Do Not Sell My Personal Information Jump to content


Is200 Rumble/drumming & Experience Of Lexus Derby


Recommended Posts

Hi everyone, recent new owner of an IS200 & just wanted to ask a few questions and share my experiences of the car so far, particularly of the Derby Dealership based on Pride-Park (part of the incape group)

First of all I was impressed with the sales process, and after a few visits bought a IS200 limited edition on an 04 plate.

When I first picked it up I was impressed by how smooth & quiet the engine was, however there's one noticeable area where the refinement seems to fall-short and that's the gear-box.

1) I admit I'm fairly hopeless at smooth changes, but since I picked it up 3-4 weeks ago, I've found it harder and harder to change gear smoothly. Upon each change from 1st all the way upto 3rd I get a thud/dull bang from the rear of the car (the thud always seems to happen irrespective of how smooth my change is).

2) Especially when cold I get judder pulling away in first. I should say this isnt horrendous and I can prevent it by holding the revs over 2500 rpm pulling away - but I dont want to wear the clutch our prematurely.

3) 6th gear rumble/drumming - On the motorway when selecting 6th gear I get what I can only describe as a continous bassy rumbling/drumming that seems to go through the whole car. It's most noticeable on newly resurfaced sections, if I drop a cog to 5th the noise dissapears. (Already been into the Derby dealer for this and was told that because the tyres that are on the back where once on the front...they havent worn round???...and that's the cause of the noise...I cant help feeling a little fobbed off there).

The preparation on the vehicle also wasnt great, I had to take the vehicle back within a day of picking it up for:

1) Headlights (Xenons) set so high they were blinding other road-users

2) Rear-wheels completely unbalanced

3) Tracking set so badly I had to hold the steering wheel 20 degrees to the right (reported that problem during the test drive and it remained unfixed when I picked the car up)

4) Driver's seat became loose and was moving about.

While the staff have been very helpful, and the car overall is wonderful I've been left a little cold with lexus derby due to the intial problems with the car My biggest issue remains the gearbox which seems to be deterioriating. Does anyone else have the problems I described above?...I dont want to bother the dealer if this turns out to be just a set of characteristics with the car. Also I bought the car with another year's warranty. Will any lexus dealer honour it or do I have to take it back to Derby...as I am thinking of relocating with a job soon and it would be a nuisance to have to bring it back to derby for every repair.

I love my IS200 to bits, but I just need to know if these are things I need to live with or problems which I should be insisting the dealer rectifies.

Thanks

TheStig (Dave)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest sounds like you're seeing all the traits of the car here!

1) Try slipping the clutch a little more when changing gear, you will get used to it!

2) From what the guys say it's because the car uses a dampened flywheel or something, as you say can be bad when cold but gets better the longer the car is running each time!

3) I used to get this problem very slightly with the standard shifter, you could hardly notice to be fair, was much worse when I had the short shifter fitted as it amplified the vibration. Sometimes I found that hte vibration would go away if I dropped the car out of sixth and then back in again, othertimes it would just be because the car was labouring in sixth as that gear is pretty much useless on the IS imho, I never used to use it unless I was in three figures in terms of the speed so didn't really ever use sixth gear! One of the lads, SteveAudioX, always used to wonder why my car seemed to pull away better than his and when we went to Scotland he realised it was because I always left it in fifth on the motorway :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too am a recent customer of Lexus Derby – I picked up my IS300 SportCross on May 8th. Like you, I was impressed with the sales process (and the follow up from the sales team after I collected the car). My car was immaculately prepared and so far I’ve had absolutely no problems at all, so can’t comment on your other experiences. Hope all’s sorted to your satisfaction soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comments everyone. I'm going to give the car a bit of time before I bother the dealer any futher, and I'll drop a new set of tyres on the back just in case as I'd like some different rubber on the rear anyway (does anyone have any recommendations for what tyre choices work well with an IS200?)

