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Now I'm Just Annoyed - My Final Thread


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NOT GOOD NEWS FOR ME - this is cribbed from the "Why does my car rattle" post

I've just taken the car on a motorway run.

The seat squeak is back. It's now worse then ever.

There is a faint dash rattle that gets worse over poor motorway surfaces but is fine in town. This rattle comes from deep in the dash.

Oh and that Speaker grill fits really badly. It still protudes from the back and there is what looks like a gouge in the dash on the left handside, and by looking through the screen (from outside) at the edge of the speaker.

I love the car, but the quality of this product is a sham. I'm sick of people:

1) telling me it's an "early car" and you should expect teethers. well I don't think so...not repeat ones...

2) telling me Lexus are the most reliable cars. Maybe they don't break down, but they are not solidly made. To qualify this just press the bumpers from the sides. They are very thin. Like a cheap showertray. Look at the grill - press it. Whilst it's nice and shiny, it is not premium quality. It ,ight be fantastic looking, but it's cramped and has a small boot...

Maybe the journo's were partly correct!

Until now I was wowed by the car, it's gizmo's and the fact that I'd spent a huge amount of my hard earned dosh - made me want to say good things. It made me feel I'd bought something great. Well, it's actually an average Japanese car, made to look good, loaded to the gunnels with kit, but without any engineering pedigree. Thats what todays return of the rattles, the seat etc has done.

Maybe it's just me - too fussy. Maybe for some on the forum I rattle more than the car itself. maybe I should accept a rattling car as being normal, and that's somehow my fault for buying an early model...

This will be the 4th visit for warranty work in 8 months and 6500 miles. That's more than the various German cars I've had before all put together in over 10 years.

Now tell me that a Lexus is better made than a German car...with many of them you get what you pay for. I certainly expected more from Lexus. Not the contsnat rattles, repeat repairs etc. It's just not on.

As soon as I can afford to, I'm defecting back again. Period. Maybe a Golf GTI, R32 or an A6...

Oh - and before anyone tries to flame me, this is my last post. The car takes up too much of my life (and yes I do have one)

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Fair point.

I think that Lexus have let themselves down with the quality of the IS250/220D.

I'm sure that they are working on a possible, subtle, series 2 which will resolve all these common issues.

I thought about chucking in the IS300 for one... but reading all these posts.... why change something that isn't broke ?

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I thought about chucking in the IS300 for one... but reading all these posts.... why change something that isn't broke ?

Thats pretty much what I thought after I spent the day in an IS250 recently.

It's just not that much better to warrant me replacing my S/C IS200. (lovely autobox though)

It's not powerful enough either :lol:

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Sounds like a tale of woes - I am very sorry to hear it.

I should think that Lexus would be very interested in your feedback. All businesses need to know if they are going wrong (although I suspect you may be reluctant to want to help them).

Best regards for the future, whichever direction you choose :D

Mark :)

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I hope im not tempting fate by writing this, but i have a IS250 its an 06 year.

So far all i can say is that this car is the best car i have ever driven, i have the Navigator model with all the good stuff, cant say enough about it. drives like a dream, plenty of speed and power and the interior is a really nice place to be, i recently went to Manchester and found the drive to be great.

Please i hope i havnt spoken to early.

I will however say that the Lexus guys at Leicester are useless and would be better suited to seeling burgers in burger king but i guess you cant have it all.

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Wow and I thought I'm stressed!!

I sat with Lexus Leicester till gone 6 last night.

They have come up with a few ideas that they are going to try so lets see!

Back in the real world Leicester to Bradford today 220miles = 34.2mpg Fantastic - NOT!! :tsktsk:

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I feel for ya man..to spend all of ur dosh on a new car like that and have to deal with rattles..well, that's just :tsktsk:

maybe you have a lemon, maybe QC at lexus is failing, or maybe it was built on a friday afternoon..i really have no idea..

good luck with whatever car you end up with and a pity you are not considering getting an mk2 GS or a Mk4 LS as they have the build quality that put lexus on the map.

remember, the germans have it bad too.. since the merger with chrysler, all the journalists and owners have been moaning about the beancounters ruining the once famous "rock solid" merc build quality. just take a 1996 S class and a 2001 S class to see the difference..like night and day..

it feels like an industry trend...

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Wow and I thought I'm stressed!!

