Just put down a deposit on a 03 LC................

[2garfields]

Just put down a deposit on a 03 LC with 53K, hopeful everything works out.

The dealer is try to sell me an extend warranty from Universal Underwriters Group Bumper to Bumper 2year/24K for $1350, should I go for it? The only thing I need to worry about is the coverage on the GPS.

 

[jditom]

Just put down a deposit on a 03 LC with 53K, hopeful everything works out.

The dealer is try to sell me an extend warranty from Universal Underwriters Group Bumper to Bumper 2year/24K for $1350, should I go for it? In only thing I need to find out is the coverage on the GPS.

Do not do it! You can get a better deal from Troy and a real Toyota Waranty.
Read this post, Troy's info is at the bottom.
Congrats.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=120371&highlight=warranty

 

[2garfields]

I believe is too late to buy an extended warranty from TFS, since the LC already has 53k mileage. Please let me know if I was wrong, TFS is a much better choice than any after market warranty.

 

[e9999]

the reason they sell it to you is that statistically you're not going to come out even...

feel lucky? or is it unlucky...?

 

[Jim_Chow]

2 yr/24K for that price is robbery, even if it were underwritten by TFS, which is obviously isn't. For a vehicle as pricey as the 100, I personally wouldn't buy one w/o a 100k mi TFS/LFS warranty unless it were brand new. FYI, I paid $300 to extend my 3 yr/100k CPO LFS warranty to 5 yr/100K. Since the CPO warranty itself costs $1.5-2K more than a non-CPO, that's like $1.8K-2.3K for a 5 yr/100K LFS warranty. Buddy of mine who bought a 03LC back in 03 paid $1300 to extend his factory warranty to 7yr/100K.

 

[2garfields]

The question is, am I too late to buy one from TFS, I sent Troy an email, hopefully I can get a clear picture.

 

[Jim_Chow]

Isn't there a toll free number for toyota CPO warranties on their website? There is one for lexus. I think with lexus, the limit to extend is 60K mi.

 

[2garfields]

Good idea, I never thought about that. I am going to give them a call.

 

[jditom]

You are right the Toyota W. must be purchased before the OEM W. runs out.

I would roll the dice and go without it. This has been voted the most reliable SUV of the year by CR many times.

 

[Jim_Chow]

Isn't the toyota factory warranty only 3 yr/36K? Does this mean you have to purchase the extended warranty before that?

 

[2garfields]

Just got the confirmation from Troy, you have to get it within 3/36, for Lexus wise, you have a little bite longer time before making the call.

Well, let see what happen on this coming Wed, when my guys lift it up for inspection, hopefully I don't have the common issues on the LC.


Any other common issues I have to look for???

 

[NMuzj100]

Any other commons issues I have to look for???

Cherrios under the floormats

Sounds like a great truck. I say any insurance a dealer wants to sell you is not worth it.

(Quick economic tidbit - Any insurance that will cover only an amount that you could cover yourself without great financial difficulty (bankruptcy/second mortgage) is insurance you don't need.)

 

[Jim_Chow]

Other hints when test driving:
1) Make sure the steering wheel is centered when driving on a normal road. Some of the early 03 LX's including mine (not sure about LC's but a couple of people on the LX board have reported the same thing, all were '03) had the steering wheel off-center 5-10 deg to the left when the vehicle is driving straight. If you let go of the wheel, it tracked straight. The dealer replaced the VGRS ECU, saying it was updated since then. It was covered by the CPO warranty. Otherwise, it's $800 for the ECU alone!

2) When test driving, get the car up to 60mph or more and make sure there's no vibration in the steering (new 4Runner V8's and GX470's have been plagued by this; never heard it happening on any 100's) and the car doesn't wander.

3) No drive shaft clunking issues yet, at least for me ('03+ have a redesigned d-shaft)

Other than that, no other issues other than an occasional rattle inside the top right dash after a couple hundred miles of washboard. Sounds like something's slightly loose in there, but the CPO warranty doesn't cover rattles, and the tech said it's a 3 hr job (@ $120/hr) to remove the dash, as a bunch of stuff needs to be pulled (steering wheel, gauge cluster, A-pillar trim, door scuff plates, center cluster trim, navi unit, glove box, center shift console, etc...it doesn't bother me enough to warrant the cost to fix it).

 

[2garfields]

What does VGRS ECU do?

 

[hoser]

VGRS-Variable Gear Ratio Steering. Low speed gets faster steering ratio. High speed gets normal steering ratio. Applies to '03+ only.

 

[Jim_Chow]

BTW, I just checked the conditions for the Toyota CPO warranty vs. Lexus CPO. I posted them on your other thread about the CPO warranty. Toyota is only 3 MONTH/3K while lexus is 3 YEAR/100K. So if your DVD nav goes south 6 months after the date of purchase on your LC, you're in the same boat as the guy w/ no CPO warranty. IMHO, the Toyota CPO isn't worth it, while the lexus CPO is.

 

[2garfields]

I took it for inspection today, it turned out the entire left side been parinted. Since the price range for that LC is at early $30's, I don't want to buy one that has any body damage in the past, so my search for a better one will go on.

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

It is good that you found that out. You might have dodged a bullet on that one.

 

[Jim_Chow]

Make sure the VIN numbers on all doors and the hood match the VIN on the dash. The VINs are on a sticker on the rear facing surface of the door. This will at least tell you if the panels are original! If it was majorly damaged, they will have been replaced.

 

[Living in the Past]

I bought my 2000 LC in the first week of 06, was first sold in the last week of 2000. The CPO warranty gave me just under two years on the power train. I bought a full bumper to bumper for the same time period for a few hundred more. The cruiser had over 60K on it and the warranty is with TFS so you can get it on a vehicle with over 50K at least you can at Big Two Toyota in mesa, AZ.


John