Disappointment with Dealership
08-06-14, 07:28 PM
#1
10th Gear
Thread Starter
Disappointment with Dealership
I have a 2001 Lexus LS430 and for the last month or so I was having difficulty shifting out of park when I started my car. It had become more frequent over time and the check VSC light would go on. I took it the dealership which I've been going to for 9 years and told them and they said that I would need to replace a solenoid. They also said as the mechanic was driving my car to the repair station he heard a noise and said that I needed a new rear differential for $3300. I told him to order the solenoid but I would think about the latter. Well in the interim I called a mechanic I know that is very honest and he looked it up and could do it for half that price but he had me come over to take a look. He said he didn't want to order any parts until he examined the car. I took it over and he placed it on the lift and checked it out then took it for a spin. He came back and informed me that there was nothing wrong with my differential. The following week when I brought it to Lexus for the solenoid replacement I told the service guy and he said well the mechanic said he heard something and that was that. I was a bit concerned so I figured I would watch them work on my car once they brought it back. They have it situated that you can watch the service area from a balcony. Well it took literally an hour for them to bring it back and I was surprised because there were two mechanics in the car one in the driver's seat and the other in the passenger's. One exited and wrote something on some paper and the other preceded to bring what looked like a red plastic meter/laptop to the drivers side and sat there for about 5 minutes then exited. He then got back in the car and drove it out of the service bay. I figured well now they're going to say there's something else wrong and I quickly went back to the service dept. where they told me that he was finished and that they were going to wash the car. I told them that wasn't necessary because it was just done at the last visit a few days back. I said that was fast and the service guy said that the mechanic is very good and fast. well I paid the $190 and left. I spoke to my wife about this and there has been so many times over the years that I brought my car here for say an oil change and they would find numerous things wrong and I would have them fix it for a grand or so and now I question whether this was true or not. I always thought that I had gotten a lemon and now I wonder if in fact it was just the dealership. I lost all faith in this service department as I can't trust them anymore. I spoke to my mechanic friend and he said many times these mechanics work on commission and get paid more when they do more work so it's almost an incentive to find something wrong. I want to get a new car soon but I'm not going back to this place. I guess the lesson for you guys if you take your car to the dealer and they find some big ticket repair out of the blue better to tell them you'll think about it and find a good mechanic for a second opinion. Sadly I'm sure this goes on at many dealerships. I expected more from Lexus. Honestly I liked the place and they were always friendly to me but now I know better. Fool me once...
08-06-14, 08:01 PM
#2
10th Gear
Thread Starter
Yeah you live and you learn. I really was hoping I could trust the Lexus dealership but realize now it was a pipe dream. I suspect the reason why there were two mechanics in the car as I believe they're not supposed to do that was to see if they noticed anything wrong and when I went back and the service guy said nothing it was because they found nothing and who knows if they really changed the solenoid or just reset the system.
08-07-14, 08:10 AM
#4
Moderator
It is tough to trust any service department these days - Almost everyone in thees businesses from services writers, service manager, to the technicians is carefully monitored on their individual billing rates, productivity, and total revenues that they generate. If they do not meet or exceed the set goals for this they go out the door. Most folks still operate with basic levels of integrity anyway, but there is serious pressure for them to say work has to be done that may be very marginal in terms of being absolutely necessary. And of course there are some amount of outright straight up thieves and folks with zero integrity working in every business. If you run into "that guy" you are hosed.
What works for me in terms of getting work done at Lexus is to be clear up front in what you expect. First thing I very politely tell a service writer is that I am on a limited budget, that I'm not the typical wealthy Lexus owner, and that they need to be very careful in quoting any work estimate, keep it per the book, and not quote me the silly high $ "packages" for any maintenance. . They usually get the message from that simple statement. Most of these guys have to be careful with their money and if you are frank with them they can easily relate.
What works for me in terms of getting work done at Lexus is to be clear up front in what you expect. First thing I very politely tell a service writer is that I am on a limited budget, that I'm not the typical wealthy Lexus owner, and that they need to be very careful in quoting any work estimate, keep it per the book, and not quote me the silly high $ "packages" for any maintenance. . They usually get the message from that simple statement. Most of these guys have to be careful with their money and if you are frank with them they can easily relate.
