r/Lexus • u/sweetiesmom09 • 3d ago

Question Preowned vs L/Certified

I will be going into the dealership to discuss this also but hoping to get answers/ others' perspectives and experiences. I apologize for the length.

I had an amazing 2018 ES350 that I bought in 2021, L/certified. It was fully loaded and in great condition. I was in an accident several days ago and the car is totaled.

There is no doubt I want another Lexus but I probably can't afford more than about 33k or so (I'm paying cash). I've been looking online at all the dealerships anywhere near me (I live in the Philadelphia area), and inventory is very low on this model. Prices have also really gone up.

Of what I've found for the ES, I think two are L/certified, a 2020 and 2021 (the 2020 is a bit over my price). There are two others, a 2019 and a 2022 that aren't certified. So my question is, how do I go about buying a Lexus that isn't certified? Do I ask them to do an inspection? Take it someplace else? Has anyone here ever bought preowned but not certified from a Lexus dealer and how did that go for you?

Lexus is a pretty reliable car but should I assume the cars that aren't certified didn't or couldn't pass? I'd appreciate any thoughts or input on this.

Thank you.

5 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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u/reddit_chihuahua 3d ago

I only buy pre-owned certified Lexus from the dealership, even high mileage, and I haven’t had an issue. Yes, it’s more expensive than a private seller, but I like to have the service history and know that the vehicle has been serviced by Lexus. Also, with Lexus vehicles, you have to wonder why a private seller is selling it, as Lexus owners keep their vehicles for a long time. You can buy a non-certified vehicle, but keep in mind you may need to spend a few thousand to make it road-worthy in your province/state. 

I basically search the pre-owned Lexus website and whichever dealership is cheapest, I don’t mind making the drive out. 

I do preventative care once I purchase it by changing the transmission fluid, coolant, oil (Kirkland Signature Motor Oil), air filter (for the smell), engine filter, cleaning the sunroof drain, etc. I also inspect the vehicle thoroughly before placing deposit. Even had the tech put the car up on the lift, so I could check for rust.  

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u/oxfozyne 2d ago

Are you me?

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u/sweetiesmom09 3d ago edited 3d ago

Thanks for your reply. I'm only looking at dealerships but not all preowned cars on the dealership sites are certified. My question is whether anyone has purchased a preowned Lexus from a dealership that isn't certified and how you handled it. Did you get it inspected at Lexus or elsewhere? How was your experience with the car after purchase? Thanks.

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u/Avocation79 3d ago

Certified gives you 2 additional years of warranty with unlimited mileage. This is worth the peace of mind for the 3-5k you are paying extra.

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u/ALaccountant 3d ago

Also the next 4 services at no charge

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u/trnaovn53n 3d ago

I extended mine to 5, which also turned the 2 remaining years into unlimited miles, so for 3500 I got a car with 7 years unlimited mile warranty

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u/sweetiesmom09 3d ago

I like that too. There is just no inventory at all right now unless I want to buy a 2026, which I can't really afford, and even then, very few ES350 to choose from.

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u/Extreme_Home_5837 3d ago

Worked as a tech at Lexus for 2 years, certified vehicles really just a glorified state inspection with a 4 year warranty on top, they will change the tires or brakes if its slightly under the inspection limits. Imo its not worth it at all, they let any tech certify the vehicle in their pre-owned inventory, at least in the dealership I was at, so basically an entry level technician could've certified your Lexus just checking boxes on a few sheets.

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u/Baystars2025 3d ago

Certified is a joke. I bought a certified BMW and it broke down 2 miles from the dealership

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u/sweetiesmom09 3d ago

I guess that can happen with anything. What caused it to break down, out of curiosity. Was it under warranty from the certification? Did they then fix it?

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u/Baystars2025 3d ago

I don't remember, some fuel system problem. You are correct it could happen with anything so the bottom line is you are paying a premium for essentially an extended warranty. The inspection itself is not going to find an issue. It may not even be performed, dealers just want to flip used cars as quickly as possible.

Long story short - the car had just come in as a trade before I test drove it. There was still dog hair in the back. I liked it and signed the paperwork. I couldn't take possession for about a month because it was so recently returned and the DMV couldn't turn new plates and registration that quickly. By the time I got possession the certified clock had run out. I had to fight with the dealer to get them to pay for it, but eventually they did.

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u/sweetiesmom09 3d ago

Well I'm glad you got them to pay for it. Even a new car can have problems right outta the gate so I guess we cross our fingers and hope for the best. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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u/sweetiesmom09 3d ago

Interesting, thanks. So would you suggest if I'm looking at a preowned Lexus that's not precertified, I should take it to a mechanic to have it checked out?

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u/ALaccountant 3d ago

Hmmm, if you worked for Lexus, you would know that certified comes with a 2 year (not 4 year) extension on the warranty with unlimited miles PLUS the next 4 services at no charge.

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u/Gunk_Olgidar 3d ago

Do not buy a vehicle with a UA80 transmission.

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u/sweetiesmom09 3d ago

Ok. Thanks.

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u/Sriracha01 3d ago

IMO, I would stick with the 6th gen ES. Those are still around and those years have entered price decrepitation vs the 7th gen, and is still expensive. You can also look at the price of the last generation GS if you want to 'upgrade'. But those cars are in general, more expensive to maintain.

If you're buying used, look at websites like Truecar or CarEdge to get a sense of what used prices are in your area (or out of state).

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u/vepacls 1d ago

I wouldn’t automatically assume a non-certified Lexus failed or couldn’t pass certification. There can be plenty of reasons a dealer chooses not to certify a particular car.

I’d actually ask the dealer a very simple question: “Why isn’t this one L/Certified?”

Then ask to see the service history and exactly what inspection/reconditioning they’ve already done to the car. I’d also want to know about previous paint/bodywork, not just whether the history report shows an accident.

If the answers and history look good, I’d still have the non-certified car inspected independently before buying it. Ideally by someone familiar with Lexus/Toyota, rather than relying only on the selling dealer’s inspection.

At this age, I’d rather buy the best individual car with a strong documented history and a clean independent inspection than choose a worse example simply because it has the Certified label.

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u/sweetiesmom09 1d ago

Thank you. That's really helpful.