Schmexus

On the very top of your link to the Toyota website it states "Compact cars". Toyota calls it a compact car, it looks like a compact car, it feels like a compact car, it has the power(or lack of)of a compact car. I'm calling it a compact car even if it barely squeekes into the minimum requirements of interior volume per the EPA of a mid-sized car for the newly redesigned models.

It's just a matter of comfort, needs and personal preference. If given the choice, which car would you choose?

From a dealers view, I'd give the guy who brings in his older model for service a NICER, newer loaner to possibly spark some interest in an upgrade. Putting someone in an older/smaller/cheaper loaner is going to make them appreciate their old car even more lol.

JDR76

Just stating that I have had no issue putting the rear facing child seat in the back seat of a Corolla. If you can state it cannot be done, it would seem equally fair to me that I can state, based on my experience, that it can.

For my preference, I typically decline the loaner (last time an RX was offered) and just use their shuttle service. Doesn't work for everyone, but certainly fits my need.

I really don't care to get into the tit for tat of this thread. Just stating my experience, and noting the EPA's size classification. Do with it what you will.

Have a good day.

Schmexus

Fair enough, although I didn't say it couldn't be done. It's a matter of comfort which is subjective I suppose. I've seen college kids cram 15-20 people into similarly sized vehicles. Of course it's possible.

Lmcqueen

Reminds me of my college days, when I used to cram 7 people in my first gen CRX Si... lol.

Couple of weeks ago, took my GX in for warranty work, I had a choice of any Lexus I wanted because I was in at 7AM. I picked the CT because I was going to put on about 300 miles on it, and I'm a cheapskate, I wanted best MPG vehicle.. and after I picked it, the service guy says "don't worry about filling up the gas". doh!

matt2421

Schmexus, sorry you have to deal with some of these guys. For the most part , this forum can be very helpful but there are a few combative jerks, one in particular. In any event, I THINK you should get a Lexus loaner if you take your car in for service. I don't have any figures, but i would assume a Lexus loaner is the norm for individuals having work done on thier car. Anything less would feel like you were getting singled out for some reason. The fact that the rep said there wasn't a Lexus loaner available 3 weeks out is a red flag. How could they possibly know what loaners are available 3 weeks out? Heck, my dealer gave me a brand new RX (25 miles) when I bought my GS as a loaner while they took my trade in and prepped my new ride because they were out of loaners. Personally, I would feel slighted if I was given a corolla, not because it's a corolla but because I wouldn't be receiving the norm for a loaner car. My 2cents I'm sure it won't be a popular opinion but this is how I feel as a Lexus consumer.

Flying3

These stories are disappointing. I have never had trouble getting a loaner from the two dealers I have used in MA. As long as I called the day before and an slot was available.

The math should be simple. Number of appts taken a day = number of loaners needed. Even if they run out, the sales personnel should be lending theirs.

GSTONY

Well the cheapest car they gave me was a e's 350 and the nicest I got was a is 250 awd LOL

SW17LS

We can all think whatever we want, what we have to do is measure our expectations against what is realistic and reasonable. This is what we know:

1. Lexus does not say that dealers must give loaner cars for any service other than warranty work lasting longer than 4 hours. So...that is the bare minimum.

2. Many dealers have far more accommodating loaner rules, but not all.

3. Bigger dealers in competitive urban markets have more loaners, better prices on new cars and service, etc than dealers in smaller more rural markets...such as the OP's market.

4. Dealers have a finite number of loaners available. When those loaners are exhausted they provide a rental car from an outside agency according to their loaner policy.

Understanding the reality of these 4 facts, if your expectation is set properly you won't be disappointed. Like I said, I have been a Lexus customer for 15 years, I have had 5. I am in a big market, and use a dealer that is one of the largest in the mid atlantic. A couple of times I too have been given a non-Lexus loaner when the dealer is out of loaners. It happens.

Its all well and good to say "He has the right to request a Lexus loaner"...he does...but if you see fact #1...the dealer is not obligated to give him one in his situation. For anything other than warranty work lasting longer than 4 hours a loaner car is a COURTESY...not something they owe you. If he doesn't like it...he can take his business elsewhere.

