New Model Gs430

[marcus wright]

Hi all,

I'm on my fourth Lexus. This time an ex-demo new model GS430 after one used mark one and two new mark two's.

Bought the car over the phone from Lexus Ipswich, having been assured in was in excellent condition and I also felt reassured by the approved pre-owned scheme.

Bought it on the 7th November, rang on the 9th to say "please make sure it's fully prepared as I live 90 miles away and don't want to come back". Went to collect on the 12th. Upon inspection found that the front spoiler was heavily pitted with stone chips (they rightly acquiesced immediately and agreed to re-spray), two wheels needed touching up (a couple of penny sized chips), both headrests had come away from the plastic back (said they would sort) and there was a chip in the drivers door (said they would deal).

Dropped it off on the 20th, told to expect it back by Wednesday 23rd. After some complaint by me as I was not happy about having to bring the car back, they did stretch to a new SC430 - mind you, this is not as nice to drive regardless of the price, and you can't really have the top down in this weather.

Called on the 23rd by the original salesman (who was a very friendly chap to deal with) - he was not happy with the wheels, but it should be OK by the 26th. Called on the 25th by the dealer principle - he was also not happy with the wheels. They finally dropped it back on the 30th - with no explaination of what they had done or a follow up call.

This Saturday was the first time I had seen it in the light. Hmmm. The wheels don't really seem to be that smoke alloy colour anymore and the front spoiler looks a bit darker than the rest of the car. Sunday comes and I wash it, then I take the car over the Lexus Milton Keynes to compare the wheels and front bumper colours. Now the wheels have been refurbished and painted but in a lighter shade alloy colour. They are also soft - so soft you can mark them with a very light finger nail. Lastly, there are clear blemishes - they are far worse than they were before the treatment and certainly not the lovely alloys that come with the car! Furthermore, from certain angles the spoiler looks OK-ish in terms of colour, but it is darker than the rear plastic bumper colour! It is very slightly different from a new car, but equally no worse than many other cars I compared yesterday (non-Lexus).

I can't see how they are going to remedy the alloys, so I think that all I can do is ask for a new set or an original set in good condition from an equivalent car. Not sure what to do about the bumper colour.

By the way, the car was returned with the same headrest fault. Luckily Lexus Milton Keynes will resolve this one on warranty. The touch-in on the drivers door fell off when I cleaned it but hey!!

Any views as to how I should approach? I don't want to reject the car as other than these issues it is truly great. I hope and expect a call from the dealer principle tomorrow.

Best regards,

Marcus.

[Rillo]

You got me worried as I pick a new one up on Saturday! :P

However, I have always been wary of buying a new model in it's first 6 months of release. I noticed when I drove a few early approved used GS430's (Apr/May 05) that they seemed a little fragile having a few squeaks and rattles and flimsy interior mirror etc. But having sat in a couple of new showroom models in the last few weeks they do seem a bit more solid so I can only assume they are improving??

Hope you get things sorted.

[Telephone man]

WOW - I picked mine up as documented on the forum and had a few issues but nothing as serious as your problems.

The wheels had scrapes but are immaculate now after a refurb, the front bumper had a small push in and is being replaced without quibble the only downer being the liberal use of silicon under the dash to stop squeaks !!!

The sales manager at the dealership is an aquaintance of old and is horrified at the lack of prep my car received but I am confident on weds it will be better than new.

Buying a demo is a risk but better a Lexus demo than anything else and the saving on a new one was immense !! I can put up with a few niggles - but only a few!! they are under no illusions it will be repeatedly returned until perfect AND remember the salesman does not get commision until you have completed the satisfaction form to a high (95% ?) level

Dont be palmed off

[marcus wright]

An update for those who are interested...

