oahuboy

For my birthday I ordered a 2013 GS350 from Servco Lexus in Honolulu, HI as they didn't have the model I wanted in stock. I believe i ordered the car on March 10, 2013. After a month of waiting I got the good news that the car would be coming in early, it would be arriving in Hawaii on April 26, 2013. This being my 2nd Lexus (1st one a CT200h) I've purchased from Lexus in a year I had decided to go all out, including having Lexus tint the car prior to me picking it up.

I was told that TNT tinting, the tinting company that Lexus contracts out to was booked for the day so they would be holding my car overnight in their facility and it would be worked on first thing in the morning. On Saturday April 27 I head down to Lexus and pickup my new car. Now keep in mind the car was parked with its back half under the shade. I did walk around the car multiple times to inspect the paint and found no obvious imperfections on the car. I sign this little paper saying that I inspected the vehicle and drive away the happiest 27 year old in Hawaii.

A couple days later I'm at work showing my coworker the car in the open sunlight and he notices a scratch on the back window. There is an inch long razor thin scratch running horizontal on the outside of the back window. My coworker immediately tells me it was probably the tint company because sometimes they cut the tint on the outside glass. I immediately call Lexus and they tell me to bring it in the next day.

I show up to Lexus an hour early so the salesman who showed me the car wasn't there yet. The manager of sales ends up coming out and looking at the scratch. The first thing out of his mouth was "You inspected the car before you drove it home right?" I could not believe that I had just paid 60K for a car and the manager of sales is gonna say that I should have inspected the car better. Just then the salesman runs out to me and introduces this guy as his boss and says "don't worry we will take care of you." They tell me that they know someone who can polish out the scratches from the glass and that they would set up an appointment. After explaining to them that I think it was TNT tinting that scratched the glass they tell me "well we already signed for the car and it probably wasn't them." I agree to let the glass guy come and polish the glass. In the mean time I drive home and find a razor thin line drawn exactly around the tint but on the outside of the glass, along with thousands of little tiny scratches starting from the edge of the glass ending perfectly at the outline of the tint. Now I am furious knowing now that it was the tint company.

The next day I decide to call TNT tinting myself and explain to them that Lexus dropped off my car and the back window is scratched. The assistant manager admits that for the back window they do cut the tint on the outside of the glass because they do not have a template even though they advertise that all their tint is pre cut. I agree to drive down and show them how bad it is. I get there and TNT tinting takes full blame for all the scratches except for the 1 inch horizontal gash. I instruct the assistant manager of TNT to call the manager of Lexus and explain to them that they scratched my glass and that I'm not making it up. They do so and the Lexus salesman calls me and says that they did.

The following Saturday the polish guy comes out and polishes out the car glass. He tells me he couldn't get all of the scratches out but he got most of the gash out. The next day I wash my car and notice that there are these huge swirl marks around the gash and that even though he got most of the gash out he missed the thousands of little scratches around the edges of the glass and he hit the trunk in one spot so part of my clear coat is missing right on the edge of the trunk by the glass.

I call the salesman back and tell him that im not satisfied, there are swirl marks on my window now and my clear coat is missing by my trunk. I tell him I at least want a refund on my tint hoping that he'll offer something more. He calls back and says my manager approved the tint refund and to stop by with my credit card. I sleep on it for a couple nights and decide that I'm being treated unfairly. I go down to Lexus, give the salesman a piece of my mind, demand that they either replace my glass or refund me $1300. He says his manager is in a meeting so he'll let him know. I leave Lexus pissed off, immediately write letters to the owners of Servco as well as the manager of operations of Servco. Later that evening the salesman calls me back and says that he told his manager of my request and that he'll see what he can do. I calmly say ok and hangup knowing that those letters were already in the mail.

Today, I get a call from the General Manager of Lexus apologizing for my experience. He asks me how he could make me happy. I tell him I want a new car. He says he can't and offers either a replacement of my back glass or $1,300. I explain to him how I just spent 60K for a brand new car because I like things from the factory and if they changed the glass it would be sent to ACE auto glass where someone could potentially mess it up and then it would be sent again to TNT tinting to get tinted. The general manager pretty much tells me he won't comp me anything else even though I had to personally drive to Lexus twice and drive to TNT tinting. I eventually decide to have them replace my glass. Tomorrow I'm dropping my 60K car off to Lexus and I'm sure somewhere between Lexus, ACE, or TNT tinting it is going to get scratched again.

