IS 250 - No Service in 7 years

[350zeta]

Hi,

Just wanted to ask for your opinions/advice as I'm looking to buy an IS250 and I came across one with not too many miles (50k) but was no serviced during 7 years. On the positive side, all MOT were passed with no advisories and with an average milage of 1.5k miles each of those years. 

I'm a bit concerned despite Lexus reliability, but 7 years is too much right? After those 7 years (car was 12 years old) it was then serviced regularly every year until today (last 3 years)

Would like your thoughts please!

Thank you

[madasahatter]

My car had its last service at Lexus 49,000 mls, I service my own car oil filter etc. Done every year or 5000 mls. I have owned my car 5 years and

it would be silly due to age to go to a dealer. Mileage is currently 72,000 miles i do my own brakes, and anything it has needed.

To be honest apart from brakes plugs alternator and Battery, it has wanted for nothing.

[serbarry]

Hi Simon and welcome to the Club. So it did 10,500 miles in 7 years? Probably the owner did not bother about servicing it every year for only 1,500 miles a year. If the car runs well and MOT passed without problems I would not worry particularly. In my Prius I did the mileage service after 21 months since the last one because of low mileage. 

[Sundance]

1 hour ago, 350zeta said:

Hi,

Just wanted to ask for your opinions/advice as I'm looking to buy an IS250 and I came across one with not too many miles (50k) but was no serviced during 7 years. On the positive side, all MOT were passed with no advisories and with an average milage of 1.5k miles each of those years. 

I'm a bit concerned despite Lexus reliability, but 7 years is too much right? After those 7 years (car was 12 years old) it was then serviced regularly every year until today (last 3 years)

Would like your thoughts please!

Thank you

I would not consider those conditions off-putting for most used cars least of all a Lexus.  Yes, 7 years is a long time but regular mileage, recent service record and green MOTs are all positives.

When I bought my '06 last year it had a 4-year gap in servicing and the mileage was even less than yours.  My Indy checked it all over, gave it a full service including an oil change and onward we go.

PS ... but do feel free to use the lack of servicing as a stick to beat down the price! Good luck ... 😉

[350zeta]

1 hour ago, serbarry said:

Hi Simon and welcome to the Club. So it did 10,500 miles in 7 years? Probably the owner did not bother about servicing it every year for only 1,500 miles a year. If the car runs well and MOT passed without problems I would not worry particularly. In my Prius I did the mileage service after 21 months since the last one because of low mileage. 

Hi Sebarry,

 

That was exactly my thought rationale, he/she knew is not hitting 10k why bother every year for 1.5k miles. Very helpful advice and feel more relax now. Thanks a lot!

[350zeta]

36 minutes ago, Sundance said:

I would not consider those conditions off-putting for most used cars least of all a Lexus.  Yes, 7 years is a long time but regular mileage, recent service record and green MOTs are all positives.

When I bought my '06 last year it had a 4-year gap in servicing and the mileage was even less than yours.  My Indy checked it all over, gave it a full service including an oil change and onward we go.

PS ... but do feel free to use the lack of servicing as a stick to beat down the price! Good luck ... 😉

Hi Sundance,

Thanks for sharing your experience and also makes me more comfortable about it as the car is in very good condition overall. Indeed I can use it in my advantage to push harder on price reduction 😄

[350zeta]

1 hour ago, madasahatter said:

My car had its last service at Lexus 49,000 mls, I service my own car oil filter etc. Done every year or 5000 mls. I have owned my car 5 years and

it would be silly due to age to go to a dealer. Mileage is currently 72,000 miles i do my own brakes, and anything it has needed.

To be honest apart from brakes plugs alternator and battery, it has wanted for nothing.

I actually thought about this scenario as well. What if the previous owner did the oil change himself, obviously not stamping the log book. I will let you know how it goes! Thank you

[Tyre Tread]

I bought mine 4.5 years ago with 58K miles and had the first service done by Lexus. Since then I have done all my own repairs and servicing including the water pump, spark plugs (only required every 60k miles and more complex to do than most cars), brakes, two headlamp bulbs and a Battery.

I have kept records on an app of when the services were done:

10/8/17 - 61,457 Lexus

16/11/17 - 67,337 Oil and filter

2/6/18 - 78,727 Major inc Water pump

6/10/18 - 85,283 Oil and filter

27/12/18 - 89,574 Major inc spark plugs

26/1/19 - 91,207 Oil change 

5/7/19 - 100,265 Oil and Filter

16/8/21 - 104,656 Oil change

Prior to this the car had FSH by Lexus.

Would you consider that evidence enough? Backed up by parts receipts of course.

I ask out of interest as I am thinking of selling my car simply because I'm not using it enough and I have another 3 cars.

I'd look at the overall condition of a car as well as its history. Mine is immaculate apart from 2 areas of paint, both on plastic bumpers and one little dent in the boot. The whole car belies the fact it's done over 100K miles and is 14 years old.

[H3XME]

I'd go off the condition of the car. I mean if it passed MOTs with no advisories, it must've been kept in a decent shape. I bought mine without a service book because it was in a good nick. Guy before me serviced it himself, and so do I.. I know it is a bit off putting when buying, but it's worth checking the car out. If it wasn't serviced in 7 years, the engine will show some wear & tear (VVTi rattle too) because the oil loses its properties over time so it'd be like driving on water hence servicing is 1 year or 10k miles whichever comes first. 

[true blue]

Hi Alan as a retired engineer I also take pride in carrying out my own servicing and repairs and also work on the families cars .I keep a full record of work done and all bills MOTs etc in a folder, I have never had any problems when selling or part exchanging ,in fact most people are happy to see a detailed record with receipts and not just a stamped book  without receipts ,which can easily be forged .The last car we part exchanged in a dealership was my daughters Merc it was 11 years old and I had looked after it for the last 7 .Of course the dealer made a big deal about not having a main franchise history to reduce its value ,but we eventually struck a deal and after all was signed ,I said come on now you can tell us how much more it was worth with a franchise history ,£600 he reckoned.  so we saved a fortune on 7 years servicing plus I recon that car had a better history than most on his forecourt ,so carry on the good work .As an aside how do you like the GT86 ? I have a MX5 and fancy the Toyota as a change

Dave

[H3XME]

3 hours ago, true blue said:

As an aside how do you like the GT86 ? I have a MX5 and fancy the Toyota as a change

Dave

Hello Dave, I'm not sure if you aimed that at me or Alan? I love the 86. I was on the fence myself between MX-5 (the latest shape) and GT86 but the 86 won as it's a bigger car and overall seems better to me. I felt a bit claustrophobic in the MX-5 as there's no back seats to even put your coat on. The 86 feels more lively and gave me more of a "race car" feel compared to the MX-5 as well.. absolutely 0 regret in getting that car. Lots of aftermarket parts out there for the 86 as well, so a lot easier to make it "your own" if you wish. Found the driving position a bit worse in the MX-5 too... similar cars in a lot of ways, but 86 was just a bit better in pretty much every way to me but that might be subjective. 

 

[true blue]

Hi Lucas ,thanks for your input I should have realised it was you who had the GT86 I have had many MX5's over the last 20 years and now have a NC with the retractable top Your findings fit in with my thoughts ; I may go and look on the Toyota forum!

Thanks Dave