I finally got a call from the dealer principle this Tuesday morning, after an apology from a very friendly lady on Monday (As he was meant to call then). He asked me what was wrong - told me he wanted to make me happy - didn't apologise, said he'd see what he could do and call me back by close of play Tuesday. He didn't call. I rang then lunch-time Wednesday and the original salesman called back close of play. He also asked me what was wrong as he had been out of the office (with the principle at the Lexus Academy). I reconfirmed that the wheels have been painted, are the wrong colour and are soft. Front bumper not quite right either. Headrests didn't get fixed. £38K not happy etc etc. He said that he would talk to Lexus tomorrow and see what can be done with the wheels. As far as I am concerned they must be identical to the originals.

I have to say that I am really, really disappointed. How can a Lexus dealership sell a car, have it back a week later for 10 days, paint the spoiler a darker shade, paint the wheels poorly in a lighter shade and not undertake fixes to other items?

I hope that they can put it right. I have been promised a call tomorrow.

Marcus.

[javaboss]

I just can't believe I'm reading this! 38k!!! I'd be going totally nuts if it turned up with the issues you've had!

[ColinBarber]

Have you contacted Lexus GB? They probably won't do anything but it's worth a try.

[Telephone man]

HMM sounds like you have a V poor dealer !

Got mine back after a week away and all jobs have been done well (squeaks, silicon, marks) however the front bumper needed three goes to remount and its now not mounted straight and painted a totally different shade of colour to the car (silver) - they did say they were getting a new bumper prior to sending it back however.

A small scratch on the back bumper has pee`d me off but it should cut out

Very happy with the car, nice waffly engine and good stereo, will do a separate post for initial feelings methinks.

Good luck with getting it sorted IMHO I would take it to another dealer for warranty work as no doubt they will have your card marked at the supplying dealer

[marcus wright]

Latest update...

Well, the dealer principle rang friday, it is being collected on Monday at 4pm and they will drop off an SC. The are going to send the wheels away to a manufacturer recomended by Lexus HQ, who will refurbish the wheels to the exact same specification. They are also going to inspect the front bumper and try to sort again if necessary, but I am realibly informed that after respray metallic silver never looks exactly the same, which is why dealers try to only touch-in if possible.

As I have now (finally) had a chance to drive the car for a few days in the main it is great and I will post a report soon.

One other emergent issue is a smoky / musty type smell coming from the aircon at start and then clearing within 30 seconds or so, particularly noticeable when restarting say 30 minutes after the last trip. I inspected the aircon filter behind the glovebox and it is clean and as new. Any ideas as to the cause? (I am sure the car was not smoked in).

Best regards,

Marcus.

[Lexusjohn]

Hi all,

I'm on my fourth Lexus. This time an ex-demo new model GS430 after one used mark one and two new mark two's.

Bought the car over the phone from Lexus Ipswich, having been assured in was in excellent condition and I also felt reassured by the approved pre-owned scheme.

Bought it on the 7th November, rang on the 9th to say "please make sure it's fully prepared as I live 90 miles away and don't want to come back". Went to collect on the 12th. Upon inspection found that the front spoiler was heavily pitted with stone chips (they rightly acquiesced immediately and agreed to re-spray), two wheels needed touching up (a couple of penny sized chips), both headrests had come away from the plastic back (said they would sort) and there was a chip in the drivers door (said they would deal).

Dropped it off on the 20th, told to expect it back by Wednesday 23rd. After some complaint by me as I was not happy about having to bring the car back, they did stretch to a new SC430 - mind you, this is not as nice to drive regardless of the price, and you can't really have the top down in this weather.

Called on the 23rd by the original salesman (who was a very friendly chap to deal with) - he was not happy with the wheels, but it should be OK by the 26th. Called on the 25th by the dealer principle - he was also not happy with the wheels. They finally dropped it back on the 30th - with no explaination of what they had done or a follow up call. 

