eliotd

St Petersburg... when I bought the car, we pointed
a few things, but when we took delivery they didn't take care of it all. I guess it's my fault for coming in late on the evening and not going through everything inch by inch. As they advertise, it isn't used, it Lexus CPO... I should have just spent 10grand less and bought a service contract. After all, the car is 6 years old and I expected it to be in much better shape than it is! I guess It was my fault for thinking everything would have been fixed prior to picking up the car! The tinting was peeling off on a window, so we had them remove all the film only to find out afterwards inside the owner manuals a certificate stating the film had a lifetime warranty ! I thought they would have just fixed all the issues I had instead of making excuses! sick and tired of all the bull in buying a used car! Of course this was the only hardtop convertible the wife was comfortable driving and had to really stretch things in order to swing the financing. The dealer seems to want to avoid spending money... there is a clicking noise when I get in the car in the morning, solution was grease brake shim...and on the service report it says under brakes and tires to discuss with service advisor at next visit!!! WTF... at least at Toyota they are up front! This is not the Worry Free car I thought I was purchasing! I am worried already!


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eliotd

As it states... Lexus Certified Pre Owned Vehicles must be in like-new condition...has undergone a meticulous 161 point inspection and reconditioning process. I do not feel that this car actually had a METICULOUS inspection nor reconditioning process, and that the people who performed it were not up to Lexus standards! The problem would be definition of meticulous, like new, Lexus standards, and detailing! although they say every detail is inspected right down to first aid kits and spare tires and a small squeak is enough to disqualify a vehicle, then this car should not have been certified! The creak when you first get in was not fixed by greasing brake shim, air still coming through the seal, and they had it for two days! this is not a car assuring reliability, quality and customer confidence! If this is not taken care of this time, I am going to talk to the salesperson, service manager, and then go talk to Lexus corporate and possibly a lawyer for fraud!


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husker741

I'm sorry if this comes off as rude, but it is a used car. Deal with it. Go find another used luxury vert that has such minimal problems like the ones you are worried about. Again, it's used. They didn't sell you a brand new car, rather a "like-new" car. Go try out a 3 series used vert and deal with their service department. They have many more problems than a bubble on the lid, and they won't help anywhere near as much as Lexus. If you wouldve bought the car new, that's a different story. But cars age and everything that was supposed to be working correctly was if it passed the inspection. I hope everything gts resolved, but maybe take a step back and ask yourself if you are expecting too much from a used car. You're really wanting to spend the money for a lawyer to go against a billion dollar car company for an air leak and a bubble? I'm sorry but that just seems foolish to me. Just put the top down, poke the bubble, crank the stereo, and enjoy the car like we all do. All cars have flaws.

Scarletti

I'd just make your case to the Customer Service Manager in writing, laying out point by point your case (attach a copy of the Inspection Report as an Appendix) and be clear, but polite, that you don't think it is up to the standards of; a) the Dealer and b) Lexus. Also spell out clearly what remedy you want and give them a reasonable amount of time to resolve it (such as 2-4 weeks).

If that doesn't work, you can forward it to Lexus USA. Doing it that way rather than phone calls and/or face to face lays out a written trail that enables escalation much easier.

eliotd

I agree, this should be in writing, great idea! But the wind noise was suppose to have been fixed prior to us taking the car, as was the crooked moulding in the door window channel. I kno;w it is a used car, but if I paid more to get a cpo, I expect it to be as promised, like new and meticulously detailed and inspected and even a creak would disqualify it from being certified. I could have saved 10 thousand dollars and accept a few issues, but I paid for a worry free experience! Other things on checklist say N/A, but spare tire says good even though there is none, tool kit says good but not complete, No way to know if the car was properly inspected and refurbished properly, but my intuition tells me I am the victim of Fraud from the dealer that certified the car and now my dealer doesn't want to take the responsibility for it!


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husker741

I'm sorry, but fraud? Really? Maybe call someone higher up to try and handle it, but I would not classify this as fraud. Take it to another dealer and see what they say. Haven't you overlooked things in your life? A tool kit should be the least of your worries. All cars have little creaks. My car does the same thing when I get in. If you use the search feature you will see that many other people have creaks, but they aren't a problem to the car, just a little annoying. If it is that big of a problem, I would just sell the car than try to look for little things that are wrong. I seriously think a lawyer would laugh in your face to try and go against Lexus by saying they committed fraud.

Scarletti

If you start to accuse the Dealer and/or Lexus of criminal activity (fraud) as your first formal recourse (as opposed to formally writing to them) expect them to dig in and go defensive... this will be counter-productive to you I would suggest.

OBP

To the OP: on creaks when you first get in, when I first bought my 2005 in 2008 as a CPO, there were creaks when I first got in. And today, there remains a creak. Just once as you get in. Indeed it has something to do with brake shims cos once I changed my pads with new shims, the creak went away. But after 10k miles, the creak came back. If you have what I have, don't worry, it does not affect the performance of the car.

Or if you like, get a nice set of aftermarket pads with new shims and that will help your creak problem most likely. But only for maybe the first 10K miles...

Jabberwock

Words of wisdom.

Best approach is to always use a civil, professional approach and gracious manner in working with folks at a high end dealer and major corporation. This approach will most likely get that same treatment back to you in return. If that does not happen and you are treated rudely or stonewalled, then very politely and calmly request that you speak with a higher level manager and keep escalating until you get someone that is professional and gracious in dealing with your issue.

