Complaint Against Dealership

[danspencer]

You may remember my exploding rear window episode a month ago, in which I got into the car, turned the ignition to the first setting, and my rear window simply exploded!!!

If not, see topic Rear Window Explodes

After 3 separate visits to my dealer (30 miles away!), and numerous accusations towards me, the window has been fixed and the paintwork 99% repaired.

However, I am not happy with the service I received, nor do I or my family feel safe in the car anymore. Because the dealer has spent so much time trying to prove I'm a liar (which I'm not! ), they have failed to provide me with a valid reason why this happened in the first place, and so I feel the car is dangerous, both to fellow passengers and other road users.

In comparison, Smart Cars (who I'm sure we would all view as a lesser company than Lexus - until now!) replaced a number of cars earlier in the year, with this very same fault.

Whereas Lexus' attitude was "Convince us you didn't connect the car up to the nearest power line, and make all those scratches and chips yourself!".

Sorry to go on, just getting it off my chest

Basically, according to the Lexus website, in order to make a complaint I have to write to the dealer! But the complaint is against them, so I don't feel much inclined to do so!

Does anyone know of the address for Lexus UK, as I would like to write to a regional director or such like. Or any other advice would be appreciated!

P.S. I would love to name and shame the actual dealer, but I'm not sure whether that would be against the rules of this forum.

[MrADeveci]

Dan,

It's a shame you have been treated like this ..... a real shock !

The address and contact for Lexus GB is : (Director)

Steve Settle

Lexus GB Limited

Great Burgh

Burgh Heath

Epsom

Surrey

KT18 5XS

You may have a look at this thread :

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...topic=26505&hl=

Please read here :

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...?showtopic=4008

With regards to name and shame.

Regards.

[danspencer]

Thanks a lot for the information.

I'll let you know how I go with them.

All the best,

Dan

[Andy_F]

Quite a few people seem to be getting crummy service recently, its a real shame. Hope you get it all sorted out.

[MartinC]

I fail to see how they could even begin to blame this on you Dan :duh:

From the pics you posted a while back in the previous thread you can clearly see where the glass has caved in on the right.

[Gecco:8]

You can ring 01737-367-901 and ask for Customer Relations. They will then deal with the Dealer.

[danspencer]

Thanks for the information guys.

I've now written to Steve Settle, sending pictures of the car, so we'll see what happens from here.

I'll post back when I get a result.

All the best,

Dan

[danspencer]

I fail to see how they could even begin to blame this on you Dan :duh:

From the pics you posted a while back in the previous thread you can clearly see where the glass has caved in on the right.

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Don't get me started!!!!

The first time I went in, I was met with accusational comments such as "Well, I haven't seen this happen before in my who 20 year career. The only other time I've seen a broken back window was when someone reversed into a wall" (it was the way it was said, whilst staring at me for a reaction).

There was also a major query over whether glass is covered by the warranty!

Then I went back about the paintwork that had been damaged and because the car was still full of glass. "How can we know what was damaged before and after?" they said looking at an otherwise immaculate car!

Third time still suffering from glass everywhere (in quantity!), I discovered what I thought was a new scratch by the petrol cap, that definitely wasn't there before it went to the body shop. "We don't check cars thoroughly when they come in, so it was probably there before".

At that very moment, having looked from a 90 degree angle I pointed out that the damage was in fact not a scratch at all but a blob of paint splashed by the body shop. An apology? Yeah right!

And yes, there's still a bump in the paintwork where it was!

The fact is that I have two complaints;

1) The above - an apology for what happened and the accusational tone used repetitively.

2) More importantly, nobody has given me a viable explanation why it happened and hence I feel that my car may well not be roadworthy. It may happen again, but next time there could be someone in the back seat, or it could happen doing 70mph down the M40 in the morning!

This exact same thing apparently occurred to a small sample of Smart cars, and all of them were replaced as a matter of course simply for safety reasons.

I really must find out why it happened in the case of the Smart cars.

All the best,

Dan

[Lex-aholic]

What a moron. I sincerely hope this is the end of that "person's" 20 year career.

Maybe I'm a bit dense, but how would the window be shattered if you reversed your car into something - unless it was a hatchback ? And surely if you HAD reversed into something, the back of the car would be knackered.

I don't know about you peeps, but reading these topics lately I seem to be having serious doubts about the customer services departments of Lexus.

[MartinC]

Just surprised a Lexus dealer takes that kind of approach , sounds out of character and maybe you have been unlucky to find a naff dealer.

If they don't check cars thoroughly when they come in thats their problem, and open to abuse from less honest owners

sounds like hard work there mate, can't deal with situations like that myself

[Steve ( West Mids )]

The Smart was a design fault in the elements, they replaced the window with a different element design.

[danspencer]

Just surprised a Lexus dealer takes that kind of approach , sounds out of character and maybe you have been unlucky to find a naff dealer.

If they don't check cars thoroughly when they come in thats their problem, and open to abuse from less honest owners

sounds like hard work there mate, can't deal with situations like that myself

←

I hadn't actually thought about it that way to be honest. The way they approached me at the time, it made me feel "guilty", and I didn't even think by admitting they hadn't checked it in thoroughly, they were open to abuse.

I've now had an e-mail from the PA of the CEO, so hopefully they will get this sorted for me now.

Dan

P.S. By the fact I'm located in Oxford area, please don't assume that this is the Oxford dealership because it definitely isn't!!!

