Lexus Dealership Service Department - Fife, Wa

[Brett in AK]

I recently shipped my 2006 LS 430 Ultra down from Alaska to Washington. When I went to the port to pick it up the PCS warning indicator light was on, the ride height was at full up and I couldn't lower it. I also had a service engine light on, whew! Expecting the worst I took it over to the Lexus dealership and dropped it off. I bought this car as a CPO and am so glad I did as the entire repair bill of over $5400 was completely covered under warranty. The most expensive part was the PCS sensor to the tune of over $4,000. The service department writers could not have been more pleasant and courteous. I would highly recommend this dealership to anyone in the area or traveling through needing assistance. In my experience this was by far the most positive experience I have ever had with a dealership of any kind. Still trying to learn all about the GPS system. Quite an automobile and am very satisfied with it.

Brett in WA (nee AK)

[VBdenny]

nothing like a nice warranty. Of course the dealer was nice, they made a bundle, they always do. I use Toyota dealers myself.

[dashan]

I recently shipped my 2006 LS 430 Ultra down from Alaska to Washington. When I went to the port to pick it up the PCS warning indicator light was on, the ride height was at full up and I couldn't lower it. I also had a service engine light on, whew! Expecting the worst I took it over to the Lexus dealership and dropped it off. I bought this car as a CPO and am so glad I did as the entire repair bill of over $5400 was completely covered under warranty. The most expensive part was the PCS sensor to the tune of over $4,000. The service department writers could not have been more pleasant and courteous. I would highly recommend this dealership to anyone in the area or traveling through needing assistance. In my experience this was by far the most positive experience I have ever had with a dealership of any kind. Still trying to learn all about the GPS system. Quite an automobile and am very satisfied with it.

Brett in WA (nee AK)

Come back and report your feeling when your warranty is over and when you have to pay from your pocket.

[pj8708]

Brett in AK,

I guess there is always somebody who spends their lives picking the fly specs out of pepper.

Like you, I have a wonderful dealer who bends over back wards to take excellent care of me. They go out of their way to save me money and reduce the price on my repairs and tires. You paid for the warranty and you got your money back and more. On an ES, certification is $1,000. You more than earned that back. For others to think that the only reason the dealer was nice to you was that they "made a bundle" is paranoid and childish. If they hate and distrust Lexus so much, let them go buy a Ford.

Paul

[LEXIRX330]

Brett in AK,

I guess there is always somebody who spends their lives picking the fly specs out of pepper.

Like you, I have a wonderful dealer who bends over back wards to take excellent care of me. They go out of their way to save me money and reduce the price on my repairs and tires. You paid for the warranty and you got your money back and more. On an ES, certification is $1,000. You more than earned that back. For others to think that the only reason the dealer was nice to you was that they "made a bundle" is paranoid and childish. If they hate and distrust Lexus so much, let them go buy a Ford.

Paul

X2

[dasha1]

Brett in AK,

I guess there is always somebody who spends their lives picking the fly specs out of pepper.

Like you, I have a wonderful dealer who bends over back wards to take excellent care of me. They go out of their way to save me money and reduce the price on my repairs and tires. You paid for the warranty and you got your money back and more. On an ES, certification is $1,000. You more than earned that back. For others to think that the only reason the dealer was nice to you was that they "made a bundle" is paranoid and childish. If they hate and distrust Lexus so much, let them go buy a Ford.

Paul

Until about 2 years ago I wouldn't think of taking my Lexus vehicles anywhere but the dealer, despite the high cost. I even had a CPO RX300 a few years back and that warranty was wonderful. For example, the dealer replaced virtually the entire suspension in a series of about a half of a dozen visits because they couldn't figure out what was making a creaking noise. It didn't cost a dime and we always got a decent loaner vehicle. But after reading this forum and constantly paying what seemed like super high prices for virtually everything they did on my LS400s that were not under warranty, I found an independent mechanic. Now I buy all parts through parts.com and only pay the mechanic for labor. Based upon the quotes I've received from the dealer, I'm paying less than half of the dealer's charges for most repairs by going this route. And I just replaced virtually the entire front suspension in two LS400s, so I've saved thousands. I don't get the loaner or the fancy coffee in a well appointed waiting area, but I can live without that. (Although, the loaner sure is convenient.) Anyway, now I only use the dealer when I have an issue that my independent mechanic can't solve. I have not had the experience of my dealer trying to sell me something the car didn't need, as I've heard others on this forum complain. It's just that the dealer charges more than twice as much as a competent independent mechanic, in my experience. The Lexus dealer system is great for those with a new car or CPO warranty. They take excellent care of you. But, I have to agree that if your vehicle is not covered by a Lexus warranty, you can end up spending a lot of extra money using the dealer, and I think that this is the overwhelming consensus on this forum.

