Dave144239

Very easy.I watched a documentary about an informal sales lot in Texas (one of those weekend markets) and they had trucks with hundreds of thousands of miles rolled back. Check out all the "odometer correction" devices out there on you tube - https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...ol&spfreload=1

FatherTo1

Thank you, Dave, for both responses. No, I had not seen the 460 for sale, thanks for the link. That is a great example (and as someone else in that thread also noticed, the NSX has been my dream car since high school.). I had the fortunate experience of riding in an NSX, but didn't get to drive it.

I am also targeting specifically LWB only and probably just in white, red, or silver...Mayne Nebula Gray too. I do appreciate your help and the link. Thank you, Dave.

Gbp

The online service record says:

"REPLACEDENG

WITH ENG THAT WAS PROVIDED BY CUSTOMERS EXT WARRANTY ~ ~MISC FLUIDS AND FILTERS -- OKED BY EXT WARRANTY --- AUTH # 5926560 --- TOTAL PAY OUT $4633.37 ~ ~FLUIDS AND FILTERS - FOR ENG ~ ~REPLACED ENG WITH ENG THAT WAS PROVIDED BY CUSTOMERS EXT WARRANTY "

Possibly the external warranty provider sourced the engine rather than the customer or perhaps "provided" means just that the external warranty company authorized the dealer to purchase the engine and replace it. I'm sure this could be looked into further if OP desires. In addition, if OP really likes the car and can get the price reduced to an appropriate amount, perhaps a thorough pre-purchase inspection (purchase contingent on OP accepting the PPI results) would yield useful information.

And, OP, thanks for the compliment on my Matador Red Mica color! I have the parchment leather/medium brown walnut wood trim. The wood actually has a warmer, richer tone than one might think from the description and goes well with the parchment leather. Your light gray leather/dark birdseye maple wood trim preference looks good too, just different.

Best of luck with whatever car you end up with!

Dave144239

You're welcome - I hadn't noticed your were looking for a 460 L. That's what I'd prefer myself, once I get around to it.

FatherTo1

You're right, Gbp, engine could have been hand-picked by Lexus and brand new and just paid for by the warranty. I would still wonder which engine the mileage applies to. I am curious enough that I may call Lexus of Las Vegas later to try and find out more, just for knowledge sake. As for the car, I think I will pass as the dealership has not been responsive about PPI after the test drive earlier in the week. I get the impression they know I will be thorough and, with the help of many on this forum, may find out more than they want me to know.

FatherTo1

So I just got off the phone with Lexus of Las Vegas. First off, I realize greg3852 recently had a tough time getting a replacement LS at Lexus of Las Vegas and the dealer wouldn't budge at all on the price so Greg went with a Camry. Sales and Service are obviously different departments and I just want to mention how helpful the SA was on the phone. Below are some new details.

Surprisingly, the SA had a hard time pulling up much history and data for the car. Fortunately, the master tech that performed the engine swap is still there and had a vague recollection that the engine supplied was used, not new. Dealership records show the certified warranty expired April 2014. The engine swap occurred on 8/2/2014 so the SA thinks the extended warranty was a third-party and she also mentioned that records state it was paid by an "insurance claim" (maybe just warranty jargon). It doesn't appear that the odometer was modified in any way so we don't know what the true mileage is on the installed/used engine. Overall, the owner did have most maintenance taken care of at the dealership and the fuel sensor recall was also done, in addition to LCAs, brake actuator, and fuel pump. Hope that helps someone else that may come across VIN JTHGL46F085027091. I am going to really miss that interrior. The condition of the 2008 leather looked better than a 2011 I test drove a few months back. The search continues...

Gbp

A dealer not being responsive to a PPI would make me not just shy away from the car, but the dealer, too.

FatherTo1

Odd too since the sales manager AND salesperson both reiterated how I should schedule the appt with my mechanic and call them back so they can take the car there. They said they do it all the time and their staff waits the whole time until the inspection is done. I haven't heard anything back from them since that conversation on Tuesday.

