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Not knowledgable on Lexus cars but have been offered a top of range 1996, M Reg GS300 85Kmiles, full service record, for £4,000 by a reputable dealer. Wheels need sandblast and superficial body marks need attention. Have been assured that £500 would place it 'in showroom condition'. Haven't test driven yet - what should I look for please?

Mervt

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Thanks both very much for the prompt and helpful replies.

When your pensioned in your late 70's, you have to do all you can to avoid financial disasters. Hope to become an actual owner soon then and will certainly keep in the club.

My first car was an Austin 7 tourer in 1948 which I found rotting in a builders yard and spent 7 months stripping down to the bare chassis and completely rebuilding. Cost me £35 and was offered £250 immediately it appeared on the road. Cars were unobtainable then there being a 10 year wait list for a new one!

Thanks again

Mervt

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Would advice the usual checks, but if you do a search on Autotrader.co.uk you will notice that that price is very cheap, a great buy if its all it says it is. I assume it is a proper badged Lexus and not an import of some sort is it?? Good luck it sounds like a good deal

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Thanks "Ants" will check on the Autotrader site. Haven't seen the car yet as it will not be in the showroom until present owners new Lexus arrives any day. The dealer is a Lexus dealer so I imagine it will be a 'genuine' but will certainly check on that. Will post here if and when I have the car.

Nice club this seems to be.

Thanks again

Mervt

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Hi. Sounds `too good to be true`??? Most Lexus dealers would trade the car out, it being too old for re-sale by a main dealer. They should have given more that 4K for it in p/e. If it's not an import and the mileage is genuine and the bodywork/paintwork/leather is right (check for alignment of doors, boot, bonnet) then this could be your Lucky day!!! Hope it all works out well for you!

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Thanks Dave. I am beginning to think I may have a bargain. I am noting all this good advice and will apply it when it is available.

Will keep you posted on the site. The new Lexus replacement is promised before the enf of the month. Aren't you a nice friendly bunch?

Mervt

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If this car is being sold to you by lexus it will have all paintwork blemishes sorted as they will not sell a car with marks on paintwork. also car will not qualify for lexus warranty mine is a 97 and just scraped in .They will supply you with a toyota warrenty which is alright but not as good as the lexus one .The car sounds to good to be true and a very low price for a lexus dealer i would have thought 7k to be about right .I would not bother with to many checks as the dealer will have done all of these just the usual tyres ,condition of interior etc .

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Hi again. Noted what mudzs has just said, about Lexus dealers putting everything right, before re-sale. But this car is being offered for sale, apparently by a Lexus dealer, needing £500 work to be done, including wheel refurb. If they were `going on` with this deal i.e. to retail their part exchange, it would have to be in perfect condition, with a warrantee etc. They must have given at least 4K for the car in p/e and would either trade it out for 4K plus a drink, or refurbish it themselves and retail it for 6/7K allowing enough profit to haggle with the prospective new owner and support the car during the free dealer warrantee period.

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For the price it sounds like the dealer is just selling on a traded in car. It will not be a

Lexus Approved Used car. They should give some warranty (maybe only 3 months) and do a service but I don't think they will give it any paint or new tyres etc.

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Hi. Main dealers and indeed most garages hardly ever offer a 'trade' sale to a member of the public. The buyer always brings it back for something to be done - then it gets argumentive and you don't need that in your showroom!! Most main dealers have several 'trader' contacts who fight hard for the 'jucy' p/exes and this is a very jucy p/ex!!!

One thing that worries me is that you may have been 'hooked' Just like the 'spoof car routine' the car that's advertised that doesn't exist!

You then get a phone call to say that the car you were interested in was poor quality, but a much nicer one has now arrived - albeit 2K more expensive.

All the above makes the world go around in the motor trade - but in the end there's only one person who makes the profit - the guy who is selling the car you buy!!

