I had an interesting experience with my oil change today. I've been going back to the Lexus dealer for all of my routine maintenance to this point, partly out of just wanting to keep a solid and consistent service record.

There's a Toyota dealer just a few miles from my house, so I decided to go ahead and do without the trip and setting up an appointment and everything else that goes along with going to the Lexus dealership.

What I found interesting in going to the Toyota dealership was that while I know that my Lexus is a glorified Toyota, and they know it's a glorified Toyota, each person I came in contact with commented that it was nice. I wouldn't think a "Toyota" would be remarkable at a Toyota dealership.

I pulled in and the first guy I talked to asked me if I had the car in before or if I had a specific service adviser. As he points me off to one, he says "That's a nice car!" I pull forward to the service adviser, and he starts getting me set and says "How long have you had this?" and "How does it do in the snow?" Then he says "I'm looking at one of these myself. This is a nice car. How do you like it?" I said "I love it" and he says "Sold!"

After the oil change, the girl working the lot pulls the car around and as she gets out, she says "You have a really nice car!"

I have to say I was a little surprised. I wondered if they ever comment on an Avalon that's in for service

 

awesome man! I get comments all the time on my 430 makes you feel good huh??

 

I guess part of my surprise came from the fact that I don't get comments all that often. A car dealership seems the least likely place to get a comment, let alone from everyone who I dealt with (excepting the cashier, who only saw the fob - by that time I was half expecting her to say "Nice fob!" )

 

"Nice fob!" That would have been funny.....

 

I've had a very similar experience with my 2009 GS. You are correct ....I get treated like royalty when I go for service to my good old Toyota service advisor - he even thanks me for bringing in my Lexus and trusting him with it.
Ive been going to Toyota from day 1 - trust them more than the Lexus service guy in my city who only talks about the coffee and pastries and then offers me a 3X bill!

 

I like Toyota service as well.. they keep on calling me sir.. One tech said well, you have a Lexus so sir it is.. I told them just call me by my first name.

 

yup toyota people love lexus,,

 

They appreciate a higher value of toyota.

 

I do have to say that I do appreciate aspects of going to Lexus. While everyone at the Toyota dealership I went to was very nice, I won't take anything away from anyone's competence, courtesy or professionalism that I've dealt with at the Lexus dealership I've been going to.

I like dropping my car off in the morning and getting a loaner for the day. Just getting to try an ES, IS and RX has been nice. Having tires rotated and getting the wash and vacuum is nice too.

As a matter of fact, it didn't occur to me that I would have needed to ask at Toyota to have the tires rotated, and that would have added something to the ticket and the time I sat there.