Last edited by Jabberwock; 08-07-14 at 08:18 AM.
08-07-14, 08:38 AM
#5
I got my CPO 2003 ls 430 almost six years ago from a dealer 120 miles away. By the time I got home I found a bad sub woofer My local dealer fixed it under CPO no question asked. I immediately went out and got my service advisor a bottle of johnnie walker black. Needless to say I have been taken care of very well since. Hell I even take donuts to the guys in the back that wash cars every time I go there.. My keys are hand delivered back to me and the car is absolutely spotless. Always find a good service advisor to work with. Just had valve covers replaced and new plugs put in. Total. 488
08-07-14, 09:26 AM
#7
It happens a lot more than it should.
I know some people that work for dealerships will say it's just a few bad apples that give everyone a bad name, but I disagree, I think pushing unnecessary service is what the dealership model is built on. I rarely got to a dealership, I try to do most of my own work as time allows, but I definitely see the tactics the few times I do go there.
But I really think they prey on older people, a quick anecdote, my elderly father had a Mercedes he bought new, and with around 18k miles, the dealership convinced him he needed both front and rear brake pads replaced to the tune of around $1,300. I've asked him to tell me when his car is getting serviced so I can make sure he's not being taken, but older people can be stubborn and want to feel independent.
Usually where dealerships get most people is saying things like "you're due for your 30k, 50k, 75k, etc service" and these usually cost around $1000 a pop, when all that's replaced is something like an air filter. Just know your owners manual and only service what it says to be serviced, you don't have to get those packages. They will try to make the case that your warranty will be voided, it won't if you follow the owners manual. So if at 20k miles they say your car needs the power steering flushed, reference that the owners manual says nothing about it.
Saying someone needs a whole new differential tough is really beyond the pale, I doubt it would do much good, but I personally would call the dealership owner and let him know, maybe even threaten to call the Attorney General's office. It's one thing to push a "wallet flush" service but that's really getting into big fraud when you're saying a car needs a $3,000 service and it doesn't.
I know some people that work for dealerships will say it's just a few bad apples that give everyone a bad name, but I disagree, I think pushing unnecessary service is what the dealership model is built on. I rarely got to a dealership, I try to do most of my own work as time allows, but I definitely see the tactics the few times I do go there.
But I really think they prey on older people, a quick anecdote, my elderly father had a Mercedes he bought new, and with around 18k miles, the dealership convinced him he needed both front and rear brake pads replaced to the tune of around $1,300. I've asked him to tell me when his car is getting serviced so I can make sure he's not being taken, but older people can be stubborn and want to feel independent.
Usually where dealerships get most people is saying things like "you're due for your 30k, 50k, 75k, etc service" and these usually cost around $1000 a pop, when all that's replaced is something like an air filter. Just know your owners manual and only service what it says to be serviced, you don't have to get those packages. They will try to make the case that your warranty will be voided, it won't if you follow the owners manual. So if at 20k miles they say your car needs the power steering flushed, reference that the owners manual says nothing about it.
Saying someone needs a whole new differential tough is really beyond the pale, I doubt it would do much good, but I personally would call the dealership owner and let him know, maybe even threaten to call the Attorney General's office. It's one thing to push a "wallet flush" service but that's really getting into big fraud when you're saying a car needs a $3,000 service and it doesn't.
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08-07-14, 01:49 PM
#8
Learn to service the car yourself. I didn't know anything about wrenching, until I switched out a rear air strut bout 3 years ago. I've saved 10s of thousands working on my fleet since then (15 vehicles)
I'm now in the process of completely overhauling an Austin Healey Sprite, learning to weld floor pans in and just got the motor back from machine shop. Sure it'll take me several years to complete, but I'm loving very minute of it.
You're never too auld to learn, and the satisfaction of saving $$ is priceless.
I'm now in the process of completely overhauling an Austin Healey Sprite, learning to weld floor pans in and just got the motor back from machine shop. Sure it'll take me several years to complete, but I'm loving very minute of it.
