garyeh

Hi all,

New to the forum here! I was hoping my first post would have been about being the new owner of a (unicorn?) GS 450H F-Sport.

I spent the last few days looking for used 4GS 450h since my trusty Corolla transmission decided to bite the bullet. Came across a super enticing low mile (11k(!)) listing here:
https://www.ocautox.com/pre-owned-ca...GS-450h/174274

Dealer claimed there were no issues and that the Carfax report about 'frame damage' was a fluke, but I knew better and having taken it to a Lexus dealership for inspection, got a pretty extensive damage report. Here's the gist:

1. From the looks of it, the car had been sandwiched in an accident. Front end had parts swapped and rear bumper had been repainted
2. Poor alignment - veers to the right
3. Oil leakage - pools inside the car, not covered by warranty

I'm pretty bummed out even though it was for sure the right choice to reject the car. Just a friendly heads up for any in SoCal who were considering making the jump. In the meantime, I'm still looking for a good GS 450h F-sport out there ($35-45k, west coast).

Im2bz2p345

Thanks for sharing this word of caution for others who may be looking for a 4th generation GS450h! It's highly appreciated.

I, personally, know the search for the ultimate vehicle can be a daunting task.. but it's so worth it for this vehicle. Best of luck on your search!

~ Im2bz2p345

garyeh

Appreciate that. By the way does anyone know what year the radar cruise control option became full-range (rather than with the 25mph restriction) on GS?

bob256k

Sad the dealer would lie like that. glad you didnt buy a lemon!

garyeh

Yea, I now know why 'used car salesman' gets such a bad rap, as someone who has never bought a car before. $162 well spent (for the Lexus inspection).

nicedude

Thanks for the good intel. I was also interested in this unicorn of a GS 450h. I saw the Carfax stating possible frame damage too, but lived too far from Socal to actually take a look at the car in person. All this waiting got me thinking to just ride out some more years and wait for a used LS 500h. I read another post of yours that you are considering the Model 3 too. I am also heavily considering that as on option when they release the "base" version.

garyeh