My wife and I are also looking at treadmills on Craigslist and an RX. Ads state serious buyers only. The odd thing is I also don't hear back from these sellers either after I send one or two inquiries about the ad. And the treadmill and RX are obviously still available because the ad has been republished after my emails. I don't get it. Why aren't people more responsive. I responded to every email when we were selling our Sienna, even the lowballers to let them know, as a courtesy, that I would be ignoring all future low offers from them.

Junglequac

Amen. That is highly disconcerting and about as large of a red flag as I can imagine being waved. As for the VIN, if you can find the one associated with the engine, you might be able to find out info via the Lexus Driver website or worse case, through a sympathetic Service Advisor. I would definitely start out the conversation by saying that you plan on doing all of your servicing at their dealer and with whatever SA you happen to be speaking to specifically as many advisors are on commission or quasi-commission.

Around 8 years ago when I lived in Florida I literally randomly inherited enough money to buy a decent car from my British great aunt who I had actually only met twice. Considering I have 3 brothers and we all inherited a sizable amount, needless to say, she was quite "comfortable". It also helped backed then that the British Pound was trading at almost 2:1.

Anyway, I was hellbent on purchasing either an E92 (coupe) 328i (N54 twin turbo in the 335 scares me with the HPFP issues) with a manual and iDrive or a B6 era Audi S4 both around 2 years old and all under consideration were CPO. After making friends with the advisors at the various dealers, the number of issues that occurred on literally every single absolutely were so bad they were stereotypical.

That said, none of them batted an eyelash to be having a PPI done. I ended up getting a CPO 2004 Infiniti M45 (the funky one that appeared to be designed by a ruler) that was/is a JDM model that Infiniti decided to put in the drivetrain from the latest Q45 and most of the instrumentation.

While reliable, talk about a mistake in terms of what I paid for it, $30,000. I bet even in 2007 those things fetched probably mid teens at auction. That said, considering the US only V8 drivetrain and super low production numbers, I honestly would not be surprised to see it one day being a collectors items. Finally, Japanese cars are getting their due at the major auction houses.

Duck05

Your '06 430 is a great car and not sure moving up to a '08 460L is the right move. I know that the level of investment is steep, but for that type of move you may consider a larger leap into a '13+ model even if it is base model. (The 460L, AWD, or even the F Sport fell off our list quickly).

The early years of the 460 had issues (avoid '10 altogether) as can be read in this forum.

SW17LS

It's important to understand what the "issues" are. Really it boils down to brake actuators, which are under warranty, and control arms, which can be replaced for $1,000. So, while I would get as new a car as you can afford always spending $10,000 more on a newer car if you otherwise don't want or need that to save potentially a $1,000 repair isn't really logical.

FatherTo1

The 430 truly is a great car, Duck. The wife isn't all too pleased that I'm searching for a 460L. She feels our 430 is low-mileage (61k) and well-maintained. She also doesn't see much of a difference between the 430 and 460.

I admit, after my test drive of the 08, stepping back into our 430 did feel smoother and more refined. It also felt like stepping back in time and I feel the 430 fits my Dad's image more than mine. No disrespect to my Dad whom I have the utmost admiration for and the sacrifices he and my Mom both made to provide a better life for us. Back to topic, it is a want and not a need. I am drawn to the 460L and have always been.

I initially was searching for a 460L earlier in the year but was dissuaded by all the reliability and repair stories from the forum and Lexus master technicians. With a little more insight now, I find the major problems are manageable. Although we don't need to trade the 430 in to get the 460, the 430 will fetch more now while the miles are still low. I drive 18k-20k per year and the 430 won't be worth much for very long.

Ideally, I would like a 2011 or 2012. My wife says to wait 2.5 more years after the business loan is paid off and get that 2011 then. Of all the times, she decides to think and speak logically now!

Patience will most likely pay off on the search for the elusive pristine 460L. I expanded the search nationwide and only found 14 in our desired budget ($18k or less) and none were in an acceptable condition to me and/or didn't have the right mix of options, color, etc. I do not regret purchasing the 430 at all as it is a remarkable car. I may be driving the 430 a while until I find the right 460L. Who knows, the search may truly take 2.5 years or more. In the meantime, the 430 will still take good care of us and vice versa.

