2021 Lexus RX350 Certified Preowned Scam?

[@bk26]

Too many small issues for me to personally accept the car in this condition. Paying top dollar for a mediocre quality refurbish job, and missing parts, and replacement parts… If the dealer were nearby I would say take the car back and get your money back. But since it’s in California… it’s a bit tougher. Still try to get something done with this car. This is unacceptable.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

I'm going to try! I'll post when I have an update

[@samnnamani]

@@CarolinaCowboys Please do give update, how did it go? I'm here over in the UK, the dealership is trying to get me "free shipping", after watching this video, I'm taking time off to go to make a direct buy.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

@@samnnamani Hi, I made a series of follow up videos, be sure to subscribe! kzbin.info/aero/PLXKlNXcI_kmNo1e33WlDmK_rzlAdGrlQc&si=vRNqxNlaK7rNN5pB

[@samnnamani]

@@CarolinaCowboys thanks. Watching them now and I’ve subscribed

[@CarolinaCowboys]

@@samnnamani thank you!

[@Oivey2000]

I had a 2003, 2010 & a 2016 which I’m still driving. Loved my 2010. Sadly, Lexus dropped the V6 for a turbo 4. This will probably be my last RX unless I buy used

[@CarolinaCowboys]

I will not buy a turbo 4 or anything with CVT

[@lauriekh9072]

I’ve been looking for a Lexus preowned. Thank you for this video !! And I subscribed!!!

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@jennypreston9755]

Congrats on your newish car! At first I thought your wife might have finally left Honda. I think that’s Lexus makes the best cars for the money, and the RX is my favorite model. Definitely Lexus’s most popular. Our whole extended family have driven Lexus cars since 1992. Probably 30 plus cars between us all. Have had Infiniti and Acura’s, great cars too, but Lexus just is a notch above. Currently have a 2018 GX460, ‘13 GS350 AWD with 250k miles and no problems, ‘12 RX, ‘05 RX330, and ‘05 ES330. We had a 2007 ES and used CPO for a passenger window that came off track, and then on the 12 RX with rear struts, and then had problems with power liftgate. Lexus CPO replaced the gas struts in door 3 times and motor once. In cold weather kept failing, finally replaced with cheap Amazon ones after CPO warranty expired. We’ve never had new cars; always buy CPO usually after the first owner’s lease was turned in. When we got the GX, I asked since it’s a Lexus/ Toyota and hardly ever use CPO warranty if we can have it taken off price of car. Salesman said yes, it would only take off $1,500, but if we purchased it separately after buying car it would be $2,800. Ended up just taking it. We live near Atlanta and have purchased all cars at Nalley. Currently looking at a 2020+ RX ultra luxury. We want the 3 beam headlights, big sunroof and heads-up display. Right now they have several around the $40k mark. Going this week, hopefully will find one we like. The GX will be passed down to my son, his RX will be a replacement for the 2005 RX and it will finally be sold after years of dependable service. 😞 I don’t think Lexus owners get rid of their vehicles, they just pass them down. Enjoy your channel, came across it years ago from dyi stuff and have subscribed ever since. Enjoy y’all’s new rides! Don’t forget that they 2016, and 2021 have Siri from steering wheels and you can have notifications enabled from iPhones Bluetooth menu in settings.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Wow you've had alot of Lexuses! or is it Lexi or Lexus'. We had our 07 Odyssey for 13 years and got the 2020 brand new just before the pandemic hit and that whole mess. I always said if there was a Lexus minivan I would have bought it a long time ago. Out of all the RX's I tend to like the 2010 the best but I think there's alot of sentimental coming out since I bought it brand new and I know every scratch and blemish, vs these used cars you kindof have to just be ok with what you get and the surprises that come along with it. My last 2 cars were used for really good deals and I tend to agree it's hard to spend the money on new with the prices getting so ridiculously high now. I almost got a GX460 I was looking at a 2020 model but it was hard to find a clean one at a good price. So many scratched up on the inside. One thing I thought was interesting was that the RX is actually wider and longer than the GX. I figured I know I can't go wrong with another RX, I already know I like them. Plus other RX owners will probably stick around on my channel longer. :-) Thanks for the tip! Once the warm weather comes around I will crank out some more content.