The conversation you should be having with Lexus management is that you are are somewhat disappointed and unsatisfied with the Lexus experience of purchasing a Lexus CPO car. Forget about fraud or any other accusations. Instead tell them you want to love the car and you want tell all your friends about the great Lexus experience if only Lexus would clear up a few small issues. Set the mood that you want to be their number 1 fan and reference customer - thats the play that produces results. Also tell whatever manager you are talking to at Lexus that you will write a letter thanking them personally to Lexus HQ if they help you out. These corporate guys live for atta boys from customers to their bosses.

After doing that should you feel that they are not working with you and you have no recourse then it might be time to share your concern about not wanting to take legal action with the highest level manager you have dealt with. Its a bit of a dance but usually there is a way to work with a large company it just takes time and patience and not declaring war too early.

eliotd

I guess I am just frustrated that service puts off everything even though I requested it be fixed before I took the car and then they don't cover it. The extra cost I paid based on the Lexus statement that the car is gone over and "even a creak would disqualify it from being a CPO" - that is their words! It is not used, its CPO! I just expect what they promised, that is all. I could have purchased a similar car for Thousands less. I do not understand why they have attempted to fix the wind noise twice, once before we took possession, once after, and now they told my wife they need to talk to the sales manager about it! We love the car but really, fix the issues and we would be shouting how great they are! By not fixing it, every statement made about Lexus CPO that I hear or see makes me feel angry and taken! Our salesman was awesome, seriously, I refused to buy from anywhere else because of him.


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eliotd

After the dealer level, should I go to Auto Nation, which owns both the dealership that certified the car And the one we bought the car from or contact Lexus!!!


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eliotd

I am only complaining about the issues I originally pointed out before purchasing with the exception of the clicking noise and the bubble you could not see until daylight. I am quite sure if any of you saw the car, you would not think it was a CPO! There are plenty of scratches and marks inside and out and I do not expect it to look brand new, but things that were to be taken care of have just been blown off. My argument for fraud is the misrepresentation by print, advertising and statements made which I relied on in good faith to my detriment! I do not care about a missing flashlight or spare tire, only that if the tech marked off the inspection as complete or in proper condition, and not as N/A as he did for other items the car does not have, then it demonstrates that the car was not meticulously inspected, and I have to question what else may have been overlooked. If wind is getting through the seal now, then water will be getting in later, and the seal will not be covered onder the CPO. I had a 2004 Solara and the dashboard cracked because of a material defect well documented on the web that Toyota refuses to acknowledge and cost me money in the value of my trade and do not want to have it happen again with the bubble on rear deck. The molding in the window channel makes it look like it was in an accident, zig zaging along the channel instead of one straight direction like the other side. If it is a cosmetic defect, my argument is the defect was suppose to have been reconditioned to " like new" and not "like 65 used dodge dart bent and unbent" condition. I am not holding a magnifying glass to every scratch on the paint, or even pointing out all the obvious scratches at all which should have been taken care of when they reconditioned it. I just want what I paid for and did not get! I don't have the disposable income most of you have to just toss it away and just want what I paid for! Is that wrong!


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VVTiBob

I guess I am wondering why you paid out your hard earned dollars for a car with as many defects as you've pointed out BEFORE they were corrected to your satisfaction. Why it appears you didn't do any due diligence on the car, i.e. spare tire vs run flats or for that matter the fact that the SC430 tool kit does NOT include a flashlight. LIST OF TOOL KIT PARTS for a 2006 SC430. While I do believe you have a legitimate complaint regarding the CPO status of the car you purchased, that is, did the dealer actually do the work as claimed in the CPO standards, NO ONE forced you to purchase this car. Take some responsibility for your actions, or lack thereof and deal with it. IMO your emotions (excitement about this purchase) led you to pay for this car before thoroughly thinking it through or having the corrections made. Your current emotions (anger) will take you down a path of greater and greater frustrations. Jabberwock's "words of wisdom" are good, no excellent, words of advice. You should re-read them.

Oh BTW I have a similar bubble that appears on my package shelf from time to time. It was about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. I only noticed it when the top was down for hours at a time. When it first appeared I thought...I'll take the car in I have a full platinum warranty. Later, the bubble was gone...probably some gases heated by the sun, expaneded and temporarily trapped under the leather. I decided it wasn't worth worrying about. But having the warranty is, has been, and continues to be a reliable source to give me peace of mind for major issue. For my 02, the platinum warranty has more than paid for itself on one repair alone (trunk/roof hinge) let alone all the other repairs.

Life to way to short to be consumed by a mistake on an inspection, a crooked piece of trim or some road grime unless there are some tendencies toward OCD. Speaking for myself, and I suspect many others, I purchased my car so I could put the top down and enjoy the wind blowing through my hair and the sun on my face. I bought my 02 in 09 so it did not qualify for CPO even though it had less than 50k on it. Today, three years later, it has 67k, I have thinner hair (but still plenty of it), a nicer tan AND a smile on my face everytime I get behind the wheel and drive her with the top down.

eliotd

I am going to take Jabberwocks advice and it was the salesman who said it was a flashlight, there is a compartment that was empty in the tool kit and asked what's missing! The problem is they say they will address problems before we pick it up, then when we pick it up, they say they'll address it with service, when service is open, then service says not covered cosmetic defect! Next time will put everything in writing first and then go over it inch by inch before taking delivery but it was late and dealer was already closed! The minor issues with cleaning and detailing wife said not a big deal, as it needed to be re-detailed but there was still crud on the console...just needed to be cleaned...but wasn't. Didn't expect that from Lexus, but you are right that I didn't go over everything inch by inch, but even the wife just wanted to go home and thought they would make it right afterwards!


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JohnnyCake

I think we're more favorable than you'll ever get from a jury of your peers, but you don't seem to be hearing what we're saying.