Why I Avoid Lexus Parts Department

[Scott Gordon]

Now I do know better then to go to a lexus dealer for parts but I had to visit one to see what they charge for the wood trim that is located around my shifter on my 1993 gs300 as this thin veneer is cracking,and starting to chip Well are you ready for this $640.00 and that is not including installation. We all had a good laugh over this one.

Anybody have any cheaper fixes? I was thinking maybe gold or jade LOL.

[JonCAGS300]

Here's the way to go: http://www.dashkitstore.com/details.php?id=138

$60. There are a couple of other places that sell them too: NYCDashes.com

Most important: remove the entire wood surround from the car and do the install outside of the vehicle. I learned this the hard way. The new surround has the most aggressive adhesive on it. You literally only get one shot at it. If you misalign it, you can't take it off without damaging it, or other parts. You cannot fit the new one between the surround and the ashtray; remove it. Having said all that, it looks good after installing. I removed the metal base from the original one all together; stripped it down to the wood. Then installed the new one. Looks great.

[akewlguy]

Yes, some of these dealers SUCK!

16 bucks for a spark plug. NGK is 6.50 at the local store. Last time I will ever buy from them!

[SW03ES]

Yes, some of these dealers SUCK!

16 bucks for a spark plug. NGK is 6.50 at the local store. Last time I will ever buy from them!

Again, you can't blame dealers for pricing at a level which the consumer will pay for it. Thats like saying Nordstrom is ripping people off for selling $90 ties when you can buy ties at the mall kiosk for $15, or that Starbucks is ripping people of for selling coffee for $6 a cup you can get at 7-11 for $.99. You can't expect Wal-Mart prices at Nordstrom, and you can't expect Napa Car parts prices at Lexus dealers.

Just don't shop at Nordstrom or the Lexus dealer. People must be willing to pay the prices otherwise they wouldn't be charging them. The dealers don't "suck", they're businesses.

[akewlguy]

Okay slick.

Dudeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.......... It cost 10 bucks at LEXUS Alexandria and 16 in CT. ITS BS! You can call it what ever you want, but it is BS. I stated my reasons and it was not to say anything, but a markup like that is BS! I paid and I love the LEXUS stamp on the NGK plug. I am happy to donate to the largest auto company in the world, but don't screw the consumer is my point. I know you are the LEXUS genius so please don't take my words harsh.

Parts do work good so see me SMILE!

[lexus411]

SW is again correct. When I go out to dinner at a nice steakhouse, I pay for the service moreso then the steak. Im sure Lexus dealers can find real estate in a cheaper area and tone down some of the ammenities they offer , all to lower there profit margins. This would anger alot more customers. They could also cheapen the quality of there componenets, use plastic in the shift knob and not real wood.

I think the whole process is more appreciated when the car is purchased from the dealer. Thats where the whole relationship begins. Your buying and paying for the Lexus experience. Not all dealers are the same but in a large majority they are. There staffed by the most qualified and decent people in the industry with a goal of satisfying customers. I allow them to make a living and they are there when i need them. Same for the guy who sells me my suits, does my landscaping and so on.

Lexus did a study, the most valuable asset people listed was time. They preferred to save time over all else. Money was #3

[akewlguy]

Scott, see you were wrong. Not sure how one is wrong or right about their opinion, but we have two Lexus owners who disagree with your opinon. God bless the ACLU and freedom of speech! Go Ruth Beta Gingsburg.

[lexus411]

Nobody is wrong. I just wish some many of these threads and titles weren't so biased against the dealership. The auto business is one of the only places where profit is a dirty word. $640. for a shift knob may seem alot of money for a 1993 GS now but awhile back that was a $40,000 car. The quality of the materials and craftmanship are what makes Lexus what it is.

[Scott Gordon]

I was commenting on the high price of lexus parts and service.

I agree let the market place set the price, and just goes to show there are a lot of folks with a lot of disposable income out there.

I shop online and seem to save quite a bit.

[qatari$lexus]

:(

Here's the way to go: http://www.dashkitstore.com/details.php?id=138

$60. There are a couple of other places that sell them too: NYCDashes.com

Most important: remove the entire wood surround from the car and do the install outside of the vehicle. I learned this the hard way. The new surround has the most aggressive adhesive on it. You literally only get one shot at it. If you misalign it, you can't take it off without damaging it, or other parts. You cannot fit the new one between the surround and the ashtray; remove it. Having said all that, it looks good after installing. I removed the metal base from the original one all together; stripped it down to the wood. Then installed the new one. Looks great.

Great info. Thanks. Needed to replace my wood trim around the shifter for some time now. Can you give me some idea on how to remove the entire wood surround. As with anything else, there is usually a trick or easy way to do it that would be nice to know before I try to figure it out on my own. Trial and error doesn't always work.