This Saturday was the first time I had seen it in the light. Hmmm. The wheels don't really seem to be that smoke alloy colour anymore and the front spoiler looks a bit darker than the rest of the car. Sunday comes and I wash it, then I take the car over the Lexus Milton Keynes to compare the wheels and front bumper colours. Now the wheels have been refurbished and painted but in a lighter shade alloy colour. They are also soft - so soft you can mark them with a very light finger nail. Lastly, there are clear blemishes - they are far worse than they were before the treatment and certainly not the lovely alloys that come with the car! Furthermore, from certain angles the spoiler looks OK-ish in terms of colour, but it is darker than the rear plastic bumper colour! It is very slightly different from a new car, but equally no worse than many other cars I compared yesterday (non-Lexus).

I can't see how they are going to remedy the alloys, so I think that all I can do is ask for a new set or an original set in good condition from an equivalent car. Not sure what to do about the bumper colour.

By the way, the car was returned with the same headrest fault. Luckily Lexus Milton Keynes will resolve this one on warranty. The touch-in on the drivers door fell off when I cleaned it but hey!!

Any views as to how I should approach? I don't want to reject the car as other than these issues it is truly great. I hope and expect a call from the dealer principle tomorrow.

Best regards,

Marcus.

←

Marcus, they should have replaced all the alloys with new ones, respraying should look as original and NO excusses, drivers door should have been painted and matched, chuck it back and don't accept it until your happy, see my other posts on the "lexus experience" paint faults and all, I dumped both my new RX300SE and New GS300SE, whent will Audi A8TDI, no comparison, paint and interior, light years ahead in the quality dept. :shutit:

[baby_lexus]

Look at my post earlier;

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...topic=28723&hl=

I am sure these dealers aren't paying attention to owners needs.

[Lexusjohn]

Baby Lexus, sounds all too familiar, the attitude is "well he may accept it as it is save us the agro", I can not understand these dealers, I wont use the ones that give bad service EVER or the ones reported to give poor aftrer sales service no mater what discount they offer, someone out there will better them it just takes time to look. :mat:

Good deals can be had, my current car was up for 54K in the showroom, brand new all extras, I haggled them down 10K AND got a good price for my GS300se.

[marcus wright]

Hi All,

Well they collected last Monday the 12th and left us with an SC430. I faxed a complaint letter and sent it with the car when they collected.

I asked the dealer principle to consider how a) It could have been sold to me unprepared with the faults and b ) How Lexus Ipswich took the car back for ten days and then returned the car with clearly inferior work to the wheels and spoiler and having failed to fix the broken headrests.

The dealer principle called on Wednesday to say he had received the car / letter and would write back and also call to update me with timescales for return of the car by Friday 16th. He called as promised but his letter has not arrived as yet. He says wheels will be back to the dealer from refurbisher by next Tuesday, then car will go to the bodyshop again for a further front bumper respray (as well as the colour problem, when I cleaned / polished the car before it went I found that the paint on the repainted spoiler was actually damaged on the off-side and nearside near the headlights and that there is a blemish lacquered over on the nearside). He said it is his intention that I get the car back by next Friday 23rd December.

Having collected the car on the 12th November, if I get it back on the 23rd December, I will have had my car in my possession for 20 days and Lexus Ipswich will have had it for 22...

Now if I had known that, do you think I would have bought it?

Here's hoping it's coming home for Christmas and it isn't a turkey!

Best regards,

Marcus.

[Lexusjohn]

"but I am realibly informed that after respray metallic silver never looks exactly the same, which is why dealers try to only touch-in if possible".

This statement is total B****ks, I have had TWO yes TWO brand new LEXUSES with paint issues, First new RX300SE front wing and two doors with paint defects all had to be resprayed, I spoke to the guy who was to do it before the work was done and he said "you wont know i've been on it. I looked very very hard after and you could NOT tell, so when my NEW GS300SE got some blemishes on it, I took it back to the same guy and he again faultlessly repainted it. Thats what I would expect from lexus, a first class job, NOTHING less. :shutit:

PS0 both were metalic silver.

