Curlyp

Hello Lexus Community,

Fist off, I am new to the forums and fairly new to Lexus. I am reaching out to the community for advice and recommendations.

My first Lexus I owned was a 1998 SC400 when I was in the military. I am looking to purchase my second Lexus; used, but new to me!

Currently, I own a 2014 VW. With our family growing and the need for more vehicle space, the RX 350 would suit the needs. I am seeking a used Lexus as it will help keep the cost of the vehicle down. The plan is to trade in the VW and or sell it to basically break even (based on the appraised value, I have about $2,000 negative equity).

I am looking at a 2009 Lexus RX 350 AWD Pebble Beach Edition with 80,000 miles. The car has only had one owner and was serviced at the original dealer it was purchased from. The 80,000 mile service has not been completed, so I know that will need to be done. I viewed the vehicle earlier today and it looks really nice. Interior is nice for the year (has a small minor tear in the leather arm on the passenger rear door - the sales man said he could get his leather guy to fix it). All the power options work, except for when you open the trunk using the handle (it does not atomically open). However, the key and the button by the front door opens the truck atomically. The button to close the trunk works as well. The car was just washed today so I didn't see any leaking from the moon-roof or in the headlight and taillights.

I have read an interesting post on Lexus navigation. It basically said the owner or passenger cannot operate the navigation while driving. So, if I need to plug in a destination, I have to put the vehicle in park. Is that true? Also, how do I go about updating the navigation maps?

I would like some advice and your thoughts on this vehicle. Is there anything I should look for when I go see the vehicle again?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read.

Rainbird

The Pebble Beach Edition is a little special, one owner, and always serviced at Lexus. Doesn't get any better than that. The more expensive service is the 30K, 60K, 90K, etc. You can also have it serviced at a Toyota dealership for less. It's true you cannot input data into the navigation system while driving (there is a hack for changing that but I don't recommend it). The Navigation Maps can be updated by purchasing a new DVD from Lexus. Simple and not required very year, not much changes from one year to another. I buy a new one about every three years.

NVAKeith

iTrader: (1)

The button on the tailgate is customizable, it can be set to just unlatch like yours is or set to trigger the automatic opener. I believe this is changed in Lexus personalized settings...either by the dealer for a charge or if you have your own cable and software...look around the forum for more info.

Our hatch button is set just to unlatch which I prefer because the hatch is a little slow for my taste. I really wish there were two buttons so I could have it work both ways.

I recommend you have the vehicle inspected for some of the pricier issues that sometimes pop up around 100k miles: front lower control arm bushing wear, water pump leaks, steering rack leaks. We had all three of those replaced on our '07 before 90k miles.

Curlyp

Thanks for the information!

What do you mean by it's special? Is the Pebble Beach Edition a good one? Do you happen to know how much the DVD is?

Curlyp

Great info! At least there is a chance it is not broken! haha

I called my local Lexus dealer and they will charge $129 to inspect it and it will take about two hours. Do you think it is worth paying the$129 even if their is a chance I might not purchase it?

NVAKeith

iTrader: (1)

Good info about the personalized settings:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...argo-door.html

As for dong a PPI, $129 is nothing compared to finding out the vehicle you purchased needs a $1k repair. The three items I mentioned were visible when dong tire rotations in my driveway.

jfelbab

The inspection will let you know the condition of your brake pads, the status of any recalls, the condition of the battery, any leaking of fluids, any worn components and about 90 other vital test points. If it were me, I'd gladly spend the money to know precisely what I'm buying and what might need attention soon. I'd also ask for a printout of the service history. The RX has a very high reputation for quality and long service life. I kept my 2004 for 10 years and really only upgraded to a 2014 for the advancements in technology. My 2004 felt like it would easily run another 10 years with no major issues. Good luck.

takeshi74

IMO an inspection is always worth it on any used vehicle. I can't tell you if that particular dealer is good or not at inspecting or if inspections are worth it to you. The quality of the inspection always depends on the inspector.

Rainbird

By special I mean there were only 6000 Pebble Beach cars made. Different wheels and badging.