I do suspect allot of it is just characterstics of rear-wheel drive (this is the first one I've had). Looking forward to doing a long run in london it it...having it has made driving allot less stressful so far! :D

The Stig

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Previously have done c.120k in the IS 200 & the g/box was fine with 6th.pulling like a train from 70mph.In all those miles I never used 5th. unless I was travelling down the Alps.

Derby recently fitted my Styling Kit & ,as ever ,their Service Package was Superb :I cannot praise them highly enough!

Tel :driving:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Well,

I've been back into the dealership and they've had another look at my car. I put two eagle F1's on the back to be sure...and the noise/rumble/vibration remained. Apparantly there is a technical bulleton for this issue where gear's were wrongly pressed to the shafts during manufacture. From here however things seem to get complicated.

First off...I have to say they are being absolutely stellar with trying to sort this out, and I cant praise Faye at Lexus Derby enough . However I'm now stuck because it appears that while the car is indeed defective, neither the company that provides the warranty nor Lexus UK seem to want to coff-up and replace the gearbox (I've been told a new one is in the region of £4000)

The warranty company that does it for lexus wont replace the box as it's a 'manufacturing fault' and therefore should be covered by Lexus UK. Lexus UK wont replace the box because it's out of manufacturer's warranty :( This leaves me as stiggy in the middle. I'm understandbly miffed because I bought on the used approved scheme under the premise I had the equivilent of a year's manufacturer's warranty (this is how it is sold on the lexus uk website). If this investigation had been conducted fully in the first place (it was in for this twice within 30 days)...and this situation revealed I would have probably asked to exchange the car (that was about 8 weeks ago).

Not sure what's gonna happen now...but I do know that they are putting in allot of effort to sort it out for me. In the mean time I've been running around in an IS220d...(lots of curtain twiching from the neighbours!)...but I do miss my smooth little petrol engine.

I'll keep you all updated.

The_Stig (Dave)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mate I feel for you,

I'd personally be making lots of noise in the sales dept everyday untill they sort it.

They won't be looking good whilst trying to sell cars , when they sold you one with

manufacturing faults and won't repair it. I bought my IS200 @ a Lexus dealer

because I wanted the Lexus Extended Warranty + then piece of mind......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

warranty doesn't really come into it. Lexus Derby sold you a car that was defective, so who they get to pay the cost is their problem, but they are responsible to fix the car.

Incidentally, did you take any HP for the car? If so under the consurmer credit act the HP company is also equally liable to you, so you can attack on both fronts. I successfully did this with Ford many years ago when they refused to do any permanent repairs on my car, but simply fix under warranty until the warranty ran out, then i would be on my own. I took the case up with Ford Credit and after 3 years and no further payments they agreed to accept the car back. point being that you can chase on both counts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

furthermore i believe a warranty claim is to cover failures that develop during the warranty period. if the car was manufactured with a fault it is Lexus responsibility to repair whether in or out of warranty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


i believe a warranty claim is to cover failures that develop during the warranty period. if the car was manufactured with a fault it is Lexus responsibility to repair whether in or out of warranty.

totally correct, especially as they admit to a manufacturing fault from the factory, which is recognised by means of a TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS(TSB)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Under the sale of goods act the dealer is expected to sell you a product that is of 'satisfactory quality'. The vehicle is clearly not of satisfactory quality and therefore they should put it right by one means or another. You should go and make a lot of noise in the sales department - possibly even walking up to people viewing cars and in earshot of the sales team inform them of the dealerships shoddy after sales service and you've heard that another Lexus dealer is much better - they'll soon sort it out sharpish. Another alternative is to draft a letter to the WhatCar? helpdesk and present it to the general manager of the dealer stating that if your problem is not sorted in a week you will send the letter off to WhatCar?. Write to Lexus GB and see what they say - even if the car is out of manufacturers warranty - if it the details of the complaint on the LOC website and the dealer does not come out very well in reviews whereas the other local dealer (wherever it is) comes out favourably and people are being advised to go to the other dealer instead. You don't need to necessarily tell the truth but making them think they're the underdog - that's always a strong tactic.

