More time in the dealer than on the road

[LenT]

2 minutes ago, Rabbers said:

Fake News?

Could the OP’s adopted title ‘Wagster’ be more of a description than a name?

[Ken R]

Think it's definitely a water ingress issue because wagster says "when the  diver  left and we went to park it on our driveway"!!!  🤣

[Don C]

1 hour ago, Ken R said:

Think it's definitely a water ingress issue because wagster says "when the  diver  left and we went to park it on our driveway"!!!  🤣

I know you’re only jesting but there’s a few grammatical errors.  I missed a lot of school and I’m c rap at typing so I forgive that.  It just doesn’t stack up though.  I carry my own booster pack but if I didn’t or didn’t know how to use one, I wouldn’t leave my Lexus open overnight.  I’d get someone to it.  A smell of burning and intermittent loose steering is not at the top of the list but tinny speakers are 🤷🏻‍♂️

[stevewagster]

On 10/19/2023 at 11:01 PM, David lings said:

Stephen

Welcome to the the joys of owning a Lexus and it’s generally poor dealerships.

 

Not had as many issues as you but my issues improved greatly when l stopped using the Lexus dealer and had the car ‘professionally’ serviced.

Either Lexus or their dealerships or both do not believe in preventative maintenance which when added to the general Lexus quality issues meant l had issues with my second hand car.

Your car would appear to be new, or nearly new, so a combination of poor quality car and poor quality dealership.

 

Lexus, nice car just a pity they are,these days, NOT a quality car.

Hope you manage to sort out your issues.

Don’t rely on the guarantee as, if like mine, it is not worth the paper it is written on.

l found that nothing seems to be covered by the guarantee or issues were brushed off as just standard for a Lexus, e.g. sign recognition.

Normally a dealer will give a refund period (7 to10 days).

If you have this my advice would be take it back, get your money back and go buy a quality car.

Good luck

 

david

Hi David, yes well passed that time, we have owned the car 2x months on the 1st Nov, although we have only had it for just under 3x weeks of that time, we have now decided that the next breakdown will be the decider and will just sell it and take the loss, we did ask Lexus UK if they could help in returning/changing the car but never heard back from them.

we got the car back from the dealer last Thursday and they said: they could not find any faults, they could not replicate any faults and the ones that they did find were "standard known issues for a Lexus" we will never purchase a Lexus again and will try the tell as many people as possible about our experience.

What a shame, they used to be a premium brand with top notch customer service, now they are just top notch prices.

[stevewagster]

On 10/20/2023 at 1:08 PM, HPS13 said:

I thought this was an unusual statement. Was the car delivered on a transporter? If so, I assume the delivery driver drove the car off the transporter or the car was actually driven to your home location. 

Personally if I was buying a brand new Lexus, I would be at the dealership to complete paperwork and make sure that everything was good with the car.

'Stevewagster' seems to have gone quiet, I hope he updates us soon. 

Hugh

The car was delivered to us by the dealer, they used a trailer and can only assume that it was rolled off, although the starting thing or non starting is intermittent, so he may have driven it off, at that point I was indoors!

And yes, a valuable lesson learnt, we would never have a car delivered again.

[fourbanks]

1 hour ago, stevewagster said:

Hugh

The car was delivered to us by the dealer, they used a trailer and can only assume that it was rolled off, although the starting thing or non starting is intermittent, so he may have driven it off, at that point I was indoors!

And yes, a valuable lesson learnt, we would never have a car delivered again.

Thanks, Steve, for the update, sad that you will lose out, but it's for the best as you can't be dealing with a poor dealer who has no real interest in you, so as you say it's time to move on 

[stevewagster]

1 hour ago, fourbanks said:

Thanks, Steve, for the update, sad that you will lose out, but it's for the best as you can't be dealing with a poor dealer who has no real interest in you, so as you say it's time to move on 

I agree with you, I think that it is my particular car that's the issue and not the Lexus range in general, I have had several Lexus in the past without a fault, however, now faults are raised, the real level of customer service is shown to be very poor in my own experience, When you have no issues, as it should be! you get a great service, a nice cup of coffee, some biscuits and smiles but when tested, it seems not up the standard of a back street garage (this is based on my opinion and experience only) so yes it's very lightly we will move on to another brand.