[@michaelmallon6346]

Sorry to hear that about your 2021 Rx . That is unacceptable for a certified .I just purchased a 2021 RX350 L 12,500 k miles .The car looks like a brand new car. I cant find a flaw in or out side of the car. The only concern was a tire pressure monitor was not working and one of the two keys were defective. They will take care of it Monday. Regarding your Red Mica color RX. Its probably a Good that they have the Ceramic coating on the paint. i also have red Mica on my 2013 ES 350 and have to paint the hood ,roof and trunk because of sun (Florida )destroying the clear coat .

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Check out the video series for the rest of the story! Yeah I ithink the whole ceramic coating thing is legit, I don't think it's worth $1500 to install it though.

[@oceanlinerkid]

I wouldn't be happy about that. You shouldn't have to replace a vent. The lug nut is inexcusable.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah I totally agree! On the bright side I will make a video fixing it. :-)

[@oceanlinerkid]

@@CarolinaCowboys I love my 2010 rx350.

[@danielfield7986]

The tech who looked over it just didn't take much time at all I specting it. It's not that the dealer isn't honest he just got a lazy tech that looked over it. And that wheel lock is not a Lexus wheel lock, it's aftermarket, that's why there was no key. They previous owner put that on and didn't leave the key

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah, I learned that. Thankfully the dealer paid to have it cut off.

[@powderhound1234]

Thanks for the video. I had a similar issue with a RX CPO. Bumper broke by only a finger pushing on it. I wrote to Lexus head office , they did nothing but I think the sales guy got turned.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah, cosmetic things like that have to come out before the sale because they'll say it's regular wear and tear

[@kncars7]

You should definitely either reach out to the dealer you bought it from or to Lexus corporate and get them fixed, at the bare minimum they send you a wheel lock.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah I talked to the dealer who only agreed to reimburse me for the parts, and my local dealer said nothing they could do without the wheel lock code which wasn't in the manual, so they have to use their master to take it off. I also reached out to Lexus so will post when I have more to the story

[@Northunderland]

I have purchased CPO cars at the dealer and have taken them home and found some issues. It's all a crap shoot. As long as you have a warranty, that is all that matters at the end of the day. I have purchased 6 cars with warranties and have used every warranty for one thing or another. Parts and labor costs are through the roof and it's better to be safe than sorry. You have nothing to feel bad about. Lexus totally protects its reputation and will do just about anything to avoid tarnishing it. If you bring issues to their attention, they will more than likely honor it. Nice car by the way.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah they definitely stepped in to fix it! Did you see the later videos?

[@user-uq4ly6fp6m]

Does Lexus CPO not come with a warranty that you can use at your local dealership? That's frustrating spending 30k+ for a certified vehicle just to find out the dealership cut corners during the certification process. I'm not sure what that $250 actually covers, but i'd try to get reimbursed for the trim pieces and the mudflaps as well. That dealership is giving Lexus a bad name if they're pushing vehicles out in that condition. Anyways, thank you for putting Lemon Squad on my radar. Happy to see the 2010 back and congratulations on the 2021!

[@CarolinaCowboys]

So the warranty covers manufacture defects not cosmetic things, but I filed a report with Lexus corporate so I will be sure to post updates!

[@utubeyaw]

I bought my 2022 Rx 350 from a Toyota dealer with 10k miles on it, so mine was not certified. Just like yours, my car did not come with the wheel lock, first aid kit,front tint removed poorly and the driver side middle vent not moving. The Toyota dealer ordered a new wheel lock for my car when I went for my first service and they pointed it out to me. Went to Lexus dealer and they ordered a new vent for me. So far I’ve been happy with the service but not happy with the little issues. Mine came with the ML audio and the doors vibrate with any little bass in my music. Car drives smooth and I’m happy I got the last v6 mode of the RX.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah I'm not happy the v6 is going away, I'm not sure what I'm going to do in the future

[@ilukatube1972]

Welcome back!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE show us how to replace the the screen/stereo on the 2010 for a nice blue tooth contemporary one. I have one here in Australia and love it but I can't find anyone to do it and would love to have a crack myself ...cheers.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

What's wrong with the original screen? It's still good, but it would be nice to have carplay, maybe i'll look to see if that can be added.

