Hi There,
We're in the lookout for a new car and somewhat accidentally, the Lexus RX450H appeared on the radar. Originally were were going to just replace our Audi A3 with another A3 but looks like it's possible to get somewhat a older Lexus, that will be more comfortable and spacious at less than 14k which is not too bad.
We're in London and the car would mainly see city driving and some motorway, totaling around 6k miles a year. Whatever we buy, we'd like to keep it for for at least 4 years or longer (depending on the depreciation). As this will be our first non German car, I would appreciate some tips on what to look for in the car etc.
Here's a set of questions that I'd like to start with:
Mileage: What's acceptable milage? The cars I see around 14k mark are high mileage, between 75k - 100k. Is that too much? We'll not get anything without full service history obviously
Depreciation: We're looking at 2012 facelift models preferably, however won't mind a pre-facelift model at around 10k also. Is it worth going for a facelift model spending 3-4k extra when we're going to keep the car for 4 years at least?
Model: What model should we look for? For example, is it worth paying extra for a F-Sport model? Pre-facelift vs. facelift - what are the major differences?
Technology: We're very attached to Apple CarPaly. Clearly for a car this age, there won't be any factory option, but is retrofitting an option? I've seen some questionable sources claim so, but I'd rather hear from here
Warranty: Does Lexus provide extended warranty for older cars? How much does it usually cost and is it worth it?
Checks: Apart from doing full RAC inspection or equivalent (feel free to shout if any other service is is preferred) what other things should I look out for? For example Rust or any other known problem areas, e.g. suspension/panaromic roof/tailgate? What items should've been changed/replaced/serviced that general maintenance service schedule doesn't cover for example?
Avoid: Obviously not all options in a car are desirable or problematic long term. For example air suspension could be a costly failure. With that in mind, what specs should I look out for that generally should be avoided or if no not possible, ensure that they had been properly maintained/looked after?
That's all for now. Thanks!
