Dealer tried to charge for changing personalized settings
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Dealer tried to charge for changing personalized settings
Yesterday I accompanied my friend who owns an IS350 to Lexus Stevens Creek service dept to get her personalized settings changed. She basically wants the "unlock all doors using keyless entry", "lock doors automatically at 13mph in D position" and turn off seat belt alarm. We were hooked up to a service advisor and we mentioned our inquiries.
The service advisor said there's a charge in doing that. And I was like..What?? I said to him I thought it's a complimentary service for Lexus owners. Then he said NO, it takes time for the tech to do that..there's a labor charge. I said my point again that it should be free and he again denied it. then I said, can you show me where it says it's not free? Then he replied..so can you tell me where it says complimentary? I can't believe he said that to me.. He also mentioned if it's only ONE setting that needs to be changed, then he can do it for free, otherwise there's a charge. Man..I don't get it..if he can do 1 for free..why not 2 or 3? This SA is just BS-ing to me.. maybe he saw me and my friend are still young kids, and he tried rip us off...
So my friend ended up not doing it. Later I called 1800-25-LEXUS, the person said it's a dealer thing. there's no fixed policy for this..
But when I did mine at Magnussen's Lexus at Fremont, they more than welcome me to do it, at NO charge. They even accept walk-ins for this..basically it's a fast and easy thing to do..what about CL members here? I believe none of your paid for this LPS thing..
So I thought maybe that SA is a biatch, and later called LExus stevens creek service dept. The person who answered the call said "I dont think so" when I asked about whether there's a charge. Then she asked me to hold, when she came back on she said there's a minimum charge of $65 of labor for this...unless if it;s done together with a major service (30k or more) WHAT A RIP OFF!! I asked where she got that info..she said from one of the SA on duty.. I dunno what else to say..I believe the SA at this dealership is who try to rip ppl off..
enough of venting. I asked my friend to go to Fremont for this..
edit: the car is an 06 with 35k miles.. when I did mine at 8k ish miles at Magnussen, they were more than welcome to accept it at no charge
The service advisor said there's a charge in doing that. And I was like..What?? I said to him I thought it's a complimentary service for Lexus owners. Then he said NO, it takes time for the tech to do that..there's a labor charge. I said my point again that it should be free and he again denied it. then I said, can you show me where it says it's not free? Then he replied..so can you tell me where it says complimentary? I can't believe he said that to me.. He also mentioned if it's only ONE setting that needs to be changed, then he can do it for free, otherwise there's a charge. Man..I don't get it..if he can do 1 for free..why not 2 or 3? This SA is just BS-ing to me.. maybe he saw me and my friend are still young kids, and he tried rip us off...
So my friend ended up not doing it. Later I called 1800-25-LEXUS, the person said it's a dealer thing. there's no fixed policy for this..
But when I did mine at Magnussen's Lexus at Fremont, they more than welcome me to do it, at NO charge. They even accept walk-ins for this..basically it's a fast and easy thing to do..what about CL members here? I believe none of your paid for this LPS thing..
So I thought maybe that SA is a biatch, and later called LExus stevens creek service dept. The person who answered the call said "I dont think so" when I asked about whether there's a charge. Then she asked me to hold, when she came back on she said there's a minimum charge of $65 of labor for this...unless if it;s done together with a major service (30k or more) WHAT A RIP OFF!! I asked where she got that info..she said from one of the SA on duty.. I dunno what else to say..I believe the SA at this dealership is who try to rip ppl off..
enough of venting. I asked my friend to go to Fremont for this..
edit: the car is an 06 with 35k miles.. when I did mine at 8k ish miles at Magnussen, they were more than welcome to accept it at no charge
Last edited by tfz_hebe89; 11-01-08 at 10:31 PM. Reason: typo
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as far as I know, you get this service for FREE within the first year since your purchase
after that, they will charge you..
I got mine done for free..lol..dude,,go back to that place and as for Ted,,he was at EOS, and I'm pretty sure he would hook you up~!
after that, they will charge you..
I got mine done for free..lol..dude,,go back to that place and as for Ted,,he was at EOS, and I'm pretty sure he would hook you up~!
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when she bought the car they should have a peice of paper for LPS settings.. its says FREE LPS change within 30days of purchase.. i can help ur friend out with the 2 of the 3 if u want to bring her by next mini meet.. why would u want to UNlock doors when in drive at 13mph?
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I was a long term customer of Stevens Creek Lexus Service center since 99 up until mid '07 until both of the nicest rep quit and went to work elsewhere.
