Lexus Pre Purchase Inspections are worthless!
01-11-19, 02:26 PM
#16
Don't be discouraged... any used car is going to require proper maintenance to keep her running. A properly maintained LS430 is a very reliable car, not a neglected one. I have never gotten a PPI, nor can I speak on your behalf upon what you experienced at that particular dealership. As everyone on here is saying, find a trusty good independent shop and take her there so you don't get ripped off. They key is to get her up to date maintenance wise, and stay on top of it and it will run forever. I understand how alluring a Ultra Luxury model may be, but as most say on here, the the most expensive repair or replacement on that car is the air suspension. The car is after all 13 years old. Do yourself a favor and change out your full air suspension for a standard spring strut setup and drive the car worry free.
That's why I purchased my 02 Ultra Luxury with 175k miles on the clock, because it was a 1 owner meticulously maintained car with all records. I would gladly overpay for a properly maintained car any day. I swear to you it drives brand new, and the previous owner did all maintenance at around the 165k mark as well as changed out the suspension for the standard struts and spring. Judging from the red springs I believed it is the strut master conversion kit for the LS430.
Here is a link:
Strutmasters Air Suspension Conversion Kit
The sweet spot for these used LS430's aren't the low mileage ones that everyone lusts after, it would be the 120k-160k mileage mark where most maintenance should be taken care of.
Good luck!
That's why I purchased my 02 Ultra Luxury with 175k miles on the clock, because it was a 1 owner meticulously maintained car with all records. I would gladly overpay for a properly maintained car any day. I swear to you it drives brand new, and the previous owner did all maintenance at around the 165k mark as well as changed out the suspension for the standard struts and spring. Judging from the red springs I believed it is the strut master conversion kit for the LS430.
Here is a link:
Strutmasters Air Suspension Conversion Kit
The sweet spot for these used LS430's aren't the low mileage ones that everyone lusts after, it would be the 120k-160k mileage mark where most maintenance should be taken care of.
Good luck!
01-11-19, 02:53 PM
#17
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Yesterday I took the LS to Performance Lexus in the Kings Auto Mall and told them about what issues I was having. They came back and said it needs these things replaced based on what I said and what the mechanic that drove it said it needed.
01-11-19, 02:59 PM
#18
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Sorry man, I just tell people I bought the car in Chicago because if I say Peoria most people have no idea where that is.
The PPI was done at Lexus of Peoria before I purchased the car. The owner sent me multiple pictures and videos along with a carfax and records. Then after speaking with the Lexus mechanic who did the PPI I spoke with him for about an hour. He said it checked out and would buy it if he had the opportunity. Then I made the drive up to Peoria to purchase it. What really bothers me as well is I did a test drive for about 10 minutes. I didn't notice any of these things and I am very picky. The only thing I can think of is the owner lived in a nice part of town and the roads were all pretty new and smooth. My commute from I75 to 275 has some pretty decent patches and bumps that I dread going over each day.
01-11-19, 05:09 PM
#19
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Honestly, everything on that list is normal wear and tear for a 13 yr old car. Don't blame the LS430 as a whole due to maintenance. Now, the PPI guys you should be pissed at and of course the Lexus dealer prices are way over inflated. Hopefully you can DIY on some of this or at least go find a independent mechanic to do the things you can't and I bet this final bill will be about 1/3 of the what you were quoted. The brake and power steering can be DIY for less than $15. The timing belt you knew about and that price seems about right. Shocks look to go for $150 - $250 if you go with KYB and wheel bearings look to be about $100 or less. A new tire could probably be found cheaper somewhere like Discount Tire but the alignments seem priced about right.
Shop around and don't pay those Lexus prices. You car is probably not worth a whole lot more than that quote. In that case you would be better off selling and getting another but that shouldn't be necessary.
Also, maybe you should call the guys that did your PPI and give them an ear full. Nothing will probably come of it but at least it will make you feel better.
Shop around and don't pay those Lexus prices. You car is probably not worth a whole lot more than that quote. In that case you would be better off selling and getting another but that shouldn't be necessary.
Also, maybe you should call the guys that did your PPI and give them an ear full. Nothing will probably come of it but at least it will make you feel better.
