Stupid Mistake

[cfiiman]

So as some of you know I just bought my 02 RX at my local Lexus dealer. Well in the rush of getting the papers signed I forgot to have them write in the contract that they promised me a new master/transponder key. I called them the other day and they said "yeah we are working on getting an original from the former owner, it may be broke and we'll have to see what to do, yada yada yada" which wasn't the deal but as long as I get a master I don't care. Well I have a feeling that they are going to just conviently forget about their promise to get me one of these and that was the only reason I came up to their asking price. I am going to give them a week, even though I should have known something by today, which I do not, and then call them, I guess I'm just preparing for the, "yeah sorry we couldn't get that for you" when they promised me a new one in the first place. So seeing how I do not have it in my contract, but just verbally from the salesman and the manager at the dealership, what should I do if they try to weasel out? I would just by one but when I called they said without the master they have to swap computers and I have to buy 2 keys at 250.00 each. They also said my sub key will not be able to "flash" any new keys I buy. I just don't want this to go on beyond a week b/c you never know who will quit at a dealership, am I screwed here?

[smooth1]

I don't think your screwed. I think you just need to get as many of the management staff as you can involved in this. Maybe park the RX in the middle of the entrance to the parking lot and walk around the showroom. Whne they request you via the PA system just inform them that your waiting on the key so you can move it.

Seriously though, I would ask for the sales manager and the service manager and the sales person you originally dealt with to get together. Ask them when they expect to have the key, a few days from now?, a week?, then turn to the service manager and say great, I would like to schedule an appointment for the day after that to have this issue resolved then. If they come up with the key, you can allways cancel the appointment, but if not, then you just take the RX in and have them do what was gone over in your meeting.

[cfiiman]

Sounds like a good idea,hopefully they will do the right thing here. I figure if they try to weasel out I would probably just file a claim with the BBB and hopefully they would "then" try to resolve it, but maybe it will turn out ok, I just have a weird feeling with the way they are just brushing me off saying "don't worry about it", and they have already "changed" the deal by trying to get me a used key and not a new one, I don't know.

[Step Hen]

I would try to contact upper management at the dealership: the owner, floor manager, etc., and explain the situation and how you are not happy with the situation. Be calm and reasonable as no one wins if anyone gets heated and starts screaming or using expletives. Try to keep it as a business transaction, as professional as possible.

If that doesn't work, then I would go the route of the BBB, as they will contact the dealership and get a response from them to make it official and the you are able to comment back to the BBB on whether you liked their response.

[cfiiman]

Step, thanks for the advice, that is exactly what I will do, I would never get irrate, it just doen't do any good, hopefully they will contact me before I contact them next week, we'll see, I'll keep everyone posted.

[cfiiman]

UPDATE: Just wanted to give a quick update on my key situation. It has now been a week and they said it would be a "couple of days" and I called my salesman this afternoon. As soon as I said hi, he said he was about to tee off and could he call me back, I said that would be fine but I am wondering what is going on with my master key, he said to not worry about it and he would call me back. I seiously am losing faith with this guy b/c every time I call him he is busy, with somone or tee'ing off. I am fairly sure I will not be getting a call today, hope I'm wrong, but if not what do I do? Am I being unreasonable here? I figure a week is more than enough time to figure out if they can get a master from the original owner like they said, or decide to get me a new one (which was the original deal they just decided to change which does irritate me some). At what point do you try to go over the salesman's head like you all suggested and try to talk to someone else like the manager that also said he would get me the key? Any advice is appreciated b/c I am in new waters with buying from a dealer and I really don't know how to make them do what they said they would do.

[smooth1]

I would call and just ask for the operator, and get his schedule. Pick a day that he is there and you can go down there and face to face talk with him. And talk alot about his golf game. Ask him how he did. What clubs does he play with, and what's his handicap. Make nice with him. Then ask about the key. Then ask him somemore about his golf game and where does he like to play, and does he practice alot? Then ask for the manager if he doesn't produce the key, Or gives you some more run around about it. Keep talking about his golf game. Especially when his manager shows up. Ask his manager if he plays golf with him. And if he even likes to play golf also. And then make sure you mention to his manager that "OH!, I thought the golf game must be really attention focusing and important here, because several times you called ?XXX? he was about to tee off for his golf game and seems to forget that I even called. So I thought I would come down and catch him before his next round of golf so I can get this key thing settled." :) And then keep talking about golf. What kind of ball do you like to hit? I heard Pro V1's are really nice. And smile the whole time, be polite, don't lose your cool, but keep talking about golf, and the key. I promise, he will really want to focus on the key issue and not so much the golf thing. But don't let it go.

[lenore]

Oh man SMooth1 you are a silver-tongued one.... Maybe you should take up hostage negotiations if you arent already....You really gave me a chuckle today...

[smooth1]

Who me?

[cfiiman]

LOL, that is awesome, I thought about the face to face thing but I feel that might be a little too confrontational?? Anyway it is now 6pm and no call so I seriously doubt he plans on calling me, big suprise, I will be calling in the morning to "see what happened" to my phone call, I get the run around again I guess I'm going to ask to talk to his manager I don't know what else to do. I should've got the damn key before giving them the money but you would think a Lexus dealership wouldn't be such a pain in the !Removed! over a key.

[Blayd]

Call him at 3 in the morning and yell FORE!!