Lexus Lease Sucks

[Rohrshack]

I turned in my leased 2011 Lexus RX 450H for a new leased 2015 Lexus RX 450H the beginning of July 2014. I just received a bill for the 2011 for the month of July while I am paying for the new car for the same month. I have leased the Lexus RX model every 3 years over the past 12 years and had previously purchased the cars in the past for my children. This is the first time I turned the old 2011 car in for a new one. I will pay this bill but this will be the last Lexus I will ever lease and the last one I will ever own. I find it hard to believe that a loyal customer, who is a leases a luxury car every three years, will be treated so poorly.

Rohrshack

[pj8708]

Hi David and welcome to the Club,

I'm not sure we have all of your information. You say that you have been double billed for July for your returned RX, and then for your new 2014 RX. Did you turn your 2011 RX late or early? Have you talked with Lexus Financial or Toyota Financial about the mix up?

Was the 2011 over the leased miles allowed? Something just isn't right here and I would not pay the bill until I recieved a complete explanation.

Paul

[Rohrshack]

Hi Paul and thank you for your interest. Here is the deal. For the fourth time in 12 years I leased a Lexus RX Hybrid SUV. Each of the other times I paid for the car after the lease was up. This is the first time I handed the 2011 RX 450H to the dealer and leased a new 2015 RX450H the 1st day in July 2014 It seems that the old lease was not up until August 2014. I just received a bill for the Last payment for July 2014. I was never informed by the dealer, sales staff, Lexus Financial or corporate that because I gave it to the dealer one month early, I would have to pay for the month of July. Of course I am paying for the new car starting the 1st of July. In that way I seem to be paying for leasing two cars for the month of July, 2014 even though I only has use of one car. I have been a loyal Lexus customer for over 12 years. Before starting to lease I owned a 2000 RX 300. I think this is an awful way to treat a good customer.

[Rohrshack]

One other note in response to your reply. My cars are always well below the mileage at 32,000 for three years. I talked to Lexus Financial who said the dealer should have blended the old lease with the new one. The dealer says that they have no responsibility to do that and that they didn't know about the ok'd lease. I find that incredibly alarming. How could they give me a new lease without knowing about the old lease they were replacing? I can't get a satisfactory answer from anyone. Where can I complain about this issue? We are talking about $750.

[pj8708]

I think someone has developed a case of "I don't care about my customer".

It sounds as if Lexus financial is willing to accommodate some type of pro-rating of the final payment due on the RX being returned, against the first payment due for the new RX450h. This way Lexus comes out with a win - win.

The dealers concerns simply underlines a sloppy finance department that apparently can't pick-up a phone and call their Lexus regional rep office, or Lexus Financial directly. I would encourage you to draft an e-mail to Lexus Financial or Toyota Financial which ever if is the lender of record. Put your thoughts together in the form of a time line, using Names and titles if you know them.

The focus of this letter is to lay out the lack of logic lost on the dealer, the obvious solution as given by Lexus Financial, and the remorse you feel in being forced to leave Lexus. (Your actually not wanting to leave Lexus, it has come down to leaving the dealer.) Lexus after 12 wonderful years. Send the original to the most senior person you can track down at Lexus Financials then send a copy to the dealer as if your treating them as an student taken to the principal.

My point here is to give a perception to your dealer that they have all ready lost their chance at keeping a long time customer and your now working with corporate to find a solution. I would think that there has to be a clause in the lease that gives you 30 or 60 days to change your mind or have "buyers remorse" where in you can cancel your lease.

I hope this can be of some help.

Paul