Lexus Sales

[Lforla]

Call someone a used car salesman and it is unlikely to be a compliment. A stereotype emerges of a shifty character flashing crocodile smiles and fake assurances, happy to say anything to get you to buy. A seemingly charming veneer which only lasts to the point of sale after. In short an Arthur Daley.

Thank goodness the world has moved on and we now have modern dealerships, their transparency as clear as their showroom windows, sales people who have had training in customer care, offering a complete pampering package to smooth the experience of parting with large sums of money.

Or are we still back in those dark ages with the dodgy aspect glossed over with cafetieres and croissants?

I am a Lexus driver. I have had four Lexus vehicles back to back, and sometimes overlapping, in the last 12 years. I have never doubted my brand loyalty until recently. When I have, horror of horrors, tried to buy another Lexus.

This week I have agreed to buy three different cars, up to the point of deposit, only to then find that either the car had been sold in the internal Lexus auction whilst we agreed on accessories (beware Wednesday morning buyers), the car was still in use by it’s current owners and wasn’t due in for more than a month – and even then wasn’t definite, or was a completely different colour from the one described. (What shade does Brechin Slate suggest to you? Grey? Wrong. Duck egg blue).

I wouldn’t mind but it is so difficult to find out what is available, given that the Lexus used car website is full of cars that have already been sold or aren’t available for weeks if not months. Or that prices and levels of service vary so much from one dealership to another. Used cars are on average 6% cheaper outside London so shopping around is a good idea. But shop around on customer service as well as on price, as where one salesperson can offer free delivery anywhere in the country another would ask you to collect the car with barely enough juice in it to get to the nearest garage. And don’t get me started on accessories. Or the accuracy of model specification given by salespeople. This of course depends on the model they want you to buy.

Life would be so simple if I could just go to the nearest Lexus dealership and they find the car for me without charging me a premium for being a committed customer. If prices were consistent across the land as they are in supermarkets. If customer care felt like care.

I told my local Lexus salesman that I wasn’t happy with his service after he misled me on several cars. His response? “I don’t want to sell you a car anyway”. Forgive me for thinking this was his job.

[Rory]

Lexus dealerships are all franchises anyway, so altho Lexus want their dealers to sell their cars the Lexus way (the way I imagine you have been used to in the past) its still human beings on the sales floor and whatever product you are buying off whatever company these days is irrelevent, there will always be an idiot sales advisor in every company

the salesman will have given you the response he did as he has let you down various times already he knows he has lost your custom already, most will just accept if they've screwed up and still be polite, and a few will give you a response like you got, knowing that theres little chance of you putting a complaint in on the grounds that you have been messed about enough that you would rather walk away than give them anymore of your time

had I been the customer I would go in and complain in person to his boss, and even let Lexus HQ know of the experience you have had in one of their branches

[Parthiban]

Which dealership was that? Sounds like one to avoid, if it's not too far from you pay a visit to Lexus Woodford, haven't actually bought a car with them but have spoken to sales a few times and they've generally been quite helpful.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

So you have owned four Lexus cars across the last 12 years and sign up on here to complain about the salesmen :( A very strange post to me ;)

[Lforla]

Amazing how the luxury lull of having a new Lexus can banish all feelings of annoyance! My new car was delivered a few days ago from an incredibly helpful salesman at Lexus Poole. Not only am I thrilled with the car but I'm really happy that I avoided the shiny suit boys and held out for the same level of customer care I've enjoyed on all of the previous occasions I've bought a Lexus.

Brand loyalty now fully restored and Lexus head office investigating sales mishaps.

Thanks for all your comments and happy motoring!

[knitware]

Car salesmen can make all the difference when buying a car. My wife bought a new A-Class last summer and the salesman was terrible, pricing, information giving, rudeness. It spoiled her buying experience when it should have been enjoyable. He was ex-Lexus apparently. We won't go back.