mambo619

I have a dilema. Im in the market to purchase a gs350. I'm torn between a 2014 black on black f sport with 47,9xx miles and a 2013 f sport charcoal on black with 27,5xx miles, L certified, 4 year warranty and 2 years of complimentary oil changes for the same price. What are your guy's and gals thoughts on this?

CottageChz

Does that warranty apply to both? If so, I think I would probably go with the 2013 if you want to keep this long term, just because it has significantly less miles. Assuming the options are roughly the same, I think the changes between 2013-2014 were very minimal. Maybe auto-fold mirrors and some Enform updates? I'm sure someone else can chime in on 2013 vs 2014.

Also, I'm partial to cars that aren't black because they don't look as dirty when they get dirty. A clean black car looks awesome, but so hard to keep clean. Totally personal preference, though.

mambo619

Unfortunately the 2014's warranty is only good for another 250 miles or so. It has a 6 month warranty via the dealer, but its to L certified. My last 3 cars have all been black. I dont know why but it really grabs my attention.

CottageChz

Don't get me wrong, black looks great, just too annoying for me personally because it looks dirty easily. I've owned a couple black cars, hope to never own one again unless it's a weekend car or something hah.

So if the 2014's warranty runs out that soon, I say go with the 2013 if you plan on keeping the vehicle for a while. That peace of mind for 4 years would be really nice. Is the 2014 warranty 250 miles or 6 months whichever comes first? Because in that case, the 6 months is worthless, and if you notice anything about the car that bothers you, you better notice it right away or you are out of luck. Talking about minor issues like rattles, little scratches, things not working "just right," etc. that lots of times you don't notice until you use the car on a daily basis.

That said, haven't seen all that many issues with these cars. Nothing major at least. I believe the engine/powertrain have been used by Lexus for quite a while, so they are time tested. My 2013 is at 53k, I've owned it for a year, no problems.

Also keep in mind that the 2014 was driven kinda hard (as in miles, not necessarily driving style, probably 15k-20k per year) compared to the 2013 (could be anywhere from 7k-14k per year). Wouldn't deter me if that was the only thing it came down to, but something to consider nonetheless.

Deven

If you plan on keeping the car for a long time, then get the car with the lower miles. The 20K mile difference is like another 1-2 years of extra life on the car at the end (depending on how many miles you drive a year). The difference between 2013 and 14 will be negligible in several years. You will also be hitting the major services quicker (60 000, and 90 000) with the higher mileage one and if you have a lapse in warrantee between the original and CPO (depending on when the 2014 was put in service) I do not know how the dealer will handle a situation if you declined a repair only to accept it when the CPO part kicks in.

The caveat is that you need to really like the color as that will be lasting especially if you keep it for years as it may bother you in a couple of years that you did not get the color you like.

zerocypher

Some 2013 vs 2014 differences off the top of my head:
-6-speed vs 8-speed
-Folding side-view mirrors and power trunk on the 2014
-Satellite (subscription required after trial period) updates for weather and traffic vs HD radio (free)
-Color HUD in the 2014 (not like it needs color)

I went with a CPO 2013 over a 2014 mostly for the 6-speed since it's slightly more responsive

ALtin107

I believe the 2014 parking assist sensors are more flushed into the bumper where the 2013 kind of sticks out a little bit. Besides the 6 speed vs. 8 speed, it's mostly cosmetic changes. If these are a big deal for you, then get the 2014. If not, then go with lower mileage 2013.

Sevn86

Get the 13. It has less miles and I'm guessing a longer warranty then the 14.

islandbeef

The 2014 has the power folding mirrors.

It's the only thing that makes me envious.

bclexus

Most people don't use them if they have them. I don't...

islandbeef

I've used to own a 2000 LX 470 that had the folding mirrors.....spoiled me.

With all the narrow Honda Civic sized parking spaces, especially at the Asian Supermarkets, Tea/Boba Shops and Bakeries, folding mirrors are a must. I also have a snug, two car garage.

So, there.

CottageChz

This is true! I noticed that newer parking sensors are much sleeker than my 2013 parking sensors. If that's the kinda thing that floats your boat...

Personally, I think they look much better, but I would never base a purchase off that alone, probably not even in conjunction with other stuff.

rld14

As nuts as it sounds... the 13 with 27K is actually worth more than the 14 with 47K on it.

CottageChz

That doesn't sound nuts at all. In reality, they are probably the exact same car with slightly different colors, but the 13 has significantly less miles and a way better warranty. As I've stated already, the 13 would be a no-brainer for me, but there may be other considerations at play for the buyer that could change that.

Deven

The other thing to factor is the in service date. It is quite possible that the 13 was put in service late and the 14 at launch, and thus they may actually be similar in age. Another reason to pick the 13.