New Intro and advice on purchase
11-05-21, 05:41 PM
#16
$399 a month for leasing a used car? Yikes! That's $16,239 over 36 months with nothing to show for it at the end and that's not including "taxes and fees" which are prob at least another $1,500.
I paid $27,590 ($29,509.94 total loan including sales tax and registration) for a 2013 GS350 AWD with only 34,600 miles and my payment is $486.36 for 66 months at 2.95% interest. I would not hesitate to buy one with up to even 100K miles provided it had been serviced regularly.
The GS is a great car, super comfortable, buttery smooth, great engine sound, good power/pretty fast and top notch interior materials, but the infotainment even after the 2016 refresh is very dated. To update the infotainment with Apple Carplay or Android Auto cost me $700 for the GROM VL2 unit. I love my car and actually look forward to driving it but they are gas hogs and only take premium gas so if you have a long commute you need to factor that in.
If the latest safety tech and infotainment stuff is very important to you than the GS may not be for you. My 2013 has parking sensors, blind spot monitor and even dynamic radar cruise control and a primitive driver attention monitor/pre-collision system that beeps and flashes a light at you if it thinks you are going to rear end someone and I think it applies the brakes at full force if you hit the brakes but won't brake completely on it's own.
Also the difference in dealer experience between a Lexus dealer and a Kia dealer is like being on two different planets. I have not heard good things about Kia dealerships, but then again you definitely pay extra at the Lexus dealer. My 30K service cost $586 (probably cost half that much for a Kia 30K service) but at least I got to drive a 2021 IS350 during the four hours it was at the dealer. No way a Kia dealer is giving you a nice loaner (or any loaner) like that during a 30K service.
I paid $27,590 ($29,509.94 total loan including sales tax and registration) for a 2013 GS350 AWD with only 34,600 miles and my payment is $486.36 for 66 months at 2.95% interest. I would not hesitate to buy one with up to even 100K miles provided it had been serviced regularly.
The GS is a great car, super comfortable, buttery smooth, great engine sound, good power/pretty fast and top notch interior materials, but the infotainment even after the 2016 refresh is very dated. To update the infotainment with Apple Carplay or Android Auto cost me $700 for the GROM VL2 unit. I love my car and actually look forward to driving it but they are gas hogs and only take premium gas so if you have a long commute you need to factor that in.
If the latest safety tech and infotainment stuff is very important to you than the GS may not be for you. My 2013 has parking sensors, blind spot monitor and even dynamic radar cruise control and a primitive driver attention monitor/pre-collision system that beeps and flashes a light at you if it thinks you are going to rear end someone and I think it applies the brakes at full force if you hit the brakes but won't brake completely on it's own.
Also the difference in dealer experience between a Lexus dealer and a Kia dealer is like being on two different planets. I have not heard good things about Kia dealerships, but then again you definitely pay extra at the Lexus dealer. My 30K service cost $586 (probably cost half that much for a Kia 30K service) but at least I got to drive a 2021 IS350 during the four hours it was at the dealer. No way a Kia dealer is giving you a nice loaner (or any loaner) like that during a 30K service.
11-10-21, 09:14 AM
#17
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Ok so an update
Wife and I settled down to negotiate on an Atomic Silver / Black Leather '18 GS350 F-Sport that's like 400 miles away from me. We are negotiating knowing full well that the vehicle has high milage (60k) and they are asking for 37k.
I had a PPI done and got a pretty high-level view of what the car looks like and any glaring issues. As expected the engine and transmission perform well although it is a bit low on coolant. The interior has some wear and tare on the seat
bolsters and the odd scratch here and there but nothing to write home about.
Where my wife and I are torn is on the exterior of the vehicle where the main issues for us are:
* What looks like a pretty significant scratch on the passenger side front bumper
* Curb rash.. more than I'd like to have on any car. Hell even my Tundra that I off-road doesn't have that much curb rash on the wheels
* Deep gashes in some areas of the paint.
