Every Lexus from California is a lemon?
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 1
From: Missouri
Every Lexus from California is a lemon?
Perhaps someone can shed some light on this. But I'm in the market for a LS460 and went to check out a 2007 LS460 at our local dealership in central Missouri (larget dealer in town - sell new toyotas/mercedes/bmw/ford/etc....ie very reputable dealer network).
I looked on their website and found that the car was bought back as a "lemon" in California. At first I thought that it was specific to this car, but I looked at their other Lexus cars in stock and found that 10/11 preowned Lexus models (lots of IS 250/350's and a few RX's) were bought back as lemons in California. All the cars are 2007 or newer.
I'm thinking this was related to the recent class action lawsuit that took place in California. Were Cali owners eligible to give their cars back to Lexus by classifying them as a lemons? Does anyone know for sure? I find it hard to believe that every Lexus from Cali is a real lemon....
I looked on their website and found that the car was bought back as a "lemon" in California. At first I thought that it was specific to this car, but I looked at their other Lexus cars in stock and found that 10/11 preowned Lexus models (lots of IS 250/350's and a few RX's) were bought back as lemons in California. All the cars are 2007 or newer.
I'm thinking this was related to the recent class action lawsuit that took place in California. Were Cali owners eligible to give their cars back to Lexus by classifying them as a lemons? Does anyone know for sure? I find it hard to believe that every Lexus from Cali is a real lemon....
Last edited by Guy Legend; Jul 25, 2011 at 09:40 AM.
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,810
Likes: 15
From: MI
So this is not a Lexus dealer? What does the service history say on lexus.com for that VIN? Very strange. It would raise a big red flag for me about buying from that dealer - regardless of their reputation. I won't bother asking if the dealer has a plausible explanation, as that's their job to come up with good stories about bad cars.
Well the fact that you can find out their lemon history on the dealers website says a lot about them. Should have been an easy call to them to find out why, I'm sure you wouldn't have been the first person to have done their homework. Would be interesting to hear their story behind the lemon grouping.
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 1
From: Missouri
Lexus is one of the few brands not available locally in my town. I have no question for the dealership network - they're well known and own most of dealerships in town. Checking out their used cars, everything has a great history except for all the Lexus cars. The Lexus cars all have clean titles - no other red flags...except that all of them were bought back/lemoned from California.....
Can you check the complete service history of a lexus car on their website if you aren't an owner?
Can you check the complete service history of a lexus car on their website if you aren't an owner?
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 1
From: Missouri
Well the fact that you can find out their lemon history on the dealers website says a lot about them. Should have been an easy call to them to find out why, I'm sure you wouldn't have been the first person to have done their homework. Would be interesting to hear their story behind the lemon grouping.
I went after hours yesterday, plan on going today and ask them what the deal is.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 22,608
Likes: 105
From: Waiting for next track day
If they were bought back as a lemon then they may have been bought back secondary tor the well known wind noise issue. Who knows?..... Bottom line is that if I saw a car was going to buy was purchased as a "lemon" then there is no way in hell I woulf touch it. I am sure they will promise you the moon and stars and that they will promise everything is fine.
Trending Topics
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
Lexus NX 350h: A Fuel-Sipping Secret Hot Hatch???
Michael S. Palmer
5 Best & 5 Worst Lexus Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
Top 5 Hottest Lexus & Toyotas in 2026 (Hardest To Buy)
Brett Foote
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport Review: The Last of Its Kind Still Rocks
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Confusing Things Lexus Has Ever Done!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Lexus ES Review: Lexus Re-Embraces Founding Principles
Michael S. Palmer
10 Lexus Bargains That are Cheaper Than a New Toyota RAV4
Joe Kucinski
8 Weirdest Things Lexus Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
10 Lexus Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad GallardoGuest
Posts: n/a
Lemon could be a trillion things too. Somebody with a great attorney can lemon a brand new LS 600h L if they felt the floor mats were too soft and it was a lemon. On the other hand it can be a Lexus that for whatever reason doesn't start. So it all depends. I am also assuming due to the recall mess, a lot of people got out of their Lexus as a lemon b/c Toyota/Lexus was doing everything to keep people happy no matter if it was just or not.
I mean if we break up the statistics it also depends on the sample, etc etc.
Any reasonable person knows every Lexus in Cali is not a lemon.
I mean if we break up the statistics it also depends on the sample, etc etc.
Any reasonable person knows every Lexus in Cali is not a lemon.
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: CA
I can't find any figures for lemon law buybacks in California. However, here is the list of buybacks in New Jersey. The number of BMWs on this list is ridiculous.
http://www.nj.gov/lps/ca/ocp/lemreport/lemonvin.pdf
http://www.nj.gov/lps/ca/ocp/lemreport/lemonvin.pdf
Could be a generic accounting term for any number of reasons by corporate. These may be company cars that were written off then reconditioned. Demo cars used by corporate for press, promotion, car shows...etc. If it does come up as a lemon buyback, they may have re-worked it, tested and sold off. The dealer is buying them as a bulk to get a good ROI hence why they had so many.
Better to check into service history to determine the condition and go from there. I'd consider a warranty/lemon buyback if they had re-worked it, offered appropriate warranty at a reduce price.
Better to check into service history to determine the condition and go from there. I'd consider a warranty/lemon buyback if they had re-worked it, offered appropriate warranty at a reduce price.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,248
Likes: 275
I can't find any figures for lemon law buybacks in California. However, here is the list of buybacks in New Jersey. The number of BMWs on this list is ridiculous.
http://www.nj.gov/lps/ca/ocp/lemreport/lemonvin.pdf
http://www.nj.gov/lps/ca/ocp/lemreport/lemonvin.pdf
I bet it has more to do with CA lemon laws vs. MO law plus few local Lexus dealers. Toyota corporate has people in charge of selling cars including "slightly used", once they find a good buyer they become thier 1st call