Do your own PDi

[plane]

We purchased our first Lexus (LBX) in March & when washing it a few weeks after purchase I noted a small dink on the curve of the inner cill under the drivers door, looks like a very sharp object has been dropped on it. We took car back to dealer who sent a photo to their body specialist who advised it would be a major issue to resolve so we have had to live with it. 
Lesson learnt when collecting a brand new car you need to go over every area with a detail inspection.☹️

[Scotlex]

Hopefully it has not spoiled your new car too much.

Very annoying all the same ☹️

[Lexusjim]

Very annoying indeed. Don't let it put you off what is a lovely car.

 

You may find this thread of interest 

 

 

[Lbeex]

On 11/4/2024 at 10:22 PM, plane said:

Lesson learnt when collecting a brand new car you need to go over every area with a detail inspection.☹️

Right!

I did not ask to open the engine hood of my new car since I had seen it before, during test drive. After a couple of days I opened the hood to check windshield washer fluid level, and...I saw evidences of marten visit.  Luckily just scratched mat as Lexus service confirmed.Stressful experience upfront. And I will never know when actually it happend, maybe at a dealer premises?

[LenT]

On 11/4/2024 at 9:22 PM, plane said:

We took car back to dealer who sent a photo to their body specialist who advised it would be a major issue to resolve so we have had to live with it. 

Jim has linked to my thread above in which I describe how my local ChipsAway guy sorted out a very annoying stone chip on my driver’s door.  As well as paint being removed, there was also slight depression of the surface to rectify.

After four hours of work on my drive, I can say that the repair has removed all signs of the damage - as the before/after pictures confirm.  Now, ChipsAway is a franchise, so ultimately it’s only as good as the individual operator.  But I suggest you have nothing to lose by using their website to contact your local Operator and send them closeup photos of the damage.

Although yours is a brand new car, CA don’t use the Lexus paint.  Instead they use a spectrophotometer to match the actual current shade of the area, mixed on the spot, which is how they can repair small areas without needing generous overspray.

This is the website if you’d like to investigate further.  Good luck!

https://www.chipsaway.co.uk

[RONNIE W HODGEKINSON]

On 11/4/2024 at 10:47 PM, Scotlex said:

Hopefully it has not spoiled your new car too much.

Very annoying all the same ☹️

Yes Extremely annoying..It Would annoy me Just knowing it was there..!!!

[LenT]

On 11/4/2024 at 9:22 PM, plane said:

We took car back to dealer who sent a photo to their body specialist who advised it would be a major issue to resolve so we have had to live with it. 

The question I’m prompted to ask,Paul, is…why do you have to live with it?

If this is, as you say, a brand new car, then it’s the Dealer’s responsibility to deliver it as Lexus intended you to receive it.  If it has incurred any damage while in transit, it’s their responsibility to rectify it.  If it’s a ‘Major Issue’ that’s their problem which they should take up with Lexus, who were responsible for its shipping.

If you find that CA can rectify the damage, then inform the Dealer that they will be doing the work and that you will invoice the Dealer for settlement of the cost you incurred.

[Phil xxkr]

12 hours ago, LenT said:

The question I’m prompted to ask,Paul, is…why do you have to live with it?

If this is, as you say, a brand new car, then it’s the Dealer’s responsibility to deliver it as Lexus intended you to receive it.  If it has incurred any damage while in transit, it’s their responsibility to rectify it.  If it’s a ‘Major Issue’ that’s their problem which they should take up with Lexus, who were responsible for its shipping.

If you find that CA can rectify the damage, then inform the Dealer that they will be doing the work and that you will invoice the Dealer for settlement of the cost you incurred.

Shocking story Len, but I fear it is subtle indication of a systematic shift away from "the customer is king" to you being the commodity. It started with "customer service" meaning totally the opposite then the revelation social media was farming your data and selling it! This customer should seek top quality legal advice pdq and sue not only for restitution but distress caused. 

[LenT]

1 hour ago, Phil xxkr said:

Shocking story Len, but I fear it is subtle indication of a systematic shift away from "the customer is king" to you being the commodity. It started with "customer service" meaning totally the opposite then the revelation social media was farming your data and selling it! This customer should seek top quality legal advice pdq and sue not only for restitution but distress caused. 

I agree, Phil.  If the situation is as it appears to be (ie a Lexus Dealer selling a new LBX with a dented cill.) then that is unacceptable.  A warning letter establishing Paul’s grounds for complaint - possibly from one’s Solicitor -  copied to the Lexus UK CEO, might be sufficient to resolve this.  Ideally accompanied by the CA estimate for doing the work that the body shop deemed too major!

In fact, that the body shop described it as a ‘Major Issue’ is even more damming!  Lexus Dealers shouldn’t be selling new cars with ‘Major Issues’!

[Tickedon]

The problem is the few weeks that passed since purchase before it was noticed and raised - there is no evidence that it was there at point of purchase or something that the customer damaged in the few weeks they owned it. 

When purchasing my car, I went through everything on the dealers premises, and also took plenty of photos. I spotted a couple of issues which were rectified - would have been much more difficult once I’d driven away!

That said, I would push for a better resolution -p than living with it - even offering to go 50/50 on a repair (at cost - not retail) given fault is difficult to confirm.

[RONNIE W HODGEKINSON]

1 hour ago, LenT said:

I agree, Phil.  If the situation is as it appears to be (ie a Lexus Dealer selling a new LBX with a dented cill.) then that is unacceptable.  A warning letter establishing Paul’s grounds for complaint - possibly from one’s Solicitor -  copied to the Lexus UK CEO, might be sufficient to resolve this.  Ideally accompanied by the CA estimate for doing the work that the body shop deemed too major!

In fact, that the body shop described it as a ‘Major Issue’ is even more damming!  Lexus Dealers shouldn’t be selling new cars with ‘Major Issues’!

Totally Agree With You There Len..!!

[LenT]

43 minutes ago, Tickedon said:

The problem is the few weeks that passed since purchase before it was noticed and raised - there is no evidence that it was there at point of purchase or something that the customer damaged in the few weeks they owned it. 

 

Yes, that’s really at the heart of the dispute.  From the Dealer’s pov this damage can only have been caused after the car left their premises!  (And maybe it was - we don’t know!)  Unless Paul has some photographs taken prior to delivery, I accept it will be a difficult one to argue.

No doubt this is why Paul regrets not doing his own PDI - as you so effectively described.  But maybe there were mitigating circumstances when he collected it?  Or he’s not an experienced car buyer.  Whatever, I think the suggestion you make is a good one.

And I would still be inclined to let CA have a look at!