Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Lexus GS, 2006-2011

[rrocket]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Chris Chase had a very different take on these in March of 2012 (and they're 4 years older now).

http://www.autos.ca/used-car-reviews/used-vehicle-review-lexus-gs-2006-2012/
 
He lists a litany of problems and complaints and ends with this cautionary warning.

 "don’t complain to me if you wind up disappointed in what you were sure would be just another well-made Toyota product."

I remember how much this disturbed me at the time since this is a car I've always found very appealing. So, is Justin soft balling Lexus, or was Chris too critical ?!

The AWD (V6) GS brought the scores down.  I wouldn't buy one.

The GS430 has been rated tops in Consumer Reports.

The original article mentions many  issues (some serious) that are not related to AWD. Here is a sample including CRs assessment of 2007 on...

"The GS has, historically, enjoyed a “very good” reliability ranking from Consumer Reports, but that that changed as of 2007. From this year on, CR gives the GS no better than its “average” used vehicle rating, due to a number of common trouble spots.

The most common complaints include noisy brakes and interior squeaks and rattles, as evidenced both by Consumer Reports’ data.

In this discussion at ClubLexus.com, owners detail some of their DIY interior noise fixes. Many dealer techs seem to have a hard time properly troubleshooting the many unseemly creaks, squeaks, groans and rattles that the GS is known for.

I've read articles about the reliability dip post 2006. And it was largely due to issues with the new for 2007 GS350 and particularly the AWD version for whatever reason.

The GS430 is bullet proof.

[NormT]

Loss of 30% of the value of a Lexus in 21,000 miles?

https://www.edmunds.com/lexus/gs-350/2013/long-term-road-test/wrap-up.html

[grumpycat]

It looks like the issue edmunds had was that they purchased the fully optioned car.  $16,000 in options?  Of course they lost on resale in that case.

[johngenx]

Consumers wanting to minimize depreciation should buy a...Corolla. 

In just shy of nine years of ownership, we've perhaps lost $12,000 in depreciation.  That's about as good as it gets for buying new.

I think in the luxury class, people expect to lose large sums - but it is nice to lose a little less.  One thing I've noticed with Lexus cars is that they're easy to sell.  My neighbour sold his RX to buy a new one and holy crap did it go fast.

[Dante]

Consumers wanting to minimize depreciation should buy a...Corolla. 

In just shy of nine years of ownership, we've perhaps lost $12,000 in depreciation.  That's about as good as it gets for buying new.

Now much was the car brand new?

[NormT]

Consumers wanting to minimize depreciation should buy a...Corolla. 

In just shy of nine years of ownership, we've perhaps lost $12,000 in depreciation.  That's about as good as it gets for buying new.

Now much was the car brand new?

2007 Corolla had a MSRP of US$15,000....

[Seafoam]

John's car is  a 2009
I have a friend with a 2009 , 65,000 km on it .What's it worth?
She wants to trade it in. I suggested she should drive it into the ground.

[KD]

John's car is  a 2009
I have a friend with a 2009 , 65,000 km on it .What's it worth?
She wants to trade it in. I suggested she should drive it into the ground.

At that rate it could easily last another 10 years.  With some sort of rust proofing, of course!

[Seafoam]

John's car is  a 2009
I have a friend with a 2009 , 65,000 km on it .What's it worth?
She wants to trade it in. I suggested she should drive it into the ground.

At that rate it could easily last another 10 years.  With some sort of rust proofing, of course!

That's what i keep telling her. It's really a well looked after car. Only thing replaced so far is the battery.

[johngenx]

2009 Corolla - $20K on the button.  I don't think $8K retail would be out of reach - it's very clean and well maintained.

[dirtyjeffer]

2009 Corolla - $20K on the button.  I don't think $8K retail would be out of reach - it's very clean and well maintained.

likely fine...a few years ago (2012-ish), a coworker of mine sold his 2000 Corolla, rusty bucket of crap, with over 300,000 kms on it for $5k (sold in a day)...some kid from out of town bought it because "they last forever"...sucker born every minute.

considering he got $5k for his car (mechanically fine, but looked like a junk yard car), you can likely get more than $8k...his car was also the absolute base model you could get...manual transmission and manual crank up windows...it was the "priced from" model...likely few around considering such a base trim is likely not sold very often.