P.S I don't think that they have no interest in dealing with us, I just think they don't want to own the problem and admit there are clearly issues with our car.

[LenT]

4 hours ago, stevewagster said:

we have now decided that the next breakdown will be the decider and will just sell it and take the loss

Why?

Now I may be mistaken Steve, but as I understand it you purchased the car on September 1st.  I’m not really clear as to whether you bought it new or as a used vehicle.  If the latter, did you inspect it at the Dealership?

Have you had it independently inspected?

In fact I don’t think you’ve even confirmed that it was from a Lexus Dealer.  And if so, why not name them?  As has been said by a another Poster, they don’t know of one in Kent who would give such bad service.

Of course you’ve only just come back after your OP of October 19, not that you have any obligation to do so!  But you don’t seem to have taken up any of the suggestions made by earlier Posters.  Why would you sell it and take the hit after only three months when you have several legal avenues by which you can pursue compensation - or a new vehicle, as you can reject it as Not Fit for Purpose!

Whether you choose to buy another Lexus after this is yours to make.  But this website wouldn’t even exist if your dismissal of the Lexus brand, its dealers and its cars was the general experience.

I’m sure we all appreciate that buying a new car which then appears to be faulty - faults that the Seller cannot identify ( and incidentally, ‘known faults with a Lexus’ is a nonsensical excuse) - is infuriating and should not be tolerated!  But just selling it and taking the hit - and denigrating the entire Lexus product to so - is surely not the best way forward?

It has also occurred to me to point out that Toyota/Lexus are to be found regularly at the top of - or thereabouts- of most Automotive Satisfaction Surveys.  Now that’s a majority view by Owners.  It doesn’t happen by chance.

[LenT]

2 hours ago, stevewagster said:

I agree with you, I think that it is my particular car that's the issue and not the Lexus range in general, I have had several Lexus in the past without a fault, however, now faults are raised, the real level of customer service is shown to be very poor in my own experience, When you have no issues, as it should be! you get a great service, a nice cup of coffee, some biscuits and smiles but when tested, it seems not up the standard of a back street garage (this is based on my opinion and experience only) so yes it's very lightly we will move on to another brand.

P.S I don't think that they have no interest in dealing with us, I just think they don't want to own the problem and admit there are clearly issues with our car.

I think you were typing this at the same time as I was my own post.  So I just wanted to acknowledge that it seems to be a much more measured response than previous posts to which I was responding.

2 hours ago, stevewagster said:

I think that it is my particular car that's the issue and not the Lexus range in general, I have had several Lexus in the past without a fault, however, now faults are raised, the real level of customer service is shown to be very poor in my own experience,

I may have misunderstood, but surely here you make the point that this is an aberration in your previous and extensive experience of Lexus cars and service.

I would be curious to know if there is any make of car for which one cannot find a disgruntled owner!   Far be it for me to intrude, but I really would have thought that considering the substantial investment you have already made, and your previous satisfied relationship with Lexus, that there are still plenty of routes to resolving this matter that you can explore.

[Bluemarlin]

On 10/19/2023 at 11:24 PM, fourbanks said:

As for the other items, Steve mentions these seam to be one of a water damp ingress somewhere along the wiring?

That's something I'd be looking at. I once had a host of very similar issues on a previous car, which were intermittent to the point of the dealer having problems trying to replicate it.

In the end it turned out to be due to a badly fitted replacement windcsreen, which had a tiny gap in the sealing that was letting in water when it rained, causing the issues, which subsequently dried, meaning the issues went away again. When they finally discovered it they found a pool of water under the carpets, so it might worth checking if there's any water or dampness under the carpets.

In any event, I doubt I'd be selling on, and would be pushing the dealer to either fix,, replace or refund the car and, if I got no joy there I'd be talking to trading standards.

It's also worth checking if you have legal cover added to either your car or home insurance, as often that will provide legal help for such disputes.

[fourbanks]

4 hours ago, stevewagster said:

I agree with you, I think that it is my particular car that's the issue and not the Lexus range in general, I have had several Lexus in the past without a fault, however, now faults are raised, the real level of customer service is shown to be very poor in my own experience, When you have no issues, as it should be! you get a great service, a nice cup of coffee, some biscuits and smiles but when tested, it seems not up the standard of a back street garage (this is based on my opinion and experience only) so yes it's very lightly we will move on to another brand.

