Why you should be using the Lexus Service tool when buying your GX (1 Viewer)

[Snowrydr01]

So ive been looking for GXs a couple weeks now and i cant say enough good things about the Lexus Drivers Tool.

Lexus Drivers Login

I didnt know about it before and wouldve had no idea it even existed had i now already owned a lexus. It lets you enter Vin numbers and gives you the lexus service history of that vehicle.

I came across what seemed like a pretty good deal, $12,500 for a pristine 04 with only 36k miles on it. I plugged in the vin to find that over the coarse of a year in 2014 it had a battery replaced, a starter short out and replaced again with battery, and an alternator short out and battery replace a third time. The last occurrence was in 2014 with 33k miles and seems like they didnt put many miles since. Those weird series of events are enough for me to walk away but had i not known about the tool i wouldve thought i just found a great deal.

 

[Dclain87]

X2 love it. Basically saved me from running a car fax on every potential candidate. Certain GXs were excluded just from looking at that.

 

[Snowrydr01]

The mildly frustrating part of the story is that when i was looking at my 2014 is350 fsport RWD (my first lexus) i could see its carfax history and called the dealer that had done its inspections to get a full list of history and they said they couldnt give me any historical information without being the owner. Meanwhile had i known about this tool i could have just plugged the vin in and seen it all anyway.

 

[co4wheel]

Exactly, great resource..

 

[Bluetribal]

Note that if you are buying one from a dealer and they mention interior leather service in the notes that they most likely stained the leather to make it look as sharp as possible.
This is what they did to mine and after a 1,500 mile Baja trip with lots of seat time my interior looked horrible! Fortunately I mentioned it to my cousin who detailed it when I got home because he could have treated it wrong with the wrong cleaner and taken all of the die off.

 

[Snowrydr01]

i think for my pricepoint 10-12k and >130k miles it means i am purchasing from an independent sale or lot. Its also VERY Helpfull because my local mechanic has wholesale auctions from the lexus dealer to other dealers at his lot and i can very quickly run a vin and let one of the wholesale buyers know if i want them to buy it for me with just a finders fee since i do not have a dealers license.

 

[ArmyGuy]

This is indeed a great tool. I just have one question for you guys: if the service history shows that certain mileage services were completed, but no itemization is provided, is it safe to assume that all aspects of that mileage service was completed? In other words, my service history shows that every mileage service was completed on-time, but they do not specifically state "replaced timing belt" for the 90,000 mile service. You know what they say when one assumes something...

 

[JLee]

This is indeed a great tool. I just have one question for you guys: if the service history shows that certain mileage services were completed, but no itemization is provided, is it safe to assume that all aspects of that mileage service was completed? In other words, my service history shows that every mileage service was completed on-time, but they do not specifically state "replaced timing belt" for the 90,000 mile service. You know what they say when one assumes something...

I wouldn't want to assume - perhaps call the dealer and see if they are able to pull a more detailed record?

 

[ArmyGuy]

I wouldn't want to assume - perhaps call the dealer and see if they are able to pull a more detailed record?

Just got off the phone with Arrowhead Lexus. Looks like the previous owner declined the timing belt at 90k. Ugh...

 

[JLee]

Just got off the phone with Arrowhead Lexus. Looks like the previous owner declined the timing belt at 90k. Ugh...

That's some really good negotiation material - and there's always another deal right around the corner!

 

[NMBruce]

When I got mine, I called the dealer in CA and they said they couldn't tell me. My friend looked at the bolts on the front of the cover and could tell from that, that it had been done.

Side note, my girl friend has an 2005 V-8 4Runner with at 190k miles and she had never had the TB changed. I had her get it done and the belt looked ok, just saying.