Special Order Nightmare
02-23-16, 08:20 PM
#1
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Special Order Nightmare
Well here is a long story for you all who have nothing better to do that listen to me *****...
10/30/15 Go To Lexus Dealership and order 2016 RX450h F-Sport...MSRP $63,534...got it for $1k off
No word from dealership for month and a half
12/14/15: Receive phone call that order has been accepted (from Upper Salesman)
12/19/15: I call and ask for a build date...receive email from lower salesman that its 1/28/16
12/22/15 I email them asking for build sheet. receive it from lower salesman
12/22/15 I look it over and discover there are $2300 worth of options missing from build
12/22/15 Notify lower salesman, he says no big deal, that he can add them and then that he HAS added them.
12/28/15 I speak to another dealership altogether and find out that there is NO WAY to add options after it has been locked and accepted.
12/28/15 I speak with my dealership (upper salesman) and they say they will look into it but that they can't find out whether the changes took place or not because Lexus Corporate is closed for the Holidays until Jan. 4.
1/4/16 I call in the afternoon to see what they found out. They say nothing as Lexus Corp. is probably swamped because of being closed for a week.
1/6/16 I email the upper salesman and say I know that it for a fact cannot be added and that I don't want to have to reorder all over again so just cancel the order. Receive a call back saying that all along my order is still intact with ALL of the options I originally ordered on 10/30/15 and that they have 2 very similar 450h White/Red F-Sports coming in and they prematurely put my name on the wrong one and that is why I received that build sheet and the wrong build date. However, he can't give me any other information on MINE. He said that they would sell it for $750 over invoice, so about $3200 off. I then explicitly asked him, did they mess up when originally ordering mine and have to reorder it as it wouldn't affect anything, just be straight with me. He vehemently said absolutely not and that the original order is still intact from 10/30/15. But can't give me any info on the vehicle. So I am skeptical still.
2/2/16: I speak to lower salesman and he says that mine is being built today 2/2/16...then he says "oh wait, that's the one with the missing options they forgot to add". I ask how many white f-sports are in the system. He says 2. He then says, "Yours was reordered with all the correct options on 12/28/15." I am livid at this point. I think about what to do. The upper guy blatently lied to me. I've lost 2 months to an already too long process. I wrote an email the next evening and spouted how poor that is to completely lie when given the opportunity to come forward and just tell the truth. I mean we are talking 60 grand here. I said I would probably still receive the vehicle but that I will not be giving glowing marks on the process when given the opportunity to rate them.
2/23/16 I email today and check status: lower salesman said "sorry, still in the recycle mode" whatever the hell that means.
I'm just looking to see what others would do in this circumstance. By the stupid time I receive it, it will probably be May or so and then 2017s will be out just 3 months or so after that.
Am I wrong in thinking that when spending over $60k for a vehicle that you should be kept up to date even when there is no action, and then also not lied to in order it keep face?
If I can find the vehicle and get it for $4k off somewhere which would cover shipping to me I would do it in a heartbeat. I just need help with that. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. And by the way, thank you so much for your time reading this. It was long I know.
10/30/15 Go To Lexus Dealership and order 2016 RX450h F-Sport...MSRP $63,534...got it for $1k off
No word from dealership for month and a half
12/14/15: Receive phone call that order has been accepted (from Upper Salesman)
12/19/15: I call and ask for a build date...receive email from lower salesman that its 1/28/16
12/22/15 I email them asking for build sheet. receive it from lower salesman
12/22/15 I look it over and discover there are $2300 worth of options missing from build
12/22/15 Notify lower salesman, he says no big deal, that he can add them and then that he HAS added them.
12/28/15 I speak to another dealership altogether and find out that there is NO WAY to add options after it has been locked and accepted.
12/28/15 I speak with my dealership (upper salesman) and they say they will look into it but that they can't find out whether the changes took place or not because Lexus Corporate is closed for the Holidays until Jan. 4.
