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Sedans Lexus LS 460/460L Lexus LS Dealers and Service Issues
82 messages, Last post on Sep 16, 2009 at 7:13 PM
You are in the Lexus LS 460/460L Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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I just learned a lesson the hard way. I have an "out of warranty" issue concerning my 2001 LS 430's trunk lid mechanism. I was just told that I should have gone to the dealer I serviced the car at most before I called the Lexus 800 # and got turned down based on the VIN # and records on my car. I am now trying the D.O.M. (District Office Manager) through my main service dealer who is located in Torrance, Ca. Lexus HQ's. I blogged about the issue here: "2007 Lexus LS 460's Retro 1990 Trunk Lid Mechanism" http://www.brokerblogger.com/brokerblogger/2007/02/lexus_ls_460s_r.html |
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I just wanted to clarify what I said above. The reason I got "turned down" by Lexus Corporate and my local dealers (IMO) is that I buy from "people" more than I buy from "companies". By that I mean that I have been giving my Lexus service consumer money to Independent Lexus Service shops more than dealers, ever since my 2001 LS 430 went out of warranty, and "heavy turnover" of employees at my favorite service dealer happened . I was servicing my 1990 LS 400 at a dealer until ("the same thing") incompetent (IMO) upper mgt. at that dealership made many long time mechanics, etc., that I got to know and trust over many years, leave. So, when I called the Lexus Customer Satisfaction 800 # about my "safety issue", I found out that they may have looked at how much money I've been spending at the dealerships in recent years. The dealers and their "District Operations Mgr." certainly care about where you get your car serviced, so they may have been influenced by my recent "lack of loyalty" to the dealers. Of course, I'll never know for sure, but it doesn't matter, as I'm thrilled with the Independent Lexus Service in my area. Independents are usually former Lexus Master Mechanics that either didn't feel that they were treated right at their dealerships, and/or wanted to have an "equity ownership position" vs. and "employee" position. Even the mechanics that work at the Independents want to get away from certain dealers, and evidently prefer working for the Independents. Independents never told me I could not go out into the shop for "insurance reasons" and watch the work being done to my car, if I wanted to (I love an "education" along with my car's service). Independents are less expensive than dealers. Most Independents try to save you money wherever thay can by doing "a la carte" things vs. selling you "package deals" that can include services that "can't hurt", but are not really necessary at that time (IMO). But, even the Independent's "service package deals" are less expensive. I also find that Independents "try harder" in many ways, as they know the dealers make so much more money that the dealers can always provide loner cars, while the Independents only sometimes do, or never at all. Being a business man myself, I know that the dealers have to somehow include the expensive cost of having loner cars in the prices they charge. Finally, I never feel like I'm sacrificing quality in any way when I have my Lexus cars serviced at Independents. They can keep up with the latest things going on with all Lexus vehicles. In fact, I believe that Independents actually provide a much needed service for Lexus Corporate, and the dealers. They are an "extra set of eyes and ears" out there in the world to help Lexus customers stay loyal to the Lexus brand, while having the integrity to direct customers who need warranty work done to the dealers (who make money from warranty work!). |
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I own a '98 LS400 w 176,000 miles - love the car. Before I had and still have a '92 LS400 which now has 265,000 miles. "92 was serviced  both dealer & independents. Most of costly work done on "92 was suspension/wheel related - upper and lower control arms, ball joints, rotors, etc. Also sensors. Question - does anyone know if "aftermarket" parts for items listed, supplied by independents, are the equivalent in quality - ie machining, material - of dealer supplied parts??? I had a bad experience a Lexus dealer - could have been very costly - dealership has since changed hands - may give them a try. oil change, they told me I need control arms and rotors for '98.
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I took delivery of an LS460 in June (May build). When I purchased the car I added chrome wheels, which were installed the day of delivery. The next morning, I checked the tire pressure on all 4, with my tire gauge--all 4 were at 33psi, per mfg specs (18" wheels). Looks like everything is fine, but I do make it a habit to manually check my tires every month (always in the morning, after the car has sat overnight, so as to get a good cold tire pressure). When the car was a month old, I checked and all tires were low. I added air to all 4 and decided they must not have seated the new tires well--or something. But, in the past month, I have checked the tires each Sunday morning--and the cold tire pressure (using the same air gauge)has decreased each week, & in every tire. After the last check, I aired all 4 up again! The loss was 2.5 lbs in 3 tires and 3 lbs in tire four. The spare's pressure has remained constant. I am in Dallas, TX, and it is hot here this time of the year. That being said, usually at the first cold snap each year I would loose tire pressure in my prior Lexus models with the tire monitors--I knew, because of the monitor. Have any of you ever had this happen or do you have an explanation? __________________
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Replying to: sidgriggs (Aug 25, 2007 5:34 am) __________________
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Replying to: sidgriggs (Sep 23, 2007 8:54 am) Do let us know when the mystery is resolved.
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Replying to: rennybosch (Sep 23, 2007 4:36 pm) |
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| I have been to a Bridgestone dealer--he said air loss is due to chromed wheels. Lexus dealer had my car for 2 days and said there are no detectable leaks AND "a 4psi air loss in a six week period is not abnormal" In all 5 tires--BS. Anyone else have this type of air loss? I have recorded the cold tire pressure weekly for the past 13 weeks. Have added air 3 times and the loss averages 3.5 lbs per month. This does not seem normal to me, but I guess I'll buy an air compressor and keep filling my tires each month. | |
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Replying to: sidgriggs (Nov 02, 2007 12:57 pm)
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Replying to: rgsw (Nov 02, 2007 6:37 pm)
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