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Hi all, most of you know that I'm shopping for a 460L. I have found two amazing listings for sale. A silver 2011 460L AWD with 130k miles, for $19k, in New Hampshire. Another is a white 2009 460L with 95k miles, for $20k.
Both appear to have been maintained exclusively at Lexus dealerships at every regular oil change interval. Autocheck and Carfax records both check out. The 2011 seems too good to be true, even with the relatively high miles.
The white 2009 shows the following dealer comment about overheating. I know the 2007-2011 have a service bulletin about a redesigned radiator fan assembly for overheating. I am surprised the dealer didn't fix this problem (or at least I can't tell if they did or not based on the information below). What do others think? I would hate to inherit an engine damaged by overheating.
I called Magnusson Lexus, in Fremont, to ask for additional details, but they rebuffed my request and said service information can only be disclosed to the owner of the vehicle. That is awfully strange. How else is anyone supposed to research the history of a vehicle if the dealer (that serviced the entire life of the vehicle) won't disclose details? Lexus of Las Vegas was extremely helpful in helping me determine the history of an engine swap on a different LS for sale. I will try to bring it up with the seller and hopefully find out more.
In general, driving an overheated car will scare most people off, as it could have irreversibly damaged critical components. However, that may not happened in this case, as the owner pulled over, got the car towed and immediately examined by the dealer who could not replicate the incident. I am surprised they did not check if there were any error codes. When did this overheating incident occur? Was the coolant flushed/refilled just prior to the incident? If the car has run trouble-free for several thousand miles and at least 1-2 years after the incident, the car may be fine. Still I can understand why this may cause some concern.
In general, driving an overheated car will scare most people off, as it could have irreversibly damaged critical components. However, that may not happened in this case, as the owner pulled over, got the car towed and immediately examined by the dealer who could not replicate the incident. I am surprised they did not check if there were any error codes. When did this overheating incident occur? Was the coolant flushed/refilled just prior to the incident? If the car has run trouble-free for several thousand miles and at least 1-2 years after the incident, the car may be fine. Still I can understand why this may cause some concern.
Thanks, comotiger. That is my concern, it happened very recently. The Craigslist ad is below, listed at 95,715 miles, and the overheating service visit was on 11/17/2016 at 95,691 miles. That seems awfully coincidental that the LS was put up for sale shortly after the overheating incident. Up until that point the service record has been complete with very minor issues (battery, alignment, worn tires, etc.).
You did your homework and luckily you found out about the "overheating" eposide...... I suggest that you should pass on buying this car because the mileage since the overheating has occurred is not enough to say these is not a problem. If the car had 4000 to 6000 miles on it since it overheated any problems would have showed up by now and there should be any further problems.
Another thought of mine is that the car overheated and Lexus charged the owner mega $$$$ so the owner may have said: "Let's get rid of the car now because it's time for a newer car that won't have any problems with for a few years"
I can see this is a difficult decision for you but my suggestion is to NOT to buy this "mystery" car and spend a "little more" on a "younger LS" with lower miles....... Sadly the dealer won't share with you what was done because this would tell a lot.
BTW! Remember this car is listed on Craig's List and you get a "tail light warranty"....... If it's too good to be true ------------------!
You did your homework and luckily you found out about the "overheating" eposide...... I suggest that you should pass on buying this car because the mileage since the overheating has occurred is not enough to say these is not a problem. If the car had 4000 to 6000 miles on it since it overheated any problems would have showed up by now and there should be any further problems.
Another thought of mine is that the car overheated and Lexus charged the owner mega $$$$ so the owner may have said: "Let's get rid of the car now because it's time for a newer car that won't have any problems with for a few years"
I can see this is a difficult decision for you but my suggestion is to NOT to buy this "mystery" car and spend a "little more" on a "younger LS" with lower miles....... Sadly the dealer won't share with you what was done because this would tell a lot.
