Bodywork Damage Noticed After Buying Dealer Approved RX450h

[Brunel]

A little advice if I may from the esteemed Lexus forumees please.

Over Christmas I bought what I thought was a nice RX450h Takumi from a Lexus main dealer (I shan't say which one at this stage)    I paid sticker price though it had not gone on general sale - coming in as part ex for a new one to another customer.   This is relevant because no photos were taken of it by the dealer - other than a video prior to it being bought by me.

Picked car up in afternoon and next morning my wife spotted a ding (see attached) in the centre of the rear bumper.  We'd already also found one of the rear doors wouldn't open from the inside and one of the wing mirror glasses vibrates at speed.   Took it back and Lexus's reaction was we don't know it didn't happen during your 18hrs of ownership but as a good will gesture we will pay half the nearly 800 quid bill to repair - even though they can't prove the damage was not there prior to me picking it up because none of normal photographs were taken. 

I'm not happy and think they should pay it all - though if made to i've said I'll pay 200 if forced to just to get it fixed and probably not darken their door again.

 

What is the view?

 

 

[Spock66]

Tell them you are rejecting the car and see what they say.

[katabrontes]

Don't waste money on a Lexus dealer. My experience of them was very unimpressive and they charge premium prices. Buy independent .

[taffie999]

Two suggestions. Any photos pf the car out there while it was for sale? If you save the  photos you can enlarge then to get a closer view. Secondly, can you trace the previous owner to ask about damage on the car when they sold it? I understand there are ways to get this information from DVLA

[Spottedlaurel]

Exchange it. You don't have to get a replacement from them within the 30-day period, but you do need to declare that this is what you'd like to do.

I bought an approved gen 3 model back in 2019 and it had damage to the exhaust system and undertrays that suggested a harder life than normal. They wouldn't do anything about the exhaust so after a tetchy conversation with the branch manager it was agreed that I would exchange it. Luckily the right replacement came along and I haven't needed to go back there since (it wasn't my local dealer).

[SH20]

I wonder if it is Lexus Cambridge you got it from.   Sounds so familiar.

[Tickedon]

Sadly without photographs at the point of collection, it is a “they said, you said” dispute and thus very difficult to resolve. But even then, if the car is used (2-4 years+) then some wear and tear is also understandable, and really a negotiating point pre-sale, unless it’s an item that should be covered by their “150+ checks before sale” or similar promise dealers make. 

My NX was nearly new, but still had some issues - I test drove and agreed what needed to be fixed before I collected. I then inspected and photographed every part of it on collection, took over an hour - and just as well, as one of the charging cables was damaged (only visible if you took off the rubber cap on the end) and needed replacing. 

As the dealer aren’t playing ball, as much as it’ll be annoying and stick in the throat, I think you’ll sadly need to put this down to a lesson learned for the future. 

[Malc1]

Finlay, we don't know the point you're at with all this and the dealer  ...................

I would go in hard and tell them, if you're able, that if it ain't fixed you will put them on a BLACKLIST  and spread it around the Lexus Community here

Malc

[Bob King]

As others have said …with trading standards rights you get 30 days to reject a car with no reason at all.
Go back to dealer and state you are rejecting the vehicle and require a full refund …that should force their hand to fix all faults .

[Boomer54]

The law is very clear here. You can return that car within a 30 day period and are entitled to a full refund. Thereafter you lose this short term right, but would still be entitled to  repair, or replacement. As usual this sounds like your typical sales guy trying it on. Literally just tell them what you want and explain what comes next if they wish to sidestep the issue. 

[VFR]

IMO

As has been said simply reject the car as not as described.

Loose this, vibrating this, dents here & there and what lurks under the skin that you cannot see as yet.

Once you accept a repair your rights are reduced so reject !

 

[vu5ter]

19 hours ago, SH20 said:

I wonder if it is Lexus Cambridge you got it from.   Sounds so familiar.

This for me too.  I travelled 2 hrs to pick up and as purchased from a dealer didn't think to check out over.  Dents and scratches galore and not normal wear and tear.  Calls and email to sales person got nowhere so emailed the dealership manager with photos. Car was picked up following week from my home and returned fully repaired the following week with a loaner RX450 during repair.

Manager at the time was Lilo Contato but not sure if he's is still there.  Good luck with getting this resolved

 

[Boomer54]

1 hour ago, vu5ter said:

This for me too.  I travelled 2 hrs to pick up and as purchased from a dealer didn't think to check out over.  Dents and scratches galore and not normal wear and tear.  Calls and email to sales person got nowhere so emailed the dealership manager with photos. Car was picked up following week from my home and returned fully repaired the following week with a loaner RX450 during repair.

Manager at the time was Lilo Contato but not sure if he's is still there.  Good luck with getting this resolved

 

On that note don't talk to the sales guy. Get the Principal ,or Manager.

[Nick W858]

We have owned 6 Lexus cars over the past 20 years or so and we absolutely love the vehicles, two of the six were purchased from a Lexus main dealer and without doubt were the two worse cars in terms of bodywork and how they were presented out of all the vehicles we have bought. Hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.