1/4/16 I call in the afternoon to see what they found out. They say nothing as Lexus Corp. is probably swamped because of being closed for a week.
1/6/16 I email the upper salesman and say I know that it for a fact cannot be added and that I don't want to have to reorder all over again so just cancel the order. Receive a call back saying that all along my order is still intact with ALL of the options I originally ordered on 10/30/15 and that they have 2 very similar 450h White/Red F-Sports coming in and they prematurely put my name on the wrong one and that is why I received that build sheet and the wrong build date. However, he can't give me any other information on MINE. He said that they would sell it for $750 over invoice, so about $3200 off. I then explicitly asked him, did they mess up when originally ordering mine and have to reorder it as it wouldn't affect anything, just be straight with me. He vehemently said absolutely not and that the original order is still intact from 10/30/15. But can't give me any info on the vehicle. So I am skeptical still.
2/2/16: I speak to lower salesman and he says that mine is being built today 2/2/16...then he says "oh wait, that's the one with the missing options they forgot to add". I ask how many white f-sports are in the system. He says 2. He then says, "Yours was reordered with all the correct options on 12/28/15." I am livid at this point. I think about what to do. The upper guy blatently lied to me. I've lost 2 months to an already too long process. I wrote an email the next evening and spouted how poor that is to completely lie when given the opportunity to come forward and just tell the truth. I mean we are talking 60 grand here. I said I would probably still receive the vehicle but that I will not be giving glowing marks on the process when given the opportunity to rate them.
2/23/16 I email today and check status: lower salesman said "sorry, still in the recycle mode" whatever the hell that means.
I'm just looking to see what others would do in this circumstance. By the stupid time I receive it, it will probably be May or so and then 2017s will be out just 3 months or so after that.
Am I wrong in thinking that when spending over $60k for a vehicle that you should be kept up to date even when there is no action, and then also not lied to in order it keep face?
If I can find the vehicle and get it for $4k off somewhere which would cover shipping to me I would do it in a heartbeat. I just need help with that. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. And by the way, thank you so much for your time reading this. It was long I know.
02-23-16, 09:45 PM
#2
Lead Lap
1) Check other dealers see what they can offer. $2-3K off sticker is the going rate on TrueCar in many places so if you can angle a deal that way you have a backup
2) Go to the dealer, give them an ultimatium stating that either cough up a build sheet with vin # from their system (not some printout or customer copy that gets circulated) that matches your contract or you walk .
3) If dealer wants to play games move onto dealer from option 1. .
2) Go to the dealer, give them an ultimatium stating that either cough up a build sheet with vin # from their system (not some printout or customer copy that gets circulated) that matches your contract or you walk .
3) If dealer wants to play games move onto dealer from option 1. .
02-24-16, 05:48 AM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
I feel for you, at this point I would go to the dealer and speak with the GM and explain everything as you did in the email. The GM will be the only person that may be able to get Lexus to push your order through the system.
Everyone at the dealer aside from the owner reports to the GM. That's why for something like this I would prefer to speak with the GM instead of a Sales Manager. IMO a Sales Manager may try to cover up all of the errors HIS department made on this order and just continue to string you along. A GM in my experience will usually (not all the time) get to the bottom of the issue.
If this doesn't work I would go to another dealer, or as you said try to find a similar RX already built.
Good Luck.
Everyone at the dealer aside from the owner reports to the GM. That's why for something like this I would prefer to speak with the GM instead of a Sales Manager. IMO a Sales Manager may try to cover up all of the errors HIS department made on this order and just continue to string you along. A GM in my experience will usually (not all the time) get to the bottom of the issue.
If this doesn't work I would go to another dealer, or as you said try to find a similar RX already built.
Good Luck.
02-24-16, 06:10 PM
#5
Sucks to hear about your experience, sounds like a terrible experience. I had a terrible experience with other lexus sale folks when I was shopping around, there was a huge inconsistency with the professionalism.
