Used GS450H with high mileage

marrat · September 26, 2017

High everyone, I need help with a difficult choice (money vs. mileage).

Would it be wise to get a 2012 GS450H with about 150K KMs on the clock to save a few thousand euros? The car is at a dealership, so the maintenance record is good, but the high mileage still scares me away. It's an almost full option GS450H, which has a relative cheap price (~25K euros). For reference, comparable GS450Hs with 'just' 100K KMs go for 33K euros. Can I expect any big costs down the road? Saving money now to spend it on repairs later wouldn't be smart I think.
It's always difficult to know how much mileage actually matters. What would be the limit for a relatively young car? 60K, 100K KMs? Would it be wiser to go for a car with less options and less mileage on the odo meter?

We plan to use the car for at least five years and we do 15K-20K KMs a year.

Northern_Si · September 26, 2017

The GS is often listed in those online American articles of cars which will easily do 200K miles. Buy a Lexus extended warranty and drive it for a few stressless years.

Upex · September 26, 2017

If you pay upfront, you've paid 7k more for definite and may still need to pay more for repairs and maintenance. 100k isn't 10k, it's not new after all and has been used.

If you buy cheaper, you might have to pay for repairs, but the chance is less than 100%. That money can go to the warranty, and preventative maintenance and could possibly mean more hassle free driving than the more expensive one. Imagine if it didn't go wrong anymore than the 100k one, your 1/3 Better off.

One that's been used more and serviced and looked after, could well offer the better deal.

Personally, I'd buy higher mileage, well looked after, used and cared for over potentially stood longer, doing shorter journeys and rusting from the inside all day long, especially when it leaves a good chunk of cash in the bank but buys you the same thing (to all intense purposes), not to mention if it did blow up etc, your less down the drain than the more expensive one hitting the dust.

marrat · September 27, 2017

That's actually very good reasoning, pay more now for lower mileage or just keep that money for future repairs. Are there any high cost repairs coming up around the 200k KM mark?

stevet · September 27, 2017

18 hours ago, Northern_Si said:

The GS is often listed in those online American articles of cars which will easily do 200K miles. Buy a Lexus extended warranty and drive it for a few stressless years.

That's what I'm planning on doing. Just bought a 9 year old GS with 73k on for £5k plus £900 for a 2 year Lexus warranty. If I get £3k back in 2 years that's less than £3k for 2 years stressless Lexus motoring.

marrat · September 28, 2017

So are there no upcoming costly repairs after the 150K KM mark I should keep in mind? Something like "the something something inverter pump is likely to fail at that mileage, will cost you a few thousand!! Beware!".

mrdoofa · September 29, 2017

I'd be wary of the hybrid components at very high mileages, at the very least I'd want a current hybrid health check certificate. When hybrid components start to fail it can quickly cost thousands!!!

Mine suffered hybrid problems within weeks of ownership, luckily the dealer stepped up to the mark and took the car back and gave me a full refund. The car was great while it lasted but would I risk another? Probably not. There is simply too much expensive stuff to go wrong.

In fact, I'm having a break from Lexus completely, I've had 4 now and have found them all to be pretty far from the ultra reliable machines they are reputed to be, maybe I'm just unlucky but I'd tread very carefully and take the "Lexus just don't go wrong" arguments with a few grains of salt.

stevet · September 29, 2017

That's why I bought a GS300. Intend to keep it a few years. Ultra quiet and smooth. Plenty fast enough and will do an easy 32mpg all day long.

Upex · September 29, 2017

Yeah but how much shove are you missing out on?

stevet · September 29, 2017

39 minutes ago, Upex said:

Yeah but how much shove are you missing out on?

Don't know. Never driven a 450 but there's plenty enough for me.

marrat · September 29, 2017

@mrdoofa: wow that sounds bad :/ Since I'm going to be buying from a dealer (it's a lot of money), the hybrid health check and the accompanying 1 year warranty will be included.

@stevet: I know I'm looking for trouble buying a huge V6 hybrid, but I am at a point in my life (32 years old) where I want to buy a crazy car for once. I'll probably won't care about cars in ten years, so I want to do something crazy when I still can and want to. I love my Prius and I really wanted an IS300H (though back seat room was very disappointing), but I just can't forget that one test drive with a GS450H. There's also the fact that here in the Netherlands the price difference between a 2014 GS300 and a 2013 GS450H is quite small, probably due to the lower demand for GS450H.

