How well do you rate your Lexus dealer?

[Big Rat]

I agree with @emjay82 that the franchises don't really have the quality of the product, to be frank the polished smiles, polished floors and pastries are all very well but it is us that pays for this stuff and we would all probably forsake this for better consistent service.

As regards product knowledge the fact is these places have huge turnover of sales people it's just a job to them, which is unfortunate to those other members of staff who are committed.

Personally I'm someone who is prepared to travel a bit for service and be firm fair and polite as to what I want and how I want it to be, there's enough of them about whether your car is under warranty or not, ah the joys of motoring 😂

🐀

[JonP]

I've only ever used Lexus Guildford, though that will change shortly. So far they have been very good and willing to discount their servicing costs. Their service team seems to know a lot about the car and appears to have good continuity of staff - I keep seeing the same people when I go in there. As well as giving me have an RC-F as a courtesy car........ So no complaints with them at all.

Not so keen on the sales team though, bought my F from Lexus Derby, they were much more willing to do a decent deal than Guildford, though that may be the location as I've seen a similar unwillingness to move on price at other main dealers in the area. Maybe there are too many people willing to pay the asking price in that part of Surrey.

[Grey One]

Just adding to this, Lexus Twickenham has a two site model where the showroom is five mins drive from the workshops, so you have a song and dance about dropping the car off and long wait times for it to be delivered driven back for pick-up.  I rate their mechanical workshop skills but I find the sales service staff quite snooty.  It's the kind of place where having a passion for your car and an interest in how it is serviced is frowned upon.  That being said, they get the job done and seem to do it well, but I'd rather just drop it off and wait at the workshop that going via the showroom for everything...

[Mark G]

I have dealt with 3 Lexus dealers, Bolton, Cardiff and Swindon, all very nice and shiny etc but when it comes down to it they are a business just like the rest of them, they need to make money out of us, I quite like the coffee and pastries approach, when I get tired of paying for it I will take my business elsewhere. Lexus Bolton realy have gone the extra mile for me in the past, really impressive.

As for an independent, go and speak to Neil Garner at Neil Garner Motorsport, Kemble, great guy and really knows his stuff, he was Fernando Alonsos race engineer when he won his world title.

[emjay82]

Very true @Mark G, it's just a business, I'm sure alot of these sales folk and engineers have gone from ford to BMW, Toyota etc, etc. Some brands have married the product and service but it's quite rare. I will be cancelling my 2nd year service plan and will shop around when the next major service is due in Feb 2018. 

[Big Rat]

I was offered the service plan when I bought mine, didn't take did the maths and at that time just not worth it I negotiate better prices as and when needed.

Spark plugs for instance cost me supply and fit with the vat fraction over £200.00.

Took the 3 year warranty though 👍

Big Rat

 

[Flytvr]

53 minutes ago, Mark G said:

As for an independent, go and speak to Neil Garner at Neil Garner Motorsport, Kemble, great guy and really knows his stuff, he was Fernando Alonsos race engineer when he won his world title.

Hmmmmmmm

[emjay82]

With all my previous cars I have used my trusted independent and will use him for all the consumables but I feel as though the ISF needs a Lexus service stamp, otherwise it will be less desirable when sold. 

[steveledzep]

I agree.......I maintain a Lexus stamp because I have the extended warranty and it can't do any harm when it comes to resale time.  Discs and pads would be done locally though.

[Dar]

I've only used Lexus Edgware road and Lexus Croydon (part of the same group) - and though their service levels have been really good over the years, I believe that there are signs that the service quality is dropping...I suspect that may have to do with the brand becoming more popular with record sales?? The service guys are getting way complacent and don't know the product (V8 ISF) well enough! My dash cam was switched off the last time round and I wasn't happy!! 
I always take photos of my wheels, mileage and body work before I hand over my keys. Their service section is a few hundred yards away so unfortunately, they have to take it on the public road to get there...Grrrrr!!! Took a service plan with them for the ease  and the stamps (also laziness) but I get brakes etc done at an independent garage and the charges are more reasonable.

[DAW]

I have always made a note of the mileage, but I now photograph it (inc the dealership) once I have arrived in the customer parking area at Woodford. The reason being, that when I had the fan recall work done, it happen to coincided with the arrival of the 1st RCF at the dealership. Their workshop is also a second site very close to the showroom so has to be driven too, but should only resulted in the car being returned with a maximum of 1 mile added.  When I picked the car up it had a lot more than that. I spoke to the service department and they sent me photos of the mechanics log in sheet, which had been over written & was magically a mile lower than the mileage when I picked the car up!!.  I think it was probably just too much of a temptation given the arrival of the RCF and was taken out for a comparison drive.

Its a shame because I'd hoped Lexus dealers might be better than that. Trouble is I now can't help wonder how well the car is being looked after. The car is due its big 6 yr service in August but has only done 11.5k miles - will the plugs actually be replaced etc??

[Big Rat]

@DAW David 

Can I say first despite the mileage 6 years for spark plugs is long enough in my opinion I don't care what quality they are, and to be frank no matter what anybody else   Says if I was you get them changed.

When I bought mine it was 7 years old they were the originals had them done immediately.

Others may offer different advice, it's not there car and if there is a problem you could be in a whole world of S...

Have a peek on my post a few above I do broadly the same as you.

🐀

 

[emjay82]

Hearing all these different experiences is really disappointing....... The engineers seem to be allowed to do whatever the hell they like, including taking customers car for a 'test drive'. 

