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2011 Black ISF I looked at this afternoon

6807 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Biggu
I'm mostly known as Peleg (my real name) and I'm pretty passionate about car detailing.

http://www.lexusfforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1500

Went to look at a potential ISF to purchase today, hope you're sitting down, here's the story:

Lexus of Marin - San Rafael, CA.


The car was sitting outside and was covered with dust. No big deal, I detail cars as a hobby on the side, so dealing with dust is easy for me.

Sticker price was 51,988. 2011, black ISF.

It was 6 PM, sun was still out and I started inspecting the paint up close and personal, mind you this vehicle only had 8,000+ miles, so this car is "like new", warranty and everything.

I could not believe my eyes, the paint was swirled and scratched, one of the mirrors had a scratch on it. I checked the wheels, and there was some slight curb rush on one of them, the rest were good. The interior was very clean, but I didn't bother to sit in it.

I would have loved to photo shoot it before and after a 10 hour detail.

The salesman then informed me they could "wax" the car and make it nice again.

I did not know if to laugh or not, but the fact that someone brought this car's paint to such condition just boiled my blood, so I decided to flex my knowledge a bit and said "this car is going to require a complete wash, claybar and machine buffing to look like what it used to look like 8000 miles ago".

I popped the hood to see what's going on there. Surprise! the car was fitted with a K&N Typhoon intake (Is it me or did some 20 yr old bought the car and then decided he could not afford it, after he washed it at one of those self service car wash places with the "wash brooms" they have).

Mind you when it comes time to smog this car, one would need the stock intake (and god knows where that's at). Mind you if the CHP pulls you over and see this, the smog ticket is hefty. (State Ref and all the fun that comes with that)

Tires were about 6 or 4/32's at best........brakes looked ok. Wheels were covered in brake dust.

The salesman was nice and offered me to take a test drive, which I agreed.

At the last moment, I see 2 people inside looking at the car, 1 of them comes out and says the car was actually already sold and that they forgot to put the sticker on it.

LOL, oooooooooooook.

There was a white 2010 ISF near by but I don't want white or a 2010.

So we did not even get to negotiate on this car, but oh well, there will be others.

I'm honestly more disappointed of the car's condition and whomever took care of it. Real eye sore, and for a Lexus dealer to offer the car for sale at its current condition.

That's all.:cool:
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In my experience, almost any used black car has nowhere near close to nice paint. And if you expect a used car at a dealer to be "like new" you're out of your mind. Some cars may be but 99% aren't.

And an intake won't fail smog. The car still has 4 cats which are the real concern there.
In my experience, almost any used black car has nowhere near close to nice paint. And if you expect a used car at a dealer to be "like new" you're out of your mind. Some cars may be but 99% aren't.

And an intake won't fail smog. The car still has 4 cats which are the real concern there.
Funny that you say that, the guy who sold me my STi in 2004 said I was out of my mind, screamed, yelled, walked around and finally sold me the car.

It is quite possible, or even more, that I am one of the most anal, out of mind car nut cases you ever met, but that's just me. I will not settle.

If someone is going to offer me the next car in this condition, they will get my honest opinion on it, and my honest offer as well.

$51,988, it should be ready, setup to go. $400 detail would take care of the swirls, if they can manage to find someone who knows what they are doing


As for the smog, my point was that it would fail the visual (no CARB sticker).
That's terrible.
sucks to hear but most black cars all need paint work 100% of the time, even when they just got detailed.
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