[danspencer]

You won't believe the latest on this!!! :duh:

As I said above, I've written to the CEO of Lexus UK to look into this, due to the relationship between myself and and my local dealer having completely broken down (mainly due to the fact that they have not resolved the matter, not to mention the fact that they keep implying I'm lying!).

So what happened today?

Well, I picked up my voicemails and discovered a message from a guy saying that he had been put in charge of sorting the issue out.

Was he the CEO? No.

Was he the an assistant to the CEO? No.

Was he from Customer Services at Head Office? No.

They've only routed it all the way back to my dealer I was complaining about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :megaangry:

"Dear National Newspaper............"

[Claire G]

Write to Watchdog and anyone else you can think of detailing your experience and the abyssmal response. Copy in the CEO and his PA and see if you get a better response!!!

[Lex-aholic]

You won't believe the latest on this!!! :duh:

As I said above, I've written to the CEO of Lexus UK to look into this, due to the relationship between myself and and my local dealer having completely broken down (mainly due to the fact that they have not resolved the matter, not to mention the fact that they keep implying I'm lying!).

So what happened today?

Well, I picked up my voicemails and discovered a message from a guy saying that he had been put in charge of sorting the issue out.

Was he the CEO? No.

Was he the an assistant to the CEO? No.

Was he from Customer Services at Head Office? No.

They've only routed it all the way back to my dealer I was complaining about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :megaangry: 

"Dear National Newspaper............"

←

Sounds like nobody wants to take responsibility. What a bunch of delegaters

Like Claire said - I'd write off to BBC Watchdog. Have a look on the BBC's website, there might be an easy way to put your letter across.

Best of luck

[Rob]

not surprised, as i have been told by lexus HQ before, they have no control over the dealers actions

[Claire G]

They'd certainly take more interest and soon take control over the dealers if the dealer wasn't profitable :tsktsk:

[danspencer]

Never heard of anyone having any luck with Watchdog.

I think it takes a lot of complaints against the same company before it gets televised.

I really did think Lexus were different to the other companies.

Seems they all have sloping shoulders syndrome after all!

[Steve ( West Mids )]

I suggest Autoexpress Watchdog as most likely to take it on board, email to

watchdog@autoexpress.co.uk

[C-B]

Just a thought but would your insurance company not be able to get involved? I am assuming that you have fully comprehensive insurance with legal protection? In which case technically the damage should be covered by this.

Now, your insurance company are not going to want to fork out for the repair costs so should take it up with the dealer and get things moving.

As far as I can see, this it likely to be the easiest way of getting some form of legal involvement with no cost to yourself. Minor risk of losing your no claims bonus though.

Chris

[danspencer]

Just a thought but would your insurance company not be able to get involved? I am assuming that you have fully comprehensive insurance with legal protection? In which case technically the damage should be covered by this.

Now, your insurance company are not going to want to fork out for the repair costs so should take it up with the dealer and get things moving.

As far as I can see, this it likely to be the easiest way of getting some form of legal involvement with no cost to yourself. Minor risk of losing your no claims bonus though.

Chris

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The actual window was fixed by the dealer fairly quickly - no complaint there.

The reason I am getting Head Office involved is;

1) I have had no viable explanation for why it happened. If my 6 year-old daughter had been sitting in the back, or I'd been shooting down the motorway, things could have turned out rather more seriously. I'm now faced with a 6 year old who won't get in the back of the car without a fight, and to be honest I don't blame her, as I'll never trust this car again.

2) Throughout my dealings with the dealer, they were forever accusational, and in each case I had to prove that the fault lay with them, rather than it being assumed that the customer is always right, and then attempting to prove that I'm lying!

As it now stands, I wrote to the CEO to complain on both counts, and am now faced with the dealer ringing me.

I've told them I am unwilling to speak to the dealer anymore, as I've had enough of being called a liar!

[Lex-aholic]

Never heard of anyone having any luck with Watchdog.

I think it takes a lot of complaints against the same company before it gets televised.

I really did think Lexus were different to the other companies.

Seems they all have sloping shoulders syndrome after all!

←

I still think it's worth putting your points of view forward to Watchdog. You never know how many other people are out there with Lexuses who have already put there views forward to this program.

At least if it does get aired you have had your chance to name and shame the dealership.

I'm not having a dig at you as I can understand you feeling negative towards Watchdog and others in your situation, but if everybody told nobody about anything then nothing will ever get done.

[danspencer]

I still think it's worth putting your points of view forward to Watchdog.  You never know how many other people are out there with Lexuses who have already put there views forward to this program.

At least if it does get aired you have had your chance to name and shame the dealership.

I'm not having a dig at you as I can understand you feeling negative towards Watchdog and others in your situation, but if everybody told nobody about anything then nothing will ever get done.

←

Lex-aholic - No offence taken whatsoever!

Hadn't really thought about it like that.

There could be other cases against Lexus, you never know!

Just had our post (3pm in the afternoon - complaint to post office?!!!!).

Lexus Customer Service have finally answered, and are suggesting that the Regional Manager come see the car.

What he's going to be able to tell I don't know. Surely they should be looking at the window itself.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Insist you are there when he looks at the car ( and damage ) also make sure you have the pictures with you.

[COOLIO]

stay calm and be really reasonable, being angry (which is more than understandable) will hurt your case and they will just peg you down as another over-reacting customer.