Hey guys,

So I am buying an IS250 and just started my car shopping experience... listen to this one.

2010 IS250 AWD, 160k km, $16,950

-Go to the dealer, lot is packed like one of those "rush hour" games where you shuffle them all to get one out.
-Car is at back of lot, about 20 cars would need to be moved to get it out for a test drive
-As soon as I see it my eyes focus right onto the leaves and pine needles all up in the dash/hood area, two tires with golf ball like bulges in the sidewall. Pretty sure it wouldn't even be safe to take on a test drive.
-Guy needed a battery booster pack to start the car.
-I asked him how long it had been sitting there and he said they have had it for 4 months, I feel like if he admitted 4 months god knows how long....probably 6-8.


I don't know a whole lot about vehicles but was I right to basically walk away from this one without even considering an offer? I feel like they didn't really give a **** about it...they knew I was coming so why wouldn't they charge the battery and maybe take the leaves out of the dash to make it somewhat presentable? Maybe it is all just psychological, but still.

Was at Downsview Place Auto Group in North York, Ontario.

Too many cars out there to chase a bad one.

^ This ^

If you're searching for a very specific used car with very specific features/color/etc, sometimes you might have to compromise a little. But for a relatively common used car, look for exactly what you want and do not settle (so yea, walk away from this one).

Yeah I walked away, quickly lol. Wasn't expecting that from a luxury car dealer. One of my coworkers recommended I go to an actual Lexus/Toyota dealership...would this mean anything at all? Vs. a privately owned used car dealership. I feel the price is a bit higher but not sure if worth it.

personally i would just go lexus/toyota dealerships or private (if i am able to find out details and inspect the car). privately owned used car dealerships, to be honest, most of the time i think don't know very well about the cars they have, their cars might be sub-standard cars that big dealerships don't want, and they charge a certain premium for obvious reasons

Yeah I wouldn't have felt comfortable buying any car at this location regardless of the price after seeing this one....no wonder it was in the back corner and out of site. Would feel much more comfortable at nicely laid out Lexus/Toyota dealer talking to some people with passion for the cars they are selling.

If you can score a nice pre-owned car from the Lexus dealership, I'd go that route. Lexus of Canada offers 2 years/40,000km powertrain warranty from the day you purchased the car, even if the car doesn't have the original warranty anymore.

You were wrong to walk away, you should have ran away!

And I wouldn't go back to that dealership for any other car. They clearly don't value you as a customer.

In most cases, it IS worth it. And if Lexus offers the CPO (Certified Previously Owned) used-car program in Canada, that is probably the best and least-risky way to go. CPO's may cost a little more than most typical used cars, but they undergo a 100+ step program of inspections/repairs/reconditioning and are sold with excellent comprehensive warranties.

Well it was more of a speedwalk, I couldn't run due to the cluster**** they called a car lot.

Thanks for the tip. I have heard from many that CPO is the way to go. There are quite a few dealers that offer this around my area. I like convenience so if it gives me piece of mind I will most likely drop the extra cash and go for that.

CPOs are generally better than the average used car, but they are not always foolproof.....you'll still want to give it a good inspection and test/drive yourself before signing on the dotted line. If and when you find another car you're interested in, either let us know here in the thread or PM me, and I'll give you a list of things to watch out for in the inspection and test-drive.

I would really appreciate that. I am looking primarily at 2006-2009 is250s. Can afford newer but don't feel the need to go crazy. (Would like to have it paid off quickly)

Chances are I will find one any hour/day now as I am taking the hunt seriously. I know of some general things but not too much and nothing "IS250 specific", just watched a few videos on youtube and stuff.

^ I'd go with the IS350. Has about 90 more horsepower. The smaller 2.5 V6 has an annoying problem with carbon buildup, research it on the IS forums. Worst case scenerio is an entire engine rebuild.

More like 101 extra HP ^^

Here the IS350 is rated at 312hp

- but driving other cars with similar power outputs leads me to believe that the numbers for the Lexus are quite underrated

I would love the is350 if it was available in AWD. I would like AWD for the winter.