I sat with Lexus Leicester till gone 6 last night.

They have come up with a few ideas that they are going to try so lets see!

Back in the real world Leicester to Bradford today 220miles = 34.2mpg Fantastic - NOT!! :tsktsk:

Just done 250miles = 33.9mpg Fantastic - YES :D (250 SE Auto)

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its starting to get worrying

the new IS owners on this forum are only a small percentage of the total new IS`s sold

yet almost everyone seems to be having the same problems, ie: low mpg and rattles

and the dealers appear to be getting more and more complaints

i imagine there are a lot of owners, who are not members on any forums who have the same complaints

is this a decline in lexus standards ?

lets hope not ;)

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its starting to get worrying

the new IS owners on this forum are only a small percentage of the total new IS`s sold

yet almost everyone seems to be having the same problems, ie: low mpg and rattles

and the dealers appear to be getting more and more complaints

i imagine there are a lot of owners, who are not members on any forums who have the same complaints

is this a decline in lexus standards ?

lets hope not ;)

Folks it's easier to whinge because you're complaining and usually have a point to make. Those of us that have nothing to complain about usually don't feel the need to let peeps know, apart from a certain person on the forum whose posts covered both and swung from elation to despair on a regular basis.

Others only say they have nothing to complain about in response to someone that does..so just for the record (again)....I still have both generations of IS and in driving both I would say the build quality isn't any different, and my 250 still has 'Toyota' stamped or etched in a lot of places, just like my 200.

I still enjoy driving both, but for different reasons. However, I have a 500 mile round trip to do next week and it's a no brainer as to which car I'm taking...the 250 is in a different league for comfort, fuel economy, ICE and yes, quietness :tomato:

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Wow and I thought I'm stressed!!

I sat with Lexus Leicester till gone 6 last night.

They have come up with a few ideas that they are going to try so lets see!

Back in the real world Leicester to Bradford today 220miles = 34.2mpg Fantastic - NOT!! :tsktsk:

Just done 250miles = 33.9mpg Fantastic - YES :D (250 SE Auto)

I, like several others on this forum have at times complained about service or buiild, but i must side with the

more contented. Even though my car currently has a technical problem, (See VSC Check Thread) the service and courtesy i have recieved has been exemplary. At times i moan about fuel consuption but overall i am content, infact on long motorway journeys im almost ecstatic. The cabin is quiet and thankfully there are no rattles. The audio is the best OEM system ive ever heard. You can quote me on that i know what im taking about. I really do feel for the members who have not had the experience that Lexus brand promises, but is that down to the individual dealer or to a change in policy overall, lets not forget Lexus UK dont own the dealerships they just supply them with cars to sell, and specify the minimum standard that a customer should expect.

Any insiders out there know what the Lexus service doctorine is?. You may be able to use it in any letter in future. I always find a hand written letter has a great deal more impact.

Maybe to the JD Power survey people copied to LUK and Watchdog will get their attention.

Jamboo, sorry to hear your pursuit of perfection has been a poor one.

Infinity.............

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On this Forum there are only 3 people who have had Lemons in so far as they have never fully resolved their rattle issues which is horrible for them given the rest have been successfully resolved by the expertise of their particular Dealer.

Lexus build quality is exemplary but both the GS & the IS did suffer launch niggles in the dash & seats that were quickly sorted.

IF mine was not 101% I would get it sorted[i have had 3 new cars replaced] so I have suffered the heartache of GROSS disappointment but the Dealers do come up with resolution in 99.9% of the cases without resort to such drastic action !

5 weeks ago Jamboo was ecstatic about his Supercar & will be again, once he has counted to 10 & asked Leicester to sort it albeit for the second time!

Make no mistake Lexus is light years ahead of the German opposition:see the Porsche & Bmw Websites

if you dont beleive me.

Tel :sad:

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NOT GOOD NEWS FOR ME - this is cribbed from the "Why does my car rattle" post

I've just taken the car on a motorway run.

The seat squeak is back. It's now worse then ever.

There is a faint dash rattle that gets worse over poor motorway surfaces but is fine in town. This rattle comes from deep in the dash.

Oh and that Speaker grill fits really badly. It still protudes from the back and there is what looks like a gouge in the dash on the left handside, and by looking through the screen (from outside) at the edge of the speaker.