You're never too auld to learn, and the satisfaction of saving $$ is priceless.
08-07-14, 03:28 PM
#9
10th Gear
Thread Starter
I sent a copy of my above comment to the official Lexus site. Let them be aware of the shenanigans going on there. By the way, my rear subwoofer went bad a few years back it was very muffled sounding. When I took it to the dealership during my usual oil change they wanted $500 to fix it and I believe they 'found' something else that needed fixing that time as well which I had them do. (Little did I know). I looked online and found out all you had to do was take a glue gun and glue around the periphery of the speaker where it was apparently torn. Took literally less than one minute and the speaker has been working fine all these years. Cost me $18 for the glue gun and small tool to pry the cover off of the speaker. Kudos to you with your mechanical prowess.
08-07-14, 03:33 PM
#10
10th Gear
Thread Starter
I'm actually going to buy a new car this year probably an SUV. Been looking at various models from Infiniti, Audi and Buick. I do not like what they did to the front end of the Lexus cars looks like a big fish mouth to me and my wife. Thank you all for your comments and consideration.
08-08-14, 06:16 PM
#11
10th Gear
Thread Starter
Got a response from Lexus today and they told me to inform the Dealership's Customer Relations Manager or Sales manager which of course will lead to nothing. I did make arrangements to have my car checked at a Toyota Dealership next week. If it gets the OK I will inform Lexus and then the dealership.
08-08-14, 09:40 PM
#12
I also had problems with my local dealership with my last LS430. Brought it in because of a burning smell coming from engine. Told me I needed valve cover gaskets for $883. I told them to do it because it was starting to smell in the cabin as well. Took all day to complete.
A few days later I smelled it again and took it to a different shop to get another opinion. Guy tells me these gaskets were never done go and get your money back. I storm into dealership and the manager gets a team of people to bring the car inside and have a look with me standing there. The tech opens up the plastic access panels below the car and oil pours out on the techs clothes and the floor.
Case closed money refunded. I trusted the dealership because I thought lexus was a good company and they always took good care of me.
A few days later I smelled it again and took it to a different shop to get another opinion. Guy tells me these gaskets were never done go and get your money back. I storm into dealership and the manager gets a team of people to bring the car inside and have a look with me standing there. The tech opens up the plastic access panels below the car and oil pours out on the techs clothes and the floor.
Case closed money refunded. I trusted the dealership because I thought lexus was a good company and they always took good care of me.
08-09-14, 05:22 AM
#13
I also had problems with my local dealership with my last LS430. Brought it in because of a burning smell coming from engine. Told me I needed valve cover gaskets for $883. I told them to do it because it was starting to smell in the cabin as well. Took all day to complete.
A few days later I smelled it again and took it to a different shop to get another opinion. Guy tells me these gaskets were never done go and get your money back. I storm into dealership and the manager gets a team of people to bring the car inside and have a look with me standing there. The tech opens up the plastic access panels below the car and oil pours out on the techs clothes and the floor.
Case closed money refunded. I trusted the dealership because I thought lexus was a good company and they always took good care of me.
A few days later I smelled it again and took it to a different shop to get another opinion. Guy tells me these gaskets were never done go and get your money back. I storm into dealership and the manager gets a team of people to bring the car inside and have a look with me standing there. The tech opens up the plastic access panels below the car and oil pours out on the techs clothes and the floor.
Case closed money refunded. I trusted the dealership because I thought lexus was a good company and they always took good care of me.
08-09-14, 05:27 PM
#14
Intermediate
Yeah I almost got taken by a Toyota dealership. When getting an oil change, the tech said I had a leaking oil pan gasket and showed it to me. I asked for a repair quote. $450. I said ok it will let you know. I took it to my usual Indy mechanic. He immediately said it's probably the oil pressure sensor seal which sits right above the oil pan. $2 from Lexus for the gasket. Hasn't leaked a drop for over two weeks. I hate the stealer. I think they screwed me on my oil change too because I got royal purple and my oil was not purple as soon as I checked the dipstick before driving away. I will never go back.
08-09-14, 07:20 PM
#15
Im on the east cost. I don't want to name the exact dealer but I am in south east florida.
