Dealer Moan

[JFB2]

Hi Folks,

IS 220d due for its third year service before end of March - previously I've been to Lexus Brighton as it's dead easy to get into Brighton town centre on the bus while they do the service. Sadly they closed down the sales section recently, and reduced servicing to weekdays only. As I work in London I can't get there during the week (and they don't offer pick-up as I'm about 25 miles away). So they turned the business down.

So am going to Lexus Tunbridge Wells instead. They quoted more than Brighton - service at £250, MOT at £55.10 and A/c service at £99. And no courtesy car as they don't do them on Saturdays. So I'll be stuck on some industrial estate miles from anywhere for three hours. This is bad customer service.

Am really happy with the product, but annual servicing is a complete nightmare. Will prob switch to nearby Toyota dealer for year 4 servicing if they'll do it. At least I can get a lift there and back! Anyone used a Toyota dealer for their IS?

JFB

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Hi Folks,

IS 220d due for its third year service before end of March - previously I've been to Lexus Brighton as it's dead easy to get into Brighton town centre on the bus while they do the service. Sadly they closed down the sales section recently, and reduced servicing to weekdays only. As I work in London I can't get there during the week (and they don't offer pick-up as I'm about 25 miles away). So they turned the business down.

So am going to Lexus Tunbridge Wells instead. They quoted more than Brighton - service at £250, MOT at £55.10 and A/c service at £99. And no courtesy car as they don't do them on Saturdays. So I'll be stuck on some industrial estate miles from anywhere for three hours. This is bad customer service.

Am really happy with the product, but annual servicing is a complete nightmare. Will prob switch to nearby Toyota dealer for year 4 servicing if they'll do it. At least I can get a lift there and back! Anyone used a Toyota dealer for their IS?

JFB

The only thing to bear in mind is the OBD type stuff - it's likely that only Lexus will have the full diagnostics - this becomes quite important when you consider that this is the last service as the Warranty will expire...

Our local Nissan dealer services Toyota's in Leicester as they used to sell Toyota's (I bought mine from them when they sold both Lexus and Toyota - admittedly several years ago). So I think most garages (especially Toyota) will be more than up to the job...

The other thing to remember is that most garage service "Stamps" don't even state whether it's Lexus or not - they just say "Sytner" for example...just the receipt might have the logo - but how many of us let the receipts go with the car???? So does it really matter nowadays? Legally I don't think they can penalise you for not having a car serviced by a Lexus garage (though always try it on at PEX time).

If the car is running perfectly and you think it doesn't need any warranty work, try a good indy, or even your local Toyota garage...I'm sure that they will do it.

What I find surprising is that your local dealer is not honouring certain expectations (such as a Courtesy car regardless of day, servicing on a Saturday etc) - lets face it they ain't gonna give a discount 'cos they don't have a courtesy car...not in this current credit crunched climate...

[ihpj]

Save your money and stop paying hand over fist for stuff you do not need - an A/C service? Will this include a full drain, recharge and leak test of the system - or will it be a case of using a 'charcoal' cabin filter with a smell nice fragrance...all for £99. Save that money, use it towards getting a taxi to be somewhere else and then get back AND have money left over a decent meal.

I can't believe people unquestioningly handover money like this...bet your brakes will need doing too ;)

[dgman]

Hi Folks,

IS 220d due for its third year service before end of March - previously I've been to Lexus Brighton as it's dead easy to get into Brighton town centre on the bus while they do the service. Sadly they closed down the sales section recently, and reduced servicing to weekdays only. As I work in London I can't get there during the week (and they don't offer pick-up as I'm about 25 miles away). So they turned the business down.

So am going to Lexus Tunbridge Wells instead. They quoted more than Brighton - service at £250, MOT at £55.10 and A/c service at £99. And no courtesy car as they don't do them on Saturdays. So I'll be stuck on some industrial estate miles from anywhere for three hours. This is bad customer service.

Am really happy with the product, but annual servicing is a complete nightmare. Will prob switch to nearby Toyota dealer for year 4 servicing if they'll do it. At least I can get a lift there and back! Anyone used a Toyota dealer for their IS?

JFB

i would have the service done with a lexus dealer and not toyota on this occasion.i spoke to a toyota dealer recently who told me that they are not allowed access to the lexus technical system and therefore will not be privy to any tsib that is relevant to your model,he also said that they would have too buy all parts through a lexus dealer.

