Don't Waste Your Money

[Rick-SC430]

on an extended warranty from Lexus. I purchased a 4 year, 48,000 mile extended warranty on my SC430 while it was still under the original OEM warranty. I purchased the warranty from Lexus of Bellevue. I requested the best warranty they had available, one equivalent to the new car warranty. They sold me their "Premium Plus, $0 deductible" warranty for just over $2600. So, two years later and I finally need to make a claim under the warranty. The lift cylinders that hold the trunk lid open failed. Took the car to the dealer for the 40K service and asked them to fix the trunk problem at the same time. Well......first I was told that the lift cylinders are a "normal wear" item. I challenged that and so they changed their tune and said they were "body parts" and still not covered. Also, they told me that even though I have had the car serviced by them every 5K miles and I only have 40K miles on the car (but it is 72 months old) I have to change the water pump, timing belt, clean the fuel injectors, and change the transmission and differential fluids (over $3K total cost) or the warranty will be void for any engine or drive train problems. I told them to forget it and just give me my money back for the extended warranty because it is useless and they've never paid a claim out. They offered to give me a prorated amount back that was less then half of what I paid. I know they aren't obligated to give me my money back but I felt it was the right thing for them to do given that they mis-represented the warranty when they sold it to me and they claim they will do anything to keep a satisfied customer. I purchased the new lift cylinders from Sewell Lexus (online) and replaced them myself. They cost $98.00 each and took five minutes to replace. The SC430 was the first and last Lexus I will ever own. I am now trading my SC430 on an Infinity G37 Journey Coupe. So, I guess I should change the title of this post to "Don't buy a Lexus' rather than just "Don't buy an extended warranty. Lexus is a very reliable car as long as you are willing to put thousands of dollars of maintenance into them. What I'd really like to say about Lexus and Lexus of Bellevue is

[SW03ES]

Did you ever think of maybe trying another Lexus dealer, or taking the car to an independent mechanic for the maintenance?

I've had two Lexus cars well past 100k miles, the service prices vary based on the dealer and you don't have to use the dealer for maintenance. The SC430 is the most expensive Lexus to maintain at the dealer...

As for the warranty...complaining because your car had nothing go wrong with it in 72 months and saying you're not going to buy another Lexus because the warranty was a waste of money? Thats a first for me. An SC430 to a G37 is a huge step down...

I'd say the only failure in 6 years being the gas struts for the trunk is a beautiful thing. Oh well, to each their own.

[Randy&Bonnie]

..

[Alex N Sarasota]

Rick,

A friend of mind did the same thing, her car was still under the OEM warranty and purchased a 4 year warranty, 48,000 mile extened warranty from WILDE LEXUS OF SARASOTA. The first time she brought it in, the OEM had expired, her check engine light came on. I don't remember exactly what the problem was but it was minor and was under $200.00. When she got there to pick up her car, her bill was $200.00 plus with a $55.00 charge to analyze the problem since the car was out of it's original warranty. (ANYBODY EVER HEARD OF THIS ONE?) Then they told her the other problem was not covered under her warranty. So, she called the third party that issued the warranty, while at Lexus, and they told her it was covered. She handed the phone to the cashier and of course the cashier had to call a DIRECTOR up to take the call, on her cell phone. Problem solved. Then they insisted on charging her the $55.00. She complained and complained and said when Lexus sold her the warranty and no place in the warranty does it say Lexus has the right to charge a fee to analyze the problem, they removed the fee. She walked out paying nothing. I guess the dealerships will take advantage of you unless you call them on it or do you think they JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE WARRANTIES THEY ARE SELLING?

You are correct, "Lexus is a very reliable car as long as you are willing to put thousands of dollars of maintenance into them", but then again what car isn't? The other cars just wouldn't cost you thousands of dollars I assume.

By the way, I have added the address of this website to my email signature. I didn't know anything about it until a friend of mind told me last week. Thank you.