P.S I don't think that they have no interest in dealing with us, I just think they don't want to own the problem and admit there are clearly issues with our car.

The main Lexus master tec is Tim, based at Gatwick, and would be prudent to discuss your concerns with him 

Tim will be able to advise you 100%, so you will know without doubt what is wrong and how to proceed 

[stevewagster]

16 hours ago, fourbanks said:

The main Lexus master tec is Tim, based at Gatwick, and would be prudent to discuss your concerns with him 

Tim will be able to advise you 100%, so you will know without doubt what is wrong and how to proceed 

Thanks, I personally think it's connected to the burning smell although we have had no smells since getting it back but maybe it's burnt it self out, the Lexus dealer cold not find any evidence of any damage! we are away on another holiday Saturday, when we get back i will give Tim a call and maybe have a trip over there. Since Sunday the only problem is the radio cutting all the other main stuff has not happened, 

[Lmafudd]

1 hour ago, stevewagster said:

Thanks, I personally think it's connected to the burning smell although we have had no smells since getting it back but maybe it's burnt it self out, the Lexus dealer cold not find any evidence of any damage! we are away on another holiday Saturday, when we get back i will give Tim a call and maybe have a trip over there. Since Sunday the only problem is the radio cutting all the other main stuff has not happened, 

Good to hear you sounding a little more positive. With regards to the radio, mine is dodgy too, looses signal fairly regularly. It depends on your channel choice I fear!

[stevewagster]

7 minutes ago, Lmafudd said:

Good to hear you sounding a little more positive. With regards to the radio, mine is dodgy too, looses signal fairly regularly. It depends on your channel choice I fear!

Thanks, I'm not sure as we can't get a whole song out of it before it drops and had one occasion with it down for over an hour, seems to be on all stations and FM/DAB etc.

[Lmafudd]

I temporarily had a new Chr with the same infotainment system as the new UX so I'm assuming yours is like that. Big, wide touchscreen etc. That worked perfectly and the voice command system was spot on.

I'm going to ask them to check my aerial at the next service but I do wonder if these fins are up to the job.

Since fitting a Bluetooth dongle I tend to use Android Auto and BBC sounds. This keeps the signal, the Google voice works well and the Navigation seems smoother than the built-in version. As long as the phone's not in your pocket that is as there's very little 5g where I drive and Levis appear to be excellent signal blockers!

[Don C]

Beats me how somebody on the internet finds something to be upset about and the whole of social media weighs in.   There is no damp in any wiring on any Lexus that hasn’t been tampered with.  That’s any lexus anywhere on the planet.  The radio glitchy, yes maybe, I don’t think anybody has got these new systems right including all the precious German brands.   Smell of burning?  I’ve done two longish trips and it has produced a slightly scorched smell on each trip.  I’m familiar with such a smell, it’s the gasoline particulate filter doing a regen.  Now for this ridiculing the dealer.  I’m the founder of the Mazda CX-5 and the Mazda CX-30 owners clubs on Facebook with thousands of members and I will not allow it because it is grossly unfair when they cannot respond.  These matters become personal and you’ll always get the occasional owners with any brand who aren’t happy and once they’ve made a rod for their back they’ll never back down.  Furthermore, nobody has inspected this car to make a judgement except the dealer who has got nothing to gain from telling the owner they can’t find anything.  They want that customer back in three years so the last thing they’ll do is p iss them off.  I’ve not looked at this car but my feeling is that it was delivered with a flat 12v Battery and that will cause a whole world of problems including those described.  Smell, yes.  Radio, yes and the rest is explainable.  It spent more time at the dealer because the owner took it there.   

[Don C]

And another thing.  I think if you’ve got a good mate that works for Lexus, there is a big risk in asking him to get involved with a dispute between a dealer and a customer.   I would suggest very strongly he stays out of it and that’s not derogatory against Steve  but only to protect the employee.   You’ve identified him on social media.  If I was a “master technician” I’d just say take it in and let them look.  