I totally get the timing belt and such, but leaking air suspension that needs replaced immediately? That wasn't spoken of from the mechanic in Peoria.
01-11-19, 05:11 PM
#20
Pole Position
Thread Starter
I would first go back to the shop that completed the road force balance & alignment and have them check both again. If they offer suspension service ask them to check the wheel bearings for a failure(don’t tell them which one as it sounds like it may be a front bearing). Once that is sorted out then see how it rides and drives. You may well need a rear UL shock but as you are aware you can convert to standard shocks or search for a used UL shock. Even if you have no DIY skills or the time to perform the work, search for independent Lexus mechanics ( or call and speak to the mechanic that inspected it as that dealer may help or he may work on the side or give you a contact in your area).
01-11-19, 09:57 PM
#21
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Don't be discouraged... any used car is going to require proper maintenance to keep her running. A properly maintained LS430 is a very reliable car, not a neglected one. I have never gotten a PPI, nor can I speak on your behalf upon what you experienced at that particular dealership. As everyone on here is saying, find a trusty good independent shop and take her there so you don't get ripped off. They key is to get her up to date maintenance wise, and stay on top of it and it will run forever. I understand how alluring a Ultra Luxury model may be, but as most say on here, the the most expensive repair or replacement on that car is the air suspension. The car is after all 13 years old. Do yourself a favor and change out your full air suspension for a standard spring strut setup and drive the car worry free.
That's why I purchased my 02 Ultra Luxury with 175k miles on the clock, because it was a 1 owner meticulously maintained car with all records. I would gladly overpay for a properly maintained car any day. I swear to you it drives brand new, and the previous owner did all maintenance at around the 165k mark as well as changed out the suspension for the standard struts and spring. Judging from the red springs I believed it is the strut master conversion kit for the LS430.
Here is a link:
Strutmasters Air Suspension Conversion Kit
The sweet spot for these used LS430's aren't the low mileage ones that everyone lusts after, it would be the 120k-160k mileage mark where most maintenance should be taken care of.
Good luck!
That's why I purchased my 02 Ultra Luxury with 175k miles on the clock, because it was a 1 owner meticulously maintained car with all records. I would gladly overpay for a properly maintained car any day. I swear to you it drives brand new, and the previous owner did all maintenance at around the 165k mark as well as changed out the suspension for the standard struts and spring. Judging from the red springs I believed it is the strut master conversion kit for the LS430.
Here is a link:
Strutmasters Air Suspension Conversion Kit
The sweet spot for these used LS430's aren't the low mileage ones that everyone lusts after, it would be the 120k-160k mileage mark where most maintenance should be taken care of.
Good luck!
How does your LS ride with the strut master suspension?
01-11-19, 10:22 PM
#22
Instructor
Road Force Balance $89.95 <- go to https://www.hunter.com/gsp9700, get a quote from every shop near you, should be less than half the dealer price
Brake Fluid Exchange $140.39 <- a fair price, but nothing to do with the problems you have. It is best to change the fluid every 3 years even if you don't drive much, brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. Only go to a shop that has TechStream, such as Toyota or Lexus, in order to properly bleed the ABS actuators. Independent shops likely won't know this procedure or have the computer tool to do it.
Driver Rear Shock (Leaking) $2,185.25
Passenger Rear Shock (Recommend doing both) $2,033.45 <- Arnott, a forum sponsor, recently started production of quality aftermarket rear shocks (they already make fronts) that I recall are a bit cheaper than OEM
Power Steering Fluid Exchange $183.07 <- has nothing to do with your poor suspension, completely unnecessary, not in the service books or maintenance guides, and the truthful Lexus dealers will tell you that they only replace the fluid if there is a leak and the rack has been replaced, or if there are metal shavings from damage in the system
4-Wheel Alignment $99.39 <- find a local Toyota with the Hunter Elite system, should be almost half the price
Mount and balance rear passenger tire $274.13 <- mounting and road-force balancing a tire is $35 CAD + tax, so budget $30 USD + tax for a balance. This price is outrageous unless it includes the cost of a new tire.