[Alex N Sarasota]

on an extended warranty from Lexus. I purchased a 4 year, 48,000 mile extended warranty on my SC430 while it was still under the original OEM warranty. I purchased the warranty from Lexus of Bellevue. I requested the best warranty they had available, one equivalent to the new car warranty. They sold me their "Premium Plus, $0 deductible" warranty for just over $2600. So, two years later and I finally need to make a claim under the warranty. The lift cylinders that hold the trunk lid open failed. Took the car to the dealer for the 40K service and asked them to fix the trunk problem at the same time. Well......first I was told that the lift cylinders are a "normal wear" item. I challenged that and so they changed their tune and said they were "body parts" and still not covered. Also, they told me that even though I have had the car serviced by them every 5K miles and I only have 40K miles on the car (but it is 72 months old) I have to change the water pump, timing belt, clean the fuel injectors, and change the transmission and differential fluids (over $3K total cost) or the warranty will be void for any engine or drive train problems. I told them to forget it and just give me my money back for the extended warranty because it is useless and they've never paid a claim out. They offered to give me a prorated amount back that was less then half of what I paid. I know they aren't obligated to give me my money back but I felt it was the right thing for them to do given that they mis-represented the warranty when they sold it to me and they claim they will do anything to keep a satisfied customer. I purchased the new lift cylinders from Sewell Lexus (online) and replaced them myself. They cost $98.00 each and took five minutes to replace. The SC430 was the first and last Lexus I will ever own. I am now trading my SC430 on an Infinity G37 Journey Coupe. So, I guess I should change the title of this post to "Don't buy a Lexus' rather than just "Don't buy an extended warranty. Lexus is a very reliable car as long as you are willing to put thousands of dollars of maintenance into them. What I'd really like to say about Lexus and Lexus of Bellevue is

[SW03ES]

You say it was a third party warranty and not the Lexus Extended Warranty? I'd say the issue is the third party warranty.

All car dealers charge a diagnostic fee BTW

And again, a check engine light repair for $250 is hardly "thousands and thousands of dollars or it won't run"

[Rick-SC430]

As for the warranty...complaining because your car had nothing go wrong with it in 72 months and saying you're not going to buy another Lexus because the warranty was a waste of money? Thats a first for me. An SC430 to a G37 is a huge step down...

I'd say the only failure in 6 years being the gas struts for the trunk is a beautiful thing. Oh well, to each their own.

I don't recall saying that this was the first problem in 6 years. I have a "laundry list" of items that had to be fixed under the OEM Warranty. Of the five new Japanese cars I've owned (3 Nissan Z cars, Honda Odyesse, Mazda Pickup) none of them spent as much time in the shop as my SC 430. That's the reason I bought the extended warranty. I won't buy Lexus again because (in my opinion) they don't stand behind their products, their products aren't worth the extra money and the exorbitant cost of maintenance.

Rick

[SW03ES]

Would you like to share your list of problems with the rest of the group or are they going to remain mythical?

In terms of extra cost, extra cost as compared to what? Lexus vehicles are typically less expensive than their competition. In terms of cost of maintenance, Lexus dealer service is expensive but its no more expensive than dealer costs at any other Luxury marque, and you don't have to use the dealer for maintenance. I just started using an independent Lexus mechanic here in DC and the costs are less than maintenance on my previous Ford.

And its a Honda "Odyssey".

[Rick-SC430]

Would you like to share your list of problems with the rest of the group or are they going to remain mythical?

In terms of extra cost, extra cost as compared to what? Lexus vehicles are typically less expensive than their competition. In terms of cost of maintenance, Lexus dealer service is expensive but its no more expensive than dealer costs at any other Luxury marque, and you don't have to use the dealer for maintenance. I just started using an independent Lexus mechanic here in DC and the costs are less than maintenance on my previous Ford.

And its a Honda "Odyssey".

1. Sorry I can't spell

2. Sorry I don't drink the Lexus kool-aid

3. It's about value. This was my first Lexus and based upon my experience I don't believe a Lexus is worth the extra cost (purchase price and maintenance)

4. This whole issue started around the fact that the dealer sold me a an extended warranty that is useless and won't make it right.