I uploaded an album here and would love it if you could give me your input as owners of whether this is worth the hassle. I'm happy to walk away and keep looking, but I do like the car despite the high milage.
It would have been nice for the seller to have let me know about the curb rash and the front passenger bumper stuff before the PPI found it.
Here is the album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Do6gxwEKMwDMNaP6 (note I'll be removing the album after I decide whether we're moving on or not)
Thanks in advance!
I had a PPI done and got a pretty high-level view of what the car looks like and any glaring issues. As expected the engine and transmission perform well although it is a bit low on coolant. The interior has some wear and tare on the seat
bolsters and the odd scratch here and there but nothing to write home about.
Where my wife and I are torn is on the exterior of the vehicle where the main issues for us are:
* What looks like a pretty significant scratch on the passenger side front bumper
* Curb rash.. more than I'd like to have on any car. Hell even my Tundra that I off-road doesn't have that much curb rash on the wheels
* Deep gashes in some areas of the paint.
I uploaded an album here and would love it if you could give me your input as owners of whether this is worth the hassle. I'm happy to walk away and keep looking, but I do like the car despite the high milage.
It would have been nice for the seller to have let me know about the curb rash and the front passenger bumper stuff before the PPI found it.
Here is the album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Do6gxwEKMwDMNaP6 (note I'll be removing the album after I decide whether we're moving on or not)
Thanks in advance!
11-10-21, 03:03 PM
#18
Lead Lap
Wife and I settled down to negotiate on an Atomic Silver / Black Leather '18 GS350 F-Sport that's like 400 miles away from me. We are negotiating knowing full well that the vehicle has high milage (60k) and they are asking for 37k.
I had a PPI done and got a pretty high-level view of what the car looks like and any glaring issues. As expected the engine and transmission perform well although it is a bit low on coolant. The interior has some wear and tare on the seat
bolsters and the odd scratch here and there but nothing to write home about.
Where my wife and I are torn is on the exterior of the vehicle where the main issues for us are:
* What looks like a pretty significant scratch on the passenger side front bumper
* Curb rash.. more than I'd like to have on any car. Hell even my Tundra that I off-road doesn't have that much curb rash on the wheels
* Deep gashes in some areas of the paint.
I uploaded an album here and would love it if you could give me your input as owners of whether this is worth the hassle. I'm happy to walk away and keep looking, but I do like the car despite the high milage.
It would have been nice for the seller to have let me know about the curb rash and the front passenger bumper stuff before the PPI found it.
Here is the album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Do6gxwEKMwDMNaP6 (note I'll be removing the album after I decide whether we're moving on or not)
Thanks in advance!
I had a PPI done and got a pretty high-level view of what the car looks like and any glaring issues. As expected the engine and transmission perform well although it is a bit low on coolant. The interior has some wear and tare on the seat
bolsters and the odd scratch here and there but nothing to write home about.
Where my wife and I are torn is on the exterior of the vehicle where the main issues for us are:
* What looks like a pretty significant scratch on the passenger side front bumper
* Curb rash.. more than I'd like to have on any car. Hell even my Tundra that I off-road doesn't have that much curb rash on the wheels
* Deep gashes in some areas of the paint.
I uploaded an album here and would love it if you could give me your input as owners of whether this is worth the hassle. I'm happy to walk away and keep looking, but I do like the car despite the high milage.
It would have been nice for the seller to have let me know about the curb rash and the front passenger bumper stuff before the PPI found it.
Here is the album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Do6gxwEKMwDMNaP6 (note I'll be removing the album after I decide whether we're moving on or not)
Thanks in advance!
In terms of the issues:
-The chrome trim on the grill can be replaced. I see an area where it is scuffed/damaged.