[@DM-sg3cj]

I bought a LS500 Executive Package L/Certified and had the same issue of a falsified certification from Field's Lexus in Glenview IL (north of Chicago) we agreed on a OTD (pending PPI) and I flew up to pick up the car and I did the PPI and started finding things that were said were checked and clearly they weren't. When it was all said and done and I did the inspection I got another $2000+ off the car. It needed a battery, an oil change, there were small small scuff and scratches they weren't disclosed when I asked if there was any damage no matter how small tell me about it. (Luckily they will buff out) After everything was settled and paid - I told them that the car had a $4000 K40 Stealth Radar Detector and Jammer on it they didn't know about ... if you inspected the car you'd know it was on there. Especially something they installed 2 years earlier since the car was originally bought and serviced at that dealer. So yeah the L/Certification is a scam, everything marked OK when it wasn't. But I got it all fixed and made them pay for it. Lesson here is 161 inspection 2 year Warranty - get it inspected yourself and cash in on that warranty and have Lexus fix it. All car dealer lie, even the higher end dealers.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah I think paying for Lemon Squad to hold them accountable is the best way to go. In both yours and my cases, they could have been resolved before showing up to buy the car.

[@justin466]

sorry to hear that your going through this brother - i live in Canada and the LCP (lexus certified pre owned) are always fixed to a like new state before delivery of vehicle. i have went in personally to see some LCP and they are pretty much right - everyhting feels new and it is not abused/used like the one you got. you should definitely sue for false advertisement or something - i am curious can you share pictures that were given to you before purchase - they must've shown the downfalls of this car??? I am shocked that a lexus dealership would even let this happen. moreover LCP, it comes with a warranty too - the dealership ensures the car is good for 2/3 years and if anything fails the dealership must cover it (read the fine print though).

[@justin466]

either way happy for your purchase - knowing you this is light work for you to fix! i am glad you went with the red colour it is unique :) stay safe and Christ bless you!

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Hi @justin466, I have been working with Lexus and the Dealership and am in the process of making an update video that I will hopefully upload next week. I was surprised as well but I think everything will be ok and in the end I will be happy.

[@sciphan.]

Congrats on the new car. Sorry youve had bad luck, but its a beautiful car. Cant wait for you to do more 2010 videos! Ive really enjoyed mine. Recently though i sprung a terrible oil leak that was caught right away. The rubber oil cooler line was replaced with a metal line. Couldve been catastrophic!

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah, someone else was just commenting about how the 2010 can have an oil cooling line leak, fortunately I haven't had that issue!

[@corpnupe85]

As a previous Lexus owner (GX 460, GS 350, ES 350, RX 300), I always contacted Lexus corporate with any issues that the dealer ignored.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Good tip, I went ahead and reached out, we'll see if they respond

[@MissingLinkGTRS]

You asked for feedback and as a sleep deprived person on the internet at 5:10am I’m gonna throw in my thoughts.. the L/Certified classification is normally reserved for vehicles under a set amount of miles and can’t be older than I want to say 5 years old.. the car you bought should not have been sold or labeled as a L/Certified vehicle.. at least not with the points you made. These issues should’ve been noted and disclosed by the dealer that sold you the vehicle. In any event you’ve earned a new subscriber and I’ll be really interested on how this all plays out

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Awesome, I agree with you, the car has 61K miles so i'm not sure what the cap is on that. Thanks for subscribing!

[@MissingLinkGTRS]

@@CarolinaCowboys I believe that most Lexus dealers follow a 50k mile max.. I know the Lexus dealer I go through at least does that with the L/Certified program. In any event I’m sure the videos to come on this 2021 RX of yours will be well worth watching ! :)

[@carolinapantherfan4330]

You have a great vehicle its just minor things that can be fixed. I bought a certified toyota 2 yrs ago and my alignment was off like crazy the dealer put brand new tires on for free

[@CarolinaCowboys]

I'm going to pay to have Lexus balance the tires and align the wheel, if I still have issues I will make it a warranty issue. But it sucks I have to pay a few hundred bucks when I have a warranty already.

