Buying Advice For A Rx300

[tonker]

Dear all,

Am brand new here after years of Saab ownership, basicaly driving a GM Saab was the final nail in the coffin.

Can anyone think of any problems that would arrise if a car was left for enough time that the Battery went completely flat! Picking car up in 3 days and was told it would be charged for 24 hours!!!!!

Hope you don't have to help but in expectation regards and hello everyone.

Tonker

[T7RY B]

There should be no issues.

Hope you enjoy the RX great cars.

[tonker]

Thanks for the reply.

I have searched and a few Battery issues arrise for the 400 but not as many for the 300. Is this most peoples experience. Told friends we were economising by selling 2 of our cars to get one. Forgot to tell them it would be 3ltr Lexus!

Cheers

[T7RY B]

Got a brand new Battery fitted on mine with a 3 year warranty and it lasted just over 4 years. So for a heavy duty car it did well.

[MAT_8N]

i've an rx300 and an old ls400. i'm just down the road from you in billingham.

no problems with the rx but the Battery on the ls is forever going flat as i work away and dont drive it for 4-5 weeks, i just jump it of the rx(the wifes so its in daily use) and its back to instant perfection.

[tonker]

Thanks again everyone,

To be frank after visiting my 2 local dealers i'm really disapointed with the Lexus dealer who is still trying to let me buy a car from them.

On Friday i'm told the deal with finance company is going through(which it is today) and the car is being modifed as per the deal.

On Saturday after a 3 hour drive i arrive at said dealer, to then wait 15 minutes whilst finance chap finishes conversation with work colleague.

Eventually get bored of waiting and ask to see car.10 minutes after they take me to a car lot where the car i want is. Put key in...nothing....it's flat. No test drive then. Told it had been sat there for 2 months so thats why it's flat. No "sorry sir you've just driven a six hour round trip to see a car you can't drive"

See finance man who decides he can NOW see me. Explain about Battery and that i'm unimpressed. Told "don't worry we will give it a good charge before you take it away!!!!!!!" again no " jesus your kidding you've come all this way and we've really let you down" Told it will be in garage tommorow(sunday) for fitting of the bits and bobs i want.

Today after numberous calls, told that NO work will commence until your finance has arrived as this is compay policy or until you pay a deposit. 3rd different story about modifcations which i actually believe but why wasn't told this on FRIDAY. I could have paid a deposit and picked up the car today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was constantly told about why the modifications weren't done(i now understand) but as for the Battery being flat this was avoided. Was told that i can't now pick it up until tommorow because finance man is away and only he can see if the funds are cleared!!! What would happen if he was run over? Would that be the end of the delear because only he can access the bank account!!

I'm now in 2 minds to complain to Lexus UK even before i've picked it up. This has left a very sour taste in my mouth, and in hindsight i wish i had cancelled the car based upon this dealers unproffesional inflexible manner. I spent 11 years in sales and expect the same level of service i gave, something like Teeside Lexus did when we visited them. There we were welcomed and the kids entertained, at this dealer i felt as though we weren't welcome to go anywhere near their precious cars.

Very dissapointed

[Damer]

Name and shame the dealership!

[tonker]

A saleman has phoned and they have started to recharge the Battery! ICE fitted tommorow and then hopefully.....straight to work. I'll report IF i ever make it home.

Regards

[tonker]

Have now picked up my RX and am very impressed. 34mpg at 70mph is excellent in my book.

Had to buy car tax at dealer even though i was promised that the car would have "tax and test" and the front mats were removed, and not replaced!

No service book!!!!!!!!!!!

Lincoln Lexus

[Damer]

Have now picked up my RX and am very impressed. 34mpg at 70mph is excellent in my book.

Had to buy car tax at dealer even though i was promised that the car would have "tax and test" and the front mats were removed, and not replaced!

No service book!!!!!!!!!!!

Lincoln Lexus

Hope you enjoy your car but customer service sounds shocking!

[ColinBarber]

dealers always remove the old mats. Normally try and sell you new ones!

[tonker]

Yes about the mats which is why i will buy them from Teeside. Have just checked in the maintenance database and in the service section there are no details(miles to go etc)!!!

Does my "Lexus Approved " purchase have any service history? :tsktsk:

Will have to phone again tommorow

Thanks for any replies, love the car...34 mpg!!! amazing

[MAT_8N]

i got my RX from derby lexus.(black with black,could only get it from there)

tax, NEW mats, full major service including new front pads and discs.

i've not been to lexus teesside yet so cant comment on them.

[Boxbrownie]

I was under the impression the vehicles under the approved scheme MUST have service history which would include all the relevent paperwork INCLUDING the service book..........then again my experience was nothing special at all from my supplying dealer but the dealer I use for service/warranty has been perfect!

Best regards David

[tonker]

Guess what guys.

After 4 days my is car dead on the drive with ANOTHER DEAD Battery!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had to borrow neighbours car to do school run

Phoned dealer who didn't apologise just put me through to service dept. "just phone the RAC" was the response.

Am phoning Lexus UK now as to say i'm upset is an understatement

[Damer]

Guess what guys.

After 4 days my is car dead on the drive with ANOTHER DEAD BATTERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had to borrow neighbours car to do school run

Phoned dealer who didn't apologise just put me through to service dept. "just phone the RAC" was the response.

Am phoning Lexus UK now as to say i'm upset is an understatement

Sounds like a fault somewhere. Never had this with mine.

[Boxbrownie]

Am phoning Lexus UK now as to say i'm upset is an understatement

Good luck with that......Lexus Gb just passed my letter onto my dealer.....fat lot of good that does!