[DAW]

31 minutes ago, Big Rat said:

@DAW David 

Can I say first despite the mileage 6 years for spark plugs is long enough in my opinion I don't care what quality they are, and to be frank no matter what anybody else   Says if I was you get them changed.

When I bought mine it was 7 years old they were the originals had them done immediately.

Others may offer different advice, it's not there car and if there is a problem you could be in a whole world of S...

Have a peek on my post a few above I do broadly the same as you.

🐀

 

Hi Paul

I absolutely agree with you. I may be being overly pessimistic about the dealer - I'm just hoping they do replace them, especially as I've paid for them to be replaced as part of my service plan!!  This is the problem when you have issues with dealers like I have described above. You can't help but question how trustworthy they really are!!

Sorry I should have quoted you as it was your remarks that made me post the above. I'm a relative novice to this as this is the 1st forum I've ever been involved in. In fact I've only realised recently that I have not been clicking to show when I like something etc.

8 minutes ago, emjay82 said:

Hearing all these different experiences is really disappointing....... The engineers seem to be allowed to do whatever the hell they like, including taking customers car for a 'test drive'. 

Hi Mark

If I had to put money on it, I suspect it was the sales team and to be fair to the service department they outwardly appeared to take my complaint very seriously. But without the photograph of my mileage I couldn't prove it, which is why I now keep photos from every visit to them. Its a shame!!

[Fatts]

Lexus Hatfield are brilliant, friendly but are often very busy as they are the only one in Hertfordshire 

[DAW]

9 minutes ago, Fatts said:

Lexus Hatfield are brilliant, friendly but are often very busy as they are the only one in Hertfordshire 

If I have any other issues I might consider them as an alternative if they do servicing at weekends etc. Always helpful to be able to choose based on a recommendation.

I originally considered Hatfield because its a similar distance from home, but chose Woodford as it had the advantage of being easily accessible from London for pick ups after work etc.

[JonP]

A slight diversion, has anyone used any dealers near Reading??

[Big Rat]

1 hour ago, DAW said:

I have always made a note of the mileage, but I now photograph it (inc the dealership) once I have arrived in the customer parking area at Woodford. The reason being, that when I had the fan recall work done, it happen to coincided with the arrival of the 1st RCF at the dealership. Their workshop is also a second site very close to the showroom so has to be driven too, but should only resulted in the car being returned with a maximum of 1 mile added.  When I picked the car up it had a lot more than that. I spoke to the service department and they sent me photos of the mechanics log in sheet, which had been over written & was magically a mile lower than the mileage when I picked the car up!!.  I think it was probably just too much of a temptation given the arrival of the RCF and was taken out for a comparison drive.

Its a shame because I'd hoped Lexus dealers might be better than that. Trouble is I now can't help wonder how well the car is being looked after. The car is due its big 6 yr service in August but has only done 11.5k miles - will the plugs actually be replaced etc??

David

No probs at all happy to help, I had my plugs done last March it was done, at my request simply as I've said on age.

I said could I watch from a safe respectable distance as they don't have a viewing area, all done no probs, just under the hour a little over £200.00.

Big Rat

 

[Big Rat]

8 minutes ago, JonP said:

A slight diversion, has anyone used any dealers near Reading??

Jon 

Swindon Lexus not that further down the M4 corridor.

Big Rat

[CharlieC]

At least you guys have a choice, here in Guernsey only one dealer for Lexus and Toyota.

Last service on my ISF they managed nearly six miles on my car, when asked why just got a red face and "we`ll look into it" never heard anything back.

Thought I`d give them another chance so I took my Hilux in for a service, I was busy at the time and forgot to check the oil and filters after.

Anyway after a while checked all filters and oil, only the air filter had been changed!

Needless to say I will never be going back again.

[steveledzep]

There's only one Lexus dealer here in Wales, a lot larger than Guernsey !  My dealer in Cardiff is 60 miles away from me, next closest is Bristol at 100 miles away !  Not experienced any problems with Cardiff, very happy with how they look after me.

[Fatts]

30 minutes ago, DAW said:

If I have any other issues I might consider them as an alternative if they do servicing at weekends etc. Always helpful to be able to choose based on a recommendation.

I originally considered Hatfield because its a similar distance from home, but chose Woodford as it had the advantage of being easily accessible from London for pick ups after work etc.

They do drop & pick during servicing times i.e. they will drop the courtesy car at your house and pick your car up for service. But you'll need to book like 2 weeks ahead. Their service manager is Dale, and I have been using them since 2008.

[Flytvr]

6 minutes ago, CharlieC said:

At least you guys have a choice, here in Guernsey only one dealer for Lexus and Toyota.

Last service on my ISF they managed nearly six miles on my car, when asked why just got a red face and "we`ll look into it" never heard anything back.

Thought I`d give them another chance so I took my Hilux in for a service, I was busy at the time and forgot to check the oil and filters after.

Anyway after a while checked all filters and oil, only the air filter had been changed!

Needless to say I will never be going back again.

That's awful!!!!

[emjay82]

1 hour ago, JonP said:

A slight diversion, has anyone used any dealers near Reading??

Yep I've used Lexus Reading, it's my nearest dealership....

[JonP]

11 hours ago, emjay82 said:

Yep I've used Lexus Reading, it's my nearest dealership....

How do you rate their servicing?