New Lexus Owner..Suggestions?
09-20-17, 07:11 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
New Lexus Owner..Suggestions?
Hi All! I have a couple of concerns that I want to address and see if I can get any feedback from anyone. I'm a first time Lexus owner, but I've had what I've considered horrible experiences from buying the NX, to owning the NX....and it's only been three weeks!! Some thoughts would be very helpful for me right now. This is going to be wordy, so I apologize in advance.
1. The purchasing of this vehicle has been awful from the day I went into the dealership. I explained to them exactly how much I wanted to spend and I knew that I was going to have to put down a decent amount of cash to keep the payment where I wanted it to be (he hadn't yet let me see the actual numbers). After talking with the salesman for about an hour he had my payment inflated about $175 higher than what I ended up getting the vehicle for. In addition, his payment was for a BASE model!! They let me walk out and the more I thought about it, the more I was upset, so I called the sales manager who ended up getting me right where I wanted to be....in a non base model (luxury package)! I almost felt like they thought that since I was purchasing a Lexus, I just had buckets of money to throw at them and price didn't matter. The salesman alluded several times to the fact that Lexus doesn't have to offer what the other manufacturers do because their cars are just that great, this was in reference to them trying to give me $4K less for my trade than Acura was giving me.
2. I was never able to test drive the actual vehicle that I purchased because it was brought in from a different dealership and I had to sign the paperwork to have everything done before the Golden Opportunity Event ended. Had I drove this vehicle I probably wouldn't have purchased it. Anyway..lesson learned.
3. I immediately noticed that the brake pedal almost sticks when I go to press it. Sometimes when releasing it I can feel a grinding in the pedal and sometimes when pressing it I can feel a grinding. This is definitely a feeling in the pedal itself and not in the calipers or anything like that. The service manager felt the feeling, but told me that it was like that by design and there was nothing he could do. The NX that I test drove didn't do this! The NX that they gave me as a courtesy vehicle didn't do this! However, even when I mention that they are saying it's normal.
4. I have street parking where I live, so when I leave in the mornings, I put my vehicle in reverse and then go forward. Every single morning I get a popping sound from the front left strut wheel well area. I want to say that I can feel it in the floorboard, but maybe that's my imagination. They couldn't hear/feel this either, so they kept it overnight so they could try again in the morning. Again, they claim they can't reproduce it..this is something that happens every single morning 100% of the time.
5. If I stop too fast, I can hear a thumping sound from the rear of the vehicle when the rear end drops back in to place. I'm not talking about a hard, brake squealing stop either, just a stop a little bit harder than normal. The service manager heard this sound, but claims that it's just a normal sound of the suspension. Does anyone else have this?
6. My driver side mirror vibrates when I'm driving down the highway. It's worse at different times, but I hear it rattle when I close the door, however the passenger side does the same thing, but it doesn't seem to vibrate. I didn't even tell them about this because I was more concerned with the brake pedal and suspension popping. Is this normal?
7. I just found this morning that there is a rattling noise from the pillar where the driver's seatbelt adjustment is. It's usually only there during slow speeds on bumpy roads, so I think I can deal with that.
I would like any feedback that I can get. I purchased this Lexus over the Acura RDX because I wanted to be in something a bit different than what I already had. I was reluctant to go to a 4cyl turbo over the V6, because my RDX had a lot of power. I put that aside, but now with all of these rattles and noises that they won't fix I'm starting to hate this vehicle! I definitely feel like I might have made a mistake and I'm only a couple of weeks into it. Fortunately there are 2 dealerships within 15 miles of my house, unfortunately they are owned by the same person so I'm not sure that going to the other dealership will make any difference. Oh and this isn't a "problem" per se, but the dealership that the NX was shipped from lost the 2nd key, so for three weeks they've been saying they are working on getting it. Today they called me to tell me that it's completely lost and they will make a new one and should have it in 2-3 days. They offered me a tank of gas for all of my "troubles" with the key. I'll obviously take it, but geez this is crazy. Am I being too picky? Am I expecting too much? Has anyone else had experiences like this with Lexus? This is so aggravating!
