I read this recently.....

[royoftherovers]

...In another Forum and I felt that I could identify immediately with its contents.

What do others think ?

"I used to take my 07 Prius to a local main dealer for all servicing and repairs on the basis that despite the expense they had the expertise. However, at recent visits it became clear they weren't interested any more, and kept taking me to the showroom! On my last service visit they went one step further and told me it was "likely" that my car's head gasket had gone but that I could trade it in for a new car and I would get a good price for it. I then underwent a sales chat for around 10 minutes on the benefits of the new car. The hybrid check sheet was clearly nonsense and I smelt a rat. That was at 200,000 miles. It now has 270,000 miles on the clock and needles to say no problems at all with the head gasket or loss of coolant. I now take it to an independent in Huddersfield as I can't find any hybrid capable independents in Leeds where I live.
My own experience of the motor trade across the board is that they are very untrustworthy to put it mildly, and take full advantage where they can of their technical knowledge and the supposed lack of the same of their customers. Strangely the independent garage prices aren't all that much different to the dealer's, and in a lot of cases they are more expensive."

[Herbie]

38 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Strangely the independent garage prices aren't all that much different to the dealer's, and in a lot of cases they are more expensive."

I don't know where that bloke is taking his car but Lexus labour charges are about £135+VAT per hour, whereas the local garages around here are considered expensive if they're £60 per hour.

[royoftherovers]

4 minutes ago, Herbie said:

I don't know where that bloke is taking his car but Lexus labour charges are about £135+VAT per hour, whereas the local garages around here are considered expensive if they're £60 per hour.

No names and no pack drill !!

 

Up there in the frozen norf, have you heard that Mafeking has been relieved Herb ?

[Malc]

Prius

when I was in one, a taxi last June (2019 ) in the City ( of London ) I was so so impressed ...........  all black leather, comfy and masses of room where I was sat in the rear that if my Ls400 was ever to depart this life I would seriously consider one such as this

I'm reading that they regularly cover 700,000k miles without too many issues

Malc

[royoftherovers]

19 minutes ago, Herbie said:

I don't know where that bloke is taking his car but Lexus labour charges are about £135+VAT per hour, whereas the local garages around here are considered expensive if they're £60 per hour.

All I know that he is across the Border from you Herbie---in Yorkshire.

[Herbie]

28 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

All I know that he is across the Border from you Herbie---in Yorkshire.

Ah, the wasteland beyond the Pennines eh

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, royoftherovers said:

Up there in the frozen norf, have you heard that Mafeking has been relieved Herb ?

Relieved? I didn't even know he'd been stressed about anything John 

[paulrnx]

I’ve been feeling for a while that service has deteriorated from Lexus dealers and that sales are more important. I understand why sales are important but I always felt that customer service was spot on however I’ve recently experienced poor service. My plan is to get my next service at Lexus and then all further ones from an independent. That said, I will also get an annual hybrid health check so will need to do the numbers given you get that free with Lexus services. Guess I could stretch the hybrid check to every 18 months or so. Have to find an independent I can trust too - think there might be one in Kiddlington over towards Oxford which isn’t too far away. What concerns me more about my local dealership - Cheltenham - is that there isn’t enough parking space and cars are being finished and then left out on the road having been bumped up the kerb onto the path to leave space in the road for passing HGVs. Trying to con people that their cars are faulty or are about to fail so that they buy a new one is poor form.

[Bluesman]

Always get great service from Lexus Reading. Always polite and get back to you when you ring them and cant get hold of whoever it is you need to talk to.

[paulrnx]

I guess times are hard for dealers at the moment with the drop in car sales and I suppose some will try to generate sales by being less than economical with the truth re repairs and the like.

[royoftherovers]

4 minutes ago, paulrnx said:

I guess times are hard for dealers at the moment with the drop in car sales and I suppose some will try to generate sales by being less than economical with the truth re repairs and the like.

Been like that since Adam was a lad Paul.

[EvilRacer329]

I've heard of that sort of behaviour from unscrupulous mechanics of every stripe, but smart showroom managers know it's a false economy. Eventually enough tech-savvy customers blow them off and word gets out about the game that they're playing. A damaged reputation is difficult to shake.

I bought my Lexus practically on the strength of the after-sales experience. If Lexus de-prioritises that, or allows their franchised dealers to do so, then it would be a mistake that would cost them at least one customer.

Nick

[royoftherovers]

Not everyone is as savvy as you Nick.

Until recently Sales people could transfer easily from one marque to another. It is becoming very difficult for them now and in my book "once a crook,always a crook."