Lexus Dealership experiences

[Phil Catterall]

Although my profile says I own a 2020 Lexus NX 300H I'm a fraud - I don't - however I hope to be owning one by the end of this month having just sold my 4.5 year old Skoda Octavia Scout today to a butcher from Lancashire! 

I was wondering if any Forum members could offer me their experiences on dealing with Lexus car dealerships? The nearest to me in North Yorkshire are Teesside, Hull, Leeds and Sheffield.  I intend to buy without finance or a leasing plan a one year old 2020 reg Premier Sport Edition for between £30-£34K.  It must have done less than 10K miles.

As part of the deal I would hope to negotiate a Lexus towbar (Yes, I know no one else makes them, they are costly - £1000 seems to be the normal after fitment charge).  The vehicle would have to have had its first 12 month service and ideally, part of the deal would be a 2 year Lexus service plan to match in with the cars 3 year warranty. 

The favoured colour is Mesa Red - there are none in Yorkshire it seems, but there are a few blue ones in my price range.  Trouble is that was my last car's colour and I would like a change.

Are any members aware if dealerships colour swap used cars due to customers preference and move them around the country free of charge?

There are Mesa Red Premier Sport models on the Lexus website and on Autotrader in Cheltenham, Croydon and Cambridge it seems.  I'll be talking money to dealers this week so the benefit of other Lexus NX enthusiasts experiences would be of great interest.

I've never driven a Lexus or a CVT car but I believe my driving style at 68 years of age will be suited to a Hybrid CVT. 

What say anybody? Thank you for reading....

Phil, North Yorkshire

[Herbie]

Lexus Teeside are excellent in every way.

We live in Preston, Lancashire, but Teeside was the dealership where the car was advertised, so off we went in the RX300 and left Teeside in our RX450h later that day.

Now that Preston have their own dealership I've just taken out an extended warranty and service plan with them, so I'm still to learn how they'll shape up against Teeside.

[Phil Catterall]

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

Lexus Teeside are excellent in every way.

We live in Preston, Lancashire, but Teeside was the dealership where the car was advertised, so off we went in the RX300 and left Teeside in our RX450h later that day.

Now that Preston have their own dealership I've just taken out an extended warranty and service plan with them, so I'm still to learn how they'll shape up against Teeside.

Thanks for the info Herbie. I was born in Preston, domiciled in Yorkshire since 1993. I have two brothers living near Chorley. I will take a look at what Lexus Preston have in stock.  Garage very close to where I worked from 1975 until 1990 when a better job took me down south.  Last time I checked Preston had no used Premier Sport Edition models on sale.  That variant only became available in early 2020 I believe to get around the governments expensive car tax rules for cars costing more than £40k or for a hybrid producing above a certain level of co2 emissions.

The extended warranted for a 3 years car taking it to 5 years cover looks excellent value for money to me, good decision I would say. 

Cheers Phil

[Ken R]

Phil, excellent choice of vehicle - I am sure you will enjoy your NX and the whole Lexus experience. I certainly have and continue to do so. If the dealerships close to you are as good as Lexus Edinburgh then you can look forward to outstanding customer service. 

[Phil Catterall]

8 minutes ago, Ken R said:

Phil, excellent choice of vehicle - I am sure you will enjoy your NX and the whole Lexus experience. I certainly have and continue to do so. If the dealerships close to you are as good as Lexus Edinburgh then you can look forward to outstanding customer service. 

Thanks Ken. I missed a well priced 3000 miler. This was blue 20 plate Premier Sport demonstrator at Edinburgh last month could move on it as  I needed the money from the old car to bridge the gap and don;t want 3 motors clogging up my driveway. Now I'm there and sold I can look for the right car.  If Edinburgh got a Mesa Red in I would talk turkey as I usually travel to buy the car I want. It means jumping a train admittedly - not done since March 2020 in these Covid times. However I've had my jab 4 weeks since and once restrictions ease what's to stop me? 

