Dealer Installed Front License Plate

[ZackDuchene]

I need the advice of the form...

I just bought a 2008 Lexus IS 250 Fully Loaded this past weekend. Everything was great! I got a good deal on the car the car looked good, has the options I wanted and everything.

Here is the problem. After I took delivery of the car drove it home and parked, looked at the front of the car and saw an aweful front license plate, with dealer logo. So I got my screwdriver out and took off the plate and found they had screwed the mounting bracket directly into the bumper, so I called the sales person and told him I wanted a new bumper. He said by law they had to put the mounting bracket on the car, after he said that I went to the California DMV Website and found this: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm which basically says they don't have to mount it for you, only provide you with the bracket. None of the cars on the lot were equipped with this, they put it on when they took it back to wash it.

What should I do?

[Knightshade]

I need the advice of the form...

I just bought a 2008 Lexus IS 250 Fully Loaded this past weekend. Everything was great! I got a good deal on the car the car looked good, has the options I wanted and everything.

Here is the problem. After I took delivery of the car drove it home and parked, looked at the front of the car and saw an aweful front license plate, with dealer logo. So I got my screwdriver out and took off the plate and found they had screwed the mounting bracket directly into the bumper, so I called the sales person and told him I wanted a new bumper. He said by law they had to put the mounting bracket on the car, after he said that I went to the California DMV Website and found this: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm which basically says they don't have to mount it for you, only provide you with the bracket. None of the cars on the lot were equipped with this, they put it on when they took it back to wash it.

What should I do?

You should call him back and quote the law to him. Explain you paid for a car without holes in the bumper and that's what you expect to have.

[raymsixsix]

I need the advice of the form...

I just bought a 2008 Lexus IS 250 Fully Loaded this past weekend. Everything was great! I got a good deal on the car the car looked good, has the options I wanted and everything.

Here is the problem. After I took delivery of the car drove it home and parked, looked at the front of the car and saw an aweful front license plate, with dealer logo. So I got my screwdriver out and took off the plate and found they had screwed the mounting bracket directly into the bumper, so I called the sales person and told him I wanted a new bumper. He said by law they had to put the mounting bracket on the car, after he said that I went to the California DMV Website and found this: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm which basically says they don't have to mount it for you, only provide you with the bracket. None of the cars on the lot were equipped with this, they put it on when they took it back to wash it.

What should I do?

You should call him back and quote the law to him. Explain you paid for a car without holes in the bumper and that's what you expect to have.

I agree with you exactly, if the law states that they should put it on if you request it, and you didn't, then they have to make right by it

[joeb427]

I need the advice of the form...

I just bought a 2008 Lexus IS 250 Fully Loaded this past weekend. Everything was great! I got a good deal on the car the car looked good, has the options I wanted and everything.

Here is the problem. After I took delivery of the car drove it home and parked, looked at the front of the car and saw an aweful front license plate, with dealer logo. So I got my screwdriver out and took off the plate and found they had screwed the mounting bracket directly into the bumper, so I called the sales person and told him I wanted a new bumper. He said by law they had to put the mounting bracket on the car, after he said that I went to the California DMV Website and found this: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm which basically says they don't have to mount it for you, only provide you with the bracket. None of the cars on the lot were equipped with this, they put it on when they took it back to wash it.

What should I do?

You should call him back and quote the law to him. Explain you paid for a car without holes in the bumper and that's what you expect to have.

I agree with you exactly, if the law states that they should put it on if you request it, and you didn't, then they have to make right by it

So,the dealer fill the holes and spot paint the area and clear the whole bumper?

I would demand a bumper cover off another IS of the same color.The dealer may not do that.Then maybe get a couple of painted bumper plugs sold here and make the dealer pay for them...

http://bumperplugs.com/BPindex.html

http://bumperplugs.com/orderformpop1.html

[ZackDuchene]

I bought the car at Lexus of Cerritos, which as of now, I will not recommend. If they can't take care of a stupid problem like this imagine what would happen if something else had gone wrong!

[ZackDuchene]

Well, I finally talked to the GM at the stealership and they won't budge. I guess I will have to give them a bad review...to bad, no manufacture incentive for them I guess.

I am going to end up getting plugs from BumperPlugs.com. I had to email them though because they did not have my "Tungsten Pearl" color listed on the site. If anyone knows what the equivalent is and could list it that would be great!

[kha630]

i would be very persistant about it possibly bring a lawyer in to your situation. bumpers arent cheap and for them to do that to your brand new car is totally wrong. plugs will always be there and it will remind you of that everytime you look at your new car.

go beyond that lexus dealership and wriite/call corporate, take pictures and keep records of everything thats been said and incidents. write letters. if it were me i wouldnt stop until the problem is resolved. complain about mgmt, etc... to corporate go to other lexus dealerships maybe they can do something for you.

just dont give up! as long as your in the right.

[bartkat]

Aren't front plates required in California?

[joeb427]

Aren't front plates required in California?

Seems you're right,bartkat.

There's a petition to try and change the law.

http://www.petitiononline.com/caplate/petition.html

[ZackDuchene]

front plates are required by state law, however it is not necessary for the dealer to install them.

As for the continued fight, I am not sure if I have the time or energy to deal with that. If I give a bad review they will not only not get paid the incentive from the manufacture, they will also get a lashing from them for their poor customer service. I am okay with no one going to hawaii on the sale of my car.

