Lexus service v Porsche service

[Nick W858]

First chance to compare the two brands after taking the 911 in for a check on an oil leak that was identified at the warranty inspection Dec 2017 before I bought the car. Idea was to wait three months /500 miles after the test in Dec then they would know what it was and would fix it (under warranty). The booking process felt like a bit of an interrogation, insinuating that the warranty may not have been transferable if I hadpurchased from a trader - this was not the case as to was private sale and I registered everything with Porsche correctly. Then there was the matter of the £10 cost to cover insurance on the courtesy car plus 15p per mile fuel charge. - no big deal but I have never paid anything at Lexus. Then I was told there would be a full inspectionof the bodywork of my car and the courtesy car to check for damage etc before the swap - again no big deal but have never felt the need to do is at Lexus but I understand it's probably best thing to do. Staff at dealership were ok but not overly friendly, again perhaps  because I'm new at the dealers it wil feel different to Lexus Hul whom I have used for years, what I notice in Lexus dealers is that all staff happy to smile, acknowledge you etc, in Porsche nobody did! Then I was told that they would not review and repair the 911 this time but again they needed to coat the engine and gearbox in some special liquid and then I would have to return again in three months /500 miles - I was annoyed this would involve more inconvenience to me. 

On the plus side the 67 plate Cayenne v8 4.2 diesel was epic, almost 400bhp and 627lb of torque, amazing performance, handling, noise and economy. End of day one 515 I missed call from the dealer but the voicemail said here till 6pm and I dialled 545 but service manager was not available to take the call. I was working today (day two) in meetings until 1pm with no ability to take calls. At 1pm I had 5 voicemails from the service manager all saying call me urgently etc, also had emails and texts too, I thought my car must have exploded or been stolen! I called the dealer but despite the urgency he was not available, I rang again until I got hold of him and asked what the urgency was and explained that if he had taken or returned my call last night then we could have discussed whatever the issue was. Turns out my 911 is fine other than I need to take it back in 500 miles but they really needed my loan car back ASAP as they had mistakenly given me a car that another dealer needed to show a customer. Bit of an issue as I was up in Newcastle and the car was at the train station in Nottinghamshire - they said they would meet me at the station on car park to swap then later that changed to they would come to my house which they did at 730pm.

To top it all, when I got the torch out to look round my car (it was dark)I found four or five new clusters of small scratches on various parts of the bodywork that were not there when I left the car, the service manager said the technicians are not allowed zips on their overalls but the marks look like they are from finger nails or jewellery/tools etc and again I have never felt the need to check round my car at Lexus and I am not OCD about my cars generally but the 911 is black, I clean it every week and it was immaculate three months ago when I bought it and I know every mark on the bodywork and when the service manager checked it over when I took it in, he admitted it was spotless.

The service manager took some photos and said they would machine polish the car when it goes in next but the whole experience has left me a little disillusioned to say the least. As I said perhaps I am biased or perhaps it is because I have been spoilt at Lexus but I am really not impressed.

Sad as it sounds, despite the brilliant courtesy car, I would take the Ct200 along with the great service every day of the week!

[JonP]

sorry to hear that, it does sound like a rather disappointing experience. I did look at a diesel cayenne myself before i bought the ISF, but they offered a really bad trade in/cost to change so i ended up at Lexus, happy days...

[emjay82]

Sounds like a circus at that Porsche dealership. I do believe it's luck of the draw, I've had some fantastic but also some poor experiences with Lexus dealerships. I think it all depends how they are individually run, sounds like you've got a great one in Lexus Hull. 

[DAW]

Sounds more like the service I used to receive from BMW. Pretty disappointing to hear that Porsche can also treat you like that as well.

[Big Rat]

Sorry to hear all those probs Nick I’d firstly say that over the years the 6 Porsche I’ve had all came from main dealers who were mainly awful, except Porsche Bournemouth.

Id never go back to the marque anyway my experience is that I didn’t matter how much you spent or how often you changed dealers I just found them a bunch of disinterested liars.

Find yourself a good Porsche Indy plenty about....... or buy another Lexus .......

Big Rat

[Flytvr]

11 hours ago, emjay82 said:

Sounds like a circus at that Porsche dealership. I do believe it's luck of the draw, I've had some fantastic but also some poor experiences with Lexus dealerships. I think it all depends how they are individually run, sounds like you've got a great one in Lexus Hull. 

Exactly this -

Lexus Bristol and Lexus Stoke - dreadful

Lexus Cheltenham - Excellent.

Hope the 911 gets sorted. Great cars 

[emjay82]

2 hours ago, Flytvr said:

Exactly this -

Lexus Bristol and Lexus Stoke - dreadful

Lexus Cheltenham - Excellent.

Hope the 911 gets sorted. Great cars 

Based on recent experience.... Add Lexus Derby to the dreadful list. 

Lexus Carlisle - superb. 10/10.

[Normski]

Wow. I've always had FANTASTIC service from Lexus Derby!

 

@Nick W858 Have you tried the OPC at Leicester? I always took my Cayenne there and they were amazing.

[mrfunex]

Porsche Portsmouth were *ok*... I never had a service there, but popped in for parts from time to time...

 

...actually, all the time, come to think of it! It was a pretty ferocious upkeep/maintenance schedule! 

[Nick W858]

11 hours ago, Normski said:

Wow. I've always had FANTASTIC service from Lexus Derby!

 

@Nick W858 Have you tried the OPC at Leicester? I always took my Cayenne there and they were amazing.

