LEXUS SERVICE PLAN CAN SOMETIMES BE SET UP AT WRONG PRICE

[Juicedrinker]

Just in case this may affect anyone else, I found out two weeks ago that the service plan I had been paying for past 7 months was set up at the incorrect price because EMAC (who handle the Lexus plans) had my vehicle as a different model than it is.

I own a RC300H and when I set up the 3 year plan including MOT's I questioned why it was so expensive and was told it was because of the 6 year service (that was part / included in it).  However I felt it was still too high for two minor and one major service but got told all was correct by two other Lexus Dealers when I questioned it.

A few weeks ago on a Facebook site I noted a person had just been quoted for the service and MOT plan which included the 6 year service and it was significantly less.

Following confirmation of my concern with an ex Toyota technician (who was on the site at the time) I contacted Lexus HQ and they told me nothing to do with them and I needed to speak direct with EMAC and not the dealer who sold it to me.

I contacted EMAC and they said nothing to do with them and I needed to speak with the Lexus dealer who sold me the plan.

I emailed the dealer and a few days later they phoned and we went through everything again and apparently the EMAC system sometimes gets 2019 and 2020 RC300H and IS300H confused with the RCF 5 Litre V8 model instead!

The upshot is that I was paying £18 per month more than I should of been (£450 for the plan term) and they actually had a car in for service a few days before and were expecting a RCF when it was a RC300H.

No apology at all just told that it is a fault on the EMAC system that does not know the car is hybrid version from the number plate and defaults to RCF for 2019 and 2020 onwards!

 

[Tickedon]

Bonkers. What did it show on the service plan paperwork?

[Juicedrinker]

19 hours ago, Tickedon said:

Bonkers. What did it show on the service plan paperwork?

Lexus RC Executive & performance, I queried this with the Lexus dealer Service Manager who sold it to me at the time and he said it was correct so I assumed as they are Lexus and use the registration number they must know best. 

I was pretty livid to say the least when I found out by pure chance (through an ex Toyota technician 7 months later on a Facebook page discussion) that it was wrong!

The Lexus dealer said that It had happened to others but no apology or any form of redress offered.

 

[bjf101]

I had this as well. RC F-sport 300h and they quoted price for RCF. I had checked prices for services on website so I had a rough idea what plan should cost so I knew it was too high. When I challenged it I was told “what do you expect- it’s an RCF…….”. I pointed out it wasn’t and they had just serviced it………

[Guest]

When I discussed one with my local dealer prior to getting my used 2017 CT, which had patchy service history, they insisted in sticking with the major/minor schedule as if the car had been serviced according to schedule from new. When I started asking about having particular things done to bring it 'up to speed' with the schedule, they didn't want to quote it, said 'just mention on the day'. Not falling for that one, to be told the parts are out of stock and/or they don't have the time... or some obscene add on cost on the day.  Ended up doing it all myself, £400 ish from Lexus Direct Parts. 

Turns out... you only need to do an oil change at the dealer for the 'Relax Warranty', so at most, that's what I'll book it in for each year saving most of the £285 and a LOT of the £505 

[HPS13]

15 minutes ago, CT200NI said:

Ended up doing it all myself, £400 ish from Lexus Direct Parts. 

Hi

Apart from the usual serviceable items, what else did you change that cost £400? 

16 minutes ago, CT200NI said:

you only need to do an oil change at the dealer for the 'Relax Warranty'

I haven't heard this before. I would be surprised if Lexus provide the warranty based upon an isolated oil change. Do you have a link or source for this information? 

Thanks

[Guest]

17 hours ago, HPS13 said:

Hi

Apart from the usual serviceable items, what else did you change that cost £400? 

Just took a look, £366 it came to. Postate to NI was £17.

Service Kit (Complete) was £213

- 5L genuine oil, oil filter, sump plug washer, air filter, pollen filter, spark plugs, 7L of coolant 

Transmission Fluid £44

Various Drain Plugs around £14

Brake Fluid £6

New wipers front and rear / genuine £42

Paint touch up kit £9 

Air con cleaner £12

Fuel system cleaner £12

 

So that pretty much covered all the service items (and some that the Lexus services don't, like gearbox fluid. In my eyes, the car is set right now to pick up from the schedule with the minor / majors 

 

 

17 hours ago, HPS13 said:

I haven't heard this before. I would be surprised if Lexus provide the warranty based upon an isolated oil change. Do you have a link or source for this information? 

Thanks

Unfortunately no link, but I'll tell you how I know.  Where I live there's a 1.5 hour drive to Belfast for the only genuine Lexus dealer in Northern Ireland, part of the UK network of course where I live.  There's another dealership just across the border in the Republic of Ireland, a Toyota / Lexus split dealer complete with the Lexus showroom and all. I was passing it on a trip one day, stopped in and enquired about their prices. They work out around £25 cheaper for both services after converting it from Euro.  I explained to the service advisor there that I'd serviced it (as above) and was checking that there would be no issues in terms of having it serviced in another country.  

It was then he said that I didn't have to put it in for a full service since I do the work on my own, he said an oil change with them would be enough to trigger the Relax Warranty. Of course, it's not in writing and I'd have to hope he or someone else agrees.  My plan was, nearer the time (around summer when it's been 6 months since my servicing) to contact Lexus Belfast and *hopefully* have them confirm / agree that it's possible.  There's a very real chance they won't agree, however then I'll call Lexus themselves and see what they say.  

Only downside of going to Lexus in ROI, is that if I needed to make a claim under the Relax Warranty, I'd of course, have to do it via them. They're only a 40 minute drive right enough. The only other Lexus dealer to 'dispute' things with down there is in Galway... a near 4 hour drive!  Although even with Belfast (in the UK network) I suppose there's still no other drivable Lexus dealer here for me to get a second opinion on any issue. The consumer protections in ROI will be different too. I'm familiar with our Consumer Rights Act etc here, and unfortunately have had to send letters in accordance with that over the last 9 years when dealing with the motor trade (mostly to help family members) before getting results. I always act now in such a way that I think I'd have a back up plan should I get a difficult or lying technician / service advisor.  I have high hopes that Lexus will be above such cheap and nasty tricks, but only time will tell.. 

 

[GSLV6]

The Relax warranty is, unfortunately, dependant upon following the service schedule recommended in the service handbook as that is the manufacturer recommendation.  Any dealer telling you otherwise is talking rubbish and should be asked for proof of their claims.  There's no way a lexus dealer would do an oil change and tell you your car is fully warranted for another 12 months, at least not in the T's & C's contained within the wording of the Relax Warranty (google is your friend).

I stopped paying the service plan when they shortened it from 3 to 2 years but charged the same price...daylight robbery to fund their hiked labour rates a few years ago. At 3 years it was good value.  Not any longer, especially since the breakdown assist was removed fro the deal (so I was told by the service team).