Left rear wheel bearing $898.08 <- go to Amayama.com, buy 2 Koyo bearings - they are very high quality, OEM-equivalent, great price, and duties/import taxes are included in the very reasonable shipping price. Buy the cotter pin and axle nut too. Dust deflector can be reused once but buy them just in case. Budget 2 hours of labor per bearing, and change both at once. Both of mine failed at 165000kms in the exact same way (metal grinding sound). Had both my rear bearings replaced for $500 CAD after tax, just labor (4 hours), I supplied all parts (bought from Amayama). Find an independent shop that has the special service tool (SST) required to hammer in the dust deflector, and make sure they use the exact same bolts for the speed sensors. I created a quick rear wheel bearing replacement guide based on a few threads here, printed it off and put it in the wheel bearing box, lucky I did since the book labor was 5.7 hours per side instead of 2, sure glad I paid 4 hours labor instead of 11.4.
Timing Belt and Water Pump $1,350.00 <- buy the AISIN kit from RockAuto for $300ish, pay a local Toyota dealership ~$800 for the labor.
Other items impacting suspension aside from your shocks are your stabilizer bar bushings and stabilizer bar endlinks, they likely need replacement. PPI should definitely have identified defective shocks, suspension components, bearings, alignment, and tire balancing.
The LS430 has very low cost of ownership if you are smart what you truly need from the dealer/OEM versus what you don't. You'll find lots of help on these forums, as many of us are very well experienced with the LS430 now that so many years have gone by.
Brake Fluid Exchange $140.39 <- a fair price, but nothing to do with the problems you have. It is best to change the fluid every 3 years even if you don't drive much, brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. Only go to a shop that has TechStream, such as Toyota or Lexus, in order to properly bleed the ABS actuators. Independent shops likely won't know this procedure or have the computer tool to do it.
Driver Rear Shock (Leaking) $2,185.25
Passenger Rear Shock (Recommend doing both) $2,033.45 <- Arnott, a forum sponsor, recently started production of quality aftermarket rear shocks (they already make fronts) that I recall are a bit cheaper than OEM
Power Steering Fluid Exchange $183.07 <- has nothing to do with your poor suspension, completely unnecessary, not in the service books or maintenance guides, and the truthful Lexus dealers will tell you that they only replace the fluid if there is a leak and the rack has been replaced, or if there are metal shavings from damage in the system
4-Wheel Alignment $99.39 <- find a local Toyota with the Hunter Elite system, should be almost half the price
Mount and balance rear passenger tire $274.13 <- mounting and road-force balancing a tire is $35 CAD + tax, so budget $30 USD + tax for a balance. This price is outrageous unless it includes the cost of a new tire.
Left rear wheel bearing $898.08 <- go to Amayama.com, buy 2 Koyo bearings - they are very high quality, OEM-equivalent, great price, and duties/import taxes are included in the very reasonable shipping price. Buy the cotter pin and axle nut too. Dust deflector can be reused once but buy them just in case. Budget 2 hours of labor per bearing, and change both at once. Both of mine failed at 165000kms in the exact same way (metal grinding sound). Had both my rear bearings replaced for $500 CAD after tax, just labor (4 hours), I supplied all parts (bought from Amayama). Find an independent shop that has the special service tool (SST) required to hammer in the dust deflector, and make sure they use the exact same bolts for the speed sensors. I created a quick rear wheel bearing replacement guide based on a few threads here, printed it off and put it in the wheel bearing box, lucky I did since the book labor was 5.7 hours per side instead of 2, sure glad I paid 4 hours labor instead of 11.4.
Timing Belt and Water Pump $1,350.00 <- buy the AISIN kit from RockAuto for $300ish, pay a local Toyota dealership ~$800 for the labor.
Other items impacting suspension aside from your shocks are your stabilizer bar bushings and stabilizer bar endlinks, they likely need replacement. PPI should definitely have identified defective shocks, suspension components, bearings, alignment, and tire balancing.
The LS430 has very low cost of ownership if you are smart what you truly need from the dealer/OEM versus what you don't. You'll find lots of help on these forums, as many of us are very well experienced with the LS430 now that so many years have gone by.
01-12-19, 07:17 AM
#23
Never panic at stealership prices. Mine really could have used all new shocks and struts, just because they were original and it had been sitting too long. Just for amusement, I had the dealership price them when I was there.
$6700 for shocks and struts. I just did a poker face and told them I'd get back to them. And yes, change the brake fluid if it's black.
