Hi, I drove a Lexus several years ago and liked it very much, particularly for Lexus’s legendary quality and reliability. That was then. Several years later, I’m considering a new Lexus, however, am rather surprised at the many customer complaints on the Consumer Affairs website regarding quality/reliability problems and problems getting them resolved from dealer to Lexus corporate. Are these complaints the exceptions or the rule?
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/lexus.html

 

Definitely the exception. Not the rule.

 

I can only speak to my own personal experiences, which are that my Lexus vehicles have been perfectly reliable, though I haven't had any longer than about 4 years.

My 2013 RX350 never had a single warranty repair. Everything worked perfectly and it never developed any squeaks or rattles over the 30k miles and 3 years we had it.

My 2014 IS350 had some issues with the navigation system crashing, but no other issues in 2 years and 16k miles. My dealer fixed my navigation system the very first time I asked, without any fuss. They gave me a loaner to drive while they fixed it. Top notch service.

My 2015 GS350, which I kept for 22k miles and 3.5 years, never had a single issue.

My 2019 GS350 is too new (6k miles) to have any issues but it's off to a good start. Because of my experience with my previous Lexus vehicles, I plan to keep this GS long term.

 

Welcome, Joel, as a new poster.

Toyota and Lexus drivetrains are still reliable (some of the most reliable in the industry). And the paint-jobs are still A-1 in shine and brilliance. But, IMO (and I have closely-followed each new generation of Lexus vehicles as they were introduced), I don't think that the body sheet metal, hardware, interior materials, trim, and general solidness of assembly today can compare with what we saw up until the early-mid-2000s. Since then, most Lexus products simply don't have the same solid feel any more.....or ride as smoothly. There has been a noticeable deterioration.

Having said that, though, even the lighter/flimsier materials used today seem to be holding up. Depending on what reliability-list you have Lexus is still at or close to the top....its most serious competitor, today, quality-wise, is probably Genesis, which, admittedly, does not sell in the same numbers Lexus does, but builds vehicles like a Swiss Watch.

 

^^^ Better materials in the mid-2000s? You mean the years with the melting dashes and door panels? Not the hey-day years of Lexus in my opinion. (I kid, but only sort of)

 

Actually, before the mid-2000s. IMO, with the exception of the 1Gen IS300 and 3Gen ES330/350, the best Lexus models were built in the 1990s.

 

Can't speak to the newest models, however still have an '04 RX. Dash was replaced at no cost, so became a non issue. Only other issues were an O2 sensor- about $150, and the steering rack which started leaking after it was 10 years old. I called Lexus and they covered 1/2 the cost. The 2014 RX (knock on wood) no issues to date. There's always the chance you could get a lemon, but I believe the chance is much less with a Lexus than other brands.

 

Having had numerous Lexus vehicles over the years and performed many DIY threads on them, latest gens have improved in squeaks and rattles compared to prior gens (mid 2000s to ~ 2015). Not that older ones were bad but the 2IS for example was notorious for a creaking HVAC display and the 3RX for a rattling rear seat and ticking B-pillar. The engineers in many cases added more felt in between plastic/metal parts, plus factor in the improvements in structural rigidity/laser welding and the improvements are incremental but noticeable.

On the flipside, what I see has decreased is in the usage of perceived premium materials. You will see an increase in the use of hard plastics (lower doors and dash) and decreased amount of premium materials such as real leather, woods, carbon fiber, and polished metals in the interiors. Even the carpeting and mats are not as thick and rich-looking as the past. Compare a 2RX's interior to a 4RX's to notice the difference in materials...

 

Interesting. I read that Leon Cooperman, a billionaire hedge fund guy, drives about a 20-year-old (maybe even older) Lexus LS, and when asked why he doesn’t drive a new car, he replied that his LS was a terrific car and he didn’t see a reason to replace it.

 

I recently saw a YouTube review of the ES and the reviewer while overall impressed with the high-quality interior materials did point out cheap plastic pieces in a few areas. Separately, I read an anonymous posting elsewhere from a BMW employee who expressed his dismay over cheap plastic parts in BMWs that he said he’d expect more to see in a Korean brand.

 

I had an A4 and interior was nice but had similar hard plastics that at moments reminded me of a VW. The problem too, and not just for Lexus but all luxury brands, is the improved quality and tech availability from the mainstream vehicles narrowing the gap with luxury cars.

 

Check out, drive if you can, a mint condition LS430 and you'll easily see what we mean.

 

Yes.....those old LS400s and 430s weren't only built like tanks, but also had a smoother ride than today's LS models, which have been compromised somewhat towards sport. I can understand why he doesn't want a new one.

 

OK, time for some perspective. I skimmed the first 10 reviews on the link you provided. One reviewer is complaining about tire PSI on a new car. Another reviewer is complaining about a 2006 RX that he purchased in 2017 from an Infiniti dealership. The other reviews are complaining about specific Lexus dealership experiences. People are exponentially more likely to post negative reviews than positive reviews, regardless of product. The more expensive the product, the more this applies. This is 100% a fact and not debatable.

Here's my view. I own a 2010 LX570 and a 2010 LS460L (110k and 102k respectively). Prior to that I've owned 5 other Lexus vehicles - I bought all of them used, and 4 of the 5 I bought without CPO or any type of warranty. All 3 of the Lexus' we have owned we have kept over 200K miles and sold them. At the time of having a 2004 LS430 with 250K miles, I also owned a 2010 Audi S5 with 45K miles as a "fun car". If you told me I had to drive 10 hours - regardless of comfort, driving experience, etc - I would've driven the Lexus with 245K miles over the Audi because I know I wouldn't be stranded or have my dash lighting up and beeping at me. I feel the same way about my current LX and my LS. And they're 10 model years old.

In the last 6 months with my LS I've had my interior replaced (sticky panels) and my brake actuator replaced - supposedly about $13k in repairs - all 100% covered by Lexus warranty programs after they acknowledged widespread issues. That never happened in my 1996 LS 400. It never happened in my 2004 LS 430 or my 2004 GX. So could you argue that quality is down? Probably. Would I buy another luxury brand and not have a warranty? Absolutely not.

If you're buying new and will have everything covered by warranty, the issue is about inconvenience instead of cost. Based on my limited experience venturing outside of Toyota/Lexus (having owned MB, Audi and BMW), I think the likelihood of you dealing with issues is lower with Lexus than any other brand. A narrow perspective, but it's very real to me and it's what keeps me in the Lexus family until I go to an EV.

 

Big time. Saw a new RC 350 at dealership with badly aligned panels. Pointed it out to salesman and he was completely embarrassed.