I recently purchased a 2013 GS-350 from Lexus of Route 10 in Whippany, NJ with 20k miles on it. This is not the closest dealership to my house as it is about 90 min away but it had the certified vehicle in the color and options I was looking for. When I got to the dealership, I noticed that there was significant wheel scuffs on three of the four wheels. Some almost would I would call gouges. The salesman told me that they would refurbish the wheels and would be good as new upon delivery. I was surprised that they would have a certified car on the lot with such an issue but they promised to make it right and I ended up purchasing the car. Two days later the salesman called and said the car was ready, as I had to work, my wife volunteered to go pick up the car. When she arrived she said that the wheels looked good but there was a gouge now in one of the tire sidewalls (photo attached). She told the dealership (our salesman was not in) and they apologized and led my wife to believe they would then put a new tire on the car. An hour later my wife drives the 90 minutes home and I inspect the car when I got home from work. First, I was amazed to see that the wheels that were "repaired" looked good as new. Based on the original condition of the wheels it would have been impossible to restore them to the current condition of what was installed on the car, but I wasn't complaining, yet. My second observation was that the tire that was installed to replace the tire with the gouge was far from new, based on the wear on the tire and to top it off it had a plug in it. (see attached photo). When I called the salesman to complain he said that they never promised to install new tires and that based on wear they met the criteria of the certified inspection. He apologized for the issue with the plug and that he wasn't there for delivery and if he was present none of that would have happened. OK, I give everyone a chance to make it right. Mistakes happen. Two days later the wife drives back up to the dealership to have the tire with the plug replaced. Salesman was there and apologized up and down how sorry he was. They replace the tire, again with a used tire. Wife returns home again and now the wheel that had the plugged tire has three separate gouges in it.(see photo) It is obvious to me at this point that when they are repairing the tires on this car they are simply swapping them with wheels from other cars they have either in the loaner fleet or on the lot.
I have a couple issues:
1. Is it that difficult to get 4 wheels and tires on the car that don't have gouges or plugs in them?
2. When I purchased the car I was told the three gouged wheels would be repaired, it is now obvious they were replaced with wheels from other cars. Now I have four tires on the car with who knows what mileage on each tire and I can guarantee that the wear is different on each one.
3. All I have heard since walking through the dealership door is Lexus customer service and quality, blah blah blah yet here I sit experiencing my worst car purchase event ever. I have had better service and quality ay Honda or Toyota dealerships.
Is it crazy to ask the dealsip to replace all 4 tires with new ones as they swapped equipment on the car after purchase without my consent not to mention I am now running on 4 tires with different and unknown mileages?
What is the best approach to take at this point with the dealership and I can already tell they have grown tired of me. I have been nothing but polite and professional with them.
This is my first Lexus and I love the car but the service I am getting in horrendous. Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.
Lexus Of Route 10, Whippany Nj
in Dealers & Pricing Forums
Posted
I recently purchased a 2013 GS-350 from Lexus of Route 10 in Whippany,
NJ with 20k miles on it. This is not the closest dealership to my house as it is about 90 min
away but it had the certified vehicle in the color and options I was looking
for. When I got to the dealership, I noticed that there was significant
wheel scuffs on three of the four wheels. Some almost would I would call
gouges. The salesman told me that they would refurbish the wheels and
would be good as new upon delivery. I was surprised that they would have a certified
car on the lot with such an issue but they promised to make it right and I
ended up purchasing the car. Two days later the salesman called and said
the car was ready, as I had to work, my wife volunteered to go pick up the
car. When she arrived she said that the wheels looked good but there was
a gouge now in one of the tire sidewalls (photo attached). She told the
dealership (our salesman was not in) and they apologized and led my wife to believe
they would then put a new tire on the car. An hour later my wife drives
the 90 minutes home and I inspect the car when I got home from work.
First, I was amazed to see that the wheels that were "repaired"
looked good as new. Based on the original condition of the wheels it would have
been impossible to restore them to the current condition of what was installed
on the car, but I wasn't complaining, yet. My second observation was that
the tire that was installed to replace the tire with the gouge was far from
new, based on the wear on the tire and to top it off it had a plug in it.
(see attached photo). When I called the salesman to complain he said that
they never promised to install new tires and that based on wear they met the
criteria of the certified inspection. He apologized for the issue with
the plug and that he wasn't there for delivery and if he was present none of
that would have happened. OK, I give everyone a chance to make it
right. Mistakes happen. Two days later the wife drives back up to the
dealership to have the tire with the plug replaced. Salesman was there
and apologized up and down how sorry he was. They replace the tire, again
with a used tire. Wife returns home again and now the wheel that had the
plugged tire has three separate gouges in it.(see photo) It is obvious to
me at this point that when they are repairing the tires on this car
they are simply swapping them with wheels from other cars they have either in the
loaner fleet or on the lot.
I have a couple issues:
1. Is it that difficult to get 4 wheels and tires on the car that
don't have gouges or plugs in them?
2. When I purchased the car I was told the three gouged wheels would be
repaired, it is now obvious they were replaced with wheels from other
cars. Now I have four tires on the car with who knows what mileage on
each tire and I can guarantee that the wear is different on each one.
3. All I have heard since walking through the dealership door is Lexus
customer service and quality, blah blah blah yet here I sit experiencing my
worst car purchase event ever. I have had better service and quality ay
Honda or Toyota dealerships.
Is it crazy to ask the dealsip to replace all 4 tires with new ones as they swapped
equipment on the car after purchase without my consent not to mention I am now
running on 4 tires with different and unknown mileages?
What is the best approach to take at this point with the dealership and I
can already tell they have grown tired of me. I have been nothing but
polite and professional with them.
This is my first Lexus and I love the car but the service I am getting in horrendous.
Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.