Best of luck matey.......

[tonker]

RAC man looked at Battery and confirmed that the Battery was brown bread, and the fact that there was no grease at all on the terminals which were corroded didn't help. Positive Battery terminal cover off, which he described as a fire hazard. In his view there was no way that this car Battery just gone through a delivery check or the recent service

Lexus Teeside to the rescue who have now fitted a new Toyota Battery at Lincolns expense. 5 hours wasted and 50 miles worth of fuel for work that should have been done before i got it. On the delivery inspection, the recent service and becuase it was flat a week ago!!

Still love it though.

[tonker]

Well still no service book after a week of waiting and 5 phone calls. Spoke to Lexus HQ who said they will get Lincoln to ring me!!!!

" IVE BEEN WAITING A WEEK FOR THEM TO DO JUST THAT, WHY DO YOU THINK I'M RINGING YOU"

What else can i do apart from call trading standards?

ps The main control for the electric windows doesn't work so when my 2 year old opened his window at 70 mph, i could not stop him or shut the window as he tried to get out. At least the brakes work well!

[tonker]

Well hello again.

I'm sure you were as bored at reading my painful process, as i was phoning Lexus Lincoln over 50 times.

Currently i'm still waiting for my service book. I was promised it was JUST done(a year ago) by Coventry Lexus. Phoned Coventry.......never heard of it! Bumped into Area manager at Teeside who was to say the least not impressed. Lincol had authorised an oil change as it hadn't been serviced for a year! Thats funny i said, i thought you did a pre-delivery inspection to make sure all that was complete(flat battery)...uuummmm

Anyway i now have a car without any service history, and an alarm that keeps going off in the midle of the night thus waking all my neighbours(who leant me their cars when mine was off the road).

Yesterday i had the windscreen replaced by Autoglass. As soon as the mechanic opened up the bonnet he exclaimed that things just didn't look right to him. 10 seconds later and a bit of digging he found at least 2 bits of trim and rubber that had evidence of the engine area and wings having been resprayed!!!!

In short what the f*ck am i to do now. I've had it with phoning people to get the things i was promised in the first place, and together with the service book, alarm and now the respraying saga i'm at wits end.

[leedsunited]

Well hello again.

I'm sure you were as bored at reading my painful process, as i was phoning Lexus Lincoln over 50 times.

Currently i'm still waiting for my service book. I was promised it was JUST done(a year ago) by Coventry Lexus. Phoned Coventry.......never heard of it! Bumped into Area manager at Teeside who was to say the least not impressed. Lincol had authorised an oil change as it hadn't been serviced for a year! Thats funny i said, i thought you did a pre-delivery inspection to make sure all that was complete(flat battery)...uuummmm

Anyway i now have a car without any service history, and an alarm that keeps going off in the midle of the night thus waking all my neighbours(who leant me their cars when mine was off the road).

Yesterday i had the windscreen replaced by Autoglass. As soon as the mechanic opened up the bonnet he exclaimed that things just didn't look right to him. 10 seconds later and a bit of digging he found at least 2 bits of trim and rubber that had evidence of the engine area and wings having been resprayed!!!!

In short what the f*ck am i to do now. I've had it with phoning people to get the things i was promised in the first place, and together with the service book, alarm and now the respraying saga i'm at wits end.

Reject the car and get trading standards involved would be my approach.

[tonker]

Another quick update.

Still no service book from Lincoln.

Car horn still going off in the middle of the night so Teeside have had it for nearly two weeks fixing the faults Lincoln should have done in the first place. They thought they had cracked it but when they brought the car round...parp parp parp. So they leant me an IS250 which proved not really practical for my large family. Phoned area manager man i met at Teeside and hey presto an RX400 arrives from lincoln.

Broke window coming back from the south and as soon as the Autoglass man opened the bonnet he said something didn't look right. After ten seconds of searching he found bits of rubber with respray on them from both wings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now over 100 phone calls, nearly 2 weeks without my car, a breakdown, evidence of respray, no service book.

If they think i'm giving them back the 400 before this thing is properly serviced, decent tyres etc then they are sorely mistaken.

Wife writing to Japan and Belinda Poole in the UK.

The 400 although much more powerful isn't worth the nearly 30k extra. Save yourself some dosh and get an LPG instead of useless batteries.

WTF

[tonker]

Have now been given 3 options by Lexus Lincoln to sort out THEIR problems.

1 They buy the car back at 2k less than the i paid for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2.I keep the car(which i can't as the alarm can't be fixed so i have to lock it with a key=invalid insurance) and they find a replacement!!!!!!!!!!

3.I keep the 400 loan car until they can fix the car that Teeside couldn't do in 3 weeks.

Tomorrow i phone trading standards to get my money back. I still haven't got my log book, which for the umteeth time they tell me is on the way. This car was meant to be a "Lexus Approved " car. This my friends clearly means nothing.

Any helpfull contacts etc would be appreciated. A full breakdown of this affair is going to every car mag and newspaper we can think of. JDPower already contacted.

Please help

[sktn77a]

What a terrible experience! Here in the US, when we exhaust all other pathways, there's usually a local television station with a consumer advocate to "Name and Shame" the dealership and manufacturer on-the-air!

See if you can find one of those.

[Valkirk]

Sorry I didn't see this earlier; if it was still under 1 month you can just return the car for exchange :(

http://www.lexus.co.uk/used-cars/key-features.aspx

Still very poor service turns what should be a pleasure (Buying a new car) into nightmare......strangely I had the same problem with the service history....took about 3 months to get the book and mine is missing it's first stamp as they couldn't get the dealer who did it to sort.