-The front underside of the bumper is heavily scraped (likely the PPI is correct in stating uphill/driveway entry damage). However, that area is rarely ever visible and can be covered with a nice front lip: https://www.niaautodesign.com/wp-con...er-lip-kit.jpg
-The wheels are curbed, but its not as bad as I thought (unless its worse in person). Being from NYC, we have a higher tolerance for curb rash as its so commonplace here. My wheels look great from 8ft away - not so much from 2ft away.
-The rear calipers look like they were painted or wrapped. Odd to me that they painted them with a silver color but left the front ones in black. One image of the rear rotors look like it has some red leftover color wrap or paint on it.
Most of the problems seem cosmetic. If most of the infotainment/interior, engine, transmission, exhaust are in good shape - its a decent car. However, I think you can get something with lower mileage (even certified with a warranty) for not much more in better overall condition:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ngId=601537798
11-11-21, 10:40 AM
#20
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The car looks good overall - but its definitely a little rough on the outside for being only 3yrs old. It looks like a lease return where they didn't go the extra mile to fully recondition those items. If you were buying from a Lexus dealer, those are things you could negotiate that they fix as part of your deal.
In terms of the issues:
-The chrome trim on the grill can be replaced. I see an area where it is scuffed/damaged.
-The front underside of the bumper is heavily scraped (likely the PPI is correct in stating uphill/driveway entry damage). However, that area is rarely ever visible and can be covered with a nice front lip: https://www.niaautodesign.com/wp-con...er-lip-kit.jpg
-The wheels are curbed, but its not as bad as I thought (unless its worse in person). Being from NYC, we have a higher tolerance for curb rash as its so commonplace here. My wheels look great from 8ft away - not so much from 2ft away.
-The rear calipers look like they were painted or wrapped. Odd to me that they painted them with a silver color but left the front ones in black. One image of the rear rotors look like it has some red leftover color wrap or paint on it.
Most of the problems seem cosmetic. If most of the infotainment/interior, engine, transmission, exhaust are in good shape - its a decent car. However, I think you can get something with lower mileage (even certified with a warranty) for not much more in better overall condition:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ngId=601537798
In terms of the issues:
-The chrome trim on the grill can be replaced. I see an area where it is scuffed/damaged.
-The front underside of the bumper is heavily scraped (likely the PPI is correct in stating uphill/driveway entry damage). However, that area is rarely ever visible and can be covered with a nice front lip: https://www.niaautodesign.com/wp-con...er-lip-kit.jpg
-The wheels are curbed, but its not as bad as I thought (unless its worse in person). Being from NYC, we have a higher tolerance for curb rash as its so commonplace here. My wheels look great from 8ft away - not so much from 2ft away.
-The rear calipers look like they were painted or wrapped. Odd to me that they painted them with a silver color but left the front ones in black. One image of the rear rotors look like it has some red leftover color wrap or paint on it.
Most of the problems seem cosmetic. If most of the infotainment/interior, engine, transmission, exhaust are in good shape - its a decent car. However, I think you can get something with lower mileage (even certified with a warranty) for not much more in better overall condition:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ngId=601537798
11-11-21, 02:36 PM
#21
For me to spend $37k, with 60k miles. I would rather have a 2017 with lower miles in better condition personally. It seems a bit rough to me. What does the service history look like? Altho there is much disagreement about this, if the car has 10k oil changes, I run from it.
Also maybe I missed it, but what with the burn looking marks on the paint? Was that a shot with the hood cover off underneath? As I always say when I'm looking Pre Owned. I always end up Not buying the 1st 2 cars I was going to buy, only to keep looking and being patience to get exactly what I want. I always end up with something with lower ,miles better condition and a lower price. Patience always rewards me.
Also maybe I missed it, but what with the burn looking marks on the paint? Was that a shot with the hood cover off underneath? As I always say when I'm looking Pre Owned. I always end up Not buying the 1st 2 cars I was going to buy, only to keep looking and being patience to get exactly what I want. I always end up with something with lower ,miles better condition and a lower price. Patience always rewards me.
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