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No main dealer would trade out a car to the public with a warrenty it just would not be cost affective i agree with dave webb on this one it sounds to good to be true and it will be interesting to see how it pans out .I hope for your sake mervt that it is as it seems and is a bargain , fingers crossed . :)

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Hi MudZS - well tomorrow morning (Sat) all will be revealed. The car is now in and awaiting my inspection. No 2 son will drive us the 22 miles and keep a weather eye on our negotiations.

Pam and I have dusted off our credit cards and are anticipating 2000 air miles each at least!

You've all been very helpful and patient, not like some sites I have had dealings with in the past over computer matters. I will post the good? news as soon as we return - perhaps even a digital pic of the 'beast'. I guess you will all be waiting out there with bated breath - am I kidding?

The saga continues!

Thanks again

Merv

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Hi all

Well the deed is done and I collect on Friday. The car seemed excellent, well shod, the interior was impeccable and everything seemed to be in working order. The engine sounded 'firm' and responsive and it was a very comfortable drive. The a/c was working fine, the transmission was quiet and the Auto change was imperceptable. The doors shut quietly and firmly.

On the road there was a slight front wheel vibration which could be driven below or through and felt just like a slight wheel balance problem.

The service history is good - some Lexus and some Brundells. The cambelt was replaced at the due time.

The bodywork is excellent save for a mucky repair to a small bump on the front leftside spoiler and alloys which need sandblasting.

My fully comp has gone up from £233 on my BMW 528 to £409. Not bad I suppose. So- here we go!

Merv

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Ive read all the cautionary notes and have to say, WELL DONE MATE!

Youve got a bargain. have never heard of LEXUS dealer selling a car for less than £8k so congrats! I have also never heard of them selling a car to the public that does not come as an "aproved used LExus" so whatever you have got. if its a tidy GS from a Lexus dealer for £4k then be happy.

WHatever the warranty, you still have your statutory rights. If the car is a lemon you can go back under the sale of goods act as it is not of merchantable quality.

Post some pictures of the car when you can so we can all see how well you've done. I am glad you were not put off by all the sceptisism.

Ps. the noise from the front wheel might also be a baring but its not a bg job either. wouldn't worry.

Loz

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi folks - sorry for the delay but have had some serious interruptions in the last week. Wifey had to undergo some Laser treatment to one eye which fortunately performed miracles for her. Sady out lovely sheepdog bitch picked up some poison left around by kindly farmers and was dead in 24 hours. Please excuse the off topic explanations.

The car is fine and have had some quotes for the touching up. I have been in touch with the Lexus dealer who performed the services and have discovered the cambelt was NOT changed at 63,000. As the mileage is 90,000 will have to get some quotes for the belt as my friendly home visit mechanic can do the job - AND I CAN WATCH HIM !

Any ideas as to what I should pay for a cambelt?

When the dust settles I will be posting a pic. Would like to get the beauty work done first though.

Regards

Merv

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My "Friendly" spanner man did mine for £100 quid using a belt from Lexus. As you can see I run Nitrous so any problem with the timng would be showing up by now me thinks.

just on thing. you got it from a dealer and they said the belt was done?

THey must do it for you as they are in breach of contract dude!

if they said it was done and thats what you thought you bought then you can go back and challenge them under the Sale of Goods act 1978 as amended in 1995 section 14 para 2.

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Thanks Loz

No the dealer did not say they had done it they said it had a full service history, which it had. What I didn't do was check the 'history' until after purchase. Full service history don't mean a thing really does it unless you contact the service dept regarding a particular service in the history, whereupon they tell you that the belt replacement was recommended but not accepted by the then owner.

I would have though that a Lexus dealer would have noted this on the relevant service stamp - but knowing the motor trade why should I think that!!

However if I can get it done for £100 I'll not complain.

I see that some folks on this forum are saying that around 110 miles is the cambelt time.

mervt

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Hi. OK perhaps not a "big big" bill - if it breaks in your garage at home!!!

If it goes when your halfway down the motorway 100 miles from home, could be a different story.

As it is 27K overdue, would still advise changing it a.s.a.p.

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