Dealership wanted to charge me 12 dollars for a new battery!
#31
Lexus Champion
Seems to me the basic issue was the dealer charging for something they acknowledged was faulty. It doesn't matter if it's $12 or $120--why should you have to pay them anything? If it was a defective tire, you wouldn't pay for it, even if they gave you a cheap price. If the remote was a couple of years old, and the battery just wore out, ok, then you need to decide if you want to pay $12, or hunt around for a "battery specialty store" (I had no idea these existed) to save $10 bucks.
#32
Lexus Champion
Seems to me the basic issue was the dealer charging for something they acknowledged was faulty. It doesn't matter if it's $12 or $120--why should you have to pay them anything? If it was a defective tire, you wouldn't pay for it, even if they gave you a cheap price. If the remote was a couple of years old, and the battery just wore out, ok, then you need to decide if you want to pay $12, or hunt around for a "battery specialty store" (I had no idea these existed) to save $10 bucks.
There is no reason any reader of this thread should get caught out with a dead remote battery in the future. They are easily available online, I just ordered five for $1.20 each. Yet most people will not take preventive action and lay in a few of these batteries for the eventual dieing of the ones in your remote. In that case don't complain when the local friendly Lexus dealer charges you for the replacement of the battery.
#33
Talk about a stupid Stealer. They are willing to lose a customer/s over a $2 battery! You have every right to expect the Stealer to replace the battery at 6 months, regardless (at least one time). Maybe there is a problem with the FOB, you may want to use the second FOB to see if it’s the problem. I would think the owner of that Stealership would love to know he lost customers over this.
Koz
Koz
#34
Talk about a stupid Stealer. They are willing to lose a customer/s over a $2 battery! You have every right to expect the Stealer to replace the battery at 6 months, regardless (at least one time). Maybe there is a problem with the FOB, you may want to use the second FOB to see if it’s the problem. I would think the owner of that Stealership would love to know he lost customers over this.
Koz
Koz
In the end, the place that offers the lowest price in a close vicinity still ends up getting the deal... If I owned a dealership, I'd treat most threats from one-time customers never to buy from them again as idle...
#36
Fob Battery
$12 sounds like a bargain to me. My Atlanta dealership wanted $16. I wasn't happy either and thought the price was ridiculous - ended up going to a specialty battery store. My trust of the stealership is even lower than before.
#37
Lexus Champion
Talk about a stupid Stealer. They are willing to lose a customer/s over a $2 battery! You have every right to expect the Stealer to replace the battery at 6 months, regardless (at least one time). Maybe there is a problem with the FOB, you may want to use the second FOB to see if it’s the problem. I would think the owner of that Stealership would love to know he lost customers over this.
Koz
Koz
I'm not saying the dealer should always replace your remote battery for free. My last car, admittedly with just the standard remote key fob, lasted 7 years (both remotes) and did not need replacement. 6 months--whatever the reason, the dealer should have done it as a courtesy. Period.
#38
Lexus Champion
People always threaten never to buy another car or service from a particular dealer. How many actually follow through on that, I wonder? Even if they do, how many cars do people realistically purchase over the course of a salesman's time at a particular dealership?
In the end, the place that offers the lowest price in a close vicinity still ends up getting the deal... If I owned a dealership, I'd treat most threats from one-time customers never to buy from them again as idle...
In the end, the place that offers the lowest price in a close vicinity still ends up getting the deal... If I owned a dealership, I'd treat most threats from one-time customers never to buy from them again as idle...
#39
Lexus Champion
Yep, 100% correct. The dealer made $12 on this service. He turned a $1 battery into a $12 sale. You gotta' love capitalism. If his customer base were upset at this they would stop buying Lexus's, or go somewhere else for the battery. That's not happening.
#40
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
Why wouldn't they charge a lot for the battery? I would if I were the dealer. I'd rather not stock them, so if you show up and need one, I'm going to quote you a price to discourage you from buying another one at my store.
There was only one fault here - the parts guy said the word "defective." Other than that, it was a simple business transaction. And no, it probably wasn't defective, it probably sat in someone's pocket with a button pushed for quite some time and the remote did what is expected - it transmitted until the battery died. My Genie garage door opener does the same thing, except it burns out the LED before the battery is completely dead and I have to solder a new LED into it or throw it away and spend another $30 for a new one.
Since genius boy behind the counter said "defective," he should have replaced the battery gratis. Bad move on his part.
There was only one fault here - the parts guy said the word "defective." Other than that, it was a simple business transaction. And no, it probably wasn't defective, it probably sat in someone's pocket with a button pushed for quite some time and the remote did what is expected - it transmitted until the battery died. My Genie garage door opener does the same thing, except it burns out the LED before the battery is completely dead and I have to solder a new LED into it or throw it away and spend another $30 for a new one.
Since genius boy behind the counter said "defective," he should have replaced the battery gratis. Bad move on his part.
