Leased my IS300 2 years ago. Within the first week of ownership the radio broke and a rim bent. The rim was 480.00. The dealership ruined the dashboard replacing the radio and had to replace it. In 2 years, 18,000 miles we have replaced 4 rims, 4 radios, all the rotors(due to rusting), the computer, the tires were recalled and replaced, and now the latest problem. After taking my car to be detailed (by a Toyota dealer), they told me the paint is defective. Another detailing shop told me the same thing. Lexus then tried to detail the car twice and returned the car to me uncleaned, covered in bird droppings, and said we must have driven through something and that their testing shows nothing wrong with the paint. The service manager wont even talk on the phone anymore and refuses to do anything other than tell us we wont be held responsible for the paint at the end of the lease. So here I am, 1 year left on the lease, and the car looks like hell. Never buy a car from Ralleye Lexus, they do not stand behind their product, and Lexus main office has been no help at all.

 

The BBB is taking my case and had the car inspected by their paint expert. He said the paint is defective and that when Lexus tried to repair it by wet sanding they totally ruined the finish. Now I will see what will be done since Lexus is bound by the decision of the BBB

 

Man sorry to hear about all those problems. I feel for ya. The only thing I would do now is to get some written documents from paint experts and call Lexus corporate office and complain to them. I would tell them in detail all the problems you have had with the car & maybe they can either get your car repainted or get you out of the lease and into something different. I would also go to another dealership. No point in going to a dealership where everyone knows your face and thinks to themself, "Now What?" One thing I would NOT do is hate Lexus cars. The majority of them are well built and have very few problems. It seems you might have just received a bad one or just had bad luck.....

 

I have gone to corporate. The person I had been dealing with there knew I was getting the shaft and he told me to get the BBB involved. Hopefully this will be decided this week.

 

I'm sure Lexus will come through but...

You should know that BBB has absolutely no authority whatsoever. They are not a government agency and they have no legal authority. It is totally Lexus's decision what to do with your car.

If it's any consolation, my 2003 IS300 is a replacement for a '98 Audi A4 2.8 Avant. In the 2 years since the warranty expired the car had $5,000 in repairs with another $2,000 imminent and that doesn't cover fixing the chronic problems the car has had for years and were never fixed. Audi said it was out of warranty and told me to go screw myself.

If anyone from either Audi or Lexus is reading this... keep in mind what it costs you in advertising to sell one car. You have customers that have purchased an expensive car and who will probably purchase a new one in 4 to 7 years. Is it cheaper to properly back your product and probably keep the customer or get a new one?

 

Just got an answer. Nobody will do anything. Bottom line is I can sue or live with it. This sucks.

 

IF you've got an "expert" who has put, in writing, that the paint is defective and not just damaged, find yourself a lemon-law attorney.

I'd spend a few bucks on another "expert" just so you have at least two opinions. If you can get another, you've probably got the lemon law suit nailed.

 

man that sux, this is the first time i have heard anything like this from Lexus. Lexus is usually a standup company and has been the number 1 car for years.

Very unusual, get a lawyer and get some written quotes and such from experts.

 

It is not lexus as much as the lexus dealer in question to blame. also this story is a little fishy. Not saying i don't believe you but 4 radio's? You bent all 4 wheels without hitting anything? The paint is destroyed and nothing was done to aggravate the condition? Lexus has one of the highest quality painting operations in the world of auto manufacture. I had a 93 that shined better than a competitors 97 which both were mine and well cared for with minimal problems.

Anyways, good luck and get an attorney - but wow - I find all these problems a little hard to swallow being a lexus and all. But I'm not there so I don't know.

Oh yea - rotors rust. That is normal. You should not need to replace them at 18,000 miles unless you are some GT style driving maniac. Which might explain the bent wheels - you still got me on the radio though

 

The radio was replaced 3 times, so Im on my fourth. The wheels were replaced from hitting small potholes(we live in New York), Interestingly, no wheels have been replaced or repaired since the tire recall. The rotors were replaced because the hubs were rusting with the ones from the 2002(the dealer took care of this)MOst important, we have been complaining about the paint for over a year. The expert that the BBB sent me to told me that Lexus ruined the paint when they wet sanded the car to try to remedy the paint problem. As far as hot rodding, car is driven by my wife to work(4 miles each way) That is why it has no mileage and certainly not hot rodded

 

i second that, and for what its worth man, i hope you come out on top, good luck

 

Potholes suck. I see how these things ocurred. Good luck.

 

My dealer offered a wheel and tire warranty fot three years, costing me $199. Even though I live in a place with no potholes, there are plenty of railroad tracks for me to blast over. Maybe your dealer's business office offers something similar.

I've heard of others putting home-made CDs in the changer and having the player refuse to spit them out. The source is unknown, but maybe there is a supplier to Lex putting out junk CD players. Just a thought to look for class-action lawsuits.

My dealer sux. I ordered a car, only to have him tell me after five months, yes five months, that the car order was cancelled. This was two days after "Your car is off the West coast, waiting for the strike to be over". They found me a similar car in five days. Then the Lexus Atlanta corporate office told me a lie, saying the car price would be fixed, which was subsequently increased by the dealer. I bought the car anyway, at invoice. Then they never detailed the car for delivery. Then they "forgot" to install the spoiler from the L-Tuned package. Then they gave me free car washes for a month, at a place conveniently forty miles from the house. Lexus will definitely get a bad survey from me and I hope you all do your part as well when they screw the pooch. Kissing my backside after the fact is only going to get you back some of the respect Lexus. Not kissing my backside at all was a huge mistake.

Lexus slipped to third in overall satisfaction this year apparently for a reason.

Recommendation:
Lexus needs to train their sales and service staff every six months. Train them to kiss the customer's backside at each and every opportunity. Then, train them again. Let the answer to each and every customer question be "yes" or a variation of "yes sir, anything you say, sir".

 

I have never bought a car at a dealership. I used to work at a dealership. I will never buy a car from a dealership. It will be a cold day in hades when I take a car to a dealership for service.

 

uhmm....rotors rust...you cannot stop that. and the wheels bent, was that the dealers fault or yours?