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Lexus LS 400/LS 430

8462 messages,  Last post on Dec 12, 2012 at 10:05 PM

You are in the Lexus LS 400/LS 430 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Lexus LS 400, Lexus LS 430, Sedan

Messages Page 752 of 847

#7504 of 8462 Avalon versus LS 430 - sound levels by mcescher1

Jul 17, 2005 (12:36 pm)

I have been posting messages regarding my efforts to decide between a 2004 or earlier Avalon and a 2005 LS 430. One issue for me is ambient noise, that is, sound level. I carefully measured levels using a decibel meter and report as follows: When both cars are parked in a quiet driveway and idling with the fan on the lowest position, the Avalon is quieter by 4 decibels. When the cars are driven on identical roads at identical speeds under identical weather and traffic conditions, the Lexus is quieter by about 2 decibels. In other words, absent the fan noise difference, the Lexus would be quieter by about 6 decibels. But the fan noise is of course part of the equation. I am surprised that Lexus spent so much effort in making the vehicle quiet, but neglected to notice the loudness of the fan.

#7505 of 8462 Fan noise. by nvbanker

Jul 17, 2005 (3:53 pm)

That is interesting.

#7507 of 8462 Re: fogging with AC [mcescher1] by wwest

Jul 17, 2005 (5:45 pm)

Replying to: mcescher1 (Jul 16, 2005 4:48 pm)
Typical problem with most modern day climate control systems. VW addressed the problem, fixed it, on the Touareg but I don't know of any other manufacturer who has.
 
Lots of folks simply lay a thick towel over the windshield defog/demist outlets to block the cooling airflow from the climate control system.

#7508 of 8462 New car......or is it? by stomp32

Jul 17, 2005 (7:13 pm)

As many of you have dealt with Lexus Customer Service, I thought I could get insight on how you think they might deal with this situation. I apologize for the long post.
 
Last June, my wife and I went to a Lexus dealership to buy an SC430 (I realize this is a forum for LS, but not too many posters on the SC board). We saw one in the colors we wanted, but it had almost 1500 miles on it. Asked the salesman why, he replied it was bought by a friend of the owner and the guy changed his mind and wanted another color, so the owner let him.
 
I asked the salesman if the car was still considered new, and he told us it was still new as it was never titled and I would be the first registered owner. We negotiated a price based on the mileage and also in consideration that the car was still "new".
 
Got to the financing part.... oh boy. I was signing the sales contract (after first checking that the "new/used" box was filled "new"), when the finance manager said he forgot to ask me to check that everything was spelled right. I told him he had spelled the address wrong, but couldn't we just manually correct it. He said that EVERYTHING had to be spelled right and took the contract back and printed up a second one. He and I signed the second contract and my wife and I took the car.
 
Several week ago I was looking to buy an 05 LS, and was considering trading in my SC. After reading many posts on here I thought it would be wise to run a CARFAX on the SC, just to make sure no surprises came up. Sure enough, it shows I am the second owner, with the original purchase occurring in April, 04.
 
Needless to say, I called the dealer and the general manager adamantly denied any wrongdoing. He went as far as to say that even if I was right, he didn't see how I was hurt by this. He stated three times that the car was a "rollback" and that it was in fact a new car. I knew this was untrue since I had confirmed with other dealers that a rollback is most certainly a used car. He ended the conversation by saying he was going to stop talking to me since he had other things to do.
 
I called my lawyer who in turn contacted the dealer asking what their policy on rollbacks were. Within a few days, the general manager sends me paperwork with my apparent signature on it indicating I acknowledged the car was used. Furthermore, I believe they sent Lexus financial the first sales contract with the new/used section altered to indicate "used". I base this on the fact that my initial loan statement from Lexus financial had the address spelled wrong, just as it was on the first contract. I have in my possession the second contract with the correct spelling. In hindsight, I should have made sure the finance manager tore up the first contract, but I never even suspected a thing.
 
Additionally, my registration has an April anniversary instead of a June one. The dealer somehow fudged this too because it took over five months to get the registration and license plates, and even then it was sent to the dealer instead of to me.
 
All in all, I'd have to say I've been had. Far too trusting because I never thought a Lexus dealer would ever pull such a thing. My lawyer says to try to get Lexus Customer Service to intervene first, but if they are unresponsive, we will take legal action. To their credit, after I explained it to a customer service rep, someone from Lexus called me back within two days and told me they take this matter very seriously and would investigate.
 
At this point, I have little hope for any resolution. The dealer will likely stone wall and I will have to go through a long legal fight. I wonder what other methods and tactics this dealer has used on unsuspecting buyers, and to how many? And they are a Lexus Elite dealer! Guess I know how much that means now.
 
Has anyone else gone through a similar situation, and if so, how did Lexus Customer Service respond? Thanks to all for letting me vent.
 
Just want to clarify I am not bashing Lexus the manufacturer. As a matter of fact I did purchase an LS, but from another dealer. And yes, it is a NEW car.

#7509 of 8462 stiff steering wheel by mcescher1

Jul 17, 2005 (8:17 pm)

I notice that the steering wheel on the 2005 LS 430 is stiffer than other cars I drive, for instance the 2003 Avalon and the 1994 Infiniti. Is this in the nature of the vehicle or can it be adjusted? Thanks for your replies.

#7510 of 8462 switching wheel sizes by mcescher1

Jul 17, 2005 (8:21 pm)

If a 2005 LS 430 comes with 18 inch wheels, can I have the dealer replace them with 17 inch wheels, or is the wheel size somehow integrated with other aspects of the vehicle so as to make this impossible or problemmatic? Thanks for your replies.

#7511 of 8462 adaptable air suspension by mcescher1

Jul 17, 2005 (8:26 pm)

According to the Lexus website, adaptable air suspension has four settings. However, I just test drove an ultra luxury LS 430 with adaptable air suspension, which has only two settings: normal and sport. Does anyone know what this is all about? Thanks for your replies.

#7512 of 8462 Re: New car......or is it? [stomp32] by michael_mattox

Jul 17, 2005 (10:09 pm)

Replying to: stomp32 (Jul 17, 2005 7:13 pm)
stomp:
 
If the dealer is trying to peddle the first contract as the correct one...Your second contract would obviously prevail ...PROOF...You have a contract with the correct address....It seems, that to a reasonable person that varifies your story of what happened.
 
What reasonable excuse would he have for there being two contracts....I believe in a dispute, legally the person that writes the contract is responsible for any mistakes.
 
He can't say you have the only contract...
 
He can't say you have the 1st contract...Because if yours is the first, there would be no reason for a second.
 
So all he can say is he realized that he checked New by mistake on the first contract...but...There would also be that pesky wrong address that supports your version of what happened...He had to have changed BOTH the Address and the New/used on the second contract.
 
UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALERS AREN'T ALWAYS AS GOOD AS THE CARS.....Keep pushing with Lexus...Maybe a letter from your attorney to their corp headquarters in Japan with copies to Lexus USA and your State Attorney Generals Office and the Dealer would move things along.
 
Good Luck....

#7513 of 8462 Re: New car......or is it? [stomp32] by syswei

Jul 18, 2005 (4:13 am)

Replying to: stomp32 (Jul 17, 2005 7:13 pm)
Taking it up with corporate-level Customer Service is the right approach, and hopefully will work out for you.
 
I would add to Michael Mattox's suggestion that a letter could also go the the Better Business Bureau. Maybe you could also write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about fraudulent practices at your dealer.

Messages Page 752 of 847

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