[JFB2]

Thanks for the useful input. I'm definitely going to get this service at a Lexus centre, but past the warranty I agree there's probably no point. My local dealer can't honour my expectations because he doesn't really exist any more! Lexus really can't afford to lose any more dealers...

As for the A/c service, I did wonder about that. They say it's for a full leak test and recharge etc. but it's working fine and doesn't smell or anything like that. Shouldn't be leaking after only 3 years. Need to think about it.

[dgman]

Thanks for the useful input. I'm definitely going to get this service at a Lexus centre, but past the warranty I agree there's probably no point. My local dealer can't honour my expectations because he doesn't really exist any more! Lexus really can't afford to lose any more dealers...

As for the A/c service, I did wonder about that. They say it's for a full leak test and recharge etc. but it's working fine and doesn't smell or anything like that. Shouldn't be leaking after only 3 years. Need to think about it.

ring any lexus dealer and ask if your car is sudject too the air con recall,here's one 08709010930.

[Boothby Coggles]

Hi Folks,

IS 220d due for its third year service before end of March - previously I've been to Lexus Brighton as it's dead easy to get into Brighton town centre on the bus while they do the service. Sadly they closed down the sales section recently, and reduced servicing to weekdays only. As I work in London I can't get there during the week (and they don't offer pick-up as I'm about 25 miles away). So they turned the business down.

So am going to Lexus Tunbridge Wells instead. They quoted more than Brighton - service at £250, MOT at £55.10 and A/c service at £99. And no courtesy car as they don't do them on Saturdays. So I'll be stuck on some industrial estate miles from anywhere for three hours. This is bad customer service.

Am really happy with the product, but annual servicing is a complete nightmare. Will prob switch to nearby Toyota dealer for year 4 servicing if they'll do it. At least I can get a lift there and back! Anyone used a Toyota dealer for their IS?

JFB

.

MOT for £55.10 .

Locally it costs about £25 at most places, but it's too long a ride for you .

I would have thought that if you ring around you could get it done for less somewhere else for far less

[dgman]

Hi Folks,

IS 220d due for its third year service before end of March - previously I've been to Lexus Brighton as it's dead easy to get into Brighton town centre on the bus while they do the service. Sadly they closed down the sales section recently, and reduced servicing to weekdays only. As I work in London I can't get there during the week (and they don't offer pick-up as I'm about 25 miles away). So they turned the business down.

So am going to Lexus Tunbridge Wells instead. They quoted more than Brighton - service at £250, MOT at £55.10 and A/c service at £99. And no courtesy car as they don't do them on Saturdays. So I'll be stuck on some industrial estate miles from anywhere for three hours. This is bad customer service.

Am really happy with the product, but annual servicing is a complete nightmare. Will prob switch to nearby Toyota dealer for year 4 servicing if they'll do it. At least I can get a lift there and back! Anyone used a Toyota dealer for their IS?

JFB

.

MOT for £55.10 .

Locally it costs about £25 at most places, but it's too long a ride for you .

I would have thought that if you ring around you could get it done for less somewhere else for far less

iv'e rang three today and they are all £40.

[Brendan]

I have used the local toyota dealer for all my services, they are much cheaper and are only 2 miles from my house as opposed to a nightmare journey from work to the opposite side of town, they also register the service on line with lexus and can therefore find out whats needed, when i checked about changing to a new Is ( before recession depression, am holding tight now) as far as the lexus dealer was concerned it was the same as being serviced by them, he said it made no difference that all services where done with toyta and when he checked my reg they had a full record of work done, i had been all set to get in an arguement with him thinking that he was going to hit me on the exchange value!

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

I have used the local toyota dealer for all my services, they are much cheaper and are only 2 miles from my house as opposed to a nightmare journey from work to the opposite side of town, they also register the service on line with lexus and can therefore find out whats needed, when i checked about changing to a new Is ( before recession depression, am holding tight now) as far as the lexus dealer was concerned it was the same as being serviced by them, he said it made no difference that all services where done with toyta and when he checked my reg they had a full record of work done, i had been all set to get in an arguement with him thinking that he was going to hit me on the exchange value!

Well there you go...

had I kept my IS, I probably would have taken to Lexus for the last service - just to make sure all recalls etc were applie to it - then it would have been an indy or Sturgess Toyota for Yr4 onwards...

