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Sedans Lexus ES Lexus dealerships' questionable practices
26 messages, Last post on Jul 14, 2009 at 9:17 AM
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I've discovered that Lexus dealerships in several states now do an unauthorized checkup of the entire car when you bring the car in to the service department for ANYTHING. They don't ask you if you want this checkup. They then give you a list of things that supposedly need to be fixed quickly. We've been told several times that it's too dangerous to drive the cars out of the dealership without having some of the problems fixed. In every case when this has occurred, an independent garage has told us that none of the so-called problems existed. I've heard that this MAY be a situation wherein the service writer and the mechanic receive a portion of the money that they can talk the customer into doing. Is this unauthorized checkup legal? I don't think so. Members of my family will never take our Lexuses to a dealership for anything unless it is absolutely necessary. We take our cars to independent garages where we trust the honesty of the owner and his employees. |
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Replying to: enigma2 (Apr 06, 2009 8:24 am) The clear majority of them are single marque dealers, limiting their service "base" pretty severely, and the product seems to be reliable in the extreme. So the "check-up" procedure and the following HARD SELL has become the norm. Plus the routine service jobs are often done by McD "flipper" graduates in order to maximize profits.
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Replying to: wwest (Apr 09, 2009 8:44 am) We also find that you have to keep a "step ahead" of the dealerships in terms of their demanding information that could cause identity theft. For example, an employee of one dealership in Florida demands a copy of your title and driver's license before he will give you a price quotation or take an order for a new key for your Lexus. An employee in Maryland demanded a customer's social security number in addition to the driver's license before he would accept a check. When it was reported to the dealership's manager, he dismissed the seriousness of the problem "because this is a LEXUS dealership." As for the unauthorized "check-ups," an attorney has told me that a dealership does not have carte blanche to do whatever he wants without an owner's permission. In one case, unauthorized work was done. I've enjoyed my Lexus and the feelings are the same with other members of my family who own a Lexus. But none of us will ever own another Lexus because of the dealerships who seem to take a "we'll do what we want with your Lexus." In the meantime, we never go to a Lexus dealership unless it is absolutely necessary---such as getting a new master key. We have also reported the questionable behavior to appropriate authorities.
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Replying to: enigma2 (Apr 09, 2009 1:58 pm) 2. I wouldn't want ANY dealer to be making new keys without confirming ownership, title plus ID. 3. Size of the check..?? Out of town check writer..?? In any case asking for a SSN seems a bit overboard. I'd be the last to defend what appears to be the standard "rip-off" practice of a dealer, Lexus or otherwise, but it seems to me that a lot of what they do isn't so much illegal but a waste of my time and theirs. I don't often use a dealer for service but when I do I make it plain in writing on the service writeup that NOTHING beyond what was authorized is to be done absent my permission in writing. Even at that I once had an extraordinary level of extra work done but managed to get the extra charges cancelled, over $700. |
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Replying to: enigma2 (Apr 09, 2009 1:58 pm) Why punish yourself...?? And where will you "go" to purchase an upscale highly reliable car in the Lexus class and not encounter the very same practice...?? Sorry, I simply do not know of a marque that outclasses a Lexus, nor even close..!! |
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I suspect Lexus (corporate) would not be happy with dealerships that tried to sell bogus services. Lexus was built on incredible customer service and I think they would "spank some fingers" on dealerships that followed such a practice. To the original poster, I'd write Lexus to complain about such tactics.
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Replying to: gbjerke (Apr 14, 2009 2:14 pm) Besides which most states have laws that protect the dealers from the level of manufacturer oversight/control that would be required.
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Replying to: wwest (Apr 15, 2009 9:17 am) Am on my 4th Lexus and have never experienced this "upselling" bit and this involves three Chicago suburban dealerships...ya know Chicagoland, where all the politicians are honest and upstanding!
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Replying to: gbjerke (Apr 15, 2009 2:05 pm)
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Replying to: wwest (Apr 15, 2009 7:28 pm) 30-40k is about it. Usually every 3 years-- '92 SC; '95 LS (then a try at a '98 Caddy STS and an '01 Chrysler 300M) then to an '05 ES and now the '09 ES. All the dealers have done is the oil change every 5k miles but there has never been a push for anything else. |
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