If I was in your shoes I would go to the dealership talk to the owner or GM as someone already stated. It seems to me the folks you are working with are squares. Trust me I called over 20 dealerships and there were some complete idiots working for Lexus. I would get a clear def answer and request a bigger discount.
Then I would go on yelp, facebook, social media sites and just blast the crap out of them in nothing is resolved.
If I was in your shoes I would go to the dealership talk to the owner or GM as someone already stated. It seems to me the folks you are working with are squares. Trust me I called over 20 dealerships and there were some complete idiots working for Lexus. I would get a clear def answer and request a bigger discount.
Then I would go on yelp, facebook, social media sites and just blast the crap out of them in nothing is resolved.
Trending Topics
02-24-16, 06:47 PM
#8
Lead Lap
Wow, you are patient. Not sure if I would have let it go past December. Tell them to either give you a 8% discount for the trouble or you walk. At the same time, reach out to the dealers in California and Florida that have been dealing at or below invoice and get quotes to back up your ask. Personally I could not justify giving them a penny, though I can understand if your local options are limited.
Finally, do report this to Lexus corporate. They absolutely care about this poor behavior and will be looking to help you as well.
Used to work with a sales person who joked that you always know if the sales guy is lying if his lips are moving. Guess it wasn't a joke this time.
Finally, do report this to Lexus corporate. They absolutely care about this poor behavior and will be looking to help you as well.
Used to work with a sales person who joked that you always know if the sales guy is lying if his lips are moving. Guess it wasn't a joke this time.
02-24-16, 07:03 PM
#9
If I were you, I would cancel the order and go somewhere else. I would never do business with anyone that lies or can't give you a straight answer. If they can lie that easily then imagine if your car has a problem that needs to be fix. Would you trust that same dealership?
You are spending over $60K and that is not how anyone should treat their customers. They should be the one that contact you to give you updates on your order, not vice versa.
You are spending over $60K and that is not how anyone should treat their customers. They should be the one that contact you to give you updates on your order, not vice versa.
Last edited by Vincent05; 02-24-16 at 07:06 PM.
02-24-16, 09:04 PM
#11
Contact Lexus corporate. If I were in your shoes I would be pissed. I don't like to be strung along especially when $63k is at stake. Time to put a stop to this and demand the vehicle you want even if they have to deliver it from another state, Lexus Corp will take care of you.
02-25-16, 05:32 AM
#14
Lexus Test Driver
IMO contact the GM first and give him a chance to make it right.
If you contact corp they will contact the GM anyway and the GM will contact you for your story. Worse case the GM has someone else contact you, maybe the sales manager. At some point during the conversation more than likely you will be asked why you didn't reach out to the GM first instead of getting corp involved..
From what I have been told, regardless if corp has very little control over most dealerships, GM's usually don't want corp to know about any issues if they can avoid it. Also, the GM has more power than a customer relations rep who takes your call and usually (depending on size of dealer) can get things done at corp quicker.
On the other hand, if the GM isn't helpful complaint to corp. IMO if it comes to this, I think you would be better off going to another dealer or finding a comparable RX already on a dealer lot.
If you contact corp they will contact the GM anyway and the GM will contact you for your story. Worse case the GM has someone else contact you, maybe the sales manager. At some point during the conversation more than likely you will be asked why you didn't reach out to the GM first instead of getting corp involved..
From what I have been told, regardless if corp has very little control over most dealerships, GM's usually don't want corp to know about any issues if they can avoid it. Also, the GM has more power than a customer relations rep who takes your call and usually (depending on size of dealer) can get things done at corp quicker.
On the other hand, if the GM isn't helpful complaint to corp. IMO if it comes to this, I think you would be better off going to another dealer or finding a comparable RX already on a dealer lot.
02-25-16, 06:00 AM
#15
From my 2015 RX special order experience - sales and management folks frequently had no idea what they were talking about. Contradictory "facts", just making stuff up as they went along. Lexus needs to drop the hammer on some of their dealerships.