Why i left? Service advisors are not knowledgeable and are strictly wolves when it comes to servicing your cars (well at least the last service advisor i dealt with). They tried to last minute increase the price on me for several things and cannot explain why some services had to be done. All i heard was.. "well you know.. you have a brand new car and (blah blah blah). He thought if he would use big words i would think he is smarter. Funny thing he did not how to use them and sounded like a fool!
I ended up going to Magnussen Lexus and wow, they took care of me very well. Shame i had to drive an extra 15 minutes for better service, but in the end, it pays off.
wow i've got burned by stevens creek 1 too many times.. Magnussen Lexus FTW!!
Why i left? Service advisors are not knowledgeable and are strictly wolves when it comes to servicing your cars (well at least the last service advisor i dealt with). They tried to last minute increase the price on me for several things and cannot explain why some services had to be done. All i heard was.. "well you know.. you have a brand new car and (blah blah blah). He thought if he would use big words i would think he is smarter. Funny thing he did not how to use them and sounded like a fool!
I ended up going to Magnussen Lexus and wow, they took care of me very well. Shame i had to drive an extra 15 minutes for better service, but in the end, it pays off.
wow i've got burned by stevens creek 1 too many times.. Magnussen Lexus FTW!!
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when she bought the car they should have a peice of paper for LPS settings.. its says FREE LPS change within 30days of purchase.. i can help ur friend out with the 2 of the 3 if u want to bring her by next mini meet.. why would u want to UNlock doors when in drive at 13mph?
I can't remember his name..gotta ask my friend. I think it's Mark if I remember correctly.
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I was a long term customer of Stevens Creek Lexus Service center since 99 up until mid '07 until both of the nicest rep quit and went to work elsewhere.
Why i left? Service advisors are not knowledgeable and are strictly wolves when it comes to servicing your cars (well at least the last service advisor i dealt with). They tried to last minute increase the price on me for several things and cannot explain why some services had to be done. All i heard was.. "well you know.. you have a brand new car and (blah blah blah). He thought if he would use big words i would think he is smarter. Funny thing he did not how to use them and sounded like a fool!
I ended up going to Magnussen Lexus and wow, they took care of me very well. Shame i had to drive an extra 15 minutes for better service, but in the end, it pays off.
wow i've got burned by stevens creek 1 too many times.. Magnussen Lexus FTW!!
Why i left? Service advisors are not knowledgeable and are strictly wolves when it comes to servicing your cars (well at least the last service advisor i dealt with). They tried to last minute increase the price on me for several things and cannot explain why some services had to be done. All i heard was.. "well you know.. you have a brand new car and (blah blah blah). He thought if he would use big words i would think he is smarter. Funny thing he did not how to use them and sounded like a fool!
I ended up going to Magnussen Lexus and wow, they took care of me very well. Shame i had to drive an extra 15 minutes for better service, but in the end, it pays off.
wow i've got burned by stevens creek 1 too many times.. Magnussen Lexus FTW!!
if only I could speak directly to the tech..I don;t think the SA would allow me. maybe it also costs at stevens creek to speak to a tech
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I went to Stevens Creek for my complimentary 5K service and would never go back there unless I can't really avoid it. I won't go into details because it would take a lot of typing. Magnussen although a bit more drive for me has 100x better service in my experience.
#10
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Put yourself in a tech's shoes. You gotta drop what you're doing, come to the service drive w/ the diagnostic tool AND do that for free..would you want to do this without getting paid? I'm a SA at MBz and customers come in for little things like that all the time, I hate bothering my techs so I usually take care of it myself. If the SA was good enough at what he does he would know how to use the diagnostic tool and do his customers a favor so they would come back to he/she later for services n whatnot, it's the easiest way to gain trust w/ clientele. just gotta hand them a business card and another one reeled in.
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No, this car is an 06 with 35k miles.. It's more than 1 year old..
CAIFAN64, the owner never changed the settings at all during the entire ownership of the car.
Eric_r_ho: This is the kind of service I'm expecting from a Luxury Car company, esp one who always emphazises in great customer service, and Lexus is one of them. This is one of the value-added service that makes them stand out from the rest. I'm not expecting the tech to do it straight away..I don't mind waiting in line actually..but to be charged for this kind of thing is just ridiculous IMO..and $65 for it?? why would they give changeable settings if in the end we could only change it once and get charged for the subsequent changes?
CAIFAN64, the owner never changed the settings at all during the entire ownership of the car.
Eric_r_ho: This is the kind of service I'm expecting from a Luxury Car company, esp one who always emphazises in great customer service, and Lexus is one of them. This is one of the value-added service that makes them stand out from the rest. I'm not expecting the tech to do it straight away..I don't mind waiting in line actually..but to be charged for this kind of thing is just ridiculous IMO..and $65 for it?? why would they give changeable settings if in the end we could only change it once and get charged for the subsequent changes?