5. Sorry that I dare to have a different opinion than you

6. Mythical (false or fabricated) problems list: Replace defective right front wheel - Engine won't idle when cold - Replace noisy wiper drive system (2 times to fix, replaced blades first) - Rattle in both door speakers - Loud “clunk” from left rear when encountering a bump in the road - Replace external trim piece on left door pillar - Replaced defective center console cover - Really strong “Rotten Egg” odor after medium to heavy acceleration (can't fix, it's "normal") - Requires new water pump and timing belt at 40K miles (or extended warranty is void) - Truck lift cylinders failed

7. Based upon your responses and the fact that you are the forums manager, may I suggest that you ad a warning that "Only Happy Lexus Owners Are Allowed To Participate"

[nc211]

Your problems:

1) The thump you feel in the back, matched by a "defective" wheel in the front right, makes me think you probably hit a pot hole at some point prior to your last tire rotation, and it probably tore the rear carrier arm bushing. It's actually quite normal on all cars for some suspension bushings to wear out after 6 years "the rubber starts to crack". But I agree is a bit early for a SC430 with 40k. Bushings seem to be more sensitive to age than to mileage. Your warranty should of covered this.

2) Engine won't idle when it's cold? What do you mean? Are you saying it idles high, like in the 1,600 rpm range? Then settles back down to normal area around 500 rpms? If so, that's not a problem, that's a requirement of all cars today, thanks to the EPA. All cars idle high when cold so they warm up faster. A warm engine produces less pollution. But, if that's not what your car is doing, and just dies or you have to hold the idle with the gas peddle, then again, it's a warranty item "probably the TPS or MAF sensor". Again, basic parts that simply do wear out on all cars.

3) Sulfur smell from exhaust: No arguments here from me. 4runner owners, GX470 owners, LX470 owners, Tundras, and even a couple LS460 owners have been complaining about this FOR YEARS! Especially the 4runner owners! I have an 05' V8 4runner that can make your eyes water under a heavy foot with the back window down. I agree, Toyota has a company wide problem with their cat's about this. There are TSB's issued to replace the cat's with different ones "at least on the 4runner there is" that seem to fix it. It's covered under the company-wide emissions warranty of 8 years or 80k miles. I haven't fixed mine, simply because I like it, it's a great trick to get tailgaters off your bumper! Nothing like a 4.7 Liter !Removed! in your face to make you go away! But, in a convertible like yours, I can see where that might be too much to handle. Toyota says it's "fuel related", and to some degree it is, but not completely, unless you're putting in Paris Hilton fuel which makes everything smell "hot".

4) The new water pump/timing belt/ etc... I have to say, that's a buyer-beware situation man, as it's clearly stated in your owner's manual maintenance schedule to be done (either at 90k miles or 72 months). Now, having Lexus tell you to do it or void the warranty, that sucks, and I can see where you'd be ticked! But, it's part of the maintenance of the car too. I'm sure your timing belt and pump is probably fine at those miles, but age also plays a bit factor. In my opinion, not doing the service after 6 years of service, is no different then not doing it at 90k miles. You run the risk of the two parts wearing out. Most cars require this (at least all the ones I've owned over the years, including Nissan products-2 of them). If not the belt "chain driven", the waterpump for sure. But, I agree, you might be getting hosed a little bit there by the dealership. Hey, some are called "stealerships" for a reason.

5) Trim pieces: What can I say? It's plastic on a piece of machinery that takes a lot of abuse over it's lifetime. Sh*t happens man. Two pieces of plastic wear out on a car with a gazzillion parts working in harmony, ain't that bad really. Ever own a Chevy? Even the new $50k+ Tahoes and Diesel trucks have major problems like that, with 1/100th the miles.

If you think Nissan's any better with their Infiniti badged G37....I hate to say it, but that thing won't be even close to the SC430. Granted, it may not stink like someone just dropped one in your lunchbox, but you can bet, you can absolutely bet, that you'll be dealing with a "broken fan blade in the a/c blower in the dash" type stuff. Brake rotors that cost several hundreds of dollars a piece, rattles to start to show after about 10k miles, thanks to their stiff ride and cheaper insulation materials in the suspension arena. They're nice, but they're nowhere near the quality of build of a Toyota. Heck, not too many things are. The two I've had personally (92' Sentra SE-R & 2001 Maxima SE) weren't the same car after the first 12k miles. My dad has that minivan of thiers "can't think of the name" and he's had to replace the a/c motor twice due the blades braking, along with several modules, and I can't tell you how bad that thing rattles. It has 35k miles. They all seem to get louder on the road too. Lots of road noise seems to creep into the cabin over time, even with new tires. A co-worker of mine has the G35 Coupe, and that thing is the biggest POS on the road! Granted, it looks good out there on those California roads, but that utter piece of monkeydung is always broken. Either won't start, or the rotors warp so badly they can't be turned, or the radio shorts out the windshield wipers, or the heated seats won't turn off and drain the battery, or the security system activates on it's own and shuts the car down while she's going down the freeway....it's just one thing after another. Last I hear, she traded it in for an Audi 4. Now...THAT says something when you trade for an Audi!

