im24601

What I am failing to understand is why there is all the back-biting here. Ah, so for us to succeed in getting Lexus to recognise and resolve a known issue - someone has to get killed? I used to work for one of the Ambulance Trusts and have seen enough carnage, thank you all the same, to wish death upon anybody just to prove a point. Can't we stop the situation from happening before it happens? What are we asking Lexus to do? Reconsider their settings - and, when we (mainly Tony - sorry mate) provides Lexus with settings which we all know work - to provide their Centres/Dealerships with the same universal settings for future customers. I actually don't give a rat's ***** about money from Lexus - though by God they have cost me enough. This is a safety issue, pure and simple. Tomorrow I shall phone Lexus (GB) Ltd and ask to speak to Gill Want - and seek an explanation why different centres are providing different garbage for geometries. The only Centre I believe is accurately setting the geometry is Lexus Nottingham - both Reading and Oxford are providing different data - both incorrect, both going to result in excessive wear. One has proved it time and time again. I hold my hands up and proudly say I am the least technical person on this forum - but I do recognise when something isn't right. I grew up around the motor industry and have never, ever, ever known of problems with tyres so consistently poor as with Lexus. It has sod all to do with my driving style - I have never had this problem with any of the other cars I have driven (and there are many). As I have said before - it is the sheer arrogance of Lexus which gnarls me - that they know more about tyres than Dunlop-Goodyear. That they, Lexus, have to be right 'cos they are the god-damn manufacturer. It's all b/s. Lexus would go up in my estimation considerably if they admitted they were wrong - even if they would just consider Tony's settings and see what happens. But no, they remain holier than thou - and they do so at our cost (well, not mine anymore) but at the cost of all the Lexus IS200/300/SC owners who don't subscribe to this forum and who don't know better and who haven't had Tony's input. No, they faithfully return to a Lexus Dealership where they are plied with nice coffee in comfortable surroundings and stiffed probably £30 extra per corner each time tyres are required, and are too naïve to question Mr Service Manager when he/she says - "you need to have a 4-wheel alignment to correct your tyre problem" at a cost of £140. Kerching! Kerching! Kerching! If it wasn't for the tyre issue and the slightly disappointing mpg the IS200 would be a great car - everything I always wanted. But the truth is the tyre issue lets it down badly for me - really, really badly. Some have talked of meeting and heading to Epsom - now let's fix a date. Gonna have to be a weekday - how does Thursday 20 March sound? If anyone knows anyone in the local press who want to join us - please let them know. Ditto for the motoring mags et al. We can refer to it in other threads as "The Surrey Meet"... Rant over (for tonight). Chris

I am on the back of 2 sucessful "wins" with the legal system - one in the Family Courts where I got what most men aspire to - simply down to dogged determination and a "never say die" attitude. And that was a matter of principle too. The second, only last Tuesday - the Dept of Health and the DWP tried and failed in the Crown Court. Eighteen months of grief they caused me and they screwed it all up. So, does the might of Lexus concern me? No, not in the slightest. Ultimately, they are wrong - you know it, I know it - and deep down they know it too. Gill Want may have tried to shut the door with her letter, but she has no idea just how much of a pain in the arse I can be. (I was about to say that she should ask my ex, but that would lead to the wrong response from some here!!!!! :shutit: ) In the words of Karen Carpenter "We've only just begun."...

Technically, as I had a Finance Agreement (through Lexus Finance) my redress is also with them as, until I finished paying the vehicle off - they owned the vehicle and, I think, I "purchased" the vehicle from them. In the same way, my mortgaged house belongs, in part, to the mortgage company. Anyhow, I am speaking to lawyers this week on this matter and, so I cannot be accused of "showing my hand early on" again - I'll PM those who are interested to find out what was said, unless of course everybody, bar the critics, are keen to find out? Chris

Cheers shak. I wonder if Lexus offered each of us £1000 each for the tyres, geometry etc that we have all had - whether the few critics here would take the money? ps im24601 not IM024601!!!!! :duh:

There are those that do, and those that criticise those that do...

Exactly what I mean...

You know I am good for it. Though I was thinking legal action, actually. Here's a thing - I have two alignment reports stating varying tolerances one from Lexus Oxford and the other from Lexus Reading. If Lexus GB have issued all centres with the same info, why wouldn't they be the same??????

Letter from MD now posted on The Response from the MD of Lexus (GB) Ltd thread....

