lAn interesting meeting at the Lexus dealership today

M

Mike lambert

New member
A long time client brought me his New Lexus with 5 miles on it a few weeks ago. I was to evaluate it and set up a date to coat it. Now I’d like you all to know I’ve been taking care of his cars for over 15 years. All of them black Lexus. He knows how to care for them as good as I do! So knowing they use the same shop as all the dealerships do, he always brings them by first . This is the first time I told him to take it back in all those years! As you can see it was trashed! Fast forward to today. Met with the general manager, the sales manager and the body shop manager. I brought my scangrip and paint gauge. They spent 5 minutes looking, wouldn’t let me use the light or gauge. After a discussion, we were told it wasn’t bad enough for them to pay me to fix it as it would always have scratches since it was black! They offered to take this one back and give him abecause
that wouldn’t show the scratches! Do you F in believe
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I apologize, my phone is acting up! They offered him a silver one that “ wouldn’t show the scratches “. ! He has and will be in touch with Lexus tomorrow.
 
They need to know that scratches are NOT part of the normal paint and if they are there, someone has been doing something wrong. I highly doubt the car came from the factory with those defects and they should know a car with 5 miles needs to be that way. They are either highly ignorant or don’t want to admit something is being done wrong on their end. I wish the owner luck and don’t blame him one bit for wanting a defect free car.
 
I have much experience with Jet Black Lexus paint also.. I have purchased new Lexus vehicles and spent a lot of time in a Lexus Dealership..

What I always do at All Dealerships, is walk the entire property, looking at all the vehicles outside and inside..
I want to know what they have in Inventory and how they treat their Inventory... Learn a lot about the Dealership..
If I can find my way to their Detailing dept., I like to look around, see what they are using for products and machines, etc...
Watch them work, and then know if they are any good or not..
It sure beats sitting inside doing nothing.. :)

There is just NO WAY that paintwork would EVER come from the Factory in that damaged condition !!!!!

I know dozens of Clients and even family members with Jet Black Lexus vehicles and None of them have ever had one look like these pictures..

That Dealer is nothing but a huge HACK.. Shame on him...

The very fact that they would not let you, Mike, SHOW them the damage, says everything... They know it, they don`t care about it; the employee that does that is probably the owners` son or something..

I would so be gone from that Drunk Clowns and never, ever, be back..

When I purchased my first new Lexus vehicle several years ago, even in the huge, really expensive, brochure they give you, Lexus said they hand sand between paint layers at the Painting Stage of all their cars..
And if you ever look at one up close, their paintwork is always very flat, glossy, and has no orange peel..

Thanks, Mike Lambert, for doing all that extra work for your Client ! I hope he just gets far, far, away from those people!!! It obviously, will never get better there..
Dan F
 
Look at the build date on the door jam for year and month.
The car may have been in the dealer`s inventory for a couple of months, getting quick wash every couple of weeks with a worn out mitt, an automatic car wash or a brush.
 
Just insane! And not even let you show what the damage is. It just show they now they have a messed up new car. And then have the balls to defend them self is very low. Hope there is a great Lexus dealership in another town close to you. And wondering what the Lexus general agency would think about how their new cars is delivered.
 
Crazy they would rather switch out. How many miles did your client put on it. Sad that they would then try to sell to another unsuspecting buyer...


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The car yesterday had less than 100 miles on it. Every car on that lot looks like it! It is the detail company they use. Google detailing company in Cockeysville and you’ll find them, I cannot mention a name. And the car was ordtand came in and cleaned up against clients wishes one time!
 
Mike - was the customer with you at this meeting? I can not believe that the folks at the dealership wouldn`t let you use the scangrip...what bullsh!t
 
(Referring to the dealerships detailing company they hire) Like so many people and companies these days. They have no ethics and pride in their work. It has become so focused on just that all mighty dollar. It`s a sad state of affairs anymore. While this stinks bad it`s even a worse outcome in people related occupations. When that same behavior is happening in group homes, health care facilities, schools. People are being scared like that paint because of the lack of care. Obviously everyone is not that way, but it seems to be getting to be more of the normal. When I get good service no matter what business sector. I make sure I let them know how much I appreciate it. In my mind it gives me hope that they will continue that path and promote others to do the same.
 
Mike lambert- sheesh, sorry you had to get mixed up in this [charlie foxtrot]. And I really feel bad for your client. Perhaps he`s learned a valuable (if painful) lesson.

Mike lambert said:
... And the car was ordtand came in and cleaned up against clients wishes one time!
Click to expand...

Having refused delivery over *MUCH* less severe damage, IMO people should simply not take such stuff off the lot. Inspect before signing, let alone paying, and only accept/pay for what`s OK. No, the dealers don`t like that...tough.
 
Honda dealer service here in Manhattan a few years ago (only lasted 2 years, commercial rents are so high here) wanted to wash my 03 Accord (taffeta white) everytime I brought it in. I instructed them not to touch the body of the car at all. They could not understand why I didn`t want a free wash, almost became an issue. Well aware of dealers/dealer contractors damaging car finish. A friend had a beautiful 02 Lexus LS 420, like a luxury living room inside. Black paint. Condition of paint best described as a scratch and swirl farm. She lost about $2,000 on the resale value because of the poor condition of the paint. Paint used today is softer, more vulnerable to marring.
 
Is that true that today`s paints are softer and more vulnerable to swirling and marring??? I think it is a well documented "fact" that today`s vehicle paints are becoming thinner with their factory application, as posted in other threads by Mike lambert and his trusty Paint Thickness Gauge (PTG).

Suffice it say, there has been so much detailing rhetoric and banter about the color hue "black" on vehicles, it almost hinges on a "hue prejudice", ranging from charging more to detail this color to saying a "true" professional detailer would never own that color because it is a full-time job (which it almost is to keep it perfect!). Apparently this Lexus dealer and its owner/management have a "misunderstanding" of what appearance characteristics this hue should (or will) have is further testament of this "hue prejudice". I applaud the owner/buyer of this Lexus for having Mike inspecting and document its condition.

It will be "interesting" to see what outcome will result from this and if the Lexus Corporation will get involved. Somehow I think Lexus and owner will come to an "agreement" and you, Mike, will be the "mediator" to correcting and perfecting this particular vehicle`s appearance.

Keep us Autopians informed of the developments!!
 
Lonnie et al - My late wife and I noticed that the paint on our 03 Accord was thinner, softer and less durable than the paint on her mother`s 93 Accord. She was an executive at an industrial company that had business in the automotive paint and solvents sector. She did a query through their company and was told that Honda indeed used softer paint. Honda will deny of course. The owner of the body shop here in NYC that does the work for all the luxury dealers in Manhattan told me that the paints today are softer and more easily marred due to elimination of VOCs and other components.
 
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