Any other argument or discussion is really pointless. It is what it is.

This is an example of a completely unreasonable expectation. Number one, why would sales personnel have anything to do with loaners? Completely different departments of the dealership that have nothing to do with each other. Why would you expect to be given someone's personal vehicle to drive while your car is in for service? (I mean, seriously?!?), and then there's the insurance ramifications of that.

Dumbfounded at that expectation lol

Max707

It you want a Lexus loaner. Call and talk to the manager, tell him if he wants your business for this service he has to earn it by providing you a Lexus loaner. If he says he can't tell him you are now going to call the GM and ask him why they don't want your business??? I am sure you will get the car you want, it's not like your getting a oil change.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

One other factor that I didn't see mentioned is that the services you are having done may not be being performed by the dealer. Depends on the available services onsite but often times they outsource stuff like this (tinting, leather and wheel repair, detailing, etc) to a third party. Their policy might be to only give the cheaper rental loaners when you are getting that type of service that is not done by them. They might want to make it transparent to their customers that the service is outsourced but could have different rules which is why he's cagey about the loaner.

Hopefully we are beyond the arguments in this thread , but to be certain I will ask Schmexus and SW13GS to take any future back and forth to private message. If you have questions about this request, pm me. Let's keep this polite and mature, folks.

Max707

Did not think about that since he stated it was a "dept" of the dealership. I think you are right. He should inquire if this is a true profit center or just a perk for customers to keep them coming back to the dealership? If a perk he is lucky to get a loaner, if a profit center escalate for the loaner he wants. If it was me I would just shop for the best deal on the tint and go there. Glass break sensor is a big waste of money. Why??

SW17LS

This is a very good point....

Schmexus

I think if that were the case and they would have explained that to him in the first place there would have never been a problem instead of just saying the vehicle he wants isn't available for every date he picks, making it seem like he was being singled out and lied to *IMO*. Obviously he left there with a bad taste and a bit of confusion since he made this post. It SHOULD have been handled differently *IMO*.

Flying3

Seriously think I am talking about the salesman's personally owned car??? Now I'm dumbfounded. The sales personnel I have worked with drive program cars and have offered me the use their dealership owned car if I have any trouble getting a loaner. I thought it was a nice gesture.

SW17LS

I understood that you were talking about program cars, but even their demo/program cars are their personal vehicles...full of their belongings...etc. Its the only vehicle the salesman drove to the dealership that day...he's supposed to sit there a prisoner until you come back with his car? In a more practical vein those vehicles aren't insured for that type of use either.

Thats a very nice gesture, but to expect them to do that when they are out of loaners (as was implied by your post) is totally unreasonable IMHO. You presented it as it should be a matter of policy "if they are out of loaners then the dealer's sales staff should be lending theirs!"...its not a policy it was your salesman helping you out.

When an over the top courtesy, such as your salesman letting you use his demo one time when you were in for service and stuck without a loaner, becomes an expectation thats when it becomes a problem. I'm in sales, and we do over the top things for our clients all the time...but if I were a car salesman I'm not going to come to work every day and let strangers drive around in my vehicle with all my belongings in it, whether its a demo or not. What if I had to leave? What if the customer doesn't come back that day and instead decides to come in the next morning because of their schedule?

This type of attitude unfortunately is why we see companies doing fewer and fewer individual things for people that are "above and beyond"...because the customer comes to expect that level of personalized service every time, and when they realize that won't be the case (and it can't be the case in a volume business), they actually are dissatisfied by the service they receive overall. We've had this discussion more than once in my own company, going above and beyond, doing big things for one customer in specific need we wouldn't ordinarily do. It does get around, and everybody starts expecting those things and we can't operate our business that way. Yes a Lexus dealer is a luxury car dealer, and service is very good (thats why they're rated so highly)...but it IS still a volume business. Its not a Rolls Royce dealership where maybe they service 2 or 3 people a week.