Don't give up, you can make a lot of noise and because Lexus prides itself on customer service they should do anything to shut you up - like fixing your car.

Worst case, draft a letter to trading standards and your local newspaper and give them to the dealer manager threatening to send it off.

Don't give up, we're all behind you and hope you get it sorted soon.

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Under the sale of goods act the dealer is expected to sell you a product that is of 'satisfactory quality'. The vehicle is clearly not of satisfactory quality and therefore they should put it right by one means or another. You should go and make a lot of noise in the sales department - possibly even walking up to people viewing cars and in earshot of the sales team inform them of the dealerships shoddy after sales service and you've heard that another Lexus dealer is much better - they'll soon sort it out sharpish. Another alternative is to draft a letter to the WhatCar? helpdesk and present it to the general manager of the dealer stating that if your problem is not sorted in a week you will send the letter off to WhatCar?. Write to Lexus GB and see what they say - even if the car is out of manufacturers warranty - if it the details of the complaint on the LOC website and the dealer does not come out very well in reviews whereas the other local dealer (wherever it is) comes out favourably and people are being advised to go to the other dealer instead. You don't need to necessarily tell the truth but making them think they're the underdog - that's always a strong tactic.

Don't give up, you can make a lot of noise and because Lexus prides itself on customer service they should do anything to shut you up - like fixing your car.

Worst case, draft a letter to trading standards and your local newspaper and give them to the dealer manager threatening to send it off.

Don't give up, we're all behind you and hope you get it sorted soon.

Keith

Very true Keith.

I was at them all the time, both dealer and lexus GB with mine, dont give up at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right then,

As a quick update, they are getting me an 'alternative' gearbox from a similar mileage car (doing a swap this way). They've been testing the box in the other car throughly before moving it over. I've got to say they really do seem interested and care. Hopefully they'll fit it next week :). I'll keep everyone updated as to what happens. I've got to say in General the service has been pretty outstanding. I'll deliver my final verdict next week when I get my car back.

Cheers

TheStig_Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are still getting problems with your car go to

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

where you will find all the information you will net to get you vehicle sorted, your rights how and templates etc.

I have used this site twice to get a replacement Laptop and dishwasher after the warranty has run out and the highstreet stores refusing to help after a couple of letters they back down when thet realise you know your rights.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Sorry to bring back an old-ish thread but finally have an update regarding my gearbox woes. I accepted the solution of a second-hand gearbox (at the end of the day I bought a car with a 36k on the box...and had it swapped out for one with 30k). The vehicle that my old box was put into was then auctioned with a known manufacturing defect according to the dealer. I've now done nearly 800 odd miles on the new box and it seems to have improved significantly. There definately remains a low-pitch hum when using 6th but nothing like the horrid drumming that I had before.

I have to say that the 'service' at Lexus Derby has been superb. They gave me a loan car for 2-weeks, and made sure my car was immaculately cleaned before dropping it off to me :). Bi thnks to Faye in the service team for getting it all sorted out...I work in IT and I know what it's like to do a thankless job, and know it was a bit of a nightmare to get everything sorted.

Will I buy another car from them? On the basis of the service yes...however next time I will extensively test the car before buying...(a lesson learned for myself I guess).

One thing about my ownership experience thus far is that the vehicle pre-testing & preparation was not done to an acceptable standard. A number of things (such as the completely mis-aligned steering...which I noticed and asked to be corrected..., the loose driver's seat & noisey gear), should all of shown up at any good pre-inspection.

Anyway all in all it's been a good result...and hopefully I wont need to take it in again for a while. Back to enjoying driving it now! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to hear it’s all sorted. My Lexus Derby car, unlike yours, was immaculately prepared and presented when I bought it. I’ll soon be booking it in for its annual service and first MOT. I fully expect the Lexus Derby experience to be superb again, especially after your comments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share



×
×
  • Create New...