CarloRX

Hi Everyone,

This is my first Lexus and I am very excited. I enjoyed reading about the RX and also researching about it. After some saving, I was able to start shopping for a used 2010 RX 450h.

I was hoping people could post any repairs/ or tips that I would need to look for. I received a great deal on a 2010 450h RX that has 62k mi on it. It's not CPO but the dealer will certify it as a part of an incentive. Is there anything I should check or have the dealership repair? Thanks!

GRAYM

Personally I would not buy a used hybrid. I am still skeptical of the durability of this design. Even with a CPO, I would not enticed to buy one....just my opinion.

kitlz

Welcome to CL, CarloRX. I don't think we have a member with mileage that high yet As long as it has had all services done including the 60K, it should be fine. Hybrid battery warranty is good for at least another 4-5 years/38K miles. Make sure the tires are ok. Brakes will probably last close to 100K. Have them checked too. If the 450h has a sunglass holder, it was built prior to August 2009. Lexus added Enform after that. Some people can take it or leave it. What other features does it have?

Droid13

I just got pretty much the same thing 1 month ago. I made sure that they had all the maintenance services up to date for the mileage, fresh oil change, new tires in my case, etc. On mine one of the rims had a small curb rub on it. I had them write in a warranty on that rim in case the rub allowed any further corrosion damage to occur. Have them attend to any stone chips that might exist (and get an extra touch-up paint for later). I used the opportunity to bargain for some accessories, you might like winter mats, cargo nets, Lexus apparel, new wiper blades, new cabin air filter, body side moulding, door guards, mud flaps, protection film for the hood, etc. If anything like that strikes your fancy its a lot easier to get these installed at a discount before you sign than after :-).

One thing I wish I remembered to include on the deal was an upgrade for the navigation system to the 2012 map release. Mine still has the 2008 version (which was new in 2009 when the vehicle was built).

UCSB

When I purchased my 2010 450h in 2010, a friend of mine leased the same car. He just turned in his car early last week to get a GS. It had 28,000 miles on it. The mileage seems high on the car you are considering. If I was in your situation, I would go for one of the lower mileage vehicles.

Personally, my car has worked flawlessly. In terms of what else to look for, we have had very few (virtually none) reported problems with the 450h on the forum. I don't think there is any specific complaint that has been reoccurring. If you look up the 450h on consumerreports.org, you will see that the vehicle gets their highest rating in every reliability history category. But, there are a few things to check. I would check the tires. Both for wear and exactly what brand and type of tire. This vehicle needs high quality tires to perform as expected. The 450h is not worth driving on cheap or poor performing tires. You can research the tires on tirerack.com in their tire user survey area. A new set of tires will cost about $1,200 (maybe a less). A second thing to check for is rattles and other undesirable noises. These can be tough to chase down and if you buy a car with a problem like this you probably will regret it. The Lexus certification process should highlight any other items. Finally, check the options. Generally, a 450h will come pretty well equipped. I really like the HID headlights, backup camera (part of NAV package) and proximity sensors as useful items.

In terms of the hybrid drive; we own three Toyota hybrids in my family and have never had a single failure on any of them. They have been outstanding. My daughter has a Prius and it is really amazing in terms of just how well it operates. She often jokes that it is virtually free to operate. One thing that has happened is that new car mileage has improved a lot since 2010 and if mileage is a top concern of yours there are a lot of economical ways to get mileage like the 450h produces at lower price points.

ecr72

Are you skeptical of hybrids in general or just the RX450 design?

I was nervous about hybrids a decade ago because they were so new but today is a different story. The Toyota system is solid, proven in so many cars, even our Nissan Altima Hybrid. Part of me feels we should have spent the extra to get a 450h.

Now, regarding the 450h mentioned here. That mileage is a tad high. Average should be around 40K for a 2010 based on 12-15K per year. That shouldn't stop you but I'd check the items others have mentioned. Make sure the service history is good. Use the mileage as a bargaining point.

What do you mean when you say the dealer will certify it. Is this a Lexus dealer and they will provide the inspection and slap the 3yr/100K mile warrant on it?


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CarloRX

That was my concern at first. That they would just slap it on. Supposedly this lexus dealer is telling me that they did not spend the money to certify it, but can for an additional $995. I thought this would be well worth it, as all of you are correct in that the mileage is a tad high @ 62k.

I don't feel as hesitant though because of the Lexus Rx quality build. To be honest, don't you expect your car to make it to 200k miles. Right now, I am getting the vehicle for about 8 grand under kbb value.