But, I understand your frustration, I really do. However, I think you're letting your frustration spill-over to Lexus in general. They're not perfect, but nothing is. They're about as close as you can get though, in my opinion. I think that's one of the problems with Lexus. So many years of advertising slogans of "pursuit of perfection" makes people think they're perfect. When in reality, they're just cars, that take several thousand hard bumps, debrie, abuse, neglect, harsh weather conditions, time and time again. Things wear out, especially after 6 years of life. Don't believe me? Wanna' see my hairline at 35 years of age? That's proof enough!

[Rick-SC430]

Your problems:

1) The thump you feel in the back, matched by a "defective" wheel in the front right, makes me think you probably hit a pot hole at some point prior to your last tire rotation, and it probably tore the rear carrier arm bushing. It's actually quite normal on all cars for some suspension bushings to wear out after 6 years "the rubber starts to crack". But I agree is a bit early for a SC430 with 40k. Bushings seem to be more sensitive to age than to mileage. Your warranty should of covered this.

2) Engine won't idle when it's cold? What do you mean? Are you saying it idles high, like in the 1,600 rpm range? Then settles back down to normal area around 500 rpms? If so, that's not a problem, that's a requirement of all cars today, thanks to the EPA. All cars idle high when cold so they warm up faster. A warm engine produces less pollution. But, if that's not what your car is doing, and just dies or you have to hold the idle with the gas peddle, then again, it's a warranty item "probably the TPS or MAF sensor". Again, basic parts that simply do wear out on all cars.

3) Sulfur smell from exhaust: No arguments here from me. 4runner owners, GX470 owners, LX470 owners, Tundras, and even a couple LS460 owners have been complaining about this FOR YEARS! Especially the 4runner owners! I have an 05' V8 4runner that can make your eyes water under a heavy foot with the back window down. I agree, Toyota has a company wide problem with their cat's about this. There are TSB's issued to replace the cat's with different ones "at least on the 4runner there is" that seem to fix it. It's covered under the company-wide emissions warranty of 8 years or 80k miles. I haven't fixed mine, simply because I like it, it's a great trick to get tailgaters off your bumper! Nothing like a 4.7 Liter !Removed! in your face to make you go away! But, in a convertible like yours, I can see where that might be too much to handle. Toyota says it's "fuel related", and to some degree it is, but not completely, unless you're putting in Paris Hilton fuel which makes everything smell "hot".

4) The new water pump/timing belt/ etc... I have to say, that's a buyer-beware situation man, as it's clearly stated in your owner's manual maintenance schedule to be done (either at 90k miles or 72 months). Now, having Lexus tell you to do it or void the warranty, that sucks, and I can see where you'd be ticked! But, it's part of the maintenance of the car too. I'm sure your timing belt and pump is probably fine at those miles, but age also plays a bit factor. In my opinion, not doing the service after 6 years of service, is no different then not doing it at 90k miles. You run the risk of the two parts wearing out. Most cars require this (at least all the ones I've owned over the years, including Nissan products-2 of them). If not the belt "chain driven", the waterpump for sure. But, I agree, you might be getting hosed a little bit there by the dealership. Hey, some are called "stealerships" for a reason.

5) Trim pieces: What can I say? It's plastic on a piece of machinery that takes a lot of abuse over it's lifetime. Sh*t happens man. Two pieces of plastic wear out on a car with a gazzillion parts working in harmony, ain't that bad really. Ever own a Chevy? Even the new $50k+ Tahoes and Diesel trucks have major problems like that, with 1/100th the miles.

