Should I be charged a loan car charge if I request a courtesy car?

[MrsPauline]

I bought a three year old CT200h last year and it's now due its 4 year service. Just booked it online but Lexus dealership has emailed me telling me there is a loan car charge.

Can someone help me clarify the meaning of a courtesy car - should I be charged for it?

Many thanks in advance 😃

[ColinBarber]

There shouldn't be a charge for the vehicle but most dealers want £15 extra for premium insurance, otherwise there may be a rather large excess which you would be liable for if a claim needed to be made.

[MrsPauline]

Thanks ever so much for that! The dealer actually asked for £15 - wished they had specified this for clarification!

[PRT68]

I paid similar 2 weeks ago at Lexus Coventry. Also replaced the fuel I used in the loan car. 

Being as they are nearly 30 miles away from where I live, I don't think it's unreasonable for the convenience. 

[stormchaser]

I,ve never been charged yet for any loan car from Lexus.No idea why some do and some don,t.

[Shahpor]

I always pay the £15 excess waiver as I believe it is £1000 otherwise if you need to claim!

Paul is also right about the fuel, although they never check the car when I return it.

[JamesIS220]

1 hour ago, Shahpor said:

I always pay the £15 excess waiver as I believe it is £1000 otherwise if you need to claim!

Paul is also right about the fuel, although they never check the car when I return it.

I had a 2020 Yaris petrol as a courtesy car for possible stalling recall on my Auris Hybrid and paid £10 or £15 for the waiver fee. Liked the car for space but not the 1.5. Seemed a bit gutless. Noisy. A yaris hybrid 1.8 would be good or new 2 litre!  Interior use of space was very good. Glad to get my auto hybrid back. I only did 8 miles in it but did put £7 of fuel in as thought only right, as nice to get a courtesy car.

James.👍

[Barry A]

I used to pay for hire car insurance when I had the Volvo in for service - but they were the days that I was working.  Being retired now, I ask the Lexus dealer to collect my car and return it (when carrying out annual MOT and service).

I don't think they usually make a charge for collection and delivery - but I live nearly 60 miles away, so they make a charge of £15 including VAT.  I think that is incredibly cheap given the time involved is in excess of 4 hours!  I can manage without a car for one day.

[Damer]

Never been charged for courtesy car. Just replace the fuel.

 

[Linas.P]

I think this £15 damage waiver "premium insurance" is a new service they offering. There always been £1000 excess on courtesy car, but previously there were no option to waive it. So I guess this service is good thing... 

I happened to have crashed in one of loaners Lexus CTs, it wasn't my fault but usually when it comes to excess it does not matter... however Lexus didn't charge me anything for damages (it was car with 80 miles on the clock! 😪).  

[Shahpor]

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

I think this £15 damage waiver "premium insurance" is a new service they offering. There always been £1000 excess on courtesy car, but previously there were no option to waive it. So I guess this service is good thing... 

Certainly not new in my case.  I have been paying for it for at least the last few years.

[royoftherovers]

35 minutes ago, Shahpor said:

Certainly not new in my case.  I have been paying for it for at least the last few years.

I have never been asked to pay anything.🤣

That may be because of my relationship with Staff at Lexus Chester, or its declared policy re courtesy cars. or poor staff training🤣🤣, or some other substantial reason(s).

I`m not aware of any formal Lexus.U.K. policy on the matter, but believe that the question of whether or not to charge, should be left to the individual Dealership.

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, Shahpor said:

Certainly not new in my case.  I have been paying for it for at least the last few years.

Yes that is last 3 times (in 2 years) I was offered "premium insurance", as well it is £15 per day, not £15 per car (I know because I had NX300h for 4 days). Before they just asked to sign the agreement and sometimes they may or may not pointed out to the excess. Actually, thinking about it, the only time I was told "by the way please note there is excess" was when I test drove LC. But I guess the assumption is that you should read any paper before signing it. 

[LenT]

38 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

But I guess the assumption is that you should read any paper before signing it. 

Excellent point there, Linas.  Something you think would be second nature to anyone in business.  I find it hard to be sympathetic with individuals who complain about poor dealer service, say, only for it to become gradually apparent that they had got precisely what they’d signed for.

[ColinBarber]

2 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

I`m not aware of any formal Lexus.U.K. Policy on the matter, but believe that the question of whether or not to charge, should be left to the individual Dealership.

I believe it is down to each dealership - if you book online then you get different options depending on which dealer you select:

e.g. Reading:

 

Bristol:

 

Chester:

 

 

I know of one member here who didn't pay the extra and was down several hundred pounds because they got a cracked windscreen just minutes after driving the vehicle away 😞  

 

 

[Linas.P]

19 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

I know of one member here who didn't pay the extra and was down several hundred pounds because they got a cracked windscreen just minutes after driving the vehicle away 😞  

I literally crashed mine 3 miles from dealership in less than 10 minutes (well it was van which hit me, but still). But in my case I have not paid anything. 

It is funny how different dealerships does it and how their explanation differs. In some cases it looks as if you being charged for courtesy car itself as there are no information about insurance.