All the best

Phil 

[Herbie]

48 minutes ago, Phil Catterall said:

Thanks for the info Herbie. I was born in Preston, domiciled in Yorkshire since 1993. I have two brothers living near Chorley

Not by any chance a relative of Steve Catterall, ex-BT/CWU are you Phil?

[Martin J]

Phil, sure you won't regret buying an NX. Still delighted with mine 5.5 years in. I purchased it from Lexus Sheffield, where the after-sales experience has been consistently excellent. Can't comment on the cash: they didn't push the boat out when I bought mine, but the NX was recently launched and there were long waiting lists, so discounts were non-existent. But, if they're reading this, I'm confident I'll get a great trade in against the 2022 model next year.  Good luck!

[paulrnx]

Dealers will move cars round but generally only amongst dealerships in the same parent company/group. They won’t move them between dealerships in different groups. By group, I mean Motorline, Lister, Inchcape, etc.

[Phil Catterall]

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

Not by any chance a relative of Steve Catterall, ex-BT/CWU are you Phil?

NO relation Herbie. Brothers are Chris and Andy and they live in Chorley / Exuxton area.

Cheers Phil

[Phil Catterall]

1 hour ago, Martin J said:

Phil, sure you won't regret buying an NX. Still delighted with mine 5.5 years in. I purchased it from Lexus Sheffield, where the after-sales experience has been consistently excellent. Can't comment on the cash: they didn't push the boat out when I bought mine, but the NX was recently launched and there were long waiting lists, so discounts were non-existent. But, if they're reading this, I'm confident I'll get a great trade in against the 2022 model next year.  Good luck!

Great to hear from you Martin!  Sheffield have a fair sized stock - probably more in my line than all the other dealerships explored in "the virtual world" of the internet.  I believe it unlikely I can afford the new 2022 model when it appears, and a used example would take too long to wait for, so I'm going for tried and tested as demonstrated by you guys on the Forum since I registered a couple of months ago. Its been good reading.

I considered several marques - tend to change the main car before it gets to 5 year old, but this time fancied going hybrid CVT as I like the tech. Couldn't see the point of buying the latest RAV4 when I could have the luxury of the Lexus NX for similar money, so I have decided to shoulder the extra expense on fuel and running costs by plumping for the NX.

Best wishes

Phil 

[Phil Catterall]

1 hour ago, paulrnx said:

Dealers will move cars round but generally only amongst dealerships in the same parent company/group. They won’t move them between dealerships in different groups. By group, I mean Motorline, Lister, Inchcape, etc.

Thanks the info Paul, good to know.

Best wishes Phil

[First_Lexus]

10 hours ago, Ken R said:

Phil, excellent choice of vehicle - I am sure you will enjoy your NX and the whole Lexus experience. I certainly have and continue to do so. If the dealerships close to you are as good as Lexus Edinburgh then you can look forward to outstanding customer service. 

^^ Same here. Lexus has been a very impressive ownership experience, and Swindon have always been very attentive. The car - mine is Mesa Red btw - also fantastic. At almost three years old now I’ll be keeping it for a while yet!

@Phil CatterallI’m sure you have, but check out CarWow for deals. With my NX coming up to three years I checked what was available before deciding to keep it. Lots of Lexus dealers offering 16% discount on brand new...

[Phil Catterall]

14 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

^^ Same here. Lexus has been a very impressive ownership experience, and Swindon have always been very attentive. The car - mine is Mesa Red btw - also fantastic. At almost three years old now I’ll be keeping it for a while yet!

@Phil CatterallI’m sure you have, but check out CarWow for deals. With my NX coming up to three years I checked what was available before deciding to keep it. Lots of Lexus dealers offering 16% discount on brand new...

Thanks @First_Lexus but too late for CarWow now...  Sorted I hope for the next 5 years at least! 

I chased down a lovely 6000 mile Mesa Red 2020 NX Premium Sport today at Steven Engell, Lexus Cambridge dealership. I got a good deal with a modest discount for cash. The car has already been fitted with the removable towbar for my bike carrier so that's saving me £££s. So lucky! 

