Am I Out Of Line?!

[98es]

So ever since we bought our '02 CPO ES300, it's had a HORRIBLE smell coming out of the vents. We bought it right after the 45k mile service was done, which replaces the cabin air filter, so this is not the problem.

So the first time I take it in for the smell and a host of other things, they said that they had sprayed deodarizer in the air filter, but if the smell returned that they would have to do some type of "induction" service. Well, needless to say the smell returned and then got WORSE.

So I make an appointment for this morning, to do the induction service, realign the windshield wiper that's messed up, and to do something about the noise thats coming from the steering column.

Out of about 6 service writers, it's my luck to ALWAYS get the same guy that's a jerk. Everytime I'm there I get the feeling he's thinking "Oh, you again? What do you want now?" Anyways, he continues to inform me that this "induction" service will cost ME $130. After arguing that this is not something I should pay for because it's always been there since april when i bought it, I finally just refuse to have the service done. So by this time i'm walking out to get a loaner, and notice my service writer talking to the service manager. Now I will say I am kind of "nitpicky" when it comes to my cars, but hey that's why i bought a lexus and paid even more for CPO. I do notice little things that others might not notice, but that's just me. So I can only imagine what the service writer is telling the manager, he finally walks over to me and says, "Could you come back and show us what you want done, because we just don't understand." His tone was not something I was pleased with. So he leads me back to the car, and I'm trying to show him everything that i want done. After everything I tell him, he says "Is that it???" I got the feeling his one purpose for coming over to me and dragging me to the back was to dismiss ALL my complaints and send me back home with my car. This guy was the most passive-agressive person I think i've ever met. So after being belittled, I'm finally led back to the loaner station, only to be met by two new, young guys who could CARE LESS about what they were doing.

Now I understand that I'm only in my early twenties, but this is rediculous, that should have nothing to do with it. I was appalled not only by the way I was treated, but lexus' refusal to pay for my service. Not to mention when he pulled me back there, I was about to step into a NEW '06 GS300 as a loaner, but only to return to an '04 ES300. So anyways I called the customer service guy, told him everything, and he's going to get back with me. Sorry that this is so long, I guess I just needed to vent.

So, am I wrong to think that Lexus should pay for this??? The owners manual clearly states that my only responsibility in regards to this as the owner is to change the in cabin air filter. I would appreciate ANY thoughts/comments.

[LexKid630]

I guess that should be under the 3 year warranty?? A smell as bad as you described can't be normal.

[SW03ES]

I would try to remedy it on my own. If you search around the net you can find a lot of products and systems for sanitizing A/C systems. The systems just get damp and when things grow, things start to smell. Should be an easy thing but if they're just spraying the filter thats not going to help.

As for the dealer, I'd look for a new dealer. I Finally have a dealer and a service rep I like (and you can call and request service reps) if only they weren't so damned expensive.

[Toysrme]

Get stuff to clean the mildew & mold out. Be sure you stick in a new cabin filter also.

I would buy a good filter at wall-mart and cut it to fit before I would be caught dead buying the few overpriced things Toyota/Lexus dealers sell.

[poneyboy]

Make the dealer fix it. This behaviour is inexusable and Mr. Toyoda would be horrified. Lexus and Toyota dealers are notoriusly arrogant and condescending. Here's my experience:

I walked out of the dealer with Toyota Long Life under my arm and asked a service manager "Can you tell me where I should look for the coolant petcock under my engine so I can drain it out completely?"

His answer was "We don't do that, we remove the hoses and that gets it all. That hose is the lowest point in the engine."

I said "That's funny, none of my hoses are that low. I would end up with very little control over my mix if I do that. Besides, I have a petcock on my radiator that is very low, but not low enough."

He asks a mechanic who is walking by. He gave me two possible locations and indicated that he does in fact use this to drain the systems. He was right.

My Lexus service manager was a nice guy, but incompetent. He quoted me $700 to resurface my brakes. This didn't include bleeding the system. However he did say it included relubing the bearings. Funny thing, my bearings are sealed ball bearings.

Go get 'em. Go to the top guy and/or write a letter if you have to. They are clearly being pricks and you are not out of line. Explain that you will be helping them learn about a problem they are likely to see in the future!

Steve

[exdotcomer]

sux you have to go through this but this is my 2 cents worth...

call Lexus customer service...i did, and they made my dealer (who thought i was crazy for having condensation in my headlamp) replace the $500+ labor part the next day!

Lexus wants to win the HD Power award again for the what is it- 16 th straight year? they will do whatever it takes to make you happy, even a CPO. Mine is a cpo.

