LP Head

Just had my pads replaced on my '05 today at a Toyota dealer. Mileage was 35k. Driving was approximately 50% highway. I didn't know about the TSB. Now I'm wondering if Toyota followed the TSB. Earlier in the day, they said they were checking if the pads for the Highlander were the same and as those for the RX330. I didn't think to ask what they found, and what they installed. I simply trusted they would do the right thing. Too bad my costly and poor customer relations experiences with my local Lexus Dealer preclude me from using them for anything but warranty work!

Both Headlamps have been replaced on my '05. With 10k miles and our second visit to the service dept., the tech. said a problem with the lamp wasn't found. The issue of not taking our word about the lamp, a filthy smelly loaner (worse than any of the 100's of rental cars we every had), and a $170.00 bill for an oil change and tire rotation pretty much soured us on Lexus service. Our dealer has a great front end, and a back end with exceedingly costly (and in our experience), poor customer service. Additional warrant repair visits did nothing to change this view. As a former G.M. employee of 20 years, and a first time buyer of a non G.M. auto, the RX330 is a superb automobile, the best I ever owned, but service is stupidly expensive and poorly executed -- worse than anything experienced with over 30 new G.M. vehicles. I realize that our experience does not represent a testimony of Lexus Service in general since we've only been to one dealer; however, that is the only dealer remotely close to our home. It's a shame that such a fine automobile is tarnished by a greedy and poorly operated service department! We did like the '05 so much, we bought a '06, but for other than warranty repairs, neither vehicle has been taken back to Lexus. We have been trying independent shops and found a really good one -- ironically we discovered that the owner was the 1st. service manager at our lovely local Lexus dealer -- however, he recently closed shop due to ill health. It's was interesting comparing our experiences with Lexus with his experiences. They correlated nicely. That is, this gentleman quit Lexus because of moral issues. He couldn't swallow pushing unnecessary services and focusing on cash flow, rather than honest, fair customer service. I just returned home today from a Toyota dealer and was satisfied with the service and cost for my Lexus. It's too bad that we can't use our Lexus dealer for maintenance services. In fact, I'm having second thoughts about buying another Lexus because of service, not because of the automobile's quality and driving pleasure.