If you think Nissan's any better with their Infiniti badged G37....I hate to say it, but that thing won't be even close to the SC430. Granted, it may not stink like someone just dropped one in your lunchbox, but you can bet, you can absolutely bet, that you'll be dealing with a "broken fan blade in the a/c blower in the dash" type stuff. Brake rotors that cost several hundreds of dollars a piece, rattles to start to show after about 10k miles, thanks to their stiff ride and cheaper insulation materials in the suspension arena. They're nice, but they're nowhere near the quality of build of a Toyota. Heck, not too many things are. The two I've had personally (92' Sentra SE-R & 2001 Maxima SE) weren't the same car after the first 12k miles. My dad has that minivan of thiers "can't think of the name" and he's had to replace the a/c motor twice due the blades braking, along with several modules, and I can't tell you how bad that thing rattles. It has 35k miles. They all seem to get louder on the road too. Lots of road noise seems to creep into the cabin over time, even with new tires. A co-worker of mine has the G35 Coupe, and that thing is the biggest POS on the road! Granted, it looks good out there on those California roads, but that utter piece of monkeydung is always broken. Either won't start, or the rotors warp so badly they can't be turned, or the radio shorts out the windshield wipers, or the heated seats won't turn off and drain the battery, or the security system activates on it's own and shuts the car down while she's going down the freeway....it's just one thing after another. Last I hear, she traded it in for an Audi 4. Now...THAT says something when you trade for an Audi!

But, I understand your frustration, I really do. However, I think you're letting your frustration spill-over to Lexus in general. They're not perfect, but nothing is. They're about as close as you can get though, in my opinion. I think that's one of the problems with Lexus. So many years of advertising slogans of "pursuit of perfection" makes people think they're perfect. When in reality, they're just cars, that take several thousand hard bumps, debrie, abuse, neglect, harsh weather conditions, time and time again. Things wear out, especially after 6 years of life. Don't believe me? Wanna' see my hairline at 35 years of age? That's proof enough!

NC,

The problems I listed are items that were repaired under warranty. The wheel was a defective wheel that leaked air over time. The clunk in the back was fixed by replacing something that was covered in a service bulliten, same with the speakers. The trim piece was a metal piece (painted) on the ouside of the car that didn't fit correctly. Wiper motor was defective from the start, just took two trips for them to admit it and fix it. None of these are really big deals (except the rotten egg smell). It was just stated that my problems with the car were "Mythical" so I listed them. BTW, I'm 62 years old and have owned at least 30 cars and trucks (not to mention Motorcycles) in my life. I miss the days when I could work on them myself. Anyway, based upon my many years of experience I'm going to stick by my opinion that Lexus isn't a good value. I'm not saying they are a bad car, just that they aren't worth the extra cost. And Lexus dealers aren't any different that any other dealers (except may Ford). On a final note, I'm not getting the G37. I'm in discussion with my local Nissan dealer on a GTR. He has two more coming that aren't sold but I'm not going to pay $30K over sticker. As they get closer to getting here and he doesn't have them sold I'm hoping he will get a little more realistic on the price.

[nc211]

I hear ya' man. A GTR! Oh...you dog! Now that should be some fun! But, "and I'm not knocking your age", please promise me that if you do get one, you won't be the one getting passed on those two lane roads out there!

I agree, there is a premium paid for the "L" badge. But, there's one to be paid on all new cars, which is why I normally don't buy new "unless it's under $20k +/-". For new, Lexus isn't cheap. But for a used buy, they're certainly one of the best values to be had if you can avoid the dealership's overly priced shop. But, after going from my cable-driven 95' LS400 tank, to the computer controlled setup of the 05 4runner, I certainly agree with you about working on cars. It's a whole new ballgame. 1st thing I had to do was buy some $250 computer so I could "talk" to the car. I'm still trying to figure out how that thing works completely. It says it can do all sorts of things, but all I can get it to do is read the codes while the car sits in the garage. After wasting 2 hours of my life trying to erase the transmission codes to reset the shifting patterns to tailor my driving style, I said a few dozen choice words, had the neighbor's bratty kids asking mommy "what's a dirty SOB?", and simply yanked the power cables from the battery.