I sitll have to go to the dealership to check it out personally, but all this helpful advice has made me appreciate the Clublexus forums even more. Thank you all for your great advice!
Hopefully, the car checks out this weekend and I have great news.

CarloRX

Btw, I am curious to know where the sunglass holder is placed on the older models. It would be good for me to know if this is the earlier 450H Rx.

kitlz

The sunglass holder was forward of the front overhead lights close to the windshield. Chances are it'll have Enform. The 450h was out only a few months before the Safety Connect button was added and the sunglass holder taken away.

Cruiter

Like others have said, the mileage is a tad over average but if all of the maintenance records are available, (especially showing the required 0w20w oil changes and the required brake fluid change) the car should be solid. If you're happy with the car and the price then become another happy owner. Mine is a very early 1st month 2010 build (May 09) (h) model with 45k on the clock and it's been rock solid. I wouldn't be too afraid of the miles unless you're gonna pile them on just as fast. Then you might want to look for one with a few less.

watch37

I've posted on this forum previously regarding my purchase and subsequent trade of my 2010 RX450h, so I won't rehash everything that I've written before. In summary, in the summer of 2010, I bought a pre-owned 450h from a Lexus dealer. At the time, it was about a year old and had 23,000 miles on it. High miles for a one year old car, but it had been a loaner car used by Lexus, so that would have explained the number of miles on it. My wife drove it for 2 years and we traded it in recently at 46,000 miles. At the time of purchase, it had been reconditioned and CPO-ed, so it had brand new Michelin tires, almost new brakes, oil was changed, clay barred on the outside, and thoroughly cleaned inside. I asked Lexus to print out the service history from their database, and it showed all of the services done on the vehicle. Other than a few squeaks here and there, we didn't experience any issues with the car. All we did was change the oil and rotate the tires. As others have said, the brakes should last you a long time. I have never seen any evidentiary support for the notion that hybrids don't hold up over time. None. Zilt.

I passed on the CPO warranty and saved $995, but the only reason I did that was because it was still under warranty when I bought it and I knew that I could later buy a Lexus Platinum warranty for a lot less and for a longer coverage period. Since I ended up trading in the RX before the warranty expired, I never had to spend the extra money on the warranty.

Personally, if I were looking at getting this car with 62,000 miles on it, I would pay the $995, which should get you 3 years and another 38,000 miles of warranty coverage. That would be worth it in my opinion, especially since you couldn't buy the Platinum warranty yourself now that it's out of warranty. That comes out to $332 per year of coverage, which is a good value. Regardless of whether or not you get the CPO warranty, I would make sure that prior to purchase, you try to get the dealer to fix as many cosmetic issues as you can get them to fix, such as loose trim, tears in the seats/carpet, damage to the headliner, scratches/dings on the body, paint issues, etc. If I'm not mistaken, the CPO warranty does not cover these items.

Soon after buying our RX, a rock hit the windshield and left a small, but noticeable, chip on the driver's side. Lexus quoted me a cost of $1,700 to replace it with a Lexus OEM windshield (ouch!), since it has the rain-sensing sensor. We got a price of $700 through a third party, but I've heard some people have had not so good results from using non-Lexus windshields. We ended up just living with the chip, but if your vehicle's windshield has any chips that you can't live with, you might want to keep these potential costs in mind.

Best of luck with your decision!

CarloRX

I am so glad, I joined this forum.

First and foremost, I did end up buying a different RX 450h. This time it only had 35k miles on it and it was certified after negotiation for an additional 1000. Overall, it was immaculate. I just drove it home today and to be honest it feels brand new. My only very small complaint was that there was no cargo mat in the back....

Debating if I should drive 50 miles to ask for one and even if they will provide it. Otherwise, I had a great deal and no pressure from the Valencia Lexus dealership. Also, no BS doc fees! it was just $80.

So if you see a happy 30 something in a Tungsten Pearl 450h RX, that's me!

Cruiter

Glad you got one you like, you should really enjoy it. If it had the regular carpet mats, they came with a same type mat for the cargo area. So if you got them you should have the rear one as well. It would be worth the drive.

cossie1600

tell that to the countless amount of Prius owners

UTAS

This was a very informative discussion - glad that CarloRX got a great car. We have a 2010 RX450h, and I had always wondered why we have the sunglass holder, when other same year models did not - thanks for the enlightenment, kiltz.