1. The purchasing of this vehicle has been awful from the day I went into the dealership. I explained to them exactly how much I wanted to spend and I knew that I was going to have to put down a decent amount of cash to keep the payment where I wanted it to be (he hadn't yet let me see the actual numbers). After talking with the salesman for about an hour he had my payment inflated about $175 higher than what I ended up getting the vehicle for. In addition, his payment was for a BASE model!! They let me walk out and the more I thought about it, the more I was upset, so I called the sales manager who ended up getting me right where I wanted to be....in a non base model (luxury package)! I almost felt like they thought that since I was purchasing a Lexus, I just had buckets of money to throw at them and price didn't matter. The salesman alluded several times to the fact that Lexus doesn't have to offer what the other manufacturers do because their cars are just that great, this was in reference to them trying to give me $4K less for my trade than Acura was giving me.
2. I was never able to test drive the actual vehicle that I purchased because it was brought in from a different dealership and I had to sign the paperwork to have everything done before the Golden Opportunity Event ended. Had I drove this vehicle I probably wouldn't have purchased it. Anyway..lesson learned.
3. I immediately noticed that the brake pedal almost sticks when I go to press it. Sometimes when releasing it I can feel a grinding in the pedal and sometimes when pressing it I can feel a grinding. This is definitely a feeling in the pedal itself and not in the calipers or anything like that. The service manager felt the feeling, but told me that it was like that by design and there was nothing he could do. The NX that I test drove didn't do this! The NX that they gave me as a courtesy vehicle didn't do this! However, even when I mention that they are saying it's normal.
4. I have street parking where I live, so when I leave in the mornings, I put my vehicle in reverse and then go forward. Every single morning I get a popping sound from the front left strut wheel well area. I want to say that I can feel it in the floorboard, but maybe that's my imagination. They couldn't hear/feel this either, so they kept it overnight so they could try again in the morning. Again, they claim they can't reproduce it..this is something that happens every single morning 100% of the time.
5. If I stop too fast, I can hear a thumping sound from the rear of the vehicle when the rear end drops back in to place. I'm not talking about a hard, brake squealing stop either, just a stop a little bit harder than normal. The service manager heard this sound, but claims that it's just a normal sound of the suspension. Does anyone else have this?
6. My driver side mirror vibrates when I'm driving down the highway. It's worse at different times, but I hear it rattle when I close the door, however the passenger side does the same thing, but it doesn't seem to vibrate. I didn't even tell them about this because I was more concerned with the brake pedal and suspension popping. Is this normal?
7. I just found this morning that there is a rattling noise from the pillar where the driver's seatbelt adjustment is. It's usually only there during slow speeds on bumpy roads, so I think I can deal with that.
I would like any feedback that I can get. I purchased this Lexus over the Acura RDX because I wanted to be in something a bit different than what I already had. I was reluctant to go to a 4cyl turbo over the V6, because my RDX had a lot of power. I put that aside, but now with all of these rattles and noises that they won't fix I'm starting to hate this vehicle! I definitely feel like I might have made a mistake and I'm only a couple of weeks into it. Fortunately there are 2 dealerships within 15 miles of my house, unfortunately they are owned by the same person so I'm not sure that going to the other dealership will make any difference. Oh and this isn't a "problem" per se, but the dealership that the NX was shipped from lost the 2nd key, so for three weeks they've been saying they are working on getting it. Today they called me to tell me that it's completely lost and they will make a new one and should have it in 2-3 days. They offered me a tank of gas for all of my "troubles" with the key. I'll obviously take it, but geez this is crazy. Am I being too picky? Am I expecting too much? Has anyone else had experiences like this with Lexus? This is so aggravating!
09-21-17, 03:42 AM
#2
Pole Position
I just bought a 2017 ES300h and had a frustrating experience with an added accessory installation. I went directly to the General Manager. I received immediate results. Go to your dealer's web site under our team and find them. Mine list his email and mobile number. I had another problem a couple of years ago and called Lexus directly. They could not have been more attentive. Their number is 310 974-7686.
