Dango
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Posts posted by Dango
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i have an 02 SC430. I have a "vibration" niose in my passenger midtone speaker. it only wakes up during deep tones on talk radio. the service manager at Fremont Lexus says that this is a known problem with this sound system, and that there is nothing they can do about it. This is the same guy who has tried to fix a passenger side door rattle (cooincidentally, sounds like it is coming from behind the midtone speaker) 4 times, and can't fix it. since it is intermitent, it always is quiet during my post service test rides, but soon after they turn me loose, it wakes up again. I have called Lexus North America, and they just send me back to this same service manager. I am living with both noises, but curse Lexus everytime these noises wake up.
You mentioned a 'side door rattle'? I had a rattle like metal-on-metal when sometimes closing the passenger side door. I only heard it when people are getting in and out of the car and, of course, it didn't happen at the dealer.
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Here's my car's info:
Model Year: 2002 SC430
Price when Bought: $64000
Where Bought: Charles Barker Lexus, Virginia Beach :chairshot:
Length of Ownership: 3 years, 49000 miles
Problems:
13000 mi -- Run Flats worn out -- rims damaged but still usable
-- no help from dealer -- replaced with Michelin Z-rated tires (non-run-flats)
Cost for tires: $260 per tire
14000 mi -- Pot hole on interstate blew front left tire :( and
bubble in rear left tire -- rims damaged -- rims were straigtened
and repainted with power coat paints to match original paint.
Costco replaced tires for free. Rim cost: $300
25000 mi -- Hit and Run on the interstate by a stolen car
where the theives took off running during rush hour and nobody
else paid attention -- I testified against the driver (17yo) and he
was sent away to jail.
-- stolen car was totaled while my car just needed the bumper
shell replaced and repainted. I hope there wasn't some hidden
issues I don't know about.
38000 mi -- Complained to dealer about vibration from wheels;
Dealer blames it on the tires and would not help me although
I'm convinced there is something else wrong with the car.
48000 mi -- both rims on right side bent to the point they could no
longer be balanced :cries: -- rims on right side were straitened and
repainted -- next step is replacement tires to prove to the dealer
there is something else wrong before warranty runs out.
49000 mi -- Battery is dead and all auto parts places don't carry
a replacement -- only the dealer does. :cries:
(Note: The auto parts places do carry batteries for any other car.)
-- Brakes are failing like there is air in the line -- pedal goes to floor
-- Need to pull all wheels to get the tires balanced without
adding more miles to the car before the warranty expires.:cries:
All in all, I'm sad to say this...but my experience with Lexus has been hell.
I loved the car for the first 14,000 miles...and have had nothing but
a rough ride and problems ever since. The car just doesn't stand up to the level of quality and support I was expecting from the dealer for the price I paid.
Any advice whether I can ever get the quality back that I had
when I first bought it or am I chasing a lost cause?
Where can I get a replacement battery?
Is there a good source for TSB bulletins and recalls?
An Evening With Lexus
in General Chat
Posted
Wow, makes my dealer (Charles Barker Lexus) look cheap. All they did was wash and dry the car and send me on my way without even a free oil change. It was a bit disturbing to later find out that the invoice on a new SC430 is $45000 while the sticker price is $65000.