Low mile example on BaT
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,069
Likes: 978
From: Indiana
I personally don’t think I’d want a car that was used to train techs for almost a decade.
Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 94
Likes: 56
From: Canada
Very interesting myeclublex. I wonder if this could even be registered for road use. The story reminds me of the Dodge Vipers trade schools had that were getting crushed as they became old technology.
Personally I wouldn't want a training class car things have been disassembled and reassembled a dozen times a week, over torqued, stretched bolts, stripped bolts and then students probably rev the hell out of it cold. I've seen a lot of that when I was in school and we just had a Chrysler 300C at the time.
Personally I wouldn't want a training class car things have been disassembled and reassembled a dozen times a week, over torqued, stretched bolts, stripped bolts and then students probably rev the hell out of it cold. I've seen a lot of that when I was in school and we just had a Chrysler 300C at the time.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 67
From: CA
With regard to the history of this vehicle, and so that potential buyers are not operating under any misconception, I can tell you that Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. has written letters to NHTSA and the Arizona Department of Transportation, advising as follows:
On or about August 8, 2011, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (“TMS”) imported the above-described vehicle into the United States. The vehicle was imported as a prototype vehicle, which provides that it should not be transferred to a third party or used for commercial purposes.
Up until approximately October 2020, the subject vehicle was being used for education, training and testing purposes at a TMS sponsored training program at a community college in Phoenix, Arizona. It had never been registered with any state department of motor vehicles to be operated on a public highway. It had not been transferred to any third party or used for commercial purposes.
On or about October 22, 2020, the subject vehicle was stolen from the college. It was subsequently recovered by police taken to an impound facility in Phoenix, Arizona. TMS was not aware that the vehicle had been stolen or impounded. Without any notification to TMS, the subject vehicle was declared abandoned and sold at auction on or about 2-5-21. The title was then transferred to an individual, Hunter Garrido.
On or about August 8, 2011, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (“TMS”) imported the above-described vehicle into the United States. The vehicle was imported as a prototype vehicle, which provides that it should not be transferred to a third party or used for commercial purposes.
Up until approximately October 2020, the subject vehicle was being used for education, training and testing purposes at a TMS sponsored training program at a community college in Phoenix, Arizona. It had never been registered with any state department of motor vehicles to be operated on a public highway. It had not been transferred to any third party or used for commercial purposes.
On or about October 22, 2020, the subject vehicle was stolen from the college. It was subsequently recovered by police taken to an impound facility in Phoenix, Arizona. TMS was not aware that the vehicle had been stolen or impounded. Without any notification to TMS, the subject vehicle was declared abandoned and sold at auction on or about 2-5-21. The title was then transferred to an individual, Hunter Garrido.
I had some suspicions that this car had a story, since lots of fasteners were missing from under the hood and undercarriage, which is highly unusual on a 4k mile car. What an eye opener though ... so this guy is trying to pass it off as a cream puff. As for the auction sale, the tow yard has to first obtain a title to the car before they can auction it off, which is typically done through a mechanic's lien. The tow company should have notified the registered owner of the car of the pending lien sale, but obviously that was never done or it was sent to Toyota and no one figured out what to do with it. Nonetheless, it looks like it slipped through the cracks and was registered for road use.
When were these letters you speak of sent to the NHTSA and AZ DOT? I'd be curious to see if they do anything about it.
VIN in case this car comes up for sale somewhere else - JTHBP5C28C5009548
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,069
Likes: 978
From: Indiana
Hopefully the buyer knows the story. I’d feel scammed if I bought it and found this out. I can’t think of anything that would devalue a car more outside of maybe it being totaled… but it depends on the wreck. I’ve first hand seen some terrible work from Lexus techs. I can’t imagine buying a car that hundreds/thousands of techs learned on. I bet it rattles going down the road.
Theres a reason Lexus meant to crush it.
Theres a reason Lexus meant to crush it.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 435
Likes: 150
From: East Coast
Crazy! I work for a Lexus dealer and just saw that latest update. I ran the VIN in TIS and under all of the options and ratings it just says "information not found" but it shows as a good VIN. Maybe this was already mentioned somewhere else but it has two recalls done at a dealer (air bag and wiper arm) and it had some type of history to install a fuse around 1k at a Toyota facility.
Very cool and interesting story.
Very cool and interesting story.
Racer
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 355
From: Utah
Maybe that's the history, but I remember from a long long time ago when I was in high school. Our auto shop had a few new vehicles that had been donated by different manufacturers and they were all covered in stickers that said they were for educational purposes only, they said "educational" on the VIN tag,, the odo just had dashes or something. But it wouldn't be easy to do my with it. It could not be driven on public roads, could never be registered and ownership could not be transferred without exception. And if it became obsolete or the school closed then the vehicle needed to be drained of fluids and the tires battery and such needed to be recycled and the rest of the car needed to be crushed. You couldn't part it out or try and get a title for it. The rules were very specific. And my auto shop wasn't lucky enough to get anything like an IS-F. We had a '92 Mercury Cougar and an '88 Buick Regal, The shop teacher felt lucky to get them and didn't let anyone screw around with them. If someone stole a shift ****, he would have closed the shop and made us do bookwork til it got returned.
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,069
Likes: 978
From: Indiana
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post