My wife and I have owned 12 Acura's over many years. Really enjoyed them but their quality has suffered in the last few years. We now have owned four Lexus's and love them. Never had problem one. J D Power has ranked Lexus #1 in reliability for six years in a row. For many years Acura was in the top three or four but lately is #22 out of 32. In their initial quality study looking at a car in the first six months while it is under warranty, Lexus is # 15 right below the industry average. I know this must bother them and is directly related to your situation. I would bring this up to the General Manager and Corporate.
I feel your frustration in your post and will recommend a deep breathe and stay calm. Remember the saying, You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. I always like when talking to the Service Manager or General Manger switch roles. Mr. Johnson you just spent $$$$$$ on this NX and the above problems are now on your purchase. How would you like it and how would you handle it.
Good luck and keep us posted.
My wife and I have owned 12 Acura's over many years. Really enjoyed them but their quality has suffered in the last few years. We now have owned four Lexus's and love them. Never had problem one. J D Power has ranked Lexus #1 in reliability for six years in a row. For many years Acura was in the top three or four but lately is #22 out of 32. In their initial quality study looking at a car in the first six months while it is under warranty, Lexus is # 15 right below the industry average. I know this must bother them and is directly related to your situation. I would bring this up to the General Manager and Corporate.
I feel your frustration in your post and will recommend a deep breathe and stay calm. Remember the saying, You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. I always like when talking to the Service Manager or General Manger switch roles. Mr. Johnson you just spent $$$$$$ on this NX and the above problems are now on your purchase. How would you like it and how would you handle it.
Good luck and keep us posted.
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Doug007 (09-22-17)
09-22-17, 08:08 AM
#3
Pole Position
I can't speak to the suspension or pillar noises, but I have to agree with your concerns regarding the rear view mirrors. They seem very flimsy and cheap. This is surprising as none of our previous Lexus vehicles had such issues. Sorry to hear of your other challenges but this is not normal for the brand.
On on another note, the RDX is also a great vehicle and we almost pulled the trigger on one but we liked the NX styling better and it has a slightly lower ingress/egress height which appealed to my vertically challenged spouse.
Good luck getting everything worked out to your satisfaction. I'm sure there are answers if you can get your dealership engaged.
On on another note, the RDX is also a great vehicle and we almost pulled the trigger on one but we liked the NX styling better and it has a slightly lower ingress/egress height which appealed to my vertically challenged spouse.
Good luck getting everything worked out to your satisfaction. I'm sure there are answers if you can get your dealership engaged.
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Mjs61084 (09-23-17)
09-22-17, 09:14 AM
#4
Except for #4, I have not had any of those issues. The left front slight thunk has been reported here as an ABS check. I can't confirm it but in 2 years it has not changed or caused any issue. Good dealer, 4 cars with the same salesman and all were handled well.
09-22-17, 10:57 AM
#5
Those first two things are your own problem...Lexus vehicles cost a certain amount of money, if you can't afford it, you can't afford it. It's not like I can walk into the dealer and expect to pay only $199/month like a basic economy car. Get over it. Second thing, you should have test drove an identically equipped model on the lot so you know what the vehicle is like. That's never a problem. They're never going to bring in the specific vehicle for you to test drive just to walk away from the deal, it costs them money to PDI and ship the vehicle in. In my experience if there are issues with the actual delivered vehicle, they will fix them, it has a warranty for a reason.
This entire post just sounds like someone throwing a tantrum because of buyers remorse or they couldn't really afford the vehicle.
This entire post just sounds like someone throwing a tantrum because of buyers remorse or they couldn't really afford the vehicle.
09-23-17, 07:54 AM
#6
My Rav4 and NX make the same noise. I wondered about it but as you said, has not changed over the years. Appreciate this explanation.