I have been stressed the past 2 weeks, almost to the point of not eating. I can't believe I paid this much for a car only to be pushed around by Servco, which by the way for those who don't know has a monopoly on Lexus in Hawaii. They don't negotiate anything.

Anyone in Hawaii DO NOT use TNT tinting.

rayaans

If its been less than 30 days, go to your dealer and say you dont want it. They are legally obliged to give you your money back or an exchange.

jtrue28

I don't think that is accurate. Most/all contracts can be voided up to 3 days later...not 30. And that may not apply to vehicles.

As for the scratches. What in the hell did they use to cut the tint?? Diamonds can scratch glass, but razor blades are usually safe. And yes, they form and cut the tint on the outside of the glass before peeling the adhesive and sticking it on the inside of the glass.

Also, most "good" tint shops, nowdays, have computers that have the pattern for your car where it can cut the tint without ever having to measure and cut on the actual car. This car has been out for 15 months, so the pattern is there. Find a better tint shop.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

Yeah I was gonna say the same thing, although when they tinted my car they cut it on a glass on the side not on my car, but it was to fine cut it since it did come out of a machine. I understand the brand new car and not wanting to get anything other than OEM, but you waited a while for this car wouldn't throw it back because of glass, that's just me. I think if they screw up on the replacement glass which should def be OEM and say Lexus on it than I would request another new car.

Bill_GS3

I believe that is different for each state, FL is three days on contracts.

djpeakSD

Yeah, CA is a "no cooling off period", you drive off the lot, its yours baby!

But honestly I feel for you but really is it that big of deal to be this stressed out to the point of not eating?? Maybe if I think back 5 years ago when I was your age and didn't have kids (I was a little more ****, Ok a lot) but its just not worth it to get stressed out over. I would actually like to see the scratch. Can you post a pic?

NickL

I wonder if the scratches on the glass is really worth your well being?
If it was me, I would pocket that $1300. Your car will eventually get scratches. If it's not from you, it's from someone else.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

+1 on that!!

Neogenic

Agree,
but I do understand your frustration as you sold your life time to get something wasnt up to your expectations. I would feel the same but try to leave behind me,

oahuboy

Sorry that was me venting, I'm eating now lol. I'll try to post pics when i figure out how to, kinda new to the forum.

And for those wondering why I don't just take the money, I was seriously thinking about it and trust me I am one to take all the money I can get. But this was a pretty emotional purchase for me, I mean its pretty much my dream car. I couldnt wash my car every week and see those scratches and live with it. I just came back from turning in the car. The General Manager was super nice and guaranteed he would take care of the car. I should be getting it back early next week and for now I'm driving a demo HS250. Let you guys know how it goes, thanks for the feedback and support.

theSHAPE

Man that's so messed up but couldve easily been avoided if:

1. You didn't opt to have the dealer get the car tinted for you

2. As soon as they said it was being done by TNT tinting say, HELL NO!! (Worst tint shop in Hawaii)

oahuboy

Do you have a recommendation for a tint company on Oahu? The GM said he would rather give me money to go on my own and have it tinted somewhere else rather than risk going through this process again.

rayaans

Oh right sorry guys. Here in the UK its 30 days exchange or refund, no questions asked. I thought itd be the same everywhere else too, silly me.

theSHAPE

Midnight Tinting

Jq3

Sorry for all your troubles Oahuboy. My issue with my new GS doesn't compare to yours but, after a week or so I noticed 2 small chips that were repaired with touch up paint on the front of my hood. Looks awful! My car was delivered to me in their "delivery show room" and since I'd driven almost 4 hours to get the car I hastily did a walk around. So I chalked it up to my fault even though I feel it was negligent on the dealership's behalf to half-a$$ a repair on a $55k car. Next time I'll pay more attention.

Good luck! I hope this time they do you right!