I recently took my GX470 to a local Lexus dealer for routine oil maintenance and to check the battery - as I suspected it was going bad. While waiting, the service rep comes back to me and says I needed a throttle body service (for improved performance and gas mileage), power steering flush (discolored), new wiper blades (dry rot), and new cabin and engine air filters (filthy).

"I just had a 60K service, 7k miles ago, weren't any of these items covered?" "Of course not," he responds. I usually know better, so I decline everything but the PS fluid flush and the wiper blades.

I get home, pull the old invoice on the 60k service, and see that my wiper inserts, air filters, and throttle body was indeed serviced at that time. I also pull both filters from the car and they're practically new.

I'm going to complain to the Service Manager in the A.M.

 

with my past experiences with dealers, i trust them as far as i can throw them.

 

Well, with my past experiences with dealers and specialized shops, once in a while they make mistakes. I always check their work.

 

That sounds like a scam if they are doing the same stuff from one service to the next. Id tell them they gonna get reported to BBB and see what they do for you. And then report them to the BBB.

 

Aren't all dealers like this? They will always try to take advantage of you.

 

Every shop will try to upsell. Its not just dealers, but they get the bad name. Sounds like that service manager is a clown, and quite possibly the entire service department. Try a new place!

 

dealership = Stealership.

They will try and get you for every nickle and dime they can. Just got to be careful like you did, and make sure services your paying for are services you actually need.

 

JeffMiami, Im in Miami as well. (Im assuming you are also). If I may ask, which dealer was it. You dont have to give a name, maybe just a vacinity. Thanks.

 

What is the update on this story?

 

TCM55-

The battery died 3 days later (as I suspected t would), and the service department replaced it. The manager I spoke with apologized and assured me this was an isolated incident. If they were smart, they would have done more for me (refunded my money for the prior service) since I had to take time out of my schedule again; I won't hold my breath for a letter in the mail.

Next time, I'm tagging the filters...

 

I work in service at a Lexus dealership...In general...we never recommend something if its not needed...nor do we not do something that a customer has paid for...in our shop...about 4 years ago...our service manager fired a master tech for un-ethical practices...that pretty much set the tone of how things are gonna be in our shop...as a service consultant...it is my job to present you with the findings of the tech...I have no problem telling you or anybody else...that the tech IS looking for something to upsell...hes not making it up...but he is hoping he finds something that the customer will want done...keep in mind...it is your choice as the customer on what repairs you want done...this is your car...I would be doing you an injustice if i didnt tell you...and on the other hand...when I tell my customers that there car is in great shape...they know as well as I know that the tech has thouroughly inspected thier car...and for that...I will hold my head up high...proud to work at a Lexus dealership

 

So in short you would report them. I have no problem with that but why even bother talking to them if the end result no matter what is going to report them? If I was running a business and a customer complained and I went out of my way to fix it and I did and they still reported me, next customer is getting a nice "F-word you". In closing some actions cause problems for those down the road. Please dont litter.

 

Sounds good, but the upselling can sometimes get out of hand. Like the last time I took my '91 LS400 in for a timing belt job, the service writer said the tech noticed that one of the rear axle boots was torn and and had leaked 1/4 of it's grease and would cost alot of $$$ to replace. I later got under the car and carefully checked the boots myself and found nothing torn or leaking. Then they also tried to sell me a whole new PS pump and PS hoses due to a small seepage leak, but I fixed the leak myself by installing a new reservoir O-ring and I cleaned the partially clogged steering rack solenoid filter screen to reduce hydraulic pressures in the system that tended to aggravate leaks.

 

Not saying either party is right or wrong here, but in the shops defense did your 60k invoice say "adjust throttle cable linkage" or anything like that? Some of our 30k, 60k, 90k services are programmed to say the same thing in every repair order. So even a car that has no throttle cable, will have "adjust throttle cable" in the repair order. The service the technician may have been reccommending may have been different then what was included in your 60k service.

 

I called my local dealer to ask about having them check the AC and was told they don't service older models there unless you bought it from to start. Is this common??