$1200 with fluid changes and a bunch of other maintenance items, Monroe Spectrum OE, (Made in Japan, so GTG for the car), at a local shop that does fine work. For all four sets.
Find a local Toyota/Lexus independent shop. Mine here is Jeff's Lex-Toy, which is all Lexus certified master mechanics who started their own shop. There should be an equivalent in most areas...check reviews. And good luck! Once you get the car sorted, it shouldn't be much to maintain it at all. Toyota products tend to have nearly immortal fluid-mechanical systems IF the fluids are changed. Also, if they're telling you the timing belt needs to be changed at 67k and it doesn't specify visible wear, they're definitely dishonest. That's a 90k-100k interval item.
$6700 for shocks and struts. I just did a poker face and told them I'd get back to them. And yes, change the brake fluid if it's black.
$1200 with fluid changes and a bunch of other maintenance items, Monroe Spectrum OE, (Made in Japan, so GTG for the car), at a local shop that does fine work. For all four sets.
Find a local Toyota/Lexus independent shop. Mine here is Jeff's Lex-Toy, which is all Lexus certified master mechanics who started their own shop. There should be an equivalent in most areas...check reviews. And good luck! Once you get the car sorted, it shouldn't be much to maintain it at all. Toyota products tend to have nearly immortal fluid-mechanical systems IF the fluids are changed. Also, if they're telling you the timing belt needs to be changed at 67k and it doesn't specify visible wear, they're definitely dishonest. That's a 90k-100k interval item.
Last edited by Wintercat; 01-12-19 at 07:21 AM.
01-12-19, 07:51 AM
#24
I thought about doing that but then I would have to schedule another appointment with them and they don't offer loaner vehicles so someone would have to pick me up and drop me off. It isn't even worth the hassle to me. I am going to give them a call and ask for a refund. Do I expect to get one, no.
Why pay for it twice? If you play nice with them and allow them to show how far they are willing to go to maintain good customer relations you might be surprised. On the other hand, asking for a refund hardly ever works. One example for you. At a custom body shop they completed a headlight restoration and rewiring project on a 5 year old custom Camry. Everything works properly and the customer pays and is satisfied. A week later the customer showed up and confronted the owner in the parking lot that his lights didn't work. The Camry owner was definitely a tweaker and when the owner and I took a look at the headlight assembly from 2-feet away, clearly the owner got high and decided to redo all of the work. The point isn't that I called the police to get this customer out of the complex but rather that come backs are often the result of customers messing up a shop's work. Unless you have a relationship with this shop you have to allow them to inspect the work they did.
01-12-19, 03:30 PM
#25
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Road Force Balance $89.95 <- go to https://www.hunter.com/gsp9700, get a quote from every shop near you, should be less than half the dealer price
Brake Fluid Exchange $140.39 <- a fair price, but nothing to do with the problems you have. It is best to change the fluid every 3 years even if you don't drive much, brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. Only go to a shop that has TechStream, such as Toyota or Lexus, in order to properly bleed the ABS actuators. Independent shops likely won't know this procedure or have the computer tool to do it.
Driver Rear Shock (Leaking) $2,185.25
Passenger Rear Shock (Recommend doing both) $2,033.45 <- Arnott, a forum sponsor, recently started production of quality aftermarket rear shocks (they already make fronts) that I recall are a bit cheaper than OEM
Power Steering Fluid Exchange $183.07 <- has nothing to do with your poor suspension, completely unnecessary, not in the service books or maintenance guides, and the truthful Lexus dealers will tell you that they only replace the fluid if there is a leak and the rack has been replaced, or if there are metal shavings from damage in the system
4-Wheel Alignment $99.39 <- find a local Toyota with the Hunter Elite system, should be almost half the price
Mount and balance rear passenger tire $274.13 <- mounting and road-force balancing a tire is $35 CAD + tax, so budget $30 USD + tax for a balance. This price is outrageous unless it includes the cost of a new tire.