[Bezzer]

39 minutes ago, Don C said:

I can't see anywhere the OP has identified the actual dealer involved. Granted some things can be explained away but what about your flat Battery theory and also the "missing"  £700 Superguard doesn't that smack of incompetence?.

[GMB]

All I can say is that I have got two Lexus cars - see how I avoided the plural - and they are the best cars I have ever had.

No problems whatsoever. 100% perfect, even the 11 yr old ISF. Dealer has been great.

Just had one serviced and MOT'd. As usual absolutely no problems.

It is truly a lottery buying a second hand car  - any car - and most of the issues depend on how the car has been treated in the past.

[Spacewagon52]

I am on my 5th Lexus. The first four were all older cars (all well over 10 years old!) 

The quality and reliability of these cars has been exceptional. When it came to choosing my retirement car (5th Lexus) the make was a no brainer. I am not saying Lexus cars outstrip other makes on equipment but on build quality and reliability they must be near the top. I agree with Gray, it depends on how a vehicle has been looked after. Yes, you can be unlucky to buy a Lexus Lemon. The chances are slim. These cars are complicated mechanical and electrical devices and things will go wrong at times. Rarely do you get a series of issues. 

Older cars do wear out but I would put my own money on a Lexus or Toyota to give hastle free motoring. The only caveat would be if you needed a particular type of vehicle that is not available as a Toyota or Lexus.

[Don C]

7 hours ago, Bezzer said:

I can't see anywhere the OP has identified the actual dealer involved. Granted some things can be explained away but what about your flat battery theory and also the "missing"  £700 Superguard doesn't that smack of incompetence?.

The op hasn’t identified the dealer to my knowledge, I never said he did.  Are you asking me why the Battery might be flat?  Quite easily in the hands of someone who isn’t used to Hybrids.  Delivery drivers leave the ignition on to avoid the alarm sounding and that could explain a lot.  I don’t know about the superguard.  For a start, I’ve never heard of it costing so much but without talking to the dealer to get their side it’s impossible to comment.  Was there a misunderstanding about being done, I don’t know but I’m not prepared to lambast them or accuse them of being incompetent without hearing what they say.  They might tell a completely different story.  

[Bezzer]

I got quoted £600 plus from a dealer for paint/upholstery protection a couple of months ago so £700 is quite feasible, the delivery driver was employed by the dealer to take the car, they should ensure he was competent enough to deal with their car properly. Also the "smell" may well have been the filter regenerating as you suggest, the OP may not have been au fait with their workings but the dealer should have  explained/suggested it. I know you come from an industry background and  understandably show a bias to their side but you have to accept there can be failings, particularly from dealers, this forum is littered with them.

[Don C]

8 hours ago, Bezzer said:

I got quoted £600 plus from a dealer for paint/upholstery protection a couple of months ago so £700 is quite feasible, the delivery driver was employed by the dealer to take the car, they should ensure he was competent enough to deal with their car properly. Also the "smell" may well have been the filter regenerating as you suggest, the OP may not have been au fait with their workings but the dealer should have  explained/suggested it. I know you come from an industry background and  understandably show a bias to their side but you have to accept there can be failings, particularly from dealers, this forum is littered with them.

I don’t take sides in such matters without knowing the facts so assuming the dealer is accountable isn’t something I subscribe to.  I don’t assume they’re not either but I detest the blame culture.  The forum is littered with owners accounts of dealers when things don’t go as they want.  I’ve never seen a single response from a dealer.  

[fourbanks]

22 minutes ago, Don C said:

I don’t take sides in such matters without knowing the facts so assuming the dealer is accountable isn’t something I subscribe to.  I don’t assume they’re not either but I detest the blame culture.  The forum is littered with owners accounts of dealers when things don’t go as they want.  I’ve never seen a single response from a dealer.  

There are no Lexus dealers or employees in this forum don as far as I know

[LMM]

Being ex-industry I am only too aware of the impact negative reviews can have on a dealer and am aware when they are blatantly wrong. To that effect, I advise any dealer I am with that I will not give any (negative) feedback if there is an issue and allow them to rectify it. KPI (key performance indicators) can easily be skewed by vindictive reviews. I will give positive reviews where merited but feel it necessary to balance these erroneous reviews that can be very harmful.