And the response from Lexus, verbatim 05 March 2008 Dear Mr im24601 I have been asked by our Managing Director, Miguel Fonseca, to thank you for you letter dated 21 February 2008. Unfortunately due to the nature of our business, Mr Fonseca is not always able to personally respond to customers, and he has therefore asked me to respond to you on his behalf. I have reviewed the details of your contact with us regarding tyre wear on your IS200, and I am very sorry to hear that you remain dissatisfied with the response you have received. I must confirm that our position has not changed. However I would like to clarify the facts concerning the geometry on the IS200, and can confirm that when the car left the factory it would have been set up using "negative camber". This means the tyres were set at a specific angle which contributed towards the dynamic handling characteristic. However the setting was within a tolerance range, as specified by the manufacturer and following customer feedback we authorised our Centres to amend this measurement to more of a "mid way" position, whilst keeping within the original tolerance range specification as set by the factory. A consequence of this has been improved tyre wear for some driving styles. However, I must advise you that we do not recommend any further deviation from the manufacturer's specification, if it takes the car outside the original range of tolerances. It is worthy to note that any change may affect some other aspect of the car in the future. Whilst I realise your strength of feeling on the matter, I feel I must reiterate that we are confident that the advice given to Lexus Centres in the UK, regarding geometry settings is appropriate, and a result of extensive research. We do not believe that there can be a predetermined life span for tyres, when such a large range of factors can influence their wear. In closing, I am sorry that we are have not been able to afford you the answer that you are seeking, which is of course regrettable. For this I can only apologise, but trust we have clarified our final position in this respect. Yours sincerely Gill Want Lexus (GB) Ltd

Ok, here it is... To put it in context, my letter to the MD of Lexus GB Ltd (Mr Miguel Fonseca) first...

I'll post it on here by 2200 or so tonight. I need to do a few things first and then copy it out verbatim for this site. After that, I would kindly ask for people to comment as they see fit. And no, Lexus have threatened nothing nor agreed to anything. Please give me a little over one hour and you can read my nitial letter and Lexus' response.

Yes I can prove it was received - as I sent it recorded delivery. Please see earlier posts if you wish to confirm arrival yourself. Oh, I received a reply today..............

The point is Scorps01, that we know that Tony has the true settings because we are here and have probably contacted Tony at one point or t'other. This forum does not reach every Lexus owner/driver in the UK - I've had my car nigh on 5 yrs and only found this website (through a Google search for "Lexus, tyres, excessive wear" ironically) a few weeks ago. By each and every Lexus dealership having the correct settings, no more will those not members here get stung and hopefully their tyres will be safer for longer. Immediatley, the risk factor of driving on Lexus' settings decreases (is that litigious?). I fail to comprehend why there are some on this forum who are dismissive of what we (myself and a few others) are trying to do. None of this is for our personal benefit - it is a safety issue and Lexus can advise their customers who aren't members here of the correct settings. Is it so wrong to want that? And, I have today received a letter from Lexus - to be posted on the other thread shortly...

Nothing heard. And no, it isn't time to give up. Next week I am speaking to solicitors in Manchester who specialise in this sort of work: it is incomprehensible for me to give up. This is a safety issue, and as such Lexus should do the honourable thing. They would sit up and take note if someone died as a result of the excessive wear (who knows - someone may already have?). I detest the arrogance that Lexus have shown in this matter and I, for one, will do something about it. The mere fact that Lexus have refused to comment/respond to my letter is disgusting. This is how much they care for us owners.

Nothing heard.

Nothing heard. ANYONE SUBSCRIBE TO WHICH?

Nothing heard.

As the originator of this thread I'll be happy if Lexus review their geometry settings and, ultimately, change them to the tried and tested ones that Tony has - informing every single dealership to this effect. By highlighting this issue (beit here or in the populist motoring media) resulting in just one person checking their tyres on the inner edges and deciding to have them changed, and NOT making that 200 mile trip to granny's up/down the motorway until the tyres are changed - a trip which, had they made, it would have resulted in one or both front tyres bursting at 70mph and wiping out 2 generations of one family - it'll all be worth it. However, Do I feel we are due compensation? Hell yes. Do I feel we are due an apology? Most definitely. Do I feel I am due an apology for being lied to by Lexus Oxford and General Manager of Customer Relations? Err, yes. Do I also feel that we have a case for litigation? I don't know enough about the law to answer that, nor give an opinion - but my solicitor feels we have definite grounds. I find the silence from Lexus GB deafening... If no response is received to my letter to the MD of Lexus GB by one week today (11 March) I shall be proposing a day to go to Epsom some time this month. I'll suggest a couple ofr three days - and whichever is most popular we'll go for. Needless to say, everyone will be welcome to come along. We'll refer to it as "the Surrey Meet"!

tunicate

Wait for it...Nothing heard. So, not even an acknowledgement. One week today I shall post the letter here and, if by then, I have heard nothing I think it is time to contact the motoring media.

Nothing heard.

Nothing heard.

Symphonic prog

Day 3:...Nothing heard. NB With fairness to Lexus GB Ltd. I have confirmed on the Royal Mail website and the letter, sent recorded delivery last Friday (22 Feb) was only delivered to Lexus GB Ltd from the Epsom delivery office on 27 February. For anyboody who wishes to check the details of delivery (time and signature, presumably(?)), the Reference Code is: DW 4553 8629 8GB. Alternatively, please click here

Jemima