Pleased to be joining the "Lexus Family" when I pick the car up on April 1st. Fear you'll be hearing a little more from me when I get to drive the car back to North Yorkshire.  Best get my train ticket booked and mask ready...

I'll start another thread - looking for information on the immobiliser and alarm for insurance quotes. 

Cheers

Phil  

[paulrnx]

10 hours ago, Phil Catterall said:

Thanks @First_Lexus but too late for CarWow now...  Sorted I hope for the next 5 years at least! 

I chased down a lovely 6000 mile Mesa Red 2020 NX Premium Sport today at Steven Engell, Lexus Cambridge dealership. I got a good deal with a modest discount for cash. The car has already been fitted with the removable towbar for my bike carrier so that's saving me £££s. So lucky! 

Pleased to be joining the "Lexus Family" when I pick the car up on April 1st. Fear you'll be hearing a little more from me when I get to drive the car back to North Yorkshire.  Best get my train ticket booked and mask ready...

I'll start another thread - looking for information on the immobiliser and alarm for insurance quotes. 

Cheers

Phil  

Glad you’ve found a car 👍

If buying remotely it’s always a good idea to have it confirmed in writing whether there are any scuffs, scrapes or dents/dings on the car. Also any damage to wheels. Also any damage to the interior. I always like to get confirmation of the tyre type (to ensure a matched set) and condition.

You should be fine because of the age and mileage but it is a used car and not a brand new car so always worth checking.

Good luck with the purchase and handover. 1st April is a long wait mind. Thought you might have got it earlier than that. I thought collecting a car was classed as an essential journey, might be wrong though 😀

Look forward to hearing all about the car.

I’d recommend that you drive one beforehand if you can to check you’ll be ok with the power delivery. If you’ve been used to modern turbo diesels or petrol turbos you’ll find an NX is different. Awesome refinement and very comfortable but they are different.

[Phil Catterall]

Thanks for all those tips Paul - noted. Recorded the conversations I have had with the dealership and viewed a 5 minute video presentation and some still photos. Never 100% sure all will be OK on a blind "click and collect" purchase paid for two days in advance, which is the practice at present in all the dealerships, however I have assurances if I am not happy on the day when checking the car or when I get the car home, a full refund will be given.  It was my choice to hold the settlement and collection day up, as it will be within the restrictions to travel then and I also get a fresh months road tax starting 01/04/2021.  I stick to the rules - the car won't be used for work as I am retired.

Lexus Insurance cannot get near my quote for fully comp cover with NCD protection with LV using my Boundless discount - quoted at £256 with NCD protection, courtesy car and total excess of £150. 

Best wishes 

Phil

[paulrnx]

12 minutes ago, Phil Catterall said:

Thanks for all those tips Paul - noted. Recorded the conversations I have had with the dealership and viewed a 5 minute video presentation and some still photos. Never 100% sure all will be OK on a blind "click and collect" purchase paid for two days in advance, which is the practice at present in all the dealerships, however I have assurances if I am not happy on the day when checking the car or when I get the car home, a full refund will be given.  It was my choice to hold the settlement and collection day up, as it will be within the restrictions to travel then and I also get a fresh months road tax starting 01/04/2021.  I stick to the rules - the car won't be used for work as I am retired.

Lexus Insurance cannot get near my quote for fully comp cover with NCD protection with LV using my Boundless discount - quoted at £256 with NCD protection, courtesy car and total excess of £150. 

Best wishes 

Phil

Great stuff Phil. Sounds like a great car. I look forward to hearing all about it. Hope the collection goes well. Still quite a few sleeps to go! 😀

[Alan305]

Another plus for the Sheffield service team. During a service there they ordered the wrong steering wheel motor for my LS430. When they realised the mistake they found the right one in Lexus Cambridge and got them to taxi it to Sheffield to fix my car within the day. Brilliant.