Left rear wheel bearing $898.08 <- go to Amayama.com, buy 2 Koyo bearings - they are very high quality, OEM-equivalent, great price, and duties/import taxes are included in the very reasonable shipping price. Buy the cotter pin and axle nut too. Dust deflector can be reused once but buy them just in case. Budget 2 hours of labor per bearing, and change both at once. Both of mine failed at 165000kms in the exact same way (metal grinding sound). Had both my rear bearings replaced for $500 CAD after tax, just labor (4 hours), I supplied all parts (bought from Amayama). Find an independent shop that has the special service tool (SST) required to hammer in the dust deflector, and make sure they use the exact same bolts for the speed sensors. I created a quick rear wheel bearing replacement guide based on a few threads here, printed it off and put it in the wheel bearing box, lucky I did since the book labor was 5.7 hours per side instead of 2, sure glad I paid 4 hours labor instead of 11.4.
Timing Belt and Water Pump $1,350.00 <- buy the AISIN kit from RockAuto for $300ish, pay a local Toyota dealership ~$800 for the labor.
Other items impacting suspension aside from your shocks are your stabilizer bar bushings and stabilizer bar endlinks, they likely need replacement. PPI should definitely have identified defective shocks, suspension components, bearings, alignment, and tire balancing.
The LS430 has very low cost of ownership if you are smart what you truly need from the dealer/OEM versus what you don't. You'll find lots of help on these forums, as many of us are very well experienced with the LS430 now that so many years have gone by.
Brake Fluid Exchange $140.39 <- a fair price, but nothing to do with the problems you have. It is best to change the fluid every 3 years even if you don't drive much, brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. Only go to a shop that has TechStream, such as Toyota or Lexus, in order to properly bleed the ABS actuators. Independent shops likely won't know this procedure or have the computer tool to do it.
Driver Rear Shock (Leaking) $2,185.25
Passenger Rear Shock (Recommend doing both) $2,033.45 <- Arnott, a forum sponsor, recently started production of quality aftermarket rear shocks (they already make fronts) that I recall are a bit cheaper than OEM
Power Steering Fluid Exchange $183.07 <- has nothing to do with your poor suspension, completely unnecessary, not in the service books or maintenance guides, and the truthful Lexus dealers will tell you that they only replace the fluid if there is a leak and the rack has been replaced, or if there are metal shavings from damage in the system
4-Wheel Alignment $99.39 <- find a local Toyota with the Hunter Elite system, should be almost half the price
Mount and balance rear passenger tire $274.13 <- mounting and road-force balancing a tire is $35 CAD + tax, so budget $30 USD + tax for a balance. This price is outrageous unless it includes the cost of a new tire.
Left rear wheel bearing $898.08 <- go to Amayama.com, buy 2 Koyo bearings - they are very high quality, OEM-equivalent, great price, and duties/import taxes are included in the very reasonable shipping price. Buy the cotter pin and axle nut too. Dust deflector can be reused once but buy them just in case. Budget 2 hours of labor per bearing, and change both at once. Both of mine failed at 165000kms in the exact same way (metal grinding sound). Had both my rear bearings replaced for $500 CAD after tax, just labor (4 hours), I supplied all parts (bought from Amayama). Find an independent shop that has the special service tool (SST) required to hammer in the dust deflector, and make sure they use the exact same bolts for the speed sensors. I created a quick rear wheel bearing replacement guide based on a few threads here, printed it off and put it in the wheel bearing box, lucky I did since the book labor was 5.7 hours per side instead of 2, sure glad I paid 4 hours labor instead of 11.4.
Timing Belt and Water Pump $1,350.00 <- buy the AISIN kit from RockAuto for $300ish, pay a local Toyota dealership ~$800 for the labor.
Other items impacting suspension aside from your shocks are your stabilizer bar bushings and stabilizer bar endlinks, they likely need replacement. PPI should definitely have identified defective shocks, suspension components, bearings, alignment, and tire balancing.
The LS430 has very low cost of ownership if you are smart what you truly need from the dealer/OEM versus what you don't. You'll find lots of help on these forums, as many of us are very well experienced with the LS430 now that so many years have gone by.
I'm sure this car will be great once I put the time and money into it. My biggest gripe is that I wouldn't have bought this car in the first place if I knew it had these issues. I had 4 LS430s that I was in contact with and willing to drive or fly out to buy. I would have told this owner that he needs to have these items fixed before I buy it for the price. Or take a lot off of the price. I paid $10,500 for it. It had 69,000 miles and had the things that were a must have for me. Black leather, nav, and in great condition. I dont feel that I overpaid until I found out it needed all this work.
