Htony

IMO, if the bumper needed a replacement the impact must have been pretty hard on the original bumper. Did OP see the CPO certificate issued by Lexus with pages of lists of items covered during the term?. When I got a CPO vehicle dealer gave this document which was transferable. When I traded the vehicle after 2 years, the papers went to the person who purchased it.

lesz

I don't know about CPO vehicles in Canada, but, in the US, a CPO warranty is not transferable to a different owner.

A damaged bumper can require replacement even in some relatively minor impact situations. There can be a tear in the bumper material caused by impact with something that is sharp. Also, some of the mounting hardware for the bumper is actually molded into the back side of the bumper, and, if it snaps off, the entire bumper needs to be replaced.

DanBryant

Hello Htony,

I haven't yet purchased the vehicle yet, but will on the 2nd.

Per the Lexus dealer's website and CarFax report, the vehicle is certified by Lexus.

Is there something I should check (on the paperwork) when I purchase the vehicle?

Thanks,
B.D.

lesz

The dealer should give you a copy of the complete CPO inspection checklist.

Most of the items on the checklist are things that any of us could check for ourselves in less than an hour, including things like making sure that the car starts, checking that the power windows work, checking to make sure that all bulbs are good, etc., but it will also include information that will allow you to confirm that the brake pads were replaced, that the tires were replaced, etc. It will also show any reconditioning that was done to the car to meet CPO requirements.

It is worth taking a few minutes to look carefully at the checklist to see what has been done to the car and to get an indication of any other items that might need to be dealt with in the near future.

Since the Lexus maintenance recommendations call for replacing the brake fluid at 30,000 miles, you should also check to make sure that that was done (and that it doesn't count as one of the 4 free services that come with a CPO vehicle).

DanBryant

Hello LesZ,

Thanks for the information, as I didn't think about paying too much attention to the CPO checklist.

D.B.

lesz

Good luck with your purchase. I hope all goes smoothly.

While I could be just as happy with my ES if it didn't have some of the UL package features, I really do appreciate how much nicer the semi-aniline leather is than the standard leather, and the driver's seat thigh extender is very nice. I suspect that you will enjoy those features and, likely, some of the other UL features. Similarly, when Lexus did the mid-cycle re-fresh starting with the 2016 model year, I really like some of the interior upgrades, including the nicer stitching on the seats, the use of wood trim on the center console (instead of the piano black on the 2013-2015 ES), the nicer soft-surfaced trim around the perimeter of the center console, and the nicer switch plates for the power window controls.

DanBryant

Hello LesZ,

I suspect I'll like the new upgrades as well.

Out of curiosity, was there anything you didn't like about the mid-cycle refreshes?

Oddly enough, I heard some people complain that seats were less padded / less softer for the 2016's than the 2014's.

I'm pretty sure the person who mentioned that was confused, and likely had purchased a 2016 without a higher-end package (which they probably had in their 2014).

Either way, just curious, as most people have mentioned that the everything seems nicer on the 2016's+ (maybe except the front-end - but that's subjective). I've even heard that the ride quality has been enhanced enough, such that purchasing a vehicle with 18" rims isn't as uncomfortable as it was for the 2013 - 2015 model years.

Thanks,
D.B.

lesz

I'm one of the ones that doesn't like what Lexus did to the front end of the car with the re-fresh and the 2017 comes across to me as being gaudy and not in keeping with the kind of car the ES is. I preferred the more understated look of the 2013-2015 front end. I've gotten used to the way it looks on my 2017, but I still prefer the look on the 2013-2015 cars. Other than that, I have no complaints about any changes made with the re-fresh.

As someone who previously had a 2013 ES, I'd guess that those who think that there is less padding in the seats after the refresh are imagining it. I also don't see any difference in ride quality/suspension. Also, Lexus has said that, with the re-fresh, there was better sound insulation. I don't see that, either. To me, both cars are the same with regard to isolation of road, wind, and engine noise from the cabin.

One difference that I did notice is that I think that Lexus, with the re-fresh, did some unannounced "fine tuning" of various features in the car. For example, the heated seats on my 2013 were so hot that, even at the lowest setting, I felt that I needed to turn them off after a few minutes even on the coldest days. With the 2017, the seats still heat up quickly, but the amount of heat produced seems more appropriate at the various settings. Also, even at the most sensitive setting, the auto headlights on the 2013 didn't turn on soon enough as evening was approaching. With the 2017, the sensitivity seems to be about perfect.

When I got the 2017, I was a bit concerned about build quality issues with Lexus having moved production of the ES from Japan to the US. However, my 2017 is actually better than was the 2013. Both interior and exterior fits and finishes are about perfect, and there isn't a hint of squeak, rattle, or other extraneous sound coming from anywhere in the car. The 2013 was good with regard to fits and finishes, but the 2017 is better.

DanBryant

Hello LesZ,

So I bought the car.

I took it to a mechanic and they found that the bumper damage was a bit more severe than the dealer made it out to be, but didn't require any welding or cutting (just some hammer hits to get the bumper corner to pop out - as the damage occurred at the left hand corner of the bumper).

That said, the dealer dropped the vehicle another $500 down to $31,000.00 (out the door $34,000.00).

Sucks about the bumper damage, but thankfully the bumper and all surrounding hardware was properly replaced, and the mechanic mentioned that no major frame damage / structural damage had occurred, and the vehicle was fine to drive / purchase.

Thanks for the help,
D.B.

JohnLocke

Were you able to get the dealer to throw in a free map update? I wish I had asked for that.