[LEXIRX330]

I also use a independent mechanic for my BMW and I did use for my rx330 when the warranty was up. I have him put amsoil in them and after my first two services which are free on my new GX I am not sure if I will have him do the work or the dealership. The dealership is a little out of the way and that would be the main reason that I would not have it serviced there. The cost are not a huge factor for me since my business pays the cost of the services anyway. I also have a good relationship with the guy who owns the shop that is 1/2 mile from my office. I do like those loaner cars though!!! Well two services that is a year away.

[pj8708]

Brett in AK,

I guess there is always somebody who spends their lives picking the fly specs out of pepper.

Like you, I have a wonderful dealer who bends over back wards to take excellent care of me. They go out of their way to save me money and reduce the price on my repairs and tires. You paid for the warranty and you got your money back and more. On an ES, certification is $1,000. You more than earned that back. For others to think that the only reason the dealer was nice to you was that they "made a bundle" is paranoid and childish. If they hate and distrust Lexus so much, let them go buy a Ford.

Paul

Until about 2 years ago I wouldn't think of taking my Lexus vehicles anywhere but the dealer, despite the high cost. I even had a CPO RX300 a few years back and that warranty was wonderful. For example, the dealer replaced virtually the entire suspension in a series of about a half of a dozen visits because they couldn't figure out what was making a creaking noise. It didn't cost a dime and we always got a decent loaner vehicle. But after reading this forum and constantly paying what seemed like super high prices for virtually everything they did on my LS400s that were not under warranty, I found an independent mechanic. Now I buy all parts through parts.com and only pay the mechanic for labor. Based upon the quotes I've received from the dealer, I'm paying less than half of the dealer's charges for most repairs by going this route. And I just replaced virtually the entire front suspension in two LS400s, so I've saved thousands. I don't get the loaner or the fancy coffee in a well appointed waiting area, but I can live without that. (Although, the loaner sure is convenient.) Anyway, now I only use the dealer when I have an issue that my independent mechanic can't solve. I have not had the experience of my dealer trying to sell me something the car didn't need, as I've heard others on this forum complain. It's just that the dealer charges more than twice as much as a competent independent mechanic, in my experience. The Lexus dealer system is great for those with a new car or CPO warranty. They take excellent care of you. But, I have to agree that if your vehicle is not covered by a Lexus warranty, you can end up spending a lot of extra money using the dealer, and I think that this is the overwhelming consensus on this forum.

I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for taking the time to put down a well thought out post.

You make a couple of good points. Dealer service is wonderful for the type of person who does not read this forum/website. That probably includes the vast majority of the population. If you are the type of person who reads this forum, you already have a keen interest in cars, know something about them, and are smarter than the average bear. You are usually educated enough to know or find out on here when something is OK for your independent mechanic or requires a dealer tech. IMO the rest of humanity does not. That is the roll of the dealer. When your warranty runs out, your going to save that money no question with cheaper labor and other part suppliers from your "indy" sources. Again, you have that knowledge to make an informed decision. The others, the uninformed will call them, just want someone to fix the damn car. Hence the dealer. This is where half a dozen people sit up on their haunches and start posting about how unethical dealers are, their just a bunch of crooks, etc., etc., etc..That is not my experience and I can't apologize for everyone else's bad experience.

My whole intent the other day was to call attention the the gentleman's good words about his experience with his dealer and as soon as it was posted, people stared insinuating that the gentleman was naive, a dupe, a fool, and on.You get my point. You mention in your post that the "overwhelming consensus" of the members of the forums is that you can pay too much by using a Lexus dealer. We have already agreed to that. But, to stop beating around the bush and be blunt, I am tired of people whining about and "dealer bashing" anyone who has a good relationship with their dealer. In this club, theoretically, we all invested somewhere from 40 to 100K for or automobiles. A sizable investment. If you have that kind of money, and you don't like to change your own oil isn't acceptable to pay the dealer 60.00 to do it. The other day a guy logged on and said he took his Lexus to Jiffy lube; it was cheap. We, I include myself, jumped all over him for using Jiffy lube. Pretty two faced on our part. We are know trying to put a measuring stick on what is the right kind of cheap. If you have the skills and knowledge to work on your cars that's fantastic, but if someone WANTS to use their dealer don't make them feel like the village idiot. I do not and probably will not ever under stand why people shell out these large sums of money for beautiful cars and expect them to cost pennys to maintain. Like I said before. You could have bought a Ford but you bought a Lexus.

[sizbob]

I had a very good experience there as well. Doug Waubaugh (sp) was especially helpfully.

Steve