The Lemon Fool

I'm looking at 2 Lexus coupes tomorrow at a garage, and have the registration numbers.
Does anyone know if there's a source of information I can access on the internet?

For example, a "Cars in Huge Accident, now Totally Rebuilt" website, or more likely, some website that could give me some extra information about their history and perhaps whether they failed MOTs or anything like that.
(I've just used the DLVA service, and it shows that both cars are untaxed (were both due in early March 2021) - does this just show that dealers have had them on sale for at least that long?)

My recent experiences with a variety of Lexus dealers has been fascinating for all the wrong reasons, so I'm looking for an independent source of facts.

I test-drove one Lexus that had a message "Audio Off" for which the salesman has given me 4 different reasons, the latest one was that it was "just a fuse" that needed changing. Well yes, but why did the fuse blow on a car with less than 150 miles showing on the clock?

I've also had another Lexus dealer offer to swap the driving seat from one car to another, because I noticed the drivers' seat on my test drive was unusually sunken. I spoke to my regular garage who said it might be a quick job, but they'd need to recode the air-bags otherwise they'd be useless on the swapped car. All deeply fishy!

You can get the MOT history here https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Scott.

zico wrote:I'm looking at 2 Lexus coupes tomorrow at a garage, and have the registration numbers.
Does anyone know if there's a source of information I can access on the internet?

You can check the MoT history, which includes mileage, pass/fail and advisories, here:

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

As previously mentioned the MoT history can be checked here for free:

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Note, however, that you will not be able to see where it was done unless you have the V5 log book and its reference number, only the date, mileage, and MoT details (pass/advise/fail items).

Checking the history for crashes, written off, outstanding loan payments etc the market leader is generally accepted as being HPI, although many similar sites are available:

https://hpicheck.com/

"I test-drove one Lexus that had a message "Audio Off" for which the salesman has given me 4 different reasons, the latest one was that it was "just a fuse" that needed changing. Well yes, but why did the fuse blow on a car with less than 150 miles showing on the clock?"

Walk away.

MM

Thanks for the MOT history tip. One car I checked had mileage as "Unreadable" - does that seem odd? Or had maybe the MOT guy just not bothered to check?

zico wrote:Thanks for the MOT history tip. One car I checked had mileage as "Unreadable" - does that seem odd? Or had maybe the MOT guy just not bothered to check?

Nope, not odd at all, had a few like that. Usually found on vehicles with lcd dashboard mileage who are particularly vulnerable to the elements of the display burning out/failing, thus rendering the mileage reading illegible. Range Rover P38 and L322 and Vauxhall Astra are three regular dash killers that spring to mind but there are others.

MoTTesterMork

Hi,

Interesting, the past MOT checks. Mrs B's Ka goes something like 17000, 18000, 26000, 20000, 21000.
The 'hicup' in the middle was because the digital mileometer reading had been set to km rather than miles at that time
The history of the car was known, came from a teacher at Mrs B's school (she was a classroom assistant). The car has been fine, now had it four years, so just appears to be an oversight. But such an easy change to make on this digital stuff and of course making it 'km' worsens the figure for us 'miles' people.

Ray.

These days dealers tend to be open about repaired write offs etc, usually in the advert. Unless it is a low end backstreet place with poor reviews then they will hae done the basic HPIs before accepting the car.

One thing you can do if the service book is patchy is to call a main dealer service dept. When buying the Avensis I went to Toyota and explained it was ex-lease but missing stamps in the service book. They helpfully told me all the service history was there and the warranty was still valid, allowing me to politely refuse the dealers' add ons.

Try your local dealer (intimate you have the car and wonder if they know what service is next due) or call the franchise near where the can is for sale.

Paul

I have found the MOT history makes for interesting reading. When looking for an old car do do some heavy motorway business miles over the next few months I looked at a few different makes and it was noticeable that Lexus and Hondas of around 15 years old frequently had never failed an MOT or only on a minor things like a worn wiper blades. Other makes at that age often had a history of significant fails, often suspension faults.

I was looking a Lexus IS220s and it was interesting that although MOT fails were very rare they often had advisories for minor brake shudder. I found it a very useful resource. I am a great fan of Lexus having had one from new that performed faultlessly over five years and 80,000 miles.

I eventually bought a 16 year old Honda Accord with 80,000 miles that had a FSH dealer history and no MOT fails. It drives faultlessly and has zero bodywork blemishes.

John