Looking At Gs450H

[claytow]

Hi guys,

changing from a 220d to a 450h hopefully. Just wondered before I go and look I have read here and know about calipers and the like but apart from a service history is there anything that I shouldn't forget to check or look at?

I realise electrics seem pretty robust, are the 450's susceptible to rattles the I was told the 220 was?

I've seen one that looks to cheap to be true so a little cautious.

I usually like low mileage cars, I have seen 2, one is a 08 with 34,000 and the other is a 08 with 55,000 but theres nearly 3 grand difference in the price, the rest seems ok. Should I really be worried about an extra 20,000 miles on these sort of cars if I can save myself £3,000

Any pointers or help appreciated.

Thanks

[messi]

Hi

I was looking at a Gs450h myself, but then I hears some have an issue where the hybrid pump actually fails, and the warranty didn't cover it, so I gave it a miss

[Hayne]

The Hybrid pump will eventually fail, typically between 120k and 180k on both GS450h and LS600h cars.

But, it is not actually the pump that fails, it's just the two ball bearings within the pump which fail, preventing the shaft from turning. These bearings are about £7 each and are readily available from most bearing suppliers. The only down side is that it takes about 6 hours labour to change them, but it is a straight forward repair, so anyone with ramp can do it.

See my post "GS450h loss of power" for more detail.

Any local garage should be capable of doing this using my instructions, but unfortunately, Lexus don't repair vehicles properly, they only replace faulty parts, so avoid at all costs as you will be in for a £4-5k bill instead of a £500 bill !!

My point being; don't let the pump put you off. These are wonderful cars.

Incidentally, mine has 162k on the clock now and still drives like new. Save yourself £3k and go for the higher mileage car; after all, it is still low mileage!!.

[claytow]

Thanks for your insight, I need to get hold of the bloke first and see what the service history is as he hasnt mentioned any, coupled with the fact that the DVLA say it hasn't been taxed since December which might make a test drive difficult as I'm pretty sure a test drive is mandatory.

[claytow]

As an update, I think this might be a "too good to be true" scenario. Car advertised @ £8,199 which to me was too cheap, tried to contact the guy on a phone numbered in Leicester somewhere but just rung out and no one answered.

Got a text from autotrader somehow offering me an email address so sent the guy a mail.

He comes back says it has a service history and all the documents but doesn't say which type or if the history is Lexus, then he says for a quick sale he'll take £8,199 and deliver the car to me at his costs. He is currently in Scotland on business too which makes it sound even worse!

Sent back a thanks but no thanks so I think its off to Manchester at the weekend to look at and compare a IS 250 and a GS 450h and hopefully come back with one or the other...

[claytow]

Just received this from the guy, and don't know if it sounds real or not.. can anyone comment?

"Yes full Lexus Service

Here is my address KW14 7PD Thurso you can come and collect yourself but also I have requested personal support and I was approved to use Buyer Protection Program so I decided to sell it just by eBay.

Here is how the process works:

- I will list the car on eBay motors for £8,199 buy it now price and I will send you a link to my auction so you can buy it immediate

- you have to pay for the item to eBay to secure the funds

- they confirm to me that they received the funds

- I deliver the car

- you receive the car

- they send me the money

In case you are not familiar with them please read their buyer protection and you will see they cover 100% the transaction done through them up to £50,000. You will receive the car with all the documents. As you know eBay is the best company online for transactions. If indeed interested in it and have the funds, I will list it in eBay as I have 100% positive feedback with them

Please let me know your decision"

WTF? never heard of it before and still wouldn't buy a car without even seeing it or driving it.

Any thoughts appreciated although I've already made up my mind I don't care how cheap it is, its a no from me.

[messi]

No Disrespect to anyone who is Nigeria on this forum, but it sounds like something they would do

[noby76]

no point paying for a car you haven't seen in the metal or had the chance to even test drive.