Total List Of Faults After Lexus Inspection

[minus_1uk]

Hello All,

Well have now had Lexus have a look at my car (just had her 2 weeks and she is a 95/96 GS300 Sport with 52K miles, FLSH) and have a list of the faults so far. Should hopefully be nothing else, and collect again tomorrow, before trying to have an argument with the garage I bought the car from.

They are as follows:

All 5 alloys are buckled and need to be replaced. Lexus no longer stock the original Mk1 Sport 18" alloys, can sell me the Mark II Sport 18" alloys at £404 each x5. £1600 (no furhter damage to the suspension that they could find)

2 of the tyres are beyond repair and need to be replaced. They are 245 40 ZR 18's. Again they quote £170 each. £340.

There is play in the o/s front ball joint, £132 to fix and replace.

THe n/s front brake caliper is sticking on and has to be replaced, £342.

There is a leak from the A/C compressor.

THe rear discs are corroded. (they said that they could probably be skimmed)

The rear brake pipes all need replaced.

The o/s front tyre is hitting the front suspension when the car is on full lock.

Thats what they ahve found and will charge me £140 for this without fixing anything, although at least I now know. THey have not as yet given a price to fix the later problems listed, but I will get that tomorrow.

So, at least nothing major is wrong, apart from the new alloys and tyres. I am having my own mechanic get a price for the work thats needed, and I know that that will be cheaper than Lexus.

I know that alloys & tyres will cost me circa £1000 depending on what i find or choose, but again will be in 18" with the right tyres.

The other things all don't seem like major problems, so does anyone think that the best thing to do is put up, shut up and pay the money (to Lexus or my mechanic) and get the work done, get the wheels and enjoy the car.

I don't really blame the car or Lexus for this but the selling local garage (which wasn't Lexus), and they do not want to pay or contribute. Already tried the police (as against road traffic act to sell non road worthy car) and they said not intrested, Trading Standards, not good service from garage, but can't and couldn't enfore them to do anything, leaving the courts as the only other option and that would cost me again for a lawyer and take time as well.

I wouldn't say so far that this has put me of Lexus, so is the car (when right) good to drive (my first Lexus you see) and is she otherwise worth keeping.

Sorry this is so long, but really want the opinions of you seasoned Lexus owners and drivers.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers

Andrew

[mudzs]

Did the car have a new MOT when you bought it and when did lexus last service it because the points you mention are mot failures and things that lexus should have seen on its last service .as for your last point when the car is fixed and up and running you will not be disapointed it is the only car i have owned that do,s everything well ,all the others i have had all were good at a few things but the lex in my opinion is the complete package .In fact i am thinking of buying the mk2 sport to gain the bigger boot space.i would aproach the garage you bought it from and ask them to put right the problems.also was the car sold with a warrenty as a few of the problems could be covered

[ColinBarber]

THe n/s front brake caliper is sticking on and has to be replaced, £342.

I would think this can be fixed without having to replace the caliper. If a new caliper is required then get one from a breakers.

The rear brake pipes all need replaced.

Wonder why. Haven't heard of other people with this problem. That would be an MOT failure if it is true.

If you do need to get ball joints, discs etc. then join Gold as you will save yourself some money on those parts.

[minus_1uk]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the quick reply.

yes, you are right and I did ask Lexus about the MOT thing and they said that different MOT stations apply the rules diferently, so one may fail for some things and one may pass, its down to the original examiner. The car had an MOT from September 2003. THis was not done by the garage who sold it, as they pointed out already.

The car does have a months warranty, but only a basic one and most of the work required is not under cover (of course).

Trading standards at least said that they would look at the report that Lexus will provide (and charge me for), but I am not hopeful at all that they will do anything.

Lexus last serviced the car in Feb 2001 at circa 40,000 miles, but that was over 2 years ago.

Thanks for this, any and all posts appreciated.

Cheers

Andrew

[Rodders_UK]

I'd go for a second opinion if it was me. It sounds a little easy to say "all the wheels are bucked - and we'll sell you new ones"

[Jimmy Ten Toes]

Sorry to hear that mate.

Obviously going to an independant garage is going to save you a few quid and none of the work is anything that only a Lexus technician should do, take it to an independant is my opinion.