I love the car, but the quality of this product is a sham. I'm sick of people:

1) telling me it's an "early car" and you should expect teethers. well I don't think so...not repeat ones...

2) telling me Lexus are the most reliable cars. Maybe they don't break down, but they are not solidly made. To qualify this just press the bumpers from the sides. They are very thin. Like a cheap showertray. Look at the grill - press it. Whilst it's nice and shiny, it is not premium quality. It ,ight be fantastic looking, but it's cramped and has a small boot...

Maybe the journo's were partly correct!

Until now I was wowed by the car, it's gizmo's and the fact that I'd spent a huge amount of my hard earned dosh - made me want to say good things. It made me feel I'd bought something great. Well, it's actually an average Japanese car, made to look good, loaded to the gunnels with kit, but without any engineering pedigree. Thats what todays return of the rattles, the seat etc has done.

Maybe it's just me - too fussy. Maybe for some on the forum I rattle more than the car itself. maybe I should accept a rattling car as being normal, and that's somehow my fault for buying an early model...

This will be the 4th visit for warranty work in 8 months and 6500 miles. That's more than the various German cars I've had before all put together in over 10 years.

Now tell me that a Lexus is better made than a German car...with many of them you get what you pay for. I certainly expected more from Lexus. Not the contsnat rattles, repeat repairs etc. It's just not on.

As soon as I can afford to, I'm defecting back again. Period. Maybe a Golf GTI, R32 or an A6...

Oh - and before anyone tries to flame me, this is my last post. The car takes up too much of my life (and yes I do have one)

I feel for you Jamboo, these sort of niggles are incredibly annoying. Sometimes I think it's better to have a definite mechanical fault which can be identified and put right first time than these intermittent rattles.

Concerning the seat - there is a particular problem with the seat locating lugs that are used during assembly causing a squeak and there is a TSB to cure this involving removing these lugs are they are not needed. I wonder if your dealership just lubricated the area and that is why the noise has returned.

I pulled my speaker grill out when I had a rattle there and it is pretty flexible so that should be seated back flush with some foam - should be no more than a 5 minute job.

Seeing as the old ball and chain works for an Audi dealership we get a new A4 every 3 months and even on some of them there is the odd rattle that, if it were my own car, I'd not be happy about. I agree though the Audi dash area is a bit better plastic qualitywise - however it is a noisier car so some rattles could be masked by this. It seems that Lexus have better reliabilty but not so good interior quality whereas Audi have better interior quality but not so good reliabilty. I'd like a Lexus with an Audi interior - now there's a project for the weekend!

If I were you I'd go back and instead of playing the angry card try and stress your intense disappointment - sometimes that motivates them more than confrontation.

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sorry to hear your troubles Jambo, its a shame bout your motor, while i do feel that the german build quality is a bit ahead, (I kept the audi for herself) i'm still impressed with my 220 D and when a change is due i will prob go for the same again. I got mine in Jan and the average fuel consumption over 12000 miles is 44 mpg, this has ranged from 41.5 mpg to 61.5 mpg. its still running spot on. I never had the rattle problem. the only time i had it in to lex was on tues for a seatbelt recall. i was given a is250 for the day and when i got the car back it had been valeted on the inside. i had asked them not to wash it as i never powerwash. top notch service in my book. streets ahead of audi. las time i was there, under warenty i was given a polo, and they reused parts that they claimed were new

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Northern boy
I pulled my speaker grill out when I had a rattle there
, is there a trick to this? Mine rattles and I can't see how to remove it and didn't want to cause damage.

I just eased it out with the corner of a credit card. It just confirmed to me that was where the rattle was coming from and I got the dealer to sort it.

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NOT GOOD NEWS FOR ME - this is cribbed from the "Why does my car rattle" post

I've just taken the car on a motorway run.

The seat squeak is back. It's now worse then ever.

There is a faint dash rattle that gets worse over poor motorway surfaces but is fine in town. This rattle comes from deep in the dash.

Oh and that Speaker grill fits really badly. It still protudes from the back and there is what looks like a gouge in the dash on the left handside, and by looking through the screen (from outside) at the edge of the speaker.

I love the car, but the quality of this product is a sham. I'm sick of people:

1) telling me it's an "early car" and you should expect teethers. well I don't think so...not repeat ones...