#41
Super Moderator
On another point, I wonder if the OP may have alienated the dealer employee with his attitude. To quote from his post, he said "bro, the battery died in 6 months, what kind of products are you selling"? Contrast with my approach. I walked over to the parts counter, greeted the man with a smile, and asked him if he had a replacement battery for my fob in stock. When he brought it over, I thanked him profusely and explained how I'd been to every drugstore and jeweler in the area looking for one. When I asked what I owed, he replied "did you buy your car here?" When I said "yes", he said "no charge", "have a nice day". It usually pays to be nice.
#42
Since genius boy behind the counter said "defective," he should have replaced the battery gratis. Bad move on his part.
-Great. The guy behind the counter told the truth and is now "genius boy" for doing so.
-The fact is these batteries are not readily available. They can be found. If I were a dealer, I would stock and keep them at the coffee counter at a market price as a customer service. This is an easy act for customer good-will and every Lexus owner will eventually need one. I understand a premium for Lexus service but not for a standard battery - stupid move by dealer. $16for a watch battery is getting ripped off and I don't care if it is by Wal-Mart or a Lexus dealer. Getting ripped off, to me, is simply not acceptable and I will not do business with one who seeks to rip me off. If you can't trust someone on a small item - should you on a larger item?
-Great. The guy behind the counter told the truth and is now "genius boy" for doing so.
-The fact is these batteries are not readily available. They can be found. If I were a dealer, I would stock and keep them at the coffee counter at a market price as a customer service. This is an easy act for customer good-will and every Lexus owner will eventually need one. I understand a premium for Lexus service but not for a standard battery - stupid move by dealer. $16for a watch battery is getting ripped off and I don't care if it is by Wal-Mart or a Lexus dealer. Getting ripped off, to me, is simply not acceptable and I will not do business with one who seeks to rip me off. If you can't trust someone on a small item - should you on a larger item?
#43
Lexus Champion
I beg to differ on this point. For the cost of that plate of scones in the waiting room, the dealer can buy enough stock to replace their customer's dead fob batteries for months. The idea is that it's a cheap way to build "good will"; to get customers thinking that when I need something for my Lexus, I'll just head over to the dealer where they'll treat me right. If just one of those customers buys a new set of tires from the dealer instead of a tire shop, they've made back their investment with interest.
On another point, I wonder if the OP may have alienated the dealer employee with his attitude. To quote from his post, he said "bro, the battery died in 6 months, what kind of products are you selling"? Contrast with my approach. I walked over to the parts counter, greeted the man with a smile, and asked him if he had a replacement battery for my fob in stock. When he brought it over, I thanked him profusely and explained how I'd been to every drugstore and jeweler in the area looking for one. When I asked what I owed, he replied "did you buy your car here?" When I said "yes", he said "no charge", "have a nice day". It usually pays to be nice.
On another point, I wonder if the OP may have alienated the dealer employee with his attitude. To quote from his post, he said "bro, the battery died in 6 months, what kind of products are you selling"? Contrast with my approach. I walked over to the parts counter, greeted the man with a smile, and asked him if he had a replacement battery for my fob in stock. When he brought it over, I thanked him profusely and explained how I'd been to every drugstore and jeweler in the area looking for one. When I asked what I owed, he replied "did you buy your car here?" When I said "yes", he said "no charge", "have a nice day". It usually pays to be nice.
#44
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
I beg to differ on this point. For the cost of that plate of scones in the waiting room, the dealer can buy enough stock to replace their customer's dead fob batteries for months. The idea is that it's a cheap way to build "good will"; to get customers thinking that when I need something for my Lexus, I'll just head over to the dealer where they'll treat me right. If just one of those customers buys a new set of tires from the dealer instead of a tire shop, they've made back their investment with interest.
On another point, I wonder if the OP may have alienated the dealer employee with his attitude. To quote from his post, he said "bro, the battery died in 6 months, what kind of products are you selling"? Contrast with my approach. I walked over to the parts counter, greeted the man with a smile, and asked him if he had a replacement battery for my fob in stock. When he brought it over, I thanked him profusely and explained how I'd been to every drugstore and jeweler in the area looking for one. When I asked what I owed, he replied "did you buy your car here?" When I said "yes", he said "no charge", "have a nice day". It usually pays to be nice.
-The fact is these batteries are not readily available. They can be found. If I were a dealer, I would stock and keep them at the coffee counter at a market price as a customer service. This is an easy act for customer good-will and every Lexus owner will eventually need one. I understand a premium for Lexus service but not for a standard battery - stupid move by dealer. $16for a watch battery is getting ripped off and I don't care if it is by Wal-Mart or a Lexus dealer. Getting ripped off, to me, is simply not acceptable and I will not do business with one who seeks to rip me off. If you can't trust someone on a small item - should you on a larger item?
#45
Let me chime in on this thread. Yes the $12.00 for the battery is correct. The battery they were selling to you is most likely the battery they buy from Lexus as this battery is somewhat new and nobody seems to carry right now other than ebay. The suggested selling price is $10.80 plus tax. If the 1632 was more readily available from other sources, we would buy them for resale and use the factory batteries for warranty as they would most likely be cheaper than factory, but they are not available.
Should they have covered it under warranty? Yes, but that is not for the parts dept to determine, you should have gone to the service dept.
Should they have covered it under warranty? Yes, but that is not for the parts dept to determine, you should have gone to the service dept.