01-12-19, 03:31 PM
#26
Pole Position
Thread Starter
If they are a reputable shop, I suspect they would work with you in order to determine if the work they performed was up to their standards. Personally I would call them and discuss the services provided and ask them for help. I have done this in the past when I didn't have a spare car and received either rides back and forth to work or an appointment where I waited. Checking four tires for proper balance and the alignment should take an hour. Rocking the wheel bearings for abnormal play will take minutes. If you don't eliminate those items from the list of problems it makes it much harder to pinpoint where the problem(s) are.
Why pay for it twice? If you play nice with them and allow them to show how far they are willing to go to maintain good customer relations you might be surprised. On the other hand, asking for a refund hardly ever works. One example for you. At a custom body shop they completed a headlight restoration and rewiring project on a 5 year old custom Camry. Everything works properly and the customer pays and is satisfied. A week later the customer showed up and confronted the owner in the parking lot that his lights didn't work. The Camry owner was definitely a tweaker and when the owner and I took a look at the headlight assembly from 2-feet away, clearly the owner got high and decided to redo all of the work. The point isn't that I called the police to get this customer out of the complex but rather that come backs are often the result of customers messing up a shop's work. Unless you have a relationship with this shop you have to allow them to inspect the work they did.
Why pay for it twice? If you play nice with them and allow them to show how far they are willing to go to maintain good customer relations you might be surprised. On the other hand, asking for a refund hardly ever works. One example for you. At a custom body shop they completed a headlight restoration and rewiring project on a 5 year old custom Camry. Everything works properly and the customer pays and is satisfied. A week later the customer showed up and confronted the owner in the parking lot that his lights didn't work. The Camry owner was definitely a tweaker and when the owner and I took a look at the headlight assembly from 2-feet away, clearly the owner got high and decided to redo all of the work. The point isn't that I called the police to get this customer out of the complex but rather that come backs are often the result of customers messing up a shop's work. Unless you have a relationship with this shop you have to allow them to inspect the work they did.
Yea I feel you man. I'm going to give them a call. I am always respectful so I wont be yelling or calling names. I'm honestly just frustrated with the whole situation.
01-13-19, 06:09 AM
#27
Lexus Fanatic
Asking for a refund almost always works through the BBB. At least my household is batting 1.000 there, knock on wood had to only do that 3X ever, 2 were with car dealerships.
My policy is if I don't feel a place is competent, the last thing I want them to do is to monkey around with my vehicle. Do you complain about food and let them send it back and bring it back out? I don't, I'd rather pay, eat it, and never come back. Kinda like buying half priced sushi, just don't do it. I had a BMW dealership offer to do my water pump free--that's about a $1,400 job, to make up for breaking something on my vehicle. At first I was gonna do it, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought I don't want them f'ing around with my car and I'll just DIY instead. Sent me free oil change as well--no thank you (although it did cross my mind to ask for the free oil as that's worth $63 retail, wife said she didn't think it works that way).
My policy is if I don't feel a place is competent, the last thing I want them to do is to monkey around with my vehicle. Do you complain about food and let them send it back and bring it back out? I don't, I'd rather pay, eat it, and never come back. Kinda like buying half priced sushi, just don't do it. I had a BMW dealership offer to do my water pump free--that's about a $1,400 job, to make up for breaking something on my vehicle. At first I was gonna do it, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought I don't want them f'ing around with my car and I'll just DIY instead. Sent me free oil change as well--no thank you (although it did cross my mind to ask for the free oil as that's worth $63 retail, wife said she didn't think it works that way).
01-13-19, 09:38 AM
#28
Asking for a refund almost always works through the BBB. At least my household is batting 1.000 there, knock on wood had to only do that 3X ever, 2 were with car dealerships.
My policy is if I don't feel a place is competent, the last thing I want them to do is to monkey around with my vehicle. Do you complain about food and let them send it back and bring it back out? I don't, I'd rather pay, eat it, and never come back. Kinda like buying half priced sushi, just don't do it. I had a BMW dealership offer to do my water pump free--that's about a $1,400 job, to make up for breaking something on my vehicle. At first I was gonna do it, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought I don't want them f'ing around with my car and I'll just DIY instead. Sent me free oil change as well--no thank you (although it did cross my mind to ask for the free oil as that's worth $63 retail, wife said she didn't think it works that way).