09-23-17, 07:39 PM
#7
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Those first two things are your own problem...Lexus vehicles cost a certain amount of money, if you can't afford it, you can't afford it. It's not like I can walk into the dealer and expect to pay only $199/month like a basic economy car. Get over it. Second thing, you should have test drove an identically equipped model on the lot so you know what the vehicle is like. That's never a problem. They're never going to bring in the specific vehicle for you to test drive just to walk away from the deal, it costs them money to PDI and ship the vehicle in. In my experience if there are issues with the actual delivered vehicle, they will fix them, it has a warranty for a reason.
This entire post just sounds like someone throwing a tantrum because of buyers remorse or they couldn't really afford the vehicle.
This entire post just sounds like someone throwing a tantrum because of buyers remorse or they couldn't really afford the vehicle.
Second, I never expected them to bring the vehicle in that I was purchasing for me to drive first. However, the lesson learned was that I would never purchase another vehicle that I didn't physically drive first, because I would have noticed all of these things during the test drive and would have picked a different vehicle. So that rant was not necessary.
I was venting about my experience in general with purchasing from Lexus and the problems I'm currently having with my vehicle. It was my understanding that Lexus was superior in build quality and service and I shouldn't have had these problems. It's a huge reason I went to Lexus, I wanted better service and a better quality vehicle..trust me you can find a Ford or Chevrolet that's more expensive than the NX, it's by no means an expensive SUV.
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09-23-17, 07:41 PM
#8
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thanks!
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Doug007 (09-25-17)
09-23-17, 07:47 PM
#9
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
I just bought a 2017 ES300h and had a frustrating experience with an added accessory installation. I went directly to the General Manager. I received immediate results. Go to your dealer's web site under our team and find them. Mine list his email and mobile number. I had another problem a couple of years ago and called Lexus directly. They could not have been more attentive. Their number is 310 974-7686.
My wife and I have owned 12 Acura's over many years. Really enjoyed them but their quality has suffered in the last few years. We now have owned four Lexus's and love them. Never had problem one. J D Power has ranked Lexus #1 in reliability for six years in a row. For many years Acura was in the top three or four but lately is #22 out of 32. In their initial quality study looking at a car in the first six months while it is under warranty, Lexus is # 15 right below the industry average. I know this must bother them and is directly related to your situation. I would bring this up to the General Manager and Corporate.
I feel your frustration in your post and will recommend a deep breathe and stay calm. Remember the saying, You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. I always like when talking to the Service Manager or General Manger switch roles. Mr. Johnson you just spent $$$$$$ on this NX and the above problems are now on your purchase. How would you like it and how would you handle it.
Good luck and keep us posted.
My wife and I have owned 12 Acura's over many years. Really enjoyed them but their quality has suffered in the last few years. We now have owned four Lexus's and love them. Never had problem one. J D Power has ranked Lexus #1 in reliability for six years in a row. For many years Acura was in the top three or four but lately is #22 out of 32. In their initial quality study looking at a car in the first six months while it is under warranty, Lexus is # 15 right below the industry average. I know this must bother them and is directly related to your situation. I would bring this up to the General Manager and Corporate.
I feel your frustration in your post and will recommend a deep breathe and stay calm. Remember the saying, You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. I always like when talking to the Service Manager or General Manger switch roles. Mr. Johnson you just spent $$$$$$ on this NX and the above problems are now on your purchase. How would you like it and how would you handle it.
Good luck and keep us posted.
I'll pester them again about the brake pedal at my 5,000 mile service. I'm hoping the grinding will work itself out eventually.
09-26-17, 12:49 PM
#10
Interesting post, and interesting responses.
1) I'm 100% sure that all Lexus dealers are not the same, but we have 2 in my area and they are both less than stellar. It sounds like yours might be, too. They're no different than a volume Ford dealer. I would have left the first time he tried to inflate the price. I HATE the slimy sales games, and refuse to play them.
2) Contrary to what no1SomeGuy (clearly an expert) says, I've never NOT driven the specific car I was buying. EVER. My problem is that I would prefer not to.