It's nice to see this thread wasn't instantly filled with dozens of upcoming problems for the GS450H though

mrdoofa · September 29, 2017

7 hours ago, Upex said:

Yeah but how much shove are you missing out on?

None when it goes wrong!!!

My mum drives a little tin box 2005 Daihatsu Charade which many people laugh at but it's bailed me out lots of times when I've had an apparently ultra reliable Lexus keep going wrong. It might only have a 1.0 3 cylinder engine but 50bhp that keeps going is better than 300bhp which doesn't.

royoftherovers · September 29, 2017

38 minutes ago, mrdoofa said:

None when it goes wrong!!!

My mum drives a little tin box 2005 Daihatsu Charade which many people laugh at but it's bailed me out lots of times when I've had an apparently ultra reliable Lexus keep going wrong. It might only have a 1.0 3 cylinder engine but 50bhp that keeps going is better than 300bhp which doesn't.

A brilliant car is/was, the Charade.

I drove a diesel 1.0 litre 3 cylinder from Wirral to London to attend the Wimbledon Championships many years ago and achieved 83mpg for the round trip !!

Regards

John

Britprius · September 29, 2017

5 hours ago, marrat said:

@mrdoofa: wow that sounds bad :/ Since I'm going to be buying from a dealer (it's a lot of money), the hybrid health check and the accompanying 1 year warranty will be included.

@stevet: I know I'm looking for trouble buying a huge V6 hybrid, but I am at a point in my life (32 years old) where I want to buy a crazy car for once. I'll probably won't care about cars in ten years, so I want to do something crazy when I still can and want to. I love my Prius and I really wanted an IS300H (though back seat room was very disappointing), but I just can't forget that one test drive with a GS450H. There's also the fact that here in the Netherlands the price difference between a 2014 GS300 and a 2013 GS450H is quite small, probably due to the lower demand for GS450H.

It's nice to see this thread wasn't instantly filled with dozens of upcoming problems for the GS450H though

Like you I came from a Prius to a GS450H. The total of repairs required on the Prius in 128,000 miles was replacement of a noisy front wheel bearing at around 90,000 miles.

The GS450H is light years away from a Prius in performance, and comfort, but is capable of putting a big smile on your face while also allowing you to sit back in silence, and watch the boy racers revving there engines at the lights knowing you have nothing to prove.

In any mode the car is quick, but in power mode overtaking can be stunning.

John.

marrat · September 29, 2017

Did the drop in mpg going from Prius to GS450H hurt as much as I expect it to

Britprius · September 29, 2017

20 minutes ago, marrat said:

Did the drop in mpg going from Prius to GS450H hurt as much as I expect it to

In the summer I got 65 mpg from the Prius in the GS I get "since fitting a home brew stainless exhaust" around 37/38 mpg. Best tank average 40.9 mpg. This is all rural country roads no motorways or dual carriage ways, and plenty of hills. The thing that hurts the most is paying for road tax

John.

Upex · September 29, 2017

5 hours ago, mrdoofa said:

None when it goes wrong!!!

My mum drives a little tin box 2005 Daihatsu Charade which many people laugh at but it's bailed me out lots of times when I've had an apparently ultra reliable Lexus keep going wrong. It might only have a 1.0 3 cylinder engine but 50bhp that keeps going is better than 300bhp which doesn't.

We best all ditch the cars and get single speed bikes, or our own two feet! 😁

Everything can go wrong, and lots do, even feet. The more there is, the more there is to break, it depends on what your after and finding the balance thats fits the individual at that particular time i guess. If not, or if there was a car that was perfect, we'd all be in one and they'd be nothing else on the road. Imagine the used prices if that were the case eh!

mrdoofa · September 30, 2017

I just find it ironic that a car brand that has built its whole reputation around quality and reliability has been anything but in my experience!!!

cruisermark · September 30, 2017

I think there should of been a recall regarding the GS450h struts - some members have had premature failure even after having them replaced. The Lexus warranty will cover them at some dealers, at others they wont, and Lexus are the only ones with replacements. For this reason I think these cars will be prematurely scrapped - thats sad news for a unique car with its unique performance.