Although I love Lexus "a big part of that is this website", and plan on having another one later, I must admit as well, with such nice driving characteristics of Toyota in general, it's a little tough for me to swallow the price differences between Toyota and Lexus, especially in the service area. I'll probably "selectively" forget that though when it comes time to buy that gently used 05' LS430 and get back to my roots. But if I were in the market for a new convertible, like the SC430, I'd probably have to save the extra coins and get the Solera instead.

[SW03ES]

Requires new water pump and timing belt at 40K miles (or extended warranty is void)

Who told you that?!? The timing belt doesn't have to be replaced until 90,000 miles, and the water pump never has to be replaced, it just typically is when they're in there doing the timing belt.

What is this warranty? That doesn't sound like the OEM Lexus warranty. I had an OEM Lexus extended warranty on my car and never had any problems, it was a complete extension of my original warranty.

7. Based upon your responses and the fact that you are the forums manager, may I suggest that you ad a warning that "Only Happy Lexus Owners Are Allowed To Participate"

Can the 'tude. When did I tell you you couldn't participate? However, when you come here, to a Lexus enthusiast club and say that Lexus vehicles aren't worth the money you better be ready for some retorts. I've been nothing but respectful to you, so act your age.

This forum isn't owned by Lexus, we're all here because we enjoy discussing our cars, so don't take your frustration out on us.

It was just stated that my problems with the car were "Mythical" so I listed them. BTW, I'm 62 years old and have owned at least 30 cars and trucks (not to mention Motorcycles) in my life. I miss the days when I could work on them myself. Anyway, based upon my many years of experience I'm going to stick by my opinion that Lexus isn't a good value.

Well, my Dad is 66 and he's on his second Lexus LS. He put 160k miles on the first one and has 80k miles on his '04 and says he will never buy any other type of car again. He's had some nice cars too, at least 30 cars in his lifetime.

My ES has 120k, a couple warranty repairs but nothing major and they were always handled well. I have a great dealer (although they aren't all great, all the dealers are independently owned). Since Lexus ranks consistently #1 in sales, dealer satisfaction, product satisfaction, and dependability I'd say your opinion is probably in the minority.

Like I said before, feel free to post here but don't expect us not to respond to your opinions with opinions of our own.

3) Sulfur smell from exhaust: No arguments here from me. 4runner owners, GX470 owners, LX470 owners, Tundras, and even a couple LS460 owners have been complaining about this FOR YEARS! Especially the 4runner owners! I have an 05' V8 4runner that can make your eyes water under a heavy foot with the back window down. I agree, Toyota has a company wide problem with their cat's about this. There are TSB's issued to replace the cat's with different ones "at least on the 4runner there is" that seem to fix it

Had the same issue with my ES (Dad never did on his LS, oddly enough) and they replaced the CAt at about 40k miles and its been gone ever since.

It has something to do with a restrictive cat they used to make them ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) compliant. After the repair they are no longer ULEV compliant.

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

The Premium warranty we bought takes our car out to 100,000 miles. So when you say they wouldn't fix it, my 1st thought was, "hugh?" Our MFD went flakey & they took it right in, gave us a free rental, and the next day we were good to go. Anyway, after a couple claims? The warranty paid for itself. saying "don't get the warranty" is like saying, save your money and don't buy fire insurance for your house. Great idea, until the place burns to the ground. It all turns on how much risk you want to afford.

[AKLOKI]

you will have a close personal relationship with your infinity service writer! You refuse to buy warranties because the last one you bought didnt cover support struts. your Infinty writer is going to love you and your C-pay's.

Enjoy!

[BillyShaft]

Resurrection!

Dang Akloki, you necro'd this post from last september! :D

[AKLOKI]

yeah, but i got the last word!

I couldnt help myself. the guy said he was going to buy an Infinity. somehow that was going to show Lexus. he might get the one good Infinity, but probably not.

[SW03ES]

Its Infiniti...

And show me some data that shows Infinitis are not reliable cars...

Lexus is a great car...but its not the only good car on the road.

[Randy&Bonnie]

..

[paradigm]

agreed...there are MANY excellent choices for cars these days. nissan/infiniti make excellent engines...great designs...just another option for us all.

[kevinmary]

Before purchasing you should look for all the items that comes under warranty. It should be very clear.