[bartkat]

If you gotta have a front plate, then I don't see the problem. How you report is up to you but you might consider how they're going to treat you if you have to go back for warranty service.

[EnginePassion]

I can not see any problem in what they did, the bumper came from the factory with difficult to see two marks(maybe these are thin yet solid) so you just use little effort to screw through them in order to install the front lic plate. The holes are not through the metal parts.

So, the only thing that you've to think of is whether this dealership GM talked to you nicely or he was a kind of vulgar. If he was nice then try to work with them unless there is another dealership in your area.

[ZackDuchene]

The GM was nice enough but the sales manager was a jerk. And I am not going to just blanket the whole review with bad thoughts, I will tell them what I thought they did well and what I thought they did not do well. Isn't that the point of a review? To be honest and help the dealership improve?

Even though it is the law in California to have front plates, most people, especially in Orange County, who drive nice cars do not install them. The only time you get a ticket for that is if you get pulled over for something else and the cop wants to be a !Removed!, it is like tinted windows, you really are not going to get a ticket for that unless you do something really stupid.

[joeb427]

Here in Jersey,I've never had a new car delievered without a front plate bracket installed.I've never even thought about it.I've never even heard of that happening as a front plate is required in NJ.

Much ado over nothing but whatever floats your boat. :)

[Edric]

When I bought my new IS a few months ago down here in FL, the car came with Front Licence plate bracket but the dealer did not install becuase here in FL , you can only have one plate in the rear of the vehicle. So now I just have a new plate bracket in my trunk. But when I used to live in NY, a front licence plate was required by law and a plate brake was installed automatically on every new vehicle purchase or holes were drilled in the appropriate places on the bumper

[clay1]

When I bought my new IS a few months ago down here in FL, the car came with Front Licence plate bracket but the dealer did not install becuase here in FL , you can only have one plate in the rear of the vehicle. So now I just have a new plate bracket in my trunk. But when I used to live in NY, a front licence plate was required by law and a plate brake was installed automatically on every new vehicle purchase or holes were drilled in the appropriate places on the bumper

I understand your disapointment and pain. However you have no idea how many things on that darn car may need warranty attention. You would be better off to swallow hard on this then to ding the relationship. Just take a view of these boards for all the TSB work and rattles, buzzes and the like that you will want them to help you with. If you wanted to place a complaint it is really just for future buyer to know that the bracket will automatically be installed and keep their eye out for it. My pet peeve has always been a dealer who puts their logo on the car - especially when glued or drilled in. So I always say right out - no logos - except a surround around the plate. But again I feel your pain man.

[ZackDuchene]

The dealer I got my car from didn't even drill holes in the car. They just took a screw gun and forced the screws through the plastic.

[Knightshade]

The dealer I got my car from didn't even drill holes in the car. They just took a screw gun and forced the screws through the plastic.

There are ways to attach a front plate without putting holes in the bumper too (a couple different ways that I've seen).

[joeb427]

The dealer I got my car from didn't even drill holes in the car. They just took a screw gun and forced the screws through the plastic.

That's all they have to do as the holes are marked.

[lambobaby1218]

Here in Jersey,I've never had a new car delievered without a front plate bracket installed.I've never even thought about it.I've never even heard of that happening as a front plate is required in NJ.

Much ado over nothing but whatever floats your boat. :)

I bought my car at Longo El Monte, and I forgot to tell them not to install it either. When I showed up after getting the car all put together, it was on there. I'd rather not have it, but I'm not going to make a big fuss over it.

I agree, much ado over nothing, but if you don't want it, I guess fight for it.

[joeb427]

Here in Jersey,I've never had a new car delievered without a front plate bracket installed.I've never even thought about it.I've never even heard of that happening as a front plate is required in NJ.

Much ado over nothing but whatever floats your boat. :)

I bought my car at Longo El Monte, and I forgot to tell them not to install it either. When I showed up after getting the car all put together, it was on there. I'd rather not have it, but I'm not going to make a big fuss over it.

I agree, much ado over nothing, but if you don't want it, I guess fight for it.

:)

I guess it's like when I bring my IS in for service,I tell them DO NOT wash the car.If I forget to tell and they do wash the car,it's not their fault.

[Lex Law]

None of the cars on the lot were equipped with this, they put it on when they took it back to wash it.

B@st@rds! If you bought the car without it, and then they stuck it on, you may have some legal recourse.

When I bought my new IS a few months ago down here in FL, the car came with Front Licence plate bracket but the dealer did not install becuase here in FL , you can only have one plate in the rear of the vehicle. So now I just have a new plate bracket in my trunk. But when I used to live in NY, a front licence plate was required by law and a plate brake was installed automatically on every new vehicle purchase or holes were drilled in the appropriate places on the bumper

I ordered my car in FL for shipping to another state. I specified in the e-mails not to attach a front bracket, and the salesman said they put them in the trunk anyway. I made sure the e-mails were mentioned in the final paperwork. It's important to document all the facts the salesman gives you in writing.

My pet peeve has always been a dealer who puts their logo on the car - especially when glued or drilled in. So I always say right out - no logos - except a surround around the plate.

My e-mails also said they shall not put on any dealer logos. I can't say I have ever seen a Lexus with a dealer logo, but it's better to state everything in writing, even down to 2 fully-functioning key fobs (dealer says I get 2 from the factory, and I want to be protected just in case. Those things cost hundreds).