I noticed another rattle/click in my car but this time on the drivers side and with the top up or down it made no difference (different than rattle with top up on passenger side as per other threads.) I looked at the dash and noticed a funny light was still on a block away from my house. I pull over immediately at 11pm and open the manual. The tire pressure is off. I go to check the pressure and both tires on the passenger side are in excess of 48psi and both drivers side tires are aobut 26.

Due to the hurricane/tropical storm Isidore all the gas stations had packed up their air hoses for fear of them ripping loose and whipping around so the next day I went to the dealership to get it checked out. They said the sensor had to be recalibrated, they adjusted the pressure, no nails in the tire, they don't know how it happened but it's fixed and would I like my car washed.

I turned down the car wash thinking it was odd for just tire pressure adjustment without an appointment. The bring the car around, parked in the shade, I go to pick up some S100 wax from the motorcylce shop to try out and when I'm in the light of the parking lot I see SCRATCHES all along the rear fender on the edge about 2 feet of them .5 inches long sequentially like so ////////////////// //////// // /// / ////

Now I'm freaking out. The car was dirty and the must have dragged something along the car (hose or something) and the dirt scratched the paint deep. I called them immediately and they said I didnt' have to bring it in and they would check it out. I ran home, tried washingt then OGOG followed with another glazing then Blitz wax and still there! I immediately drove over to show them (only 45 minutes elapsed from me leaving there). Just so there would be no doubt that they did it. I think they knew the whole time cause the guy who offered to wash my car seemed very nervous and figity while talking to me.

Unfortunately this is the only Lexus dealer within 100 miles of where I live and they are IDIOTS. This is they second time they have scratched my car, first was on delivery! I'm taking it in tommorow afternoon or tuesday morning and they said they will buff it out, but that makes me nervous.

I had put 2 coats of wax on already. Could it be in the wax? I don't see white it's still all black. Should I try stripping the wax with dawn first and then reglaze to see if that would help or is it most likely in the clear coat?

Thanks,

Fulmitz

 

I took my SC 400 in to Lexus of Shreveport to have the column switch replaced because the blinker wasn't working right. Finally got the car back after a 5 days. Mind you, this was the second time it was taken in for this...the first time they couldn't reproduce the symptoms. I Washed and vacuumed the car the following weekend, and I notice a wire dangling from under the steering column as I'm putting the floormats back in....WTF. Started farting with all the controls on the wheel, and the vertical tilt wasn't memorizing its position. Turns out that the wire was for the vertical tilt position sensor....the dumbazzes had torn it loose while they were in the column. Needless to say I'll never be going back to Lexus of Shreveport. I took it to Sterling McCall in Houston to have the tilt sensor fixed. How far are you from Houston? If you need anything major, call Sterling McCall and see if they'll trailer it to and fro. Sewell of Dallas has trailered cars over 200 miles here to Nacogdoches.

I wouldn't let the dealership touch the paint. You need a little old man with 400 years of practice that details Bentleys and Rolls and such.

 

Houston is a five or six hour drive from here. Too far for routine service. I just wish they would leave my paint alone and quit scratching it. On delivery they scratched up the clearcoat trying to get the sticky residue from the white plastic off the car. I'm going in today at lunch and they said it won't take more than 30 minutes. The guy is going to do it by hand. I may ask to go back and supervise I'll post again this afternoon with the results.

I worked on it yester day and in the shade you can't see it unless at an angle. It is perfectly black, just like a gouge in teh paint itself so you can feel it even when you can't see it.

Fulmitz

 

Just when you thought you were safe to go back into the water.... They couldn't do it at lunch so I came back at 4:30pm and they made it worse. Trying to get out the scratch they scratched it more with little buff marks. Anyway I now have to bring it in on wednesday and drop it off. They will give me a loaner and take it to a proffesional shop to get rid of the etches they put in my car.

Fulmitz

 

Fulmitz ...

Have you written to Lexus about your experiences with this dealer? If so, I think some of us would like to know their response and what, if any, actions they take.

 

Actually I haven't. They aren't mean about it and are always appologetic, plus the problem isn't resolved and I don't want anyone getting pissed off where it could make things worse. I'll see what happens on wednesday and go from there. If they don't fix it this time that will be three strikes and they're out, Then I'll write a complaint. If they had blown me off from the getgo I would have written a letter long ago. Plus Hurricane Lili is comming and I'm busy getting ready for that.

Fulmitz

 

Batten down those hatches, Fulmitz and good luck. Here's hoping you get the least of it - hopefully, NONE of it.

 

Thanks, I hope that is the case. Right now they are expecting winds up to 75mph in and around NOLA. The national weather forcasters are making it seem much worse than the locals. I suspect that natural disasters get better ratings Locally they want to keep people calm.

Needless to say my wife is glued to the TV with a look of sheer panic on her face. She's from Montreal and lived through the '98 ice storm where they lost electric and almost froze to death in their own house, that's okay but this is horrible for her.

Hopefully all will be well. Thanks for the well wishes, we need 'em!

Fulmitz

 

Well, here is the update to my problem........ FIXED! I can't even tell where the scratches were. The body shop/detailer did a great job. They also fixed the buzz from the wood paneling on the drivers door with heavy bass, they fixed the vibrating wind deflector and the jury is still out on the rattle from the rear passengers side. Who can tell with all the pot holes in New Orleans!

I'm in love with my car again! Now I can truely appreciate the Levinson sound system. I never turned it up due to the vibration. I got a Paul Simon Greatest hits cd and "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" sounds great with spacial imaging. So does "Hella Good" on the new No Doubt CD!

Fulmitz

 

okay, correction, in the daylight the original scratches can still be seen. They body shop just got out the buff marks the dealership made. The original scratches aren't as deep and I'll see if I can get them out sometime during the week by dawning, claybaring, glazing and waxing.

Fulmitz