By coincidence, bumped into the colleague in London today who lent me her 911 last summer for two weeks. She purchased and uses (or used to use) the Leicester OPC but after a ton of issues with the car and the dealer she’s given up on them. My nearest dealer is Nottingham but I have only heard bad things about them too. Nearest Indy is Zentrum who I have heard good things about but while under warranty I have to use OPC and I don’t really want to run the car outside of the warranty. 

[Jon_B]

On 21/03/2018 at 9:27 PM, Flytvr said:

Exactly this -

Lexus Bristol and Lexus Stoke - dreadful

Lexus Cheltenham - Excellent.

Hope the 911 gets sorted. Great cars 

I have been very pleased with the service I have received from Lexus Swindon.  Rob has been excellent.  Highly recommended :-)  

[Nick W858]

Thanks guys, obviously there are bigger problems in the world to worry about but I am just a bit sad to find what I was expecting really, from previous forums I have read info on it does seem like there are very few dealers that are really rated and non are near me, as its under warranty I have to use the OPC. I was never really planning to keep the car long term and I have even less desire to now although that Cayenne was seriously tempting. The other thing I am reflecting on is that outside of usual service, my Lexus cars have not required any additional visits to the garage,  at the next check up the 911 will have been in three times in 5 months although that's partly down to the ineptness of the dealer. I have been lucky with Lexus Hull and it's obviously a better feeling when you have established a relationship. To put a film/tv analogy on the experience, if walking into Lexus Hull is like stepping into Cheers bar, the Porsche dealership was more like the scene in American Werewolf in London when the guys walk into the pub in the middle of Dartmoor!

I'm sure once they sort the car out and the sun is shining I will probably feel a bit different.

[JonP]

On 22/03/2018 at 5:26 AM, Normski said:

Wow. I've always had FANTASTIC service from Lexus Derby!

 

@Nick W858 Have you tried the OPC at Leicester? I always took my Cayenne there and they were amazing.

I bought my F from Lexus Derby, only visited them once, but the experience with them was very good...

[Jgtcracer]

7 hours ago, Nick W858 said:

Thanks guys, obviously there are bigger problems in the world to worry about but I am just a bit sad to find what I was expecting really, from previous forums I have read info on it does seem like there are very few dealers that are really rated and non are near me, as its under warranty I have to use the OPC. I was never really planning to keep the car long term and I have even less desire to now although that Cayenne was seriously tempting. The other thing I am reflecting on is that outside of usual service, my Lexus cars have not required any additional visits to the garage,  at the next check up the 911 will have been in three times in 5 months although that's partly down to the ineptness of the dealer. I have been lucky with Lexus Hull and it's obviously a better feeling when you have established a relationship. To put a film/tv analogy on the experience, if walking into Lexus Hull is like stepping into Cheers bar, the Porsche dealership was more like the scene in American Werewolf in London when the guys walk into the pub in the middle of Dartmoor!

I'm sure once they sort the car out and the sun is shining I will probably feel a bit different.

Would you consider coming back to Lexus in that case??

[Nick W858]

Oh yes that was always in the plan unless Porsche wowed me which so far they have not, I haven't really left Lexus anyway other than losing the ISF, still have the trusty old LS400 and the Rx450h, was always planning to come back with another ISF although it looks like it might have to be RCF looking at all the other members that have made the switch!

[Jgtcracer]

20 minutes ago, Nick W858 said:

Oh yes that was always in the plan unless Porsche wowed me which so far they have not, I haven't really left Lexus anyway other than losing the ISF, still have the trusty old LS400 and the Rx450h, was always planning to come back with another ISF although it looks like it might have to be RCF looking at all the other members that have made the switch!

The RCF is getting a little common around here now, perhaps you should stick with the ISF.

Better long term investment!!ha

[rayaans]

Doesn't surprise me

Whole VAG group is like that TBH. Of course, you would probably expect more with Porsche than VW for example but my son's Golf had a ABS brake pressure sensor failure. These were recalled and the VIN was in the middle of the ones that VOSA gave as having a problem. Well, for some reason, VW said it didn't have the issue (yeah well why has it got the issue then?!) and wanted £600 to fix + diagnostic charge.

Got my indie to do it for £100 labour and supplied him with a reconditioned part for £200. 

[Flytvr]

On 23/03/2018 at 8:27 AM, Jon_B said:

I have been very pleased with the service I have received from Lexus Swindon.  Rob has been excellent.  Highly recommended :-)  

Their best technician was poached by Cheltenham 

I always felt Swindon were a little lacking experience in the F department.

[Steviebee]

I've used both Porsche Edinburgh & Glasgow to look after my GT3 over the past 8 years and the service has been up and down. Routine service work - fine. Warranty work - not so fine. I fought with Glasgow for almost a year to replace the front shocks due to knocking. They changed everything else on the front of the car, but the noise persisted, in the end, they finally changed the struts, hey presto - cured. Toward to the end of warranty (paid extended warranty c. 1300/yr) I had noises from the rear suspension which they were absolutely useless. At one point I was told, it was an old car and to expect noises!!! 

Lexus have over filled my ISF twice now with oil which is just school boy stuff. 

Tbh, I've yet to find a Main Dealer whos really worth the money. The annoying thing is, its needed to retain the value and above all, make the car easier to sell on come end of ownership. 

A good trusted specialist blows the socks of a MD in both quality of workmanship and cost, but selling the car with 'FMDSH' is always easier than 'Specialist' history. Go figure!!

Stevie

[Jon_B]

10 hours ago, Flytvr said:

Their best technician was poached by Cheltenham 

I always felt Swindon were a little lacking experience in the F department.

@Flytvr I guess it’s early days but so far sales have been very obliging.