First, i would like to say that i'm from montréal, so 8 hours away from Kitchener, Toronto where my potential car is located.

My story is mostly to have your input and advice:

A month ago, i have a deposit of a 1000.00 on a nice GS300 awd 2006. I had no real pictures of the car aside the add itself and the salesman email me multiple time without pictures claiming that he did not have a digital camera. But he promises me that the manager himself will see that the car is at my liking when i come to see as i was his car. I did not signed the bill of sale yet. Due to a mishap that i cannot come to see the car, the screw up on some document, them attempted to bring the car this time half way for me to see it and if i like, i will sign the bill of sale there.

When is time to see it, big surprise, the interior was pretty torn up: scratches everywhere from the leathers seats to the trimming. As you probably know, i cannot signed the bill of sale and they took the car back to Kitchener and said that they will refund the deposit. Nowhere in our emails there was question of charging me for the transport, nor the lost time of the salesman.

I got an email back from the manager that i will lose 500.00 due to lost of potential buyers and fees for all the people involved in the transport. I know that as the least i can afford them something like a 100.00 for trouble, not counting my own. The response i got back is the car is put as SOLD to you even if i didn't sign anything, the only have my deposit ???? i was stunt !

I did call Lexus Canada if that is common practice and the understood that is my first lexus but advice me to solve the problem with the dealership itself. They adviced me to talk directely with the ownership, John Heffner but i don't have this email, so i wrote to the manager instead.

They never supply me pictures of the interior where the disaster occur and keep saying that the car is in great shape, so i had to truth them until seeing it by myself. Plus, that fact that they are not transparent on saying what is the cost of every actions like transporting the car to me or you better buy the car if not you will have to pay for all the people time. I really feld like i'm a prisoner now and they keep deducting fees from my deposit.

I have a copy of the bill of sale which i didn't sign and nowhere their is a term of losing my deposit.

What is making me sad is they assume that the car is SOLD and they put a sign on the car like that with only my deposit. They claimed that they have lost buyers and they bought something else instead. I mean, if a serious buyer is there and i haven't sign the bill of sale, they could insist that i signed the bill of sale to make it official, if not the car belong to somebody else, but nothing....

As you may tell, it is my fist Lexus and buying it far from my town. I even told them that i feld bad for the lost time and willing to pay something for their lost, but never in mind like 500.00, i try to be honest with them since after all, it is a business, but i really thing they are revenging on me.

Right now, it is only the manager that emailed me, i ask if i could talk to the owner, but he haven't redirected me yet.

 

That is ridiculous. Go in and threaten them with small claims and for wasting YOUR valuable time. Also stand in front of the dealership and tell everybody that walks in about how they are trying to screw you over.

P.S. Giving somebody $1000 for something you haven't seen or driven is a bad idea, but you know that now!

Also your first clue was being told that a Lexus dealership does not have a digital camera... even 5 year olds have digital cameras, and every cell phone on earth comes with one these days.

Can I ask what the price on your invoice was for the car and what the mileage was?

P.S. one way of getting to the owner of the dealership is to write a letter and courier it to the dealership addressed to Heffner himself, that will get his attention.

 

Due to the distance, i had some pictures of the ad: http://lexus.heffner.ca/english/Used...0/4621199.aspx

The car look great from distance, that is why i gave a deposit to hold the car and never has it add said sold to me.

Don't get me wrong, the car is a good car, that is why i gave the deposit, but the interior was a nightmare, i don't understand why it does show from the pictures and they didn't supply some actual inside pictures, just their word. No where is your emails the car is actually SOLD since i haven't sign the bill of sale and the time of the holding for the deposit. They lack transparency simply as that, nothing saying that you know that the deposit will be deducted if you don't buy the car or something like that.

The deposit is only to hold the car until i come to see it.

 

Yeah, the interior looks fine from those pictures but they are low resolution and in some cases blurry. No car that is a few years old is going to be completely free from interior blemishes, but I'm curious for you to expand on what you found wrong inside.

The ugliest thing in my car is on the shift ****, it's scratched/indented from the previous owner probably wearing a ring. I also have some abrasions on the drivers side b pillar. The leather and everything else was in good shape though and mine has 35K more on the odometer.

