DSeag 2 thanks for the tire tip- car was definitely noisier than an ES so hopefully this could make a difference.
If it was a lease return that went to auction it sounds like it did not qualify for CPO status I think. Take a look at what would disqualify a vehicle from being CPO and focus on those things to look out for on this car to try to put the puzzle together.
Trending Topics
01-25-16, 11:24 PM
#8
Hi,
Lots of franchise dealers and independent dealers buy their cars at the auction.
Actually You will find a lot of lexus dealers selling their cars that they bought at the auction. So it is not a bad thing if it came from the auction.
There are basically two types of things to worry about.
One is the physical appearance and the other is the mechanical problems. Check to see if the car has any paint work done to it. You can also ask the dealer and see what their response is before taking it to the inspection. If everything works great on the car than You should be fine as far as mechanical problem is concerned as You also have the remaining factory warranty.
In the end if You really like the car, You should spend $250 for the lexus inspection, that will give You a complete peace of mind.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Thank You.
Lots of franchise dealers and independent dealers buy their cars at the auction.
Actually You will find a lot of lexus dealers selling their cars that they bought at the auction. So it is not a bad thing if it came from the auction.
There are basically two types of things to worry about.
One is the physical appearance and the other is the mechanical problems. Check to see if the car has any paint work done to it. You can also ask the dealer and see what their response is before taking it to the inspection. If everything works great on the car than You should be fine as far as mechanical problem is concerned as You also have the remaining factory warranty.
In the end if You really like the car, You should spend $250 for the lexus inspection, that will give You a complete peace of mind.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Thank You.
01-26-16, 08:12 AM
#9
Lead Lap
You can also put the VIN into Lexus.com/Owners and pretend like you own that car now, and see what maintenance was done to the car during those 30K miles. That only works if they take it to a Lexus/Toyota dealer, or if the previous owner self reports maintenance.
Definitely have it looked over by an independent mechanic. Might be best to find a mechanic that specializes in Toyota/Lexus/Japanese cars...
Definitely have it looked over by an independent mechanic. Might be best to find a mechanic that specializes in Toyota/Lexus/Japanese cars...
01-26-16, 10:08 AM
#10
I've owned Lexus before so I know what I was getting into. I purchased mine used from a non-Lexus dealer (it was a trade in for a Range Rover), still under warranty, looked up repair records online and everything checks out.
Got it checked and looked over after purchase. Just maintenance and minor warranty fixes at the dealership/indy mech. It's been solid ever since.
Got it checked and looked over after purchase. Just maintenance and minor warranty fixes at the dealership/indy mech. It's been solid ever since.
01-26-16, 11:53 AM
#11
Thanks for the great reply Afrosheen. To answer your question, just under a year remains on the warranty. If anybody has opted for an extended warranty, let me know if you have recommendations for where to get them - I say that because for my old Saab I got an out of state extended warranty for considerably less.
It looks like the car was a lease return from New York, and it was bought at an auction - Carfax came up clean but I didn't consider that it might not be reliable - should I have concerns about the fact it came from an auction?
JDR, I'm in Newcastle so not far away - in fact have a good friend who recently bought a place in Mulkiteo.
DSeag 2 thanks for the tire tip- car was definitely noisier than an ES so hopefully this could make a difference.
It looks like the car was a lease return from New York, and it was bought at an auction - Carfax came up clean but I didn't consider that it might not be reliable - should I have concerns about the fact it came from an auction?
JDR, I'm in Newcastle so not far away - in fact have a good friend who recently bought a place in Mulkiteo.
DSeag 2 thanks for the tire tip- car was definitely noisier than an ES so hopefully this could make a difference.
Welcome to the GS family (just make sure you get a clean car and have it all checked out first
)
01-26-16, 12:21 PM
#12
Lead Lap
Agree with other posters about giving it a once over on the Lexus Drivers website and having an independent mechanic/technician inspection (even paying lexus to do it as others mentioned is a great idea).
I'd have general wear and tear items looked at: wheel condition, brakes, rotors and tire tread depth remaining; leather seat condition (esp drivers seat), floor mats, and confirm that everything inside the car you can press/click/pull/lock/push/release/turn on/turn off/shift/toggle is working. Listen for any rattles and take the car out at highway speeds to feel if there is any vibration or shaking of the steering wheel (could indicate a problem with suspension/tires/wheels out of round).
I'm sure it will be a gem - Good luck!
I'd have general wear and tear items looked at: wheel condition, brakes, rotors and tire tread depth remaining; leather seat condition (esp drivers seat), floor mats, and confirm that everything inside the car you can press/click/pull/lock/push/release/turn on/turn off/shift/toggle is working. Listen for any rattles and take the car out at highway speeds to feel if there is any vibration or shaking of the steering wheel (could indicate a problem with suspension/tires/wheels out of round).
I'm sure it will be a gem - Good luck!
01-26-16, 12:55 PM
#13
Lead Lap
More cars go to auction than you think. Space costs money so many times a dealer will just send cars they take in to auction instead of marketing it retail. Actually, most of the bigger dealers have their own lines at the auctions to quick sell their used inventory.
01-26-16, 04:22 PM
#15
Pole Position
Both my Lexus vehicles were bought from a huge used car dealer in Houston TX. Texas Direct Auto. Both were personal lease returns bought at auction by selling dealer. One was owned in Cali and the other was owned in Florida. So I was fine with that since they didn't come from up north. Both were super clean and had no prior paint work when I inspected them. Carfax for both came up clean, and the Lexus driver website showed prepaid maintenance packages for both bought buy the previous owners. No warranty related work was ever requested either. My 2010 RX has close to 110k trouble free miles and all I've done is change the oil, filters, wipers, and tires. My GS will probably hit the 30k mark by the first week of Feb. It's been trouble free so far. I did have the dealer look over my RX before the 4Yr 50k warranty ran out and they noticed my rear shocks were leaking.(it's a known issue with my model) Plus my side mirror had a rattle and they replaced it all for free. Will have them go over my GS once before the warranty run out as well when the time comes. I suggest you do the same if you end up buying this car. Good luck!