[@kepler007]

Hey @CarolinaCowboys, I'm in NC and was looking at CPOs from the dealers in the major metro areas of NC (you know which ones I mean for sure). With shipping costs from Calif., would you really pay much less for the car than if you just bought locally where you could have seen and driven the car before buying? Enjoy your videos and keep em' coming!

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Hey, good question! Vehicles are priced differently by market and the Charlotte area tends to charge too much. I paid $7K below market and less than $1K for shipping so it was worth it, but I do regret not spending the $79 on lemonsquad. I had no issues with the last used Lexus I bought in the same way.

[@Stitchlvr]

Hi thank you for the Video very educational like all your videos. Question what company did you use for the transportation for your new RX? Thank you.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Thank you! I can't actually recommend any of the places I've used because it's a difficult industry to deal with. I plan to make a whole video about transporting vehicles.

[@tpp4007]

Did you replace the rubber coolant pipe in the 2010? The 2010-2013 is notorious for having those rubber coolant pipes burst, causing massive engine failure. It was a recall. It’s replaced with metal coolant pipe now.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

I hadn't heard of that issue and mine is still original, sounds like it was an issue only impacting certain stock of RX's.

[@tpp4007]

@@CarolinaCowboys you have the same model as my wife’s previous 2010 RX 350, here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIOwq2VvgNipgc0si=WG-Whi9c-ZfkRuzE I replaced it myself, just have to have the right tool. Search 2010 coolant line replacement and it’ll pop up for many videos.

[@Sandi_UK]

I had similar experience with the Lexus dealer in UK when I recently bought my Lexus ES from them. I think dealers are just dealers and they just want to sell the car.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

This is why I always bought brand new up until the chip shortage ruined the industry and I can't afford new, so now it's a roll of the dice if you get a car that the previous person took care of.

[@rickmuir7616]

Totally agree with you. The Lexus Certified Preowned warranty isn’t worth the facts sheet they print out. We all know, they only took the time it took to check off those boxes! It should be considered a legal contract! If there is any deficiency that is not specifically mentioned, & agreed to by both parties, they should be obligated to repair or replace it to a factory new condition at their exspence. Certified means free of defects.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

I totally agree! By the time you're finished signing all the paperwork, you basically let the dealership off the hook for any disclosure issues and now it's between you and the manufacturer which focuses on mechanical and not accessories.

[@rickmuir7616]

The onus should be on Lexus to police their dealships for the lack of attention to detail when inspecting a vehicle. What you received doesn’t say much for Certification process. Especially when they probably knew of you, 3 time owner & your KZbin channel.@@CarolinaCowboys

[@CarolinaCowboys]

@@rickmuir7616 hahaha I doubt they heard of me!

[@bidenwearsdiapers4026]

Moral of the story: don’t buy a car site unseen l

[@CarolinaCowboys]

It's a roll of the dice, my last Lexus I bought unseen was great, but I also had Lemonsquad go over it for me.

[@joeyk9578]

I may have missed you mentioning it, but did you go to California to have a look at the red car before buying it?

[@CarolinaCowboys]

No I bought it purely on Lexus CPO reputation, my mistake!

[@aaroneaton2718]

The Cali sun got ahold of that interior!

[@CarolinaCowboys]

It may be that HDR lighting? It seems good from my vantage point.

[@terryhenson3350]

Your kids are lucky to get such nice cars.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Well a 14yr old car isn't that nice, but it runs good.

[@jennypreston9755]

I would contact Lexus corporate about the vent and discoloration. All of that should be replaced for free since it was a CPO car and damage was already there from previous owners. With that type of damage car should have never been certified I believe. I have had things come up with our dealer before and contacted corporate and thrown a fit and there were resolutions in my favor. Definitely call cooperate and at least voice concerns, tell them you’re a long time Lexus owner and displeased with how dealer would offer such a car like that as CPO.

[@Stargazer_2024.]