Document everything, like a diary, and offer to email/fax/mail it to the customer service rep.

Be respectful and mindful that the rep you are speaking to did not belittle you, he is the one who will help you.remember, you called him for help.

Don't give up...if you believe you are wronged let them know.

I stopped dealing with the disrespectful service reps at Lexus of Westport in Fairfield, Conn because they gave me the same feeling you described above.

We paid a lot of money for our cars, new or not, and it's our right to be treated with the utmost respect.

I look extremely young for 34 and when I used to go in there in shorts and a ball cap- the service reps did not even acknowledge me.

They lost my business right then and there and i tell everyone i know not to go back there.

they also lost a sale as I will upgrade and get a 430, but from another dealer.

Bottom line is this...Lexus needs to know how poorly some of us have been treated. I believe they do take it seriously, as evident by the call i received from the dealer 24 hrs after i called customer service- the dealer said "can you bring in the car today?".

it's too bad we have to resort to calling customer service, but i'm afraid how other manufacturer's handle their clients.

[poneyboy]

sux you have to go through this but this is my 2 cents worth...

call Lexus customer service...i did, and they made my dealer (who thought i was crazy for having condensation in my headlamp) replace the $500+ labor part the next day!

Lexus wants to win the HD Power award again for the what is it- 16 th straight year? they will do whatever it takes to make you happy, even a CPO. Mine is a cpo.

Document everything, like a diary, and offer to email/fax/mail it to the customer service rep.

Be respectful and mindful that the rep you are speaking to did not belittle you, he is the one who will help you.remember, you called him for help.

Don't give up...if you believe you are wronged let them know.

I stopped dealing with the disrespectful service reps at Lexus of Westport in Fairfield, Conn because they gave me the same feeling you described above.

We paid a lot of money for our cars, new or not, and it's our right to be treated with the utmost respect.

I look extremely young for 34 and when I used to go in there in shorts and a ball cap- the service reps did not even acknowledge me.

They lost my business right then and there and i tell everyone i know not to go back there.

they also lost a sale as I will upgrade and get a 430, but from another dealer.

Bottom line is this...Lexus needs to know how poorly some of us have been treated. I believe they do take it seriously, as evident by the call i received from the dealer 24 hrs after i called customer service- the dealer said "can you bring in the car today?".

it's too bad we have to resort to calling customer service, but i'm afraid how other manufacturer's handle their clients.

←

You and I are in agreement. I have noticed that Infinity dealers in my area are pretty freindly and helpful. I've also noticed that Lexus service centers are either incompetent or jerks. This is very sad. We aren't buying Yugos here...

Stevo

[98es]

Thanks guys, I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. It seems they think that I take time out of my day and make up crap for them to fix just for the crappy car wash or something. I would switch dealers, but unfortunately this is the only one in memphis. While talking to the dealer's customer service rep, i did mention more than once that I was calling the dealer as the first step, and if needed I would keep going up.

I was promised a phone call wednesday evening or thursday by noon, but no one called. I'm sick of being nice to these people. If they want to be jerks, then fine, but you better believe that they're paying for that stupid service. I almost don't even want people riding in the car, it's embarassing. Anyways, if no word by noon tomorrow i'm calling back.

I'm not about to mess with trying to remedy this myself. I've done my part, I changed the filter, this is obviously a design flaw and something that I am not responsible for, ecspecially since we just bought it CPO less than 3 months/3,000 miles ago.

exdotcomer- It's funny you say that, everytime I bring in either of the cars, it's on my day off from work/school and i'm wearing shorts and a ball cap and get the same response you mentioned.

[Toysrme]

Start out polite, but be firm and mean if you have to.

If it's bad, walk off and park your car sideways in front of their service bays, then walk inside to get a coke and a snack. They'll come to you wanting it moved. You came to them wanting to fix a factory F'up.

Ask him if he see's the irony in the above loudly enough so that everyone else in the snack/sitting room hears you.

Dealers/mamangers don't like people arguing infront of customers (when it's obvious they are wrong) because many of them make the majority of their money on repairs.

If you look in the last week or two I've been posting. Things like spark plugs, and head gasket's have come up a few times. There is a reason why you guys keep getting quoted $2000-$2500 to replace head gaskets, while I'm telling you any shop can do it for $1250 if they felt like it, and you're getting ripped off if it's more than $1500.

Good luck with it man. They should make it legal to just play bumper cars in the lot when dealers are like that. It's never just one brand, or one dealer either. *Every* dealer is like that. All that it depends on is what they get told the bottom line for the week/month/year is to how anal retentive they are.