Being winter it's hard to test for full functionality (such as cooling efficiency), but AC thing is a bit of waste of time. Unless the AC has been playing up there really is no need. If there was a leak you might have known about it by now. Best thing to do is fog the inside of the windows up (watched Top Gear yesterday where JC took "Danielle" into the back of the Phaeton for a cuppa!!!!) and start the car/AC - it the screen clears within a few seconds it's working fine...and they're hardly likely to find anything wrong with it - other than re-gas it...

The MOT thing - get them to price match it...£35-40 is normally the going rate...

PS - a lot of Indies will check and recharge an AC on any car for around £45 - so you could get it don by an Indy and take it in to Lexus if anything is sus...

[kenfoxy]

If your A/C works and the cabin filter doesn't need changing then I would remove it temporarily and squirt some WYNNS AIRCO FRESH into the outside intakes as per the instructions with the can. I think the can costs about £10 and will do 2 treatments. It takes away that musty smell that can build up in the system. Don't forget to put the cabin filter back afterwards.

[Ian M]

All my services get done at the Toyota workshop! Lexus Derby shares its workshops with the next door Toyota site (both are part of Inchcape), but I still deliver to and collect from Lexus.

[Robertb]

All my services get done at the Toyota workshop! Lexus Derby shares its workshops with the next door Toyota site (both are part of Inchcape), but I still deliver to and collect from Lexus.

Looks the same at Coventry too- all worked on in the same shop

[aido]

The Derby site is very smart indeed!

As for the AC, there was a post on here ages ago about cleaning your AC - daft as it sounds just get an extension lead from the house into the car, and boil a kettle a few times in the car with the system running, I'll dig the details out but for getting rid of smells it's supposed to work a treat and only costs you the electricity of boiling the kettle a few times over!

..:: Edit ::..

This is the thread I'm on about:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...=23740&st=0

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

The Derby site is very smart indeed!

As for the AC, there was a post on here ages ago about cleaning your AC - daft as it sounds just get an extension lead from the house into the car, and boil a kettle a few times in the car with the system running, I'll dig the details out but for getting rid of smells it's supposed to work a treat and only costs you the electricity of boiling the kettle a few times over!

That definitely helps with a smelly system , not a leaky system

Or you can just leave the car idling with full heat on recirc for 30 minutes and all vents open - which works too

[JFB2]

Thanks for all the great advice. The one with the kettle gets the prize for originality!!

There's been a turn up for the books on getting the jam jar serviced - Lexus Brighton have said they will open JUST FOR ME on a Saturday to do the yr3 service. Ahhh! Cheers guys. (maybe they look at this site)

Now I can go back to Tunbridge Wells and say thanks but no thanks. Serves them right for choosing a site miles from anywhere and not having weekend courtesy cars or drivers. Booooh!

[dgman]

Thanks for all the great advice. The one with the kettle gets the prize for originality!!

There's been a turn up for the books on getting the jam jar serviced - Lexus Brighton have said they will open JUST FOR ME on a Saturday to do the yr3 service. Ahhh! Cheers guys. (maybe they look at this site)

Now I can go back to Tunbridge Wells and say thanks but no thanks. Serves them right for choosing a site miles from anywhere and not having weekend courtesy cars or drivers. Booooh!

that's personal attention too another level,you will never hear of that on a bmw forum.

[chandru]

Thanks for all the great advice. The one with the kettle gets the prize for originality!!

There's been a turn up for the books on getting the jam jar serviced - Lexus Brighton have said they will open JUST FOR ME on a Saturday to do the yr3 service. Ahhh! Cheers guys. (maybe they look at this site)

Now I can go back to Tunbridge Wells and say thanks but no thanks. Serves them right for choosing a site miles from anywhere and not having weekend courtesy cars or drivers. Booooh!

lol nice gesture?

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Thanks for all the great advice. The one with the kettle gets the prize for originality!!

There's been a turn up for the books on getting the jam jar serviced - Lexus Brighton have said they will open JUST FOR ME on a Saturday to do the yr3 service. Ahhh! Cheers guys. (maybe they look at this site)

Now I can go back to Tunbridge Wells and say thanks but no thanks. Serves them right for choosing a site miles from anywhere and not having weekend courtesy cars or drivers. Booooh!

lol nice gesture?

Brilliant gesture - you came out trumps!

It goes to prove - they do look at these forum...