Getting scratches fixed on sale of new car
10-20-06, 08:54 AM
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Getting scratches fixed on sale of new car
I bought my IS350 on Saturday. There was a nic on the rear bumper, two nics on the front bumper, a nic on the hood, and another nic on one of the wheels (no damage just a paint nic on the rim). The only reason I even agreed to buying the car is that it had all the options I wanted and it was below invoice and I was told they would fix everything for me as it was new. My experience went something like this...
Day one at the dealership:
I get a call at the end of the day stating that the paint on my rim was not approved in the due bill so I'd need to get authorization. I asked why he was calling me at the end of the day to tell me this. No real explanation. I told him to speak with the GM as he knows my sale. It was approved ASAP but I wouldn’t get my car until the end of the next day.
Day two at the dealership:
I get a call at the end of the day saying that they cant match the paint on my rim so they'll have to try again next week. Again, why are you telling me this at the end of day two?
So I've been out my car for two days and it's still not done, I'm not so happy. Then when I go to pick up my car at 5pm it takes over 30 minutes to get it out front and when it does arrive I'm even less happy. The rear bumper scratch was touched up poorly (I could have done a better job myself), same as the front bumper, very bad. The hood was not even attempted and I had gone over every single part with the guy when I dropped the car off the first day. Plus, my car was dirty, it had bird crap on it and water spots.
I spoke with the GM directly and he gave me a number to a body shop, told me to take it there and he'll pay for everything, no questions asked. That made me feel a bit better.
Should I expect that the body shop will make the car look like new again, or is it completely hopeless at this point? These are all marks I will notice personally and I will not be happy every time I see them.
/Rant
Day one at the dealership:
I get a call at the end of the day stating that the paint on my rim was not approved in the due bill so I'd need to get authorization. I asked why he was calling me at the end of the day to tell me this. No real explanation. I told him to speak with the GM as he knows my sale. It was approved ASAP but I wouldn’t get my car until the end of the next day.
Day two at the dealership:
I get a call at the end of the day saying that they cant match the paint on my rim so they'll have to try again next week. Again, why are you telling me this at the end of day two?
So I've been out my car for two days and it's still not done, I'm not so happy. Then when I go to pick up my car at 5pm it takes over 30 minutes to get it out front and when it does arrive I'm even less happy. The rear bumper scratch was touched up poorly (I could have done a better job myself), same as the front bumper, very bad. The hood was not even attempted and I had gone over every single part with the guy when I dropped the car off the first day. Plus, my car was dirty, it had bird crap on it and water spots.
I spoke with the GM directly and he gave me a number to a body shop, told me to take it there and he'll pay for everything, no questions asked. That made me feel a bit better.
Should I expect that the body shop will make the car look like new again, or is it completely hopeless at this point? These are all marks I will notice personally and I will not be happy every time I see them.
/Rant
10-20-06, 09:02 AM
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I think that what the dealership did was terrible. In my opinion they should have replaced the rim and taken the car to a body shop to be done right the first time. Now that it is at the body shop I think you can expect that the job will be done correctly.
I would also go back to the General Manager and demand that they further compensate you for the time lost in your "new" car due to them not doing a proper job the first time. I would ask for a loaner unitl the job was completed, even if you do not really need it (thats not the point), or for the first three services for your IS to be free.
After all you bought an "A" line car not a Chevrolet Malibu or similar low priced econo car. You deserve the service that Lexus is know for not the service that a Chevy Dealer (or the like) is known to deliver.
I would also go back to the General Manager and demand that they further compensate you for the time lost in your "new" car due to them not doing a proper job the first time. I would ask for a loaner unitl the job was completed, even if you do not really need it (thats not the point), or for the first three services for your IS to be free.
After all you bought an "A" line car not a Chevrolet Malibu or similar low priced econo car. You deserve the service that Lexus is know for not the service that a Chevy Dealer (or the like) is known to deliver.
10-20-06, 09:22 AM
#3
I disagree with Yoda on his Chevy vs Lexus point...
I don't care if you buy a chevy malibu, a lexus IS, or a Bentley Arnage, the service you got is UNACCEPTABLE, from ANY dealership... I don't care if it's Chevy, or a Yugo dealership... It was 100% unacceptable, no excuses...
Find the best body shop in the area, and have them spare no expense.
Have the dealer get a new rim.
Get free scheduled maintenance for 1 year.
Get the 2007 Nav DVD update coming in November for free.
That's all at the BARE minimum. They are putting you through hell... Making you wait days without your car and obviously only having spent a few minutes working on it right before you picked it up... And this is suppoed to be a new car!!! HORRIBLE...
That dealership =
I don't care if you buy a chevy malibu, a lexus IS, or a Bentley Arnage, the service you got is UNACCEPTABLE, from ANY dealership... I don't care if it's Chevy, or a Yugo dealership... It was 100% unacceptable, no excuses...
Find the best body shop in the area, and have them spare no expense.
Have the dealer get a new rim.
Get free scheduled maintenance for 1 year.
Get the 2007 Nav DVD update coming in November for free.
That's all at the BARE minimum. They are putting you through hell... Making you wait days without your car and obviously only having spent a few minutes working on it right before you picked it up... And this is suppoed to be a new car!!! HORRIBLE...
That dealership =
10-20-06, 09:26 AM
#4
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Sounds like you knew what you were getting into (buying a car with nicks). They will never be as good as original, thus the reduced price. I assume you realized that from the onset, but are now expecting perfection. Should have paid the extra and bought an unblemished one.
10-20-06, 10:11 AM
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No TimboIS, I don't think he is expecting perfection... simply the job a good bodyshop can do.
Sounds like someone at the dealership went after the car with a touchup pen.
Sounds like someone at the dealership went after the car with a touchup pen.
10-20-06, 10:59 AM
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Sounds like you knew what you were getting into (buying a car with nicks). They will never be as good as original, thus the reduced price. I assume you realized that from the onset, but are now expecting perfection. Should have paid the extra and bought an unblemished one.
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