Lexus GS450h f sport (2014) engine woes - cut and run or replace?

[Damien7579]

Hey all, 

So the saga of my car continues - I previously posted about the failure of my rear steering rack which I eventually solved at great cost - ordering the part direct from Japan and had Lexus fit and all seemed good with the car and she was running lovely...  

Until last week however, when I got some strange vibrations when driving on motorway and then when I got a local garage to have it checked, the engine was also now randomly knocking - mechanic said to not drive it as this wasn't a good sign.

Long story short, the car went to Lexus galway and they've said she needs a new engine after inspecting the oil sump and rockers. The oil contained lots of metal pieces (see pics).

(For fun a engine block is 4k and a full replacement engine from lexus is 20k including the VAT - from japan it's around 10k)

Given replacement cost, I have had to source my own 2nd hand full engine which they have agreed to fit for approx 3.5k euros worse case. I have found a low mileage (45k miles) engine in the UK for 2,400 sterling which I will then have to import into Ireland with probably another 23-26% added to this in euros.

There is the risk that even with replacement engine etc it wont work, there are other issues, or the car isn't right mechanically or fails again shortly.

I have received an offer of 8k Euros to take the car off me as it stands right now from a car enthusiast who is a friend of the service manager there (he's a big car nut and has helped me out tonnes).

If the car is back on the road working perfectly I can expect to prob. sell it privately for 25k Euros and maybe 20-22k to a dealer.

So as I see it my options are:

1 ) Write it off, get the 8k on offer and be done with it - move on and leave the stress of dealing with above to someone else. Even if they then get it on road for 6-8k then sell it on for 4-8k profit.

2) Get the car repaired at my risk and spend > 6k in process then sell the car immediately hoping to get 22k ish

3) Repair as 2) but then keep car till next issue...

Any thoughts / suggestions would be super appreciated - My feeling is to do 2 but I've had a few friends say just go for 1 and remove the stress!

I have to say it's been a sad and very frustrating situ / process so far and disappointing as the car has 140,000 km on the clock and has been serviced every year and driven well and looked after as best I could - but it has soured my feeling on lexus reliability tho ofc this is my first big mechanical issue on any car.

[HensTeeth]

Wow that’s some bad luck. Did the garage suggest probable cause for the failure? That’s the first of these engines I’ve heard of suffering any kind of bottom end trouble. Or serious trouble of any kind really- some issues with the top end in the version in the earlier GS but mostly fixed by recalls even then. The only reason I can think of from what you’ve described is that it was somehow very low on oil 

If it were me, I’d want to understand the reason for the problem before making a final judgement, but given you’ve now had two extremely rare failures in the one car, one which regularly comes close to top of the reliability surveys, maybe there’s more to the vehicle’s past than you’re aware.

 

[HensTeeth]

One other quick thought - if it’s been serviced by Lexus Galway, it’s not under warranty is it? Lexus Relax is now in Ireland 

[Damien7579]

20 hours ago, HensTeeth said:

Wow that’s some bad luck. Did the garage suggest probable cause for the failure? That’s the first of these engines I’ve heard of suffering any kind of bottom end trouble. Or serious trouble of any kind really- some issues with the top end in the version in the earlier GS but mostly fixed by recalls even then. The only reason I can think of from what you’ve described is that it was somehow very low on oil 

If it were me, I’d want to understand the reason for the problem before making a final judgement, but given you’ve now had two extremely rare failures in the one car, one which regularly comes close to top of the reliability surveys, maybe there’s more to the vehicle’s past than you’re aware.

 

Thanks for the input. Yeah, dealer have said it would require engine to be removed to then spend time diagnosing to find the why - which is a big spend. 

No issues with oil as far as I am aware - it was served only a few months ago, and oil was at right level when it started having issues.

I am of the same mind - there is some history to this car possibly - the rear steering issue hasn't occurred in 4 dealers I spoke to and even lexus uk where very surprised. 

It now feels like sunken cost fallacy - I could keep throwing money at it and basically replace 2 of the three major components of the car - but if the hybrid/electrical system fail next it is pretty much game over.

Lexus galway haven't mentioned anything about warranty tho it has been serviced there last - I'll ask them on Monday tho surely for a failure of this size they would have checked? Last glimmer of hope 😛

[ColinBarber]

If the pan has been removed were they not able to see where the damage is, e.g. big end bearings etc.

Engine can be rebuilt, but I wouldn't let a Lexus dealer do that as they just swap out £10k blocks rather than having experience or tools to repair it.

[Spock66]

On 11/18/2022 at 4:09 PM, Damien7579 said:

1 ) Write it off, get the 8k on offer and be done with it - move on and leave the stress of dealing with above to someone else. Even if they then get it on road for 6-8k then sell it on for 4-8k profit.

I'd go for this, not worth the stress and hassle.

[Initial P]

Certainly not one of Tahara's finest this car, terrible luck.