Where do all these recalls leave Lexus?
07-08-10, 09:14 AM
#46
Lexus Champion
Mercedes' dark years were when they bought out Chrysler and Detroit-style cost cutting made its way across the pond. I'm actually liking the new Benz now. I think Toyota's learning from their mistakes and they're taking steps to keep this from happening again.
07-08-10, 09:32 AM
#47
right now i think only bmw offers free maintenance with their new vehicles throughout the warranty period. mb had it before but it's been stopped for years. both mb and audi now offer "competitive" maintenance program where you pay a lump sum in the beginning and all maintenance covered for the duration of warranty.
i don't know about other companies like infiniti?
i don't know about other companies like infiniti?
if you're talking about free maintenance, then infiniti doesn't have it.
07-08-10, 09:43 AM
#48
i wonder if lexus increases price a little and offer free maintenance, would that change anything. i sort of doubt that.
07-08-10, 09:52 AM
#49
i have talked to mb executives (somewhat) in a few occasions about the issue. they say they want to give customers more "flexibility" should they choose to do services outside. in turn, they "lower" the prices of vehicles a bit, and offer the service plan. i told them numbers don't work that way, no one would notice the price drop (if at all, to be honest), but on paper free maintenance works much better. well, they don't seem to understand
i wonder if lexus increases price a little and offer free maintenance, would that change anything. i sort of doubt that.
i wonder if lexus increases price a little and offer free maintenance, would that change anything. i sort of doubt that.
07-08-10, 09:55 AM
#50
Lexus Fanatic
When free maintenance is included, it's the result of individual dealer/customer negotiations.
Maybe MB noticed that when free maintenance was standard, sales weren't any better than when free maintenance was dropped in the mid-2000's.
07-08-10, 12:27 PM
#51
mb had free maintenance, but they dropped it. they say the reason is that way they can lower the price of the car, and people can have the flexibility to go to other places for services if they choose to. but at the same time, they also offer maintenance program for a price (like 800 to 1000 bucks)
07-08-10, 06:22 PM
#52
Lexus Fanatic
Not really. Although buying Chrysler obviously didn't help, M-B's troubles (and lowering quality) started several years before the merger happened. That issue has been covered extensively in other posts/threads.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-08-10 at 06:27 PM.
07-09-10, 02:33 AM
#53
Lexus Champion
right now i think only bmw offers free maintenance with their new vehicles throughout the warranty period. mb had it before but it's been stopped for years. both mb and audi now offer "competitive" maintenance program where you pay a lump sum in the beginning and all maintenance covered for the duration of warranty.
i don't know about other companies like infiniti?
i don't know about other companies like infiniti?
On the topic of MB and their "new and improved" reliablity....I have no idea what you guys are talking about.
Our ML has been a pita and from reading the MB forums there still seems to be many issues, with many models.
07-09-10, 09:22 AM
#54
Lexus Fanatic
Note: Later I can do a summary/comparison of warranty repairs and recall fixes for both the (MB) C300 and (Lexus) IS350 in my garage.
07-09-10, 09:37 AM
#55
Guest
Posts: n/a
I do know what they are talking about. And the improved Mercedes quality is mostly associated with newer/redesigned models where better designs were implemented with more extensive testing done before production release. Current gen (beginning with model year 2008) C-class is a well documented example.
Note: Later I can do a summary/comparison of warranty repairs and recall fixes for both the (MB) C300 and (Lexus) IS350 in my garage.
Note: Later I can do a summary/comparison of warranty repairs and recall fixes for both the (MB) C300 and (Lexus) IS350 in my garage.
We have seen it improve and we also have seen it wasn't an overnight change. Took a few years.
My hopes are Lexus is really implementing these changes with their new vehicles in the CT, LFA, GS next year and then the IS/ES/LS etc after.
They might really overbuild the next gen and even absorb the costs so they can move forward with happy customers and the perception that quality is indeed back.
They have to do it. Perception is reality and if Lexus/Toyota loses that perception, selling cars becomes THAT MUCH HARDER
07-09-10, 02:10 PM
#56
Lexus Fanatic
Thats cool of you.
We have seen it improve and we also have seen it wasn't an overnight change. Took a few years.
My hopes are Lexus is really implementing these changes with their new vehicles in the CT, LFA, GS next year and then the IS/ES/LS etc after.
They might really overbuild the next gen and even absorb the costs so they can move forward with happy customers and the perception that quality is indeed back.
They have to do it. Perception is reality and if Lexus/Toyota loses that perception, selling cars becomes THAT MUCH HARDER
We have seen it improve and we also have seen it wasn't an overnight change. Took a few years.
My hopes are Lexus is really implementing these changes with their new vehicles in the CT, LFA, GS next year and then the IS/ES/LS etc after.
They might really overbuild the next gen and even absorb the costs so they can move forward with happy customers and the perception that quality is indeed back.
They have to do it. Perception is reality and if Lexus/Toyota loses that perception, selling cars becomes THAT MUCH HARDER
. I think a bit of over engineering will only help. When owners of cars start talking about their cars a few negative experiences can steer friends, co-workers, and family away from the brand. I think any one who has owned a few Lexus will say that the quality has dropped a bit and that trips to the dealership for errant issues has become more frequent. Not to say that the Lexus is not a great brand and a top notch vehicle, but it used to be better. I would say a handful of irritating issues with a car is enough to either get a customer to walk or at least to consider other brands like MB, BMW, Infiniti,etc .
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