Deferred, deferred, deferred.

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akrafty1

akrafty1

Joined
Dec 10, 2024
Threads
3
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23
Location
Raleigh NC
In my hunt for a 100 or 470 I came across such an interesting vehicle today. Beautiful 2006, garage kept, single owner, top dollar which seemed expected given the photos so I reached out to the owner and he provided the VIN for me to do some due diligence.

Initially the history looked pretty good so I gave him a call and in the conversation he mentioned that he always had the oil changed but deferred any service that did not fix something that wasn't broken. That struck me as being very odd so I went back to the records and sure enough deferred, deferred, deferred all throughout the history. Nothing for the differentials, transmission, transfer case, AHC (all four shocks were flagged as leaking) or brakes. The one repair I did see was from when the heater Ts popped and the vehicle over heated and had to be towed in. I pinged him back and asked if he had ever had any of the above fluids changed and he went dark.

I just can't understand having a vehicle like this, buying new, and never maintaining it. Wild. One thing that did tip me off was some one else had done a PPI and it was recorded in the CarFax report. I asked about it and was told that the individual came back with a list of things that needed repair and wanted him to come down on the price and people seemed to expect they were getting a new car. Imagine paying top dollar then having to sink thousands into a pretty shell.

Anyway, just thought it was a fun little tail I would share. The hunt continues.
 
Hope ppl are smart enough to walk away like you did. Maintance history record is Gold!
 
Then again, I had a Lexus dealer, that kept “recommending” (and branding “declined”) a timing belt change, on every visit, after a ~53k (8 year old) replacement of the timing belt, for a weeping water pump.

In ~100k miles, and 19 years, the timing belt has been swapped 3 times, but the dealer has multiple “customer declined” records. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Original owner, but no, it’s not for sale.
 
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You were smart to do the remote inspection. I always do them.

If you don't wrench, don't buy a fixer upper unless you've deep pockets and bones worth it in either event.
Know what your getting into. Know too, that they all are aged and all need something. For one, baseline all fluids, which LX has 55 qts.
If good bones (body, interior, frame), everything else may be worth fixing. But know what you're getting into, and offer accordingly.

We've a double sided coin here (OP 06LX w/200K). In that the more hands that touch these, the more work to correct. So lack of service, is in some ways, A good thing.

But I know some. Defer all maintenance, some won't even do and oil change. They drive until tow needed. If too much deferred, especial engine oil & filter, air filter and coolant. You could have a bad engine.

Don't just look and see few or many or service enters in history. Study what each was.

When I do remote PPI (did 3 last week):
I look for fluid change history, as #1. Lack of is, big red flag.
I'm looking for other red flags also:
  • Heater Tees and needing "tow". Coolant issue, are a big red flag.
  • Starter R&R. Is red flags. So many drop sand into intake ports, during R&R.
  • Any DTC (CEL or note codes). Need investigated.
  • 04-up. AT where underfilled at factory. Has AT fluid level been corrected, when, by who and with what. Was vehicle used to tow.
  • PS fluid that is old factory fill, is damaging. Damages rack seal, 8 of 10 times by 150K miles.
  • Brake fluid, can be issue. Look at condition (color & staining) in reservoir, even if history of flush.
  • Wheel bearings. So many neglected or service wrong,
  • FDS (AKA CV).
  • AHC leaky seals.
  • TRE and ball joints.
  • Hole in muffler. Clue to where and how driven.
  • Grease slug from U-joints, indicates lubed. Good thing!
  • Leaks, and where. Diffs & TC old fluid, usually okay. Provide no leaks, resulting in run low.
Those are just some of what I look for in remote PPI. When I do the hands on PPI. I know what I'm looking at before I see the rig. I find more than anyone in PPI of 100 series. But I don't find it all, until later while restoring.

I just helped a guy in mud. He only looked a carfax. He failed to study history. Had he, he'd seen Toyota stated, at last service. No oil pressure, rec replace oil pump and or engine replacement. He'd, also seen, a lack of oil service history. The engine was run until no oil, which takes about 30K to 50K miles in most 4.7L. He's installing a new (used) engine. PITA, he didn't account for in purchase price.

I can tell you. It would likely be in the $25K range for me to restore, the OP 06LX w/200K in this case. Which I only do mechanical, unless one of personally owned restores projects. But also know differed, could mean he just had done elsewhere or DIY. Drill down on info and VET.

I've and 03 w/320K w/zero service history. I can tell, it did have very good O&F filter change history. One clue to good oil service ot lack of. Look into oil fill tube (gunk or clean) and check dip stick for clues (staining or nice and clean).
This 03LX, has one of my strongest engines every actually. But I'm at $40K on my spreadsheet, in service I've done to restore. It is my biggest project to date. It's coming along very nice. But obviously, I'd never get $40K for 03LX w/320K. It's a labor of love. I've also an 06LX w/195K, that had good serviced history. It, like most, needed corrective work, due to hands that touched. I'm at $27K on it. It too, is coming along very nicely. I've also two 07LX that are very nice. One I've had ~6 years, is my test vehicle with the first ever VVTi S.A.I. filter mod I created and perfected in. All 06 & 07 need this r S.A.I. filter MOD done.

