whitels

I want to gather a list that will be a good basis for future reference. I think it's sometimes unfair to say that this and that dealership is bad when the real culprit was the Service Advisor:

Here's my list:

Longo Lexus
Best: Mike Sanders
Worst: Chris Barthau (had left Longo to join a Honda dealership).

Lexus of Westminster
Best: Oscar Rivera

GS4Will

white, really, chris did not treat you right? he was the service director back then...:eek: i heard he is now the director who oversees the entire norm reeves servcie dept....

anyway: Veronne got my vote at Longo( they are all cool, but only one vote...)

wwest

rotten apple soon spoils the entire barrel.

whitels

Chris rode test with me the RX as it was pulling slightly to one side. It had the problem as soon as we took delivery with 8 miles on it. Chris drove it on the freeway both ways and I saw him correcting the steering as we went for the drive. At the end of the test, he said that it was "normal" for FWD vehicles !@#$%
He said that it was the crown of the freeway doing it. I told him if it was the crown doing it, then why didn't the RX pulled towards the low side of the street as it should if it is following the crown. In fact, it was going the opposite. He even tried to make me look stupid by saying that even the ES and Camrys do that. I told him that I don't buy his explanation and that I will escalate the issue. And that's when he said that they will take a look again. He assigned Mike Sanders to it and Mike diagnosed and fixed the problem. To this day, the RX has 21,000 miles and it still tracks straight.

Then, after a few months, my wife brought in the RX to have the A/C checked. She thought it was not cooling enough. For some reason, Chris handled this again (we usually take it there at night). He gave my wife a lecture on how to properly adjust the A/C on the RX. My wife was used to the LS then and expected that all Lexuses are the same.

wwest

Don't let Lexus service my vehicles, typically, but in the few instances I have I encountered a service "writer", not anyone I would have considered experienced enough (most still wet behind the ears) to be an "advisor".

In my experience even the service manager is more often of an administrative type rather than someone "up" on current Lexus "technology", mechanical or otherwise. ESPECIALLY OTHERWISE> The one at Bellevue Lexus was quite adamant that my 00 GS300 had an e-throttle even after I had just informed him that I had adjusted the "slack" out of the throttle cable in an effort to reduce the throttle "tip-in" surge.

RX cooling capacity is not nearly as good as the LS. To clarify, it will likely work just fine once it's struggle to reach the setpoint on a hot day is over. It does have the capacity to maintain "coolness" once the cabin is within something of a comfort range.

Unlike the LS, the Rx has no way to "meter" hot water into the heater core, when the engine water jacket is hot, 190F, the heater core mounted inside the cabin, within the HVAC airflow control plenum, is also at 190F

In an LS when rapid cooldown is needed the hot water flow is completely turned off with a valve in the engine compartment. In the RX the heater core is ALWAYS heating everything nearby via radiant effects, thus reducing the capability of the A/C to more quickly cool the interior.

I added a manual shutoff valve to mine which I keep closed in the summertime. Reminds me, time to go open it.

928owner

WWEST;

I my situation, there must have been a "few" of those bad apples at Longo when I bought my "certified" SC, as one of those apples let one go with undersized tires (225 50 16, s/b 225 55 16), that was great for racking up extra miles, and ripping my spoiler up because the car sat lower than it should have. Another told a great story how my lighter fuse went because of MY cell phone (it was not a fuse, it was a disconnected wire I had to reconnect as I suspected, and tried to get them to fix). My only regret is that I did not push the issues at the time. These guys are something else......

All I can say is if you get a "Certified" car from Longo, CHECK the tire size!!!

Live and Learn....

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

what does the cooling capacity of the RX have to do with best/worst services at Lexus dealers?



Verone at Longo got my vote. One great guy, someone I can trust to manage my car servicing stuff.

Mike Sanders is cool too but he was being alittle nasty about my mods

Both thanks to Will who introduced me to them or else I would still be calling the receptionist girl for making appointments and barely getting loaner cars

GS4Will

928 owner...great car btw...i know what you mean..need to double check everything myself too...always few bad apples in every tree..


:eek:

Globe....you are quite welcome...
would not it be cool if veronne has a service bay/stall just for CL bros..with special lift so those with aero kits and extreme lowering need not worry about damage..hehehe

mcgong

There is this Asian Lady Service Rep at Westminster Lexus, that yelled at me the first time I was there. I was standing by my car waiting for someone to help me, and they moved my car up into the service area to make room for more cars. So I stood standing in the same place still waiting for someone to help me. Finally after 15 mins, the lady who comes out and writes down your milege and name, etc, says to the asian lady, that I was waiting there for a long time and needed some help. So the Asain lady yells at me from across the service area and says, "Why aren't you waiting by your car, go wait by your car". Ummmm...ok.

Never goining to Westminster again, had tooooo many bad experience with them.


LONGO Lexus/ Verone gets my vote.

AutoCoutureSC

iTrader: (8)

yes, do NOT go to Lexus of Westminster. Their service sucks, and that same asian lady yelled at me before. They were the ones that told me I could not upgrade my tail lights to the newer ones because

1. the tail lights each weight about 20 lbs.
2. they wouldn't fit
3. it's going to be hard to install, so about $150 for labor sounds right!

what a bunch of BS. one time i went there for an oil change, and one of the service guys broke my hande near the door. i went to retrieve (sp?) my car and saw the darn thing on the floor. So then i went in and no one claimed to know what happened. After a little argument, they said they'll get me another one. A month later, they never called me back to tell me they go the part in. I actually had to come in and check status...

oh well, their customer service sucks!

GSquicksilver

here's my list:

Westminster Lexus:
-DO NOT GO THERE. THEIR SERVICE SUCKS. They damaged my car last time and didn't tighten my engine belt, so it came off while driving.

Cerritos Lexus:
-Steve Simmons is the biggest jerk around. I had my car in for the "rough" idling issue. He told me my fuel injectors needec cleaning, so i told him to do it. I picked up my car and there was nothing done. He then used the queer excuse, "it's normal." And he bagged on my car, saying that he "wouldn't even buy it" when i NEVER even asked him to! Cut to the chase, he and his crew have NO CONFIDENCE in their work.

I'm trying Longo with Veronne this time around for the rough idling issue. Hope everything goes well.

whitels

Great info above. Hope your car's idling issue gets fixed by Verone. Looks like he's the "GUY".

RalAegidius

I'm driving an older Lexus so I'm not under warranty anymore, and I take my car to my family mechanic. These guys know what they're doing and I've never doubted their ability to solve a problem, service my car, or talk to me straight. 100% pros, all of them.

You folks in San Jose go check 'em out. Lincoln Avenue between San Carlos and Auzerais, right next to the Speed Merchant.

Michael & Co. = the shizzam

Ral

SW03ES

Anyone know any great or horrible service advisors in the Washington DC area?

cgatch

iTrader: (3)

Dave Jones from Lindsay Lexus of Alexandria could be one of the best service advisors around DC area.