BTW! Remember this car is listed on Craig's List and you get a "tail light warranty"
Thanks, Chuck, I appreciate the concern and good advice. I was excited for this particular LS because it's the color I'm searching for. This car is a private sale and has the air suspension that I actually don't want. I also noticed the driver's seat leather has a lot more cracking and wrinkling than I would like. Still, the side profile of the car looked so beautiful in white. According to the seller, practically no one sat in the rear so the leather on the back is like-new. It is a 2-hour drive to visit and test drive the car. I haven't decided what to do yet and am waiting to see if the seller can provide any additional details. The dealer didn't detect any leaks so maybe the thermometer or temp sensor is bad, I'm not a mechanic though and, unfortunately, this car is too far away for my mechanic to take a look. If I did do a pre-purchase inspecting then I would need to have it performed at a Lexus dealership in the seller's area (preferably not the same dealership that the seller frequents). Really not sure how to proceed forward. I am fine with moving on. It has just been so hard to find a white 460L from a reputable seller and this one was the closest white 460L to me. At the same time, I am glad we didn't get surprised by the overheating post-sale! Thanks again for the support.
Only 24 miles since the overheating incident? Run away from the car.
LOL. Sigh. Thanks, comotiger. You and Chuck are probably right. I am still irked that the Lexus dealer in Fremont wasn't very helpful with additional information. Would it be worth it if the price could be negotiated $4k lower to offset a possible engine replacement? I am not desperate to get this car but am simply asking as a hypothetical.
OK, I am speculating now. If the current owner did spend $$$ at Magnusson Lexus to fix whatever was messed up by the overheating incident, then the dealership may have agreed to report that they could not duplicate the overheating in order to minimize the incident. I know this is unethical, but such things probably happen regardless. It's not worth the risk.
OK, I am speculating now. If the current owner did spend $$$ at Magnusson Lexus to fix whatever was messed up by the overheating incident, then the dealership may have agreed to report that they could not duplicate the overheating in order to minimize the incident. I know this is unethical, but such things probably happen regardless. It's not worth the risk.
I know if I mention this to my wife (which I will, of course), she would immediately lose all interest in this vehicle. Reliability is paramount to her since she feels our LS 430 has nothing wrong with it and will serve us for a long time. It took a while to convince the wife to get onboard with the idea of replacing the 430. Anyways, the seller just responded to my questions.
The seller feels the overheating was a false alarm and said the dealer could not find anything wrong with the car and the dealer suggested that perhaps a bug or dirt triggered the sensor. The seller even went so far as to include the following text conversation between himself and the service advisor. What do you guys think?
Would it be worth it if the price could be negotiated $4k lower to offset a possible engine replacement? I am not desperate to get this car but am simply asking as a hypothetical.
Do you want to be wondering whether the engine will act up every time you get in the car? I don't want to be stressed about the car when I am driving it. That's the whole point of buying a Lexus. Only you can answer whether a $4K discount is worth the added stress.
Do you want to be wondering whether the engine will act up every time you get in the car? I don't want to be stressed about the car when I am driving it. That's the whole point of buying a Lexus. Only you can answer whether a $4K discount is worth the added stress.
Very good point, comotiger. I agree, the constant feeling of the unknown would definitely drive me crazy and affect my trust/love for a car parked in our garage.
Can a temp sensor really be blocked by a bug or dirt? I don't know where a temp sensor is located on a 460 but I assume it is internal to the engine or at least enclosed in a manner where a bug can't fly into it.
The seller has been very candid about the circumstances surrounding the overheating. They were on their way home from church when the dash warned of overheating. They pulled over, waited 10 minutes, and restarted the car. Everything seemed fine but, as a precaution, they took Uber home and left the LS on the side of the highway. The next day, they drove to Magnusson Lexus a mile away and had the car inspected. While there the owner also elected to have the 95K oil service performed. It is an extra car in the family and the parents were waiting for the son to help post it for sale on Craigslist. The seller is very open and polite in emails and understands the steps I am taking to ensure a healthy vehicle, as these are steps he would do himself. He is also open to me taking it to Lexus of Stevens Creek for a second opinion.
If I do take it to a different Lexus dealership for a pre-purchase inspection, do I mention the overheating or will they already notice that in the records?
You can take it to your Lexus mechanic (mention about the over heat) and have him do a pressure test on the cooling system...... This would show any gasket leakage from the over heat.
One possible cause of the temporary overheating could have been that a plastic bag could have been sucked onto the grill (restricted cool air flow) and fell off once the car was restarted...... Sensors are either good or bad.
Sounds like the seller is "really motivated" to sell this sled so explain your concern about potential (future) problems and maybe they will take a low ball offer........ I do not know (maybe someone can chime in here) what a dealer charges for a head gasket job but this is something to consider when you make an offer.
BTW! It may cost some money to have this car checked out but it is money well spent!
01-02-17, 09:43 AM
How bad is overheating?