 

I had my digital camera with me that day, i wish i could take some pictures to show you. I didn't notice your input. Yes, i do understand what people say about is an old car, but the leather seats have a least 20 six inchs+ white marks on the top, side and back of the seats, 2 punctures in the front seats, 2 holes in the side of the center console, all 4 lower door trims have lot of deep scratches, not usual coming in and out footprints and all for door trims have scratches in the bottom. You are right, low resolution does make it look good. I have a 10 y.o car with leather and i can only count 2 leathers marks.

At the end, if i happen to lose 500.00 of a hard worked money, i really want to let them know that if business is done like that at Lexus, they are not better that a cheaper brand. I did lose time, money and hope for such a high expectation from the brand.

I did give 200.00 a one local lexus and the manager was honest to tell me that we do not make your reputation on taking deposit, but selling car, that is a selling point for me.

Believe me, i've learned my lesson, but still think that i haven't let my voice heard.

 

BTW, i will take your input seriously in account.

 

Lexus Canada can give you contact information for the owner. Was the car going to be certified? Lexus certification won't permit the imperfections you described. Your deposit should be refunded in full. Don't stop calling Lexus Canada until you get it.

 

That is funny that the car that you mentionned that, since i come from Quebec, inspection is a must for plating so i ask that question to the salesman, i have the proof that the car has 150 points inspections and i don't have to make a second independant inspection before buying the car because their standard is higher than an independant garage. So yes, it is certified. That is what makes me buying the car because i try to avoid independant seller and go straight to the dealeship and pay a little bit more for the car. Does it make sense ?

I really thanks your guys for the help because i never dwelled with the main branch before, never had to.

 

All used car salesmen are crooks...Lexus is no exception. At the end of the day, each salesperson works for himself and could care less about the people or the brand.

It is certified pre-owned:
http://www.lexus.ca/lexus/experience...1&index=9&t=10

Call Lexus and tell them the car does not meet CPO criteria. That should get them in a fair bit of trouble.

 

Did you put the deposit down via credit card?

You should have some protection from the credit card company as well

 

wow, newbie as i am, you guys have giving me a lot of good infos that i will take to the ownership, many thanks. Yes, due to the distance, i have a deposit with mastercard.

I do have a question, if i take the refund offer (which i really doubt), is it make final on the dispute if you can call that since i didn't use harsh words and treats. Is that an attempt from the manager is close the dispute because they have 50% of my deposit.

 

i did look at the 131 points inspection given by Ivanz: as i stated above: the leather has 2 holes in the front and stains in the headliners that i can not live with. Also, the rear bumper is not align on one side near the wheel and it can be seen on the ad from the passenger side. Even my friend notice that. But, you know, when you are in love with the car, you don't easily see it, but i did see it afterall.

I did tell the salesman that was there on all the defaut. I will give Lexus Canada another call tomorrow.

 

call a lawyer. I hate to hear **** like this

 

Yep, based on what you described, it does not meet at least 3 CPO inspection criteria:

Call them up and tell them this. Threaten to call Lexus Canada if they do not refund you 100%. Then call Lexus...

 

PS: i am sorry about the false info but it is the driver side rear bumper near the wheel that is misalign (zoom on the picture in the ad) , if that manner. The hole that i am taking about is not a foreign matter laying there, it is really a hole, see the passenger front seat. As for the white scratches, the sunlight is masking it. I will call Lexus canada tomorrow about the criteria of pre owned, because if all is correct, i will have taken the car.

I really don't want to use this site as a bashing ring, but i had to do something to show the dealership that is not right to promise somebody a great car as they stated in this condition: as stated on the description:

This vehicle is in great condition, and has obviously been kept in top condition by its previous owner. The vehicle’s electrical system is in great shape and the engine is running flawlessly. The transmission is running smoothly and requires no tune up. The interior looks and feels clean and has obviously been kept in good condition by its previous owner. All of our cars are professionally cleaned for sale. Buy with confidence knowing that Heffner Lexus Toyota stands behind all its vehicles with the best service and top industry standards.

Also, i have the email after my deposit that the car is 55.000km instead of 52.xxx km and they haven't change on the ad till now ??? Damn, my heart was so into the car that i can't see all the red flags.

I wish i could love this car as your guys are.