[05IS300]

I worked for Mercedes and a shift surround for an SL600 with the Carbon Fiber trim was $3000.00.I appreciate what Lexus411 said as I am the Parts Mgr at a Lexus Dealership.

[Fidel Castrol]

People must be willing to pay the prices otherwise they wouldn't be charging them. The dealers don't "suck", they're businesses.

...and as a Lexus service writer, I give the buyer two options: Take it or Leave it.

However, I've had people price between different dealers, and they say they get different prices from dealer to dealer, so I implore the buyer to check first. Also, you may get a disreputable counterman or service writer who get paid on "gross" instead of other methods, so he'll go for the kill.

[cardona6569]

I will agree in part with every opinion. The dealers tend to charge a lot, but is part of the Lexus experience and the Quality of the materials, and when it comes to time, if they have the part you will have it in your hands in seconds most of the time, or 3-5 days if it has to come from somewhere. These cars were made for people who has lots of money and do not mind expending some in fixing them, or the school of thought that money is not a problem, with that in mind the rest is just easy to understand. I have read that to own a MB, a BMW, a Lex or one Infinity you need to put aside 200 bucks a month for maintenance alone. With the Lex we do not have to do that because ours do not break very often, or until they are more than 12-15 year cars. That is great in my opinion!

Second, we should go and check out the Infinity forums, they have it really bad, not many people want to work on their products, so they are more or less confined to the dealers and the high prices they can charge because they are the kings of the hills, there are to complicated for the shade mechanic or the DIY to work on, and very hard to diagnose, unlike Toyota and Lexus that provide a Tech line, not free of charge, to help you in case you do not like to take it to their places of business.

Third a business in a capitalistic system like ours is to make lots of money, that is the bottom line.

CPR

People must be willing to pay the prices otherwise they wouldn't be charging them. The dealers don't "suck", they're businesses.

...and as a Lexus service writer, I give the buyer two options: Take it or Leave it.

However, I've had people price between different dealers, and they say they get different prices from dealer to dealer, so I implore the buyer to check first. Also, you may get a disreputable counterman or service writer who get paid on "gross" instead of other methods, so he'll go for the kill.

[SW03ES]

Okay slick.

Dudeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.......... It cost 10 bucks at LEXUS Alexandria and 16 in CT. ITS BS! You can call it what ever you want, but it is BS. I stated my reasons and it was not to say anything, but a markup like that is BS! I paid and I love the LEXUS stamp on the NGK plug. I am happy to donate to the largest auto company in the world, but don't screw the consumer is my point. I know you are the LEXUS genius so please don't take my words harsh.

Parts do work good so see me SMILE!

Thats business. You own a business, you should understand that. Do you think its possible that someone somewhere charges less for scallops than you do? Does that mean that you should not charge more for scallops than the person who sells them the cheapest, no matter where they are in the country? Of course not, you're going to charge a price for your product that your particular market will bear and that fits in with your business model. because Wal mart sells scallops in Alabama for 1/4 what you sell them for doesn't mean you should. If businesses did that we'd have no economy whatsoever.

Why wouldn't one thing cost more at a dealer in CT and in VA? They are 500 miles apart and are totally different and seperate markets. Alexandria is in my market, and we have 7 Lexus dealers within 50 miles. That creates competition that keeps prices low. Are there 7 dealers within 50 miles of the dealer in CT? Maybe not.

Thats business 101, and I don't know how you have a successful business if you don't understand that.

And who says I'm a Lexus genious? This has nothing to do with Lexus, this has everything to do with business and I do know a lot about business.

[JonCAGS300]

Great info. Thanks. Needed to replace my wood trim around the shifter for some time now. Can you give me some idea on how to remove the entire wood surround. As with anything else, there is usually a trick or easy way to do it that would be nice to know before I try to figure it out on my own. Trial and error doesn't always work.

The first time I tried adding the new surround with the console in the car, I discovered that the new surround wouldn't slide under the ash tray. It got stuck part way. When I tried to remove it, it was like super glue. I ripped it off of the console and ended up sticking it to the shifter. Then when I pulled that off a little leather came off. Result: The new surround was trashed and my shifter has lost a litttle leather. A total nightmare.

So then I bought a new surround, and had my mechanic take the console out and apply the new surround to it. Sorry, I don't have the info on how to remove the console, but I can't imagine it is too difficult. I had my mechanic do it because he has done this several times before for other GS300's. I should have had him do it the first time.

[stroked4.6]

Is this a very common problem for the older gs300s? I have several pieces of trim which are cracked. Im ordering my kit from http://www.mimousa.com/. They have so many different materials to choose from. You could stick with the stock wood trim look or go with carbon fiber or gray marble wood. Since I have several pieces of trim which are cracked im ordering the whole gray marble kit. I think it will look very good especially with the new stereo.

And by the way that is a ridiculous price. Personally I shop around online because I know what some dealers will charge (prime example). When you think about it, its still a Toyota.