CPO comes with extended warranty to fix any outstanding issues as well. Obviously they had no intent to fix that.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah, from what I understand the CPO is more of a "Multi-Multi point inspection" and some oil changes for 2 years. My local Lexus dealer said that all the things I described in my video would not be covered under warranty.

[@Stargazer_2024.]

I am ok with buying CPO but the dishonesty irks me as they get the extra $ from us and still don't deliver. Simple transaction. I am diy guy like you and was able to fix lots of future issues with my van and it's at 200k now but if it was someone else they would have thrown in the towel. btw I love your videos as it helps me fix my daughter's RX 350 in shape. Kudos to you.@@CarolinaCowboys

[@utubeyaw]

@@CarolinaCowboysmy Lexus dealer ordered a new vent, and fixed it under warranty though I bought it from a Toyota dealer. They even said they felt some vibration when they test drove the car and had Lexus replace the rotors.

[@rayjackson6808]

I would never buy a car I can't physically test. I'm so very sorry. I'm surprised that a guy with your high level of intelegents would buy a car so far away. I'm sorry that happen to such a nice Guy as yourself. You've taught us a lot, and saved us a lot. Can't wait to see the repair videos.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

I got my 2016 in the same way with no issues. But in this case I was swayed by the Lexus Certified Preowned reputation. That said, alot of good things have happened since posting the video so I'll be making an update soon.

[@Derpherppington]

I never buy a car over online without actually seeing it in person

[@CarolinaCowboys]

It's a good rule of thumb if you have the money

[@Derpherppington]

@@CarolinaCowboys not sure whether having money or not to get rip off . Carvana was a failure probably due to these problems u got. how come u didn't get the next generation instead two 4th gen

[@CarolinaCowboys]

@@Derpherppington You should watch the rest of the story here kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6nclKOeich8kLc I only had $30K to spend so the best I could get was a 2021 model and that was a very good deal. Have you seen the prices on the new ones?!?

[@Stargazer_2024.]

I DO NOT TRUST ANY DEALERSHIP. I had Honda Odyssey certified while back. Zero certification was done to make the long story short. $$ reigns supreme. If you point out any issues they will try to make it so difficult to fix anything that you would literally have to give up eventually (their strategy).

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah, I think because of the car buying frenzy that's been going on over the last few years, they really don't care if you buy it or not.

[@fw3nyc]

And this is why i dont buy vehicles online. I always view them before i make a purchase

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah, I think I had put too much faith in brand reputation, I should have known better

[@bngr_bngr]

One would expect this treatment from a used car lot🤬

[@CarolinaCowboys]

I know the reputations but at a Lexus dealer though?

[@bngr_bngr]

@@CarolinaCowboys it’s disappointing to be treated like that at Lexus.

[@flight1513]

Wow. Definitely should not be a L/Certified vehicle. :(

[@CarolinaCowboys]

In the end they got me to 100%

[@FilmScape4K]

This car needs to be rejected. I would not accept a 2021 in this condition full stop, Lexus CPO or not. REJECT REJECT REJECT!!

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Watch the rest of the story!

[@superchamp32]

IMO you should never buy car with out doing personal inspection and road test

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah i've always done it too but the Lexus reputation and dealer swayed me much to my disadvantage

[@KevinP32270]

that is not certified pre-owned. it's supposed to look new. smh.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

It looks new from the outside LOL

[@KevinP32270]

@@CarolinaCowboys that's the trap. hope they made you whole. live long and prosper.

[@joeyk9578]

I think CPO simply means they go through a checklist and ensure things on that list are in good working condition. It's not free of minor defects. They may be annoying but do not keep you from safely operating the vehicle.

[@CarolinaCowboys]

That is true, it's just things they check marked weren't actually done which was the main issue.

[@terryhenson3350]

La di dah

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yeah, it was an interesting lesson

[@DarkClosetOfTheMind]

You broke some of the cardinal rules of buying a used car: test drive it yourself and have a PPO done at another dealership/mechanic. Rookie mistakes

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Thanks

[@alifeinstitches7063]

Cripeallfridee

[@CarolinaCowboys]

Yep

[@alifeinstitches7063]

@@CarolinaCowboys ❤️