Some may have seen the BAT 07LC w24K winning bid at $62.5k two weeks ago. It will be here in a few days. We expect, it needs between $3k and $7k of service. It had very few hands touch it, in 24K miles. So a near virgin, just how I like them. ;)

But still, these rigs don't like just sitting in a garage, which creates issues from lack of use.

One 04LC in PNW at a dealerships w/26K, asking $75K showed up a few days ago. Claims need nothing. I've no doubt, it will need some service. Fuel injector at minimum, based on stated history of being parked in vacation home. They claim all fluids done. I'd flush them all anyway, and install what I know is top shelve.

Happy hunting! These are great vehicles, when properly maniatian, go forever.:cool:
 
Hey! He bought the "most bullet proof Toyota/Lexus" around! Didn't you hear they don't need anything for maintenance??

And when something fails... Yikes. That Toyota build quality is just in the toilet lately, ain't it?

:rolleyes:

My 2007 had over 50 pages of service history from a Toyota and Lexus dealer PDF'd up. Every oil change on time. Odd customer concerns about vibrations that led to a driveshaft replacement. A bunch of tire patches as I think the original owner drove through tack fields regularly. But that service history sold me on the truck. They took it in for every little thing. Only later in it's life (200k+ miles) did they start using Napa parts (rear brakes / CVs) to save money.
 
Post the VIN.
Make this thread valuable to others who may be doing their due diligence.
 
rexington14 said:
This is just business as usual for many, many people
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My friends will call me to ask for car advice.

"So that recommended service the dealer suggests. Do I really need that?"

They usually don't like my answer.

"Oh, ok well I have been deferring the 60k service and now they are asking about the 90k service."

Sometimes those eventually evolve into:

"Well my Subaru blew up today at 95k miles. I went and panic bought a Hyundai -- they seem better." (I wish this one was sarcasm.)
 
Rhetoric said:
My friends will call me to ask for car advice.

"So that recommended service the dealer suggests. Do I really need that?"

They usually don't like my answer.

"Oh, ok well I have been deferring the 60k service and now they are asking about the 90k service."

Sometimes those eventually evolve into:

"Well my Subaru blew up today at 95k miles. I went and panic bought a Hyundai -- they seem better." (I wish this one was sarcasm.)
Click to expand...
As an Outback owner I feel this. My motto is maintain it now or replace it later. And in Subie’s when you do replace make sure the part says Subaru on the box.
 
Keep in mind lx470 service history is available online if serviced by a dealer.

I recently bought a 310k mile 2001 lx470 and the seller didn't have the history.
Plugged vin into the above site and was pleasantly surprised at dealer only service history up to 303k.

Definitely helped in determining what was needed for baseline and what could wait.

Good luck in your search!
 
Rhetoric said:
My friends will call me to ask for car advice.

"So that recommended service the dealer suggests. Do I really need that?"

They usually don't like my answer.

"Oh, ok well I have been deferring the 60k service and now they are asking about the 90k service."

Sometimes those eventually evolve into:

"Well my Subaru blew up today at 95k miles. I went and panic bought a Hyundai -- they seem better." (I wish this one was sarcasm.)
Click to expand...

Yikes. Never owned a Subaru (or Hyundai), but I can't really think of any maintenance that if deferred would cause a Toyota to blow up before 100k miles. Except oil changes of course.

I did very briefly own an older Mercedes though. Standard ownership protocol here is "just drive it and fix what needs to be repaired"

Anyways, average new car ownership length is around 6 years. It's no coincidence that's when warranty typically expires.
 
many people think reliability means you don’t need to do maintenance.

cruisers will go down the road with a lot out of spec so if it’s been owned by someone from the the ‘drive it til it needs a tow and only fix it enough to get back on the road’ crowd that means a huge effort baseline the truck.

Cruisers and Yotas need maintenance. Cruisers need more maintenance than many vehicles (not more frequently but more things to service). The difference is they’ll almost always get you home and they are actually serviceable/wont be mechanically totaled unless they’re really neglected.

Preaching to the choir.
 
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jLB said:
Then again, I had a Lexus dealer, that kept “recommending” (and branding “declined”) a timing belt change, on every visit, after a ~53k (8 year old) replacement of the timing belt, for a weeping water pump.

In ~100k miles, and 19 years, the timing belt has been swapped 3 times, but the dealer has multiple “customer declined” records. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Original owner, but no, it’s not for sale.
Click to expand...
What's your price? 😆
 
I do much of my maintenance myself, but I do keep a Spreadsheet of all the work done to it by myself, Lexus, and Indy shops.
If and I do mean if, I do put her up for sale would most folks as credible enough? Probable but likely to less credible
than a detailed maintenance history supplied by Lexus or Toyota.
 
Eyedaho said:
What's your price? 😆
Click to expand...
An extremely unrealistic number. Considering I’ve purchased a “backup” vehicle, just in case my primary vehicle is totaled.
 
@akrafty1 If you were a real trooper, you'd buy this vehicle, dismantle, examine and record the wear and tear... for the greater good of the community. 😜
 
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