By the way you can absolutely say that you don't want to pay £15, that is what I did last time when I has service at Reading. 

[Rosella]

Don’t forget if you have car insurance with Toyota / Lexus then the  payment for insurance is waived

[Chris111]

 

On 8/2/2021 at 5:38 PM, MrsPauline said:

I bought a three year old CT200h last year and it's now due its 4 year service. Just booked it online but Lexus dealership has emailed me telling me there is a loan car charge.

Can someone help me clarify the meaning of a courtesy car - should I be charged for it?

Many thanks in advance 😃

I am not charged for the courtesy car but I am charged £10.00 per day for insurance by Lexus Carlisle and asked to refill the car to the level it was when I received it.

4 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

I know of one member here who didn't pay the extra and was down several hundred pounds because they got a cracked windscreen just minutes after driving the vehicle away 😞  

Happened to me. Had as a courtesy car I think was one of the last CTs on a '20 plate (approx 600 miles) in March just gone. Took the car home no problem. Return journey a crack appeared from the base of the windscreen and got larger and lager as my journey went. Arrived at dealership and after being greeted and being told how 'great' my car was I said you need to see the CT. He looked at it and said 'don't worry, these things happen'. 

[Ken R]

Always been charged for insurance cover on the courtesy car from Lexus Edinburgh and happy to do so. Also think it only fair to replace fuel used. 

[Linas.P]

On 8/3/2021 at 7:25 PM, Ken R said:

Always been charged for insurance cover on the courtesy car from Lexus Edinburgh and happy to do so. Also think it only fair to replace fuel used. 

Actually it is kind of funny, because I never actually thought about it. I just assumed it is the policy to return the car same way you found it.. like full-to-full or 1/4-to-1/4th. 

[MrsPauline]

On 8/3/2021 at 2:14 PM, ColinBarber said:

I believe it is down to each dealership - if you book online then you get different options depending on which dealer you select:

e.g. Reading:

 

Bristol:

 

Chester:

 

 

I know of one member here who didn't pay the extra and was down several hundred pounds because they got a cracked windscreen just minutes after driving the vehicle away 😞  

 

 

My dealership's booking system didn't state the charge - they emailed me after I made the booking! £15 for insurance is fair to avoid any unfortunate excess!

[rich1068]

I think sometimes it's down to whether a car is in for service or warranty.

[Linas.P]

52 minutes ago, rich1068 said:

I think sometimes it's down to whether a car is in for service or warranty.

Made no difference for me.

Had car for warranty last September, I was asked if I want to get excess cover and I said no, because at the time it sounded as it may take 3-4 weeks for parts to be available (meaning £450 for just excess cover). They phoned me later and advised that maybe it is better if I return their courtesy car and they will book me in separately when parts becomes available, so I did that. 

Then I came for actual repair and this time they didn't even ask me about excess. Then there was whole story with my brakes and car moved from one dealership to another and when I swapped courtesy car the dealership guy said - "ohh there is excess cover fee... ahh never mind we include it for free". Probably fair considering that they let me buy the car without brake pads. So I had the cover, but not paid the fee.

Then finally, I took car for service and I was asked if I want to have excess protection for £15 and just said no again.

[Shahpor]

3 hours ago, Linas.P said:

Made no difference for me.

Had car for warranty last September, I was asked if I want to get excess cover and I said no, because at the time it sounded as it may take 3-4 weeks for parts to be available (meaning £450 for just excess cover). They phoned me later and advised that maybe it is better if I return their courtesy car and they will book me in separately when parts becomes available, so I did that. 

Then I came for actual repair and this time they didn't even ask me about excess. Then there was whole story with my brakes and car moved from one dealership to another and when I swapped courtesy car the dealership guy said - "ohh there is excess cover fee... ahh never mind we include it for free". Probably fair considering that they let me buy the car without brake pads. So I had the cover, but not paid the fee.

Then finally, I took car for service and I was asked if I want to have excess protection for £15 and just said no again.

Now this is interesting because it does make a different at Lexus Reading.

When the car is in for routine work then I have to pay the £15 if I want the optional excess waiver, but if it is there for a warranty job then the warranty company pays the excess charge instead.

[Linas.P]

Just now, Shahpor said:

Now this is interesting because it does make a different at Lexus Reading.

When the car is in for routine work then I have to pay the £15 if I want the optional excess waiver, but if it is there for a warranty job then the warranty company pays the excess charge instead.

Well, yes I would have to pay for it if I wanted to, what I am saying is that  - you can refuse and just take a risk of £1000 excess would anything go wrong. This charge is optional.

Now I have not considered it when I had warranty job, perhaps you right - I should have insisted that warranty company should pay the excess. The situation was that I took car for inspection and at the time it was not clear if it will be covered under warranty or not. Perhaps if it is clear warranty job they would waive it (same as they did for brake job), but they didn't waive it before they figured out it will be covered. 

In short when I brought the car for inspection I had to make a decision whenever to pay ~£300-600 excess cover for duration or not. Because I would have never paid it anyway, I have not even considered who should be paying it.