Gbp

Agreed that 2011 and up are better because of the control arm redesign (I believe the redesign was done let in the '10 production), but what else is wrong with 2010, especially compared with 2011-2012? CR rates the 2010 MY overall as having better than average reliability (2011-2012 are rated as much better than average overall), and I think the control arms issue (suspension category) had something to do with it.

Every category shows much better than average reliability except:

Drive System - better than average
Electrical System - better than average
Climate System - average
Suspension System - much worse than average
Brakes - average
Paint Trim - better than average
Body Hardware -average (Body Integrity - much better than average)
Audio System - worse than average (not sure why)

Categories much better than average:
Engine Major
Engine Minor
Engine Cooling
Transmission Major
Transmission Minor
Fuel System
Exhaust
Body Integrity
Power Equipment

One can compare LS460 reliability by model year here (a subscription might be required):

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/l...eliability.htm

This is just one source of information from customer surveys, but I think it gives a good picture of relative reliability between model years. Of course, newer model years tend to show better reliability -- at least initially. There are exceptions, of course.

2013+ underwent significant styling changes that some people like and some don't. The infotainment system had a pretty significant change as well, going from a touchscreen (and a number of buttons for shortcuts) interface to a touch-pad type of interface with fewer shortcut buttons. The player went from a 6-disc changer to a single-disc player. I'm of course biased in my opinions, and this is just partial information.

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

Agreed , theres a lot to take into consideration, but I was under the assumption that this was a brand new, oem replacement done by the dealer, which would of put most of my fears at ease.

But it all comes down to what your paying for the car, if I'm paying high end retail then I'm not going to even look at anything other then all original, low mileage gems

But once your into the mid to higher mileage cars that you can buy for next to nothing , (like you can do here in Canada for higher mileage 07's) , having an oem engine replacement to me might not be such a bad thing

But in this case, after hearing more details, I wouldn't bother unless it was for below wholesale value.

I understand that the earlier models had more issues, but to ask someone to go ahead and pay an extra $20 000 just to hope that they don't have to deal with these issues that will only cost $500-$1000 and in some cases they are free through the dealer recalls, doesn't make any business sense to me.

Id find the cleanest low mileage 07-08 and the money you save on not paying the premium for the 13+ will leave you with plenty of cash for any repairs that may or may not pop up.

Junglequac

No need to duck! I hardly if ever read a bad thing written in this subforum about the 430s. When I first got my 430 which was owned by my older brother who started working at car dealerships when he was 15 and has continued to work in this industry for almost 30 more years, the level of excitement was off the charts.

When he purchased it, it was a 1 owner with 65,000 miles and had a Lexus extended service contract. Always Southern owned, Ultra Luxury with 3 of the 4 air shocks replaced and immaculate. While I did not personally love the Crystal White on Ecru interior, I hated the gold package and heavy duty tinted windows. And it had a front chrome "Lexus" plate! (no offense to those who do just not my style) As for the tint, I really believe it to be area specific. When I lived in Florida for 10 years, it was almost impossible to find a local car without it. In East Tennessee, a much different story.

In spite of knowing it would run until the end of time, after about a month, I really regretted selling my LX470 which I had spent thousands on stereo upgrades, BFG AT K02's, and much more. I was honestly expecting the ride to be much better than it actually was and the Mark Levinson system was a huge letdown.

As soon as I drove the 460, it simply felt right and for whatever reason much quicker. While derided by many, I actually quite like the steering. Vastly prefer the styling in that even a 2007 looks contemporary and quite like the actual design, and the stereo is night and day better.

I was fastidious in reading every one of the reports on the Lexus Driver website as the PO took it there every 5000 miles and aside from the valve springs being done under warranty, there were no red flags. The owner is a VP for Wells Fargo and simply spared no expense even buying his tires at the dealer.

According to my brother's former boss who owns a dealer, I purchased it $500 below wholesale and noted that 2007's actually are high demand cars in the auction world. That says something. Moreover, I have gone back close to a decade on this forum and have not found too many horror stories. Certainly less than on the main page of any BMW owners forum page.

If you can get a 2007 for peanuts, do it provided the service history is there. Like has been pointed out above, it would leave you quite the nest egg for fixing control arms or darn near anything. Curious, how cheap are they selling for north of the 49th?