You can pick up alloys and tyres for alot less than Lexus charge. Rear brake disks can be done yourself easily.

Is the ball joint not under warranty, just had both my front ones done under an extended warranty?

[seagram]

first thing were was the car advertised?and was it described any different then it actually was?what i would do in ur situation is if u feel u have a strong enough case i would proceed to the small claims court im not sure if the claim has to be a max of 5 or 25,000 pounds but in either case it will only cost u 120 pounds u dont need a solicitor all u need is some sort of proof that the car was wrongly described.i tell u 1 thing i heard a lot of companys would offer u some form of compensation even if they are not at fault because it will be costly for them and plus they may have their past dug out and if they are a dodgy lot they wont want that would they.

[Lexus Jim]

When I got my IS200 there was quite a lot wrong with it and had only just got its MOT which lexus told me it shouldn't have passed on a number of points, but an mot can't be disputed (apparently) for a number of reasons.

Got most of the work done now by my mechanic (a lot cheaper then lexus) but it is worth going to lexus as they are very thorough inspection wise

Although mine hasn't cost as much as your looking to pay - I was very upset so sympathies there.

Hope you get it sorted and won't be too out of pocket

[minus_1uk]

Hello All,

Well my saga continues and having spoken to the selling garage again, and Lexus today, the folowing is happening. Lexus know that the o/s/f caliper is binding on and not freeing itself, the weel is then sticking wiht the brakes/caliper not releasing so it is getting very very hot as is the disc on that side.

Lexus also suggested, as has my mechanic, that the best thing to do is to try to free off the caliper and failing that, replace it.

I spoke to the selling garage, who after ca call from me and my call to trading standards (who then phoned them) are now saying that they will replace the discs and pads at the front with real Lexus ones, and free off or replace the caliper.

THe car goes in on Monday and all I have to pay for this is £140 total. If they can not solve the caliper fault they will replace it.

Once this is done, I can then roadtest the car, this may even solve the problem.

Any thoughts on this?

Is it worth getting the alloys balanced anyway after this has been done to see if it can help?

THanks again for any and all ideas, thoughts and help.

Cheers

Andrew

[mudzs]

Just spotted this on eBay if you read the description he has a set of sport alloys to go with the car as he has fitted new ones, why dont you make him an offer on the old alloys you never know for the right price he might sell them . http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...&category=50175 i would also think that the caliper sticking on is not helping your vibration problem so after sorting this have the alloys balanced and you never now could be problem sorted

[minus_1uk]

Hi Tony,

Saw that earlier and have emailed him to ask if he would sell them, so thanks for that.

Was thinking that if the problem goes away mostly then a balance can't not help, so will try that before splashing the cash on alloys & tyres.

Cheers

Andrew

[randyreindeer]

Andrew.

Bet your wobble stops when the caliper is fixed :D .

That fault drove me insane and i only found it by accident.

[Steve]

the caliper if you have to buy one should be an exchange item... meaning you'll get half of your money back when you take your old caliper back to the dealers.

be carefull not to let your mechanic get his hands on this!

I coul be wrong but they are certainly exchange items from what i can see.

[ukgs300]

sorry to hear about your situation mate sounds abit messy i would demand that the garage put every thing right how can a garage sell a car with 4 bent wheels if this is true and with them miles on why would all that stuff need doing i have a 89,000 miles l reg 3oo and all i got was an advisory on front ball joint i wouldnt bother trying to get new lex style rims u will get more for your money with after market stuff good luck with it hope you sort it all out .

[MAC_600]

Just spotted this on ebay if you read the description he has a set of sport alloys to go with the car as he has fitted new ones, why dont you make him an offer on the old alloys you never know for the right price he might sell them .  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...&category=50175 i would also think that the caliper sticking on is not helping your vibration problem so after sorting this have the alloys balanced and you never now could be problem sorted

Just realised that that is Stuart's GS300. Don't know if he has got some more Sport alloys as I got 2 reconditioned ones off him as the 10" rears on the car were buckled but the company doing the reconditioning didn't spot this until after they had done the front two.

[mudzs]

sounds like these alloys buckle very easy :o ,i am gonna wrap mine in cotton wool

[MAC_600]

I think the 10" rears were prone to buckling due to the sheer width of them, not heard many cases of the 8" going the same route.