apwoodr

Well the good news first...we finally bought our 330 today!!! White/gray, perf. pakg with the heated seats. I was able to get $3100 off MSRP, and they beat my pre-approved peoplefirst interest rate! Plus I used a $500 rebate I received for going to the Luxury Redefined Event in our area!

Now the bad news...
Yesterday after agreeing to the purchase of the car over the phone, I asked the sales rep to go over the car like it was his own and make sure it was ready for delivery. He assured me the car was ready and we would not have any problems. When the wife and I left the house for the 2 hour drive to pick the car up, the sales rep called and said the car now had a dent in the fender. He was very apologetic and said they would make the situation right. When we arrived we saw the car...and sure enough there was a big dent in the right front fender...youch. Apparently some of the workers last night were screwing around after they cleaned the car up and the dent "somehow happened". I got a feeling somebody was going to get fired for it...

The store manager assured us he would take care of the situation. We still bought the car and took a loaner RX home until they fixed the dent. I was stil very satisfied with the process and the way the dealership handled it.

Thanks to everyone on this board...I've been lurking for some time now and can finally say I'm a Lexus owner!

jeffknet

apwoodr

welcome a-board!

make certain you remind your salesman (or whomever) at the dealership - that little mishap will be noted on the survey (report card) you receive from Lexus corporate - You'll be amazed at the lengths they'll go to - to NOT have anything negative reflected on that report.

INHOCJP

First off, congratulations on the new RX. More importantly, how bad is the dent? Are they going to have to repaint the bumper? If so, I'd be hesitant to take that specific car. Any repaint will not be as durable as the original factory job, and you'll be more prone to rock chips. So if they want to repaint the front bumper, I'd push for the dealer to deliver a different RX.

parula

apwoodr, I agree with INHOCJP's thoughts. Though I would go further; for a new car, if I were in your position I would either want a new vehicle (check the VIN), or $500-$1000 off the price along with a guarantee in writing backed by Lexus, not a dealer that could go out of business, that Lexus will fix any problem with the affected area for your life of the vehicle.

apwoodr

I was told by the store manger they would repaint the fender to the same specifications as the factory. The actual damage occurred right over the front passenger side wheel, but there was no scratches or paint transfer, just a dent. They said it would be a week before it would be ready because of the special paint procedures Lexus has and they were making our vehicle a priority in their body shop. They also gave us additional money on our trade in vehicle to help make up for the mess. Thanks for the idea about getting the paint guaranteed for the life of the car. I will definitely ask them to put it in writing. I don't think it was serious enough to ask for a different car. The last car I purchased had scratches from the delivery process. That dealership fixed it and I never had any problems with it's paint.

So far they've been very easy to work with on this. Since they are going out of their way to make me happy, is there anything else I should ask for??? They did say that if we returned our survey to them, they would give us $50 worth of merchandise from their Lexus shop...but they do that for everyone.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I disagree somewhat. The OEM paint even on the Lexus cars is not the greatest paint. In fact, nearly all OEM paint lately have shown a down grade from even the early 90s. Everyone is cutting costs. Acura used to have an 8 coat paint on the Legend and RL and NSX. They still do on the NSX but dramatically cut down on the other cars. I've noticed even my new RX330 is more prone to rock chipping that cars of the late 80s early 90s. I would have no problem getting a repaint provided that it was done properly. The paint could even turn out more durable than many OEM paint jobs of today. Of course, you could also get a crappy job if they don't know what they are doing as well. You can tell how soft the OEM paint is just by teh bird crap that sits on the car until you wash it off. Before I never would get paint damage from bird droppings, now if you leave it on for just a couple of hours (Like if you are shopping) it already leaves a slight mark on the clear coat. Buffing and polishing has taken care of if for me, but that just shows how weak the OEM paint is now days.

eyebike

I think it was because of the EPA that they had to change the paint formulation from a higher polluting solvent-borne paint to a more environmentally friendly water-borne formulation. Water based paints are softer and more prone to damage and chipping. That's why the new paint now is more fragile and not as durable. People on other forums are complaining about the paint, too.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Very interesting. Kind of like when they had to take lead out of the paint. Oh well, we just have to pay more attention on keeping the paint in good condition now.