My policy is if I don't feel a place is competent, the last thing I want them to do is to monkey around with my vehicle. Do you complain about food and let them send it back and bring it back out? I don't, I'd rather pay, eat it, and never come back. Kinda like buying half priced sushi, just don't do it. I had a BMW dealership offer to do my water pump free--that's about a $1,400 job, to make up for breaking something on my vehicle. At first I was gonna do it, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought I don't want them f'ing around with my car and I'll just DIY instead. Sent me free oil change as well--no thank you (although it did cross my mind to ask for the free oil as that's worth $63 retail, wife said she didn't think it works that way).
PS- I have a friend in the Dayton area asking around to try to find a Lexus Independent. Hopefully he turns up a name but it might be a few days. He's a former Delphi/GM suspension engineer so he has to tap the ex-Delphi auto community for Lexus information.
01-13-19, 10:02 AM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
Generally I don't disagree but in this case we are talking about road force balancing and a front-end alignment. I suspect that the work was done properly and simply suggest that paying to do work twice isn't cost effective. The road force balance would need to be way off for the steering wheel to shake. Its possible the front-end alignment wasn't completed properly but if its off their computer should show that and the tech should be able to determine what's causing it. If the shop is uncooperative then he can file a BBB complaint.
PS- I have a friend in the Dayton area asking around to try to find a Lexus Independent. Hopefully he turns up a name but it might be a few days. He's a former Delphi/GM suspension engineer so he has to tap the ex-Delphi auto community for Lexus information.
PS- I have a friend in the Dayton area asking around to try to find a Lexus Independent. Hopefully he turns up a name but it might be a few days. He's a former Delphi/GM suspension engineer so he has to tap the ex-Delphi auto community for Lexus information.
Sometimes also I think we are quick to accept things as necessary and better. When I went to replace my tires on my BMW, I entertained the notion of having the dealer do it with PSS ordered online. why? I have zero nicks on any of the OE rims, and don't want the jack points crushed by careless shops who don't take the time to put the adapters on their lift arms. They quoted me "$75 per wheel."
WHAT?
I said, "That includes Hunter Road Force, right?"
"No, it doesn't. We have the machine, but that would be extra. We don't use it unless it's needed, which in most cases, it's not." I asked for elaboration and they said when a tire/wheel won't balance out on the regular machine.
Don't get me wrong every snow tire I got online was road force balanced, but was there any benefit? Not really.
I bet my indie could solve that problem, or say that they couldn't (indies are good in that they don't want to do work which yields no results as it reflects upon them). They wouldn't throw solutions at it that cost the customer money....jmo
btw I ended up taking my car to an indie who charged $20 per wheel, and installed new TPMS that I provided. When I came to get it, they were bucket washing it in the shop--I knew this was money well spent.
edit ps The alignment has paperwork anyway showing before and after, I did two yesterday on two of our cars. The lexus still has red now in two settings. remember the camber in the rear needs arms to adjust.
Last edited by Johnhav430; 01-13-19 at 10:08 AM.
01-14-19, 06:47 AM
#30
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Generally I don't disagree but in this case we are talking about road force balancing and a front-end alignment. I suspect that the work was done properly and simply suggest that paying to do work twice isn't cost effective. The road force balance would need to be way off for the steering wheel to shake. Its possible the front-end alignment wasn't completed properly but if its off their computer should show that and the tech should be able to determine what's causing it. If the shop is uncooperative then he can file a BBB complaint.
PS- I have a friend in the Dayton area asking around to try to find a Lexus Independent. Hopefully he turns up a name but it might be a few days. He's a former Delphi/GM suspension engineer so he has to tap the ex-Delphi auto community for Lexus information.
PS- I have a friend in the Dayton area asking around to try to find a Lexus Independent. Hopefully he turns up a name but it might be a few days. He's a former Delphi/GM suspension engineer so he has to tap the ex-Delphi auto community for Lexus information.
Let me know if your friend in Dayton finds anyone. I don't mind driving a little to find someone I trust with my car.