2) telling me Lexus are the most reliable cars. Maybe they don't break down, but they are not solidly made. To qualify this just press the bumpers from the sides. They are very thin. Like a cheap showertray. Look at the grill - press it. Whilst it's nice and shiny, it is not premium quality. It ,ight be fantastic looking, but it's cramped and has a small boot...

Maybe the journo's were partly correct!

Until now I was wowed by the car, it's gizmo's and the fact that I'd spent a huge amount of my hard earned dosh - made me want to say good things. It made me feel I'd bought something great. Well, it's actually an average Japanese car, made to look good, loaded to the gunnels with kit, but without any engineering pedigree. Thats what todays return of the rattles, the seat etc has done.

Maybe it's just me - too fussy. Maybe for some on the forum I rattle more than the car itself. maybe I should accept a rattling car as being normal, and that's somehow my fault for buying an early model...

This will be the 4th visit for warranty work in 8 months and 6500 miles. That's more than the various German cars I've had before all put together in over 10 years.

Now tell me that a Lexus is better made than a German car...with many of them you get what you pay for. I certainly expected more from Lexus. Not the contsnat rattles, repeat repairs etc. It's just not on.

As soon as I can afford to, I'm defecting back again. Period. Maybe a Golf GTI, R32 or an A6...

Oh - and before anyone tries to flame me, this is my last post. The car takes up too much of my life (and yes I do have one)

no need to take it out on the forum now is it

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Jamboo

I could not agree with you more. I have admired Lexus for a good many years being very impresses by the way that the "new upstart" took on the establishment and gave them a rude awakening. They have and continue to do so and I applaud them for it as it only helps to raise standards by healthy competition.

Lexus have now resolved their design issues with L-finesse and have embraced Japanese design as a point of pride. However, this company still has an awful lot to learn about building a product which has a depth of engineering and build which lasts after the initial wow factor of the installed gadgets.

I have nothing but respect for Lexus but until they have matured a little more I will not be spending any more of my money on them. I will be returning to Audi who produce a product of such engineering excellence that it just makes you smile every time you get into it.

Keep up the fantastic work Lexus but please address your basic quality problems as these are the ones that people at this price bracket get upset about. Let’s face it if a dashboard rattle was an excuse in a car magazine for not awarding first place in a group test we would think they were off their heads. However living with a constant rattle for 3 months makes you forget about the amazing points of the car and becomes your main focus.

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its starting to get worrying

the new IS owners on this forum are only a small percentage of the total new IS`s sold

yet almost everyone seems to be having the same problems, ie: low mpg and rattles

and the dealers appear to be getting more and more complaints

i imagine there are a lot of owners, who are not members on any forums who have the same complaints

is this a decline in lexus standards ?

lets hope not ;)

Folks it's easier to whinge because you're complaining and usually have a point to make. Those of us that have nothing to complain about usually don't feel the need to let peeps know, apart from a certain person on the forum whose posts covered both and swung from elation to despair on a regular basis.

Totally agree.

D.

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Jamboo

I'm sure once you have taken stock you will realise what a great car you really have. I have had mine for exactly 2 weeks now and done over 1000 miles in her. Best car I have ever had ( I know its early days though for rattles etc.) I also have a brand new Mercedec C200K (wifes) and I know which I prefer and which is the better built car. The Merc is at the end of its run now with a new C class coming out next year so has no niggly problems but The Lexus we drive has so much more character and we love 'em.

I hope to read more of your rants and raves and of course wonder and amazement about your Lex over the coming months. :)

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seems like they have cocked up with the new IS, whilst i dont read much on the new GS it seems like they have got it right with that.

they need to sort the probs on the IS quick though

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Hmm,

I guess i'm just not as fussy as some of you guys. I have a 220d and sure its not perfect (vibrating mirror, the odd rattle, dodgy mpg etc) but overall its good enough for me and teh good outweighs the bad by a long way. Having said that its a 'company car' so i've not spent my own hard earned cash. When i replace in 2009 I will only consider the 220 again if they have an auto box and fix the mpg.

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My 2 pennies.

I've got a 56 IS220d, driven over 3000miles already, have yet to encounter one single rattle/squeak/snap/etc.

Comsumption I'm getting is better than the figures I've read here, started off with about 33mpg for 50/50 drive, and now get 37mpg light urban and 42mpg motorway, and I drive with a heavy foot.

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