Since I bought my IS I have had many problems, but I think it's because of the dealer I bought it from. I feel like I've been dooped. Here's the list of problems I've had..

1. new rims and tires. they were all bad
2. new brakes and rotors (all)
3. new sepertine belt and idler pulley
4. now i was told that i need a left upper control arm
5. new wipers (the cheapest thing i've had to replace so far)
6. I was told by another dealer that there may have been some damage because they see overspray and some other issues.

I am a bit disgusted and really don't know what to do besides trade it. I like it so much, but i'm tired of throwing away money and i think it is only gonna get worse. The funny thing is i have a carfax report that says everything is fine. so much for that report.

what should i do. trade it? keep it? run it off a cliff? leave it in DC and wait for it to be stolen? beat up the guy that sold it to me? beat myself up for being an idiot?

 

itis the buyers responsibility to inspect the car before buying the car.
Take your blindfold off on your next auto purchase or hire a competant mechanic to inspect the car.
Welcome to CL

 

Did you buy it new or used? Did it have a warranty? Did you ask for a history report? Was this a Certified Pre-Owned Lexus?

If it's new, the dealership should address any flaws in the car that is not regular wear-and-tear. If it cannot function properly, such as incapable brakes or mechanical/engine failure, you are protected by Lemon Laws.

If it's used, and the dealer sold it to you saying that it was never damaged, or that it had no problems, you may be protected. I suggest you consult a lawyer that knows your state laws with regards to these matters. Get a CarFax (it's only $20) of the car immediately, and if it shows problems that the dealer did not address, then you may have certain rights that are protected by law against dishonorable dealerships. A dealership cannot sell you a car "as-is" and not tell you the car's history. Realize that you are not protected by "normal" wear-and-tear, but this should have been addressed by the dealership.

Good luck. Remember that you, as a consumer, are protected by various laws. Just make sure that you have written proof of what they sold you, and prove that you were not informed about any problems prior to the sale of the car. READ THE SMALL PRINT!!!

 

i bought it used and it had some of the remaining warranty left, but it is now gone. I have a carfax report that said there was no damage. it runs fine and i haven't had any engine issues. i'm just really paranoid that something is gonna eventually go wrong and it's gonna cost an arm and a leg. next time i buy, which may be soon it will be pre owned certified or brand new. the only problem with buying something else is that i've had 3 cars in a 14 month period. what are my rights?

 

Your rights in a nutshell: the dealer tells you what he has, and he has it in writing. Beyond what is written, it is your responsibility to ask about it. Your rights: if he has something in writing that is incorrect, he needs to fix it. If it is not in writing, it is your responsibility.

It is unfortunate if you bought non-Certified. That is the convenience (and extra cost) of buying it at a Certified Dealer. As for your maintenance, you basically have to take care of the "wear-and-tear" of the car, which in your case are your brakes and rotors, your wheels, any belts that need to be replaced.

My suggestion: take the car to a good neighborhood mechanic because they are cheaper than the dealers; you get to fix the car for less. It will still cost you quite some cash, but realize that it's part of the regular upkeep costs of having a used car. Good luck!

 

chk out the regional forums and see if anyone there can recommend a good local mechanic to help you honestly assess the various problem areas .... good luck

 

i say kick the guys *** who sold it you and then give the car ( better than giving it to the cliff ). Seriously I think that since you have no warranty that you should have a lexus certified mechanic (look for a little local shop)look at it and see how much the damage would be. If too much tarde it in and get another one, because the carfax is clean.

 

I talked to the guy that sold it to me and i really almost lost it. he really wasn't trying to hear what i had to say and i don't think he was fully comprehending my claim. i remained calm, did not yell, or even threaten to beat his ***. instead i went and had the car looked at by a mechanic. he said that he could tell that there had been some minor damage and looks like they tried to fix it themselves. He said that he could repaint the car and fix the things that I saw as being a problem for a really good price. i breathe a sigh of relief because i thought it was going to be really expensive. thank God for small towns. i really like the car and i don't want to get rid of it and that's why i have decided, at least for now to have it repaired. that's always subject to change until it actually happens.
i thought about trading it in and getting a better one, but all i can think about is all the money that i just wasted. the Army does not pay that much. it really depends on how much they are willing to give me for the trade.

 

It's good to hear that (most of) everything went well. As frustrating as it is to perform unnecessary maintaince that the dealer could have taken care of himself prior to the sale of the car, you nonetheless purchased a well-made and reliable car. Keep us informed with your experience as to educate everyone else in the forum.

 

IS300's tend to be driven somewhat harder than other Lexus products due to their sporty nature....and that can mean worn parts, although in general it is one of the most reliable cars on the road, according to Consumer Reports.
I see you are from VA. Buying a non-Certified used car is still somewhat of a risk and it is still a Buyer Beware situation, but you do have certain rights, even though VA is not one of the more consumer-oriented states in this regard. If you really feel that the dealership misrepresented this car, you may have a case in small-claims court...or regular Circuit Court if over a certain dollar amount ( I forget what it is in VA )

I'm not a lawyer, athough I do know some of the Lexus people at dealerships in this area from my experience as a Lexus owner and from auto consulting work. But you may want to consult an attorney for more......and perhaps better...... advice than I can give you.

 

i agree get it fixed and if you still feel ripped off take him to small claims and then see what happenes. You can even get your mechanic to testify about the damage that he saw and fixed.

 

Yes, that would be nice if the mechanic would testify, but to be realistic most shop technicians don't want to testify against their bosses at the dealership....for obvious reasons. If this one will....great. I'd like to see the judge issue an order preventing the dealership from laying him (or her) off.

 

i don't think i wanna go through the hassle and trouble of going through small claims court or circuit court. i think i will just chalk this one up, take it on the chin, and as a lesson learned. without a doubt the next car i buy will either be brand new or certified pre owned.

my momma always said "a hard head makes a soft butt"

 

not a very good way to welcome somebody new to cl sorry to hear about the issues with your car hope to see you get them worked out

 

I did get my issues worked out and just had all the imperfections repaired. I just took it on the chin like a man and took my blindfold off as sputniknyc has stated i should have already done before buying the car.

Lesson learned!!!!!