[marcus wright]

Thanks Lexusjohn,

I think that they need to get it right this time if they want to retain their own dealership reputation. The dealer principle did agree that it was a different shade although he qualified this with "in certain light".

If they don't get it right with a second try / after my inconvenience and having so significantly failing to live up to the expectations that Lexus set, then I think they will need to propose a compromise to resolve as I will have no further confidence in them. I sincerely hope it does not come to that.

Best regards,

Marcus.

[marcus wright]

Lexusjohn,

One more thing - thinking about your point regarding silver colour matching. All of the Lexus I have owned (1 x mk1 GS300, 2 x new mk2 GS300 and this mk3 GS430) have been silver-ish (Lucerne, Platinum Ice and now Palladio). I recall I did have a new plastic rear bumper on the first mk2 (lucerne) and they matched that perfectly.

Any other views, any body shop people out there?

Best regards,

Marcus.

[Lexusjohn]

Lexusjohn,

One more thing - thinking about your point regarding silver colour matching. All of the Lexus I have owned (1 x mk1 GS300, 2 x new mk2 GS300 and this mk3 GS430) have been silver-ish (Lucerne, Platinum Ice and now Palladio). I recall I did have a new plastic rear bumper on the first mk2 (lucerne) and they matched that perfectly.

Any other views, any body shop people out there?

Best regards,

Marcus.

←

Marcus, where do you live, I ask this because this guy that paints "for lexus Norwich" is very good, if you like you may ask ipswich to use him, I can suppy address and phone no: That way you know the job will be done properly, however the wheels need a professional wheel specialist. http://www.pristinealloywheels.co.uk are the best by far.

Hope this helps :winky:

[marcus wright]

Update -

Finally got it back yeterday (23/12/05). The wheels look fine and the spoiler seems to be painted to the correct colour. It came back with a half-page letter from the dealer principle inside (he also called in advance of the car being delivered back). Whilst apologising for the inconvinience, the letter didn't answer my questions though - just mentioned that the alloys were soft first time round because they had painted them twice for good measure. No response as to why the car was unprepared upon original collection, spoiler was repainted the wrong colour or headrests were not fixed.

Why is it that companies are so unprepared to take clear responsibility in writing? Avoiding the precise question is almost an art form for Lexus Ipswich. It would have been nice to hear "we made a mistake, we'll put it right, we have changed our processes, you can have confidence in us again". Funny that is it their failure to explicitely admit an error that would be the reason I didn't buy from them again.

Best regards,

Marcus.

[boombang]

I'd have given them the car back and got my money personally - there are other dealers/cars/makes out there.

Never accept second best, especially for that sort of money!

[marcus wright]

Thanks,

I'd summarise it like this:

I've tried a BMW 5 series, Audi A6, Merecedes E class and Jaguar XJ.

I prefer Lexus engineering and quality.

The GS430 is a very good car.

My 9500 mile GS430 now has "as new" front spoiler and wheels.

But I have been seriously inconvinienced by Lexus Ipswich.

They did put it right in the end (after having the car for 22 days) and they did lend me an SC.

Mind you, I didn't buy the car for the dealership quality - I know how inconsistent it can be (I have owned four Lexus now over nearly 10 years).

It is highly unlikely that I would buy from Lexus Ipswich again.

I might have forgotten this experience next time I buy a car.

If I remember, I might buy another make but I doubt it.

Moral of the story:

The main benefit of owning a Lexus is that you don't have to go to a dealer too often to risk spoiling the provenance of your beautifully built, well engineered car!!

Based on recent experience I am quietly confident that Lexus Milton Keynes and Cambridge are really as good as we would expect. Here's looking forward to the next service!

Lastly, after all this I hope the wheels don't rot and the spoiler paint doesn't flake. I don't ever want to take a trip back to Ipswich!!

Cheers,

Marcus.