3) Make them fix the brake pedal. I have never been to a Lexus dealer for a warranty issue that was fixed on the first trip. Between this for warranty issues and price gouging when you have to pay for anything (price out a map update for your Nav some time!!!), it's enough to drive you away from Lexus. Ask the service manager to demonstrate the same issue in a similar car if it's normal. What if he's right?
4) This could be OK. Brake rotors sometimes get a coating of surface rust over night, and the brake pads might need to be broken loose of the rust. I have also read on this forum, that the calipers actually might move back and forth a little. That seems odd, but it is here on the forum. Do a search on brake noises.
5) No ideas on this one. They would have to convince me this is normal, and I would be skeptical.
6) The mirrors do feel a bit flimsy to me, too. But they should remain steady. Make them fix it.
7) There are a lot of comments on this forum about the rattle in the B post from the seatbelt. Some have come up with solutions. Mine has never had any rattles. Another forum search for you
1) I'm 100% sure that all Lexus dealers are not the same, but we have 2 in my area and they are both less than stellar. It sounds like yours might be, too. They're no different than a volume Ford dealer. I would have left the first time he tried to inflate the price. I HATE the slimy sales games, and refuse to play them.
2) Contrary to what no1SomeGuy (clearly an expert) says, I've never NOT driven the specific car I was buying. EVER. My problem is that I would prefer not to.
3) Make them fix the brake pedal. I have never been to a Lexus dealer for a warranty issue that was fixed on the first trip. Between this for warranty issues and price gouging when you have to pay for anything (price out a map update for your Nav some time!!!), it's enough to drive you away from Lexus. Ask the service manager to demonstrate the same issue in a similar car if it's normal. What if he's right?
4) This could be OK. Brake rotors sometimes get a coating of surface rust over night, and the brake pads might need to be broken loose of the rust. I have also read on this forum, that the calipers actually might move back and forth a little. That seems odd, but it is here on the forum. Do a search on brake noises.
5) No ideas on this one. They would have to convince me this is normal, and I would be skeptical.
6) The mirrors do feel a bit flimsy to me, too. But they should remain steady. Make them fix it.
7) There are a lot of comments on this forum about the rattle in the B post from the seatbelt. Some have come up with solutions. Mine has never had any rattles. Another forum search for you
Last edited by User 41924; 09-26-17 at 01:01 PM.
09-26-17, 01:19 PM
#11
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thanks Woodrow! Great suggestions, I'll definitely try having them go with me in a similar vehicle to show me the "like that by design" issue is not present in any other vehicle. It was not present in the one I drove before I purchased and it wasn't present in the courtesy car they gave me that was the same.
I saw a response earlier that the popping in the front end could have something to do with the ABS system and is normal. If that is the case then I'm 100% on board with that. Not that I agree with it, but I'll accept it.
The mirrors are definitely flimsy. You can hear them rattling around every time I shut the door. I don't know how to explain it, but when I would close the door on my Acura and even when I close the door on my Grandpa's GX, they shut very sound and no rattles. I haven't tested with another NX yet and honestly I didn't pay attention during the test drive as to whether or not that one had mirrors that vibrated. I've yet to determine if the vibrating in the side mirror is from the mirror itself of the mirror housing since that's the part that rattles when I close the door.
I did adjust my seatbelt to a lower position and that seems to have stopped that noise. I'm going to ride this out until my 5k service and see what I can get them to do then.
I saw a response earlier that the popping in the front end could have something to do with the ABS system and is normal. If that is the case then I'm 100% on board with that. Not that I agree with it, but I'll accept it.
The mirrors are definitely flimsy. You can hear them rattling around every time I shut the door. I don't know how to explain it, but when I would close the door on my Acura and even when I close the door on my Grandpa's GX, they shut very sound and no rattles. I haven't tested with another NX yet and honestly I didn't pay attention during the test drive as to whether or not that one had mirrors that vibrated. I've yet to determine if the vibrating in the side mirror is from the mirror itself of the mirror housing since that's the part that rattles when I close the door.
I did adjust my seatbelt to a lower position and that seems to have stopped that noise. I'm going to ride this out until my 5k service and see what I can get them to do then.
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