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Would You Walk Away?


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About to buy a March 2007 RX400h SE-L from a Lexus dealer. One owner from new, but a gap in the service record. Serviced at 4583 miles in January of 2008 and then nothing until May 2010 at 25,000 miles. Car is a "nice one", drives fine and the dealer has offered me a full years Lexus warranty. I'm concerned that when I come to sell the vehicle in around three yeard time I will get screwed on the part exchange price.

In compensation the dealer has come in a thousand pounds on the price and offered me a new sat-nav disc and the "Lexus protection package--alloy wheel insurance, tyre insurance, gap insurance and exterior and interior sealant free for the next three years.

I'm tempted but concerned about the gap in the service history---should I walk away and look for another one?

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Unless the car's in exceptionally good condition that you won't be able to find elsewhere, or the car's coming in a lot cheaper than others then it doesn't make a huge amount of sense. However, if you're planning on keeping it for a good few years it probably won't make much difference so if there's potential to get a really sweet deal then it might be worth pursuing.

Sitting on the fence there a bit, but without any details it's hard to gauge how good it might seem :)

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If the deal is 'good enough' then it wouldn't worry me unduly, once a car is out of warranty many people don't use main stealers for servicing anyway.

Just make sure the Warranty covers the CD player.... :lol:

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Unless the car's in exceptionally good condition that you won't be able to find elsewhere, or the car's coming in a lot cheaper than others then it doesn't make a huge amount of sense. However, if you're planning on keeping it for a good few years it probably won't make much difference so if there's potential to get a really sweet deal then it might be worth pursuing.

Sitting on the fence there a bit, but without any details it's hard to gauge how good it might seem :)

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Details are RX400h SE-L First registered 30/03/07. Black, light grey leather inside, 25492 on the clock. Slight scuff to rear bumper which will be repaired by the dealer. Two brand new front tyres. Immaculate inside other than a slight mark to glove box, which again the dealer says he will fix. Dealer has come down to £27,250 plus the extras mentioned in my earlier email. Has offered me the same part-ex on my existing vehicle as two other Lexus dealers, and I consider the part-ex to be a fair price.

I would have bought it on the spot if it hadn't been for the missing service history

Although I would like to change my vehicle now I'm not desperate and could easily hold off for a time.

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I wouldn't worry too much about the missing history - especially if you are keeping it for a few years anyway. Just make it has a FULL service done it before you get it.

I would also forget the exterior paintwork protection - waste of time believe me! Would also be tempted to forget the new satnav disc too. Instead, I would push for at least another years extended warranty with Lexus AND a service pack. These are MUCH more valuable/useful from my experience even if you have to pay a little more/get less of a discount...

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Just one thing, is this car being retailed as a Lexus Approved Used Car? If so, and the appropriate service was conducted in May 2010, I don't see a problem because if the car has met a particular standard (HA! HA!) then they have accepted the risk of the missing S/H and it should have no bearing on future warranty claims - which is something that I would be more mindful than resale value.

By the time you come to sell, I doubt one missing stamp will make a difference. Of all the cars I have sold, no-one has bothered to check service history that closely, despite my taking great pains to put everything out neatly and carefully ;)

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According to the Lexus Approved site, my dealer (Lexus Woodford) has 3 similar black RX400h SE-Ls (among several others):

Dec 2007 '57' plate, 29k miles - £27,150

Dec 2007 '57' plate, 29k miles - £27,200

Sep 2007 '57' plate, 13k miles - £28,700

Based on these (and the fact there's more room for negotiation, plus I think they're offering 2 free services or 0% finance), I'd say that the deal you've been offered isn't that spectacular, especially with this little service niggle. I can also add that whenever I've looked at a used car a Woodford they've always been immaculate so I'd imagine these are the same.

Worth considering, and if it's not too far from you might be worth dropping in to have a look at some of them - even if you don't like them it might help put your mind at ease about the one you're looking at now.

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According to the Lexus Approved site, my dealer (Lexus Woodford) has 3 similar black RX400h SE-Ls (among several others):

Dec 2007 '57' plate, 29k miles - £27,150

Dec 2007 '57' plate, 29k miles - £27,200

Sep 2007 '57' plate, 13k miles - £28,700

Based on these (and the fact there's more room for negotiation, plus I think they're offering 2 free services or 0% finance), I'd say that the deal you've been offered isn't that spectacular, especially with this little service niggle. I can also add that whenever I've looked at a used car a Woodford they've always been immaculate so I'd imagine these are the same.

Worth considering, and if it's not too far from you might be worth dropping in to have a look at some of them - even if you don't like them it might help put your mind at ease about the one you're looking at now.

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Thanks everyone for all of your help----I have decided to pass on this one. I would always have a nagging doubt in the back of my mind that someone else would pick up on the gap in the service history when I came to dispose of the car. As Parthiban has pointed out, it's not so much of a bargain that I need to snap it up.

"Plenty more fish in the sea" and I shall keep looking until the right one comes up.

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Probably a wise decision, once doubt creeps in it'll never let you fully enjoy the car. Good luck finding the right one, as said there are plenty out there so it shouldn't be too hard.

I actually think that one with 13k miles is definitely an interesting one, for an almost 3 year old car it has negligible mileage :)

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