[mikeythemini]

Lexus have recalled all lexus RX300's built before Jul for a brake light switch fault.
For your trouble as well as carrying out the work they will throw in a complimentary tank of fuel, a full valet & a bottle of bubbly Now there's service

 

[bc_seventy_six]

Now thats more like it!!!

 

[SteveM3]

Lexus have recalled all lexus RX300's built before Jul for a brake light switch fault.
For your trouble as well as carrying out the work they will throw in a complimentary tank of fuel, a full valet & a bottle of bubbly Now there's service

I didn't even get that much when I bought my Mini .

 

[AidenL]

Thats good service...........

 

[Purple Haze]

There's a reason they've had the highest customer service rating for a long time running.

 

[mikeythemini]

Hi Max

 

[doona]

Yeah, but think about it..... are they just trying to buy your silence?

"Maybe if we give you gifts, you won't think that we sold you a daft car"

 

[ImaVunDerBrah]

I'm ok with them trying to buy my silence... especially if it involves free gas and champagne

 

[doona]

Well, with the price of petrol rising so much all the time... I guess a tank of gas could buy my silence as well.

 

[ncdave]

Good service, yes. But at the end of the day, you're still driving an RX-300.

 

[justbob]

Good service, yes. But at the end of the day, you're still driving an RX-300.

I think we just cut to the quick there...what do those cars even look like?

I mean, can we define "non-descript"?

 

[Rawhyde]

There's a reason they've had the highest customer service rating for a long time running.

Hmmmm....here's my Lexus story...happened yesterday as a matter of fact.

I just finished my errands and decided to stop by the Lexus dealer to look at an IS 300...(I have an older wealthy friend that's a huge Lexus fan, and he insisted that I at least look at them)

I need a new car and although I plan to order a MINI, I thought it'd be prudent to at least look at some other cars just to be sure. I told the salesman that I was planning to purchase a new car around the first of the year and I told him that the main canidates were the MINI Cooper S and the 3 Series BMW. He was rather derisive about the MINI and he kept telling me how the IS 300 outperformed the 330i on top speed. All was OK as he showed me the car, and all remained OK when I told him that I was adamant that I get a car with a manual transmission. He asked me what color I wanted. I told him that I wanted to review all the available options and get a firm quote. We went to his office and he gave me a brochure for the car while he started working on his computer.

There were a few options that I wanted to add such as heated seats and leather interior. I also wanted the daytime running lights turned off.

Lexus ain't Burger King. You don't get it your way, you get what they want you to have. Period.

Since I live in the tri-state area of TN, AL, and GA, Lexus has decided FOR me that I want the sunroof and that I want the leather/alcantra seats (it's like a synthetic suede material), and that I do NOT want heated seats and that I do NOT want full leather seats. He told me that if I wanted a car with a different spec, that I'd have to go to another region of the country to buy it. We put in 90210 as a zip code (Beverly Hills, CA) and far more optional equipment became available but not the heated seats. We input a zip code for Maine and lo and behold, Lexus allows yankees to have heated seats! Here;s another winner.... Lexus' version of DSC and limited slip rear axle is available ONLY on the automatic.

Needless to say, I was not impressed. In fact, I was somewhat PO'ed that I couldn't get options that were printed in the car's brochure. Of course in the fine print there's a disclaimer that optional equipment is available in certain regions. I guess we're supposed to be grateful that Lexus will indulge the customer in his choice of color...

Am I out in left field on this? I think that it's sheer unadulterated arrogance that my car's spec is dictated to me. If you live in Miami and you want the Cold Weather Pkg on a MCS, I feel confident that MINI would build it for you (same for a 330i).

Lexus can take a flying leap. I acknowledge that they build reliable cars, but when I plop down my hard earned money, I expect to be able to choose what I am buying.

The experience I had yesterday just increased my determination to get the MINI.

Rawhyde

PS For the record, the IS 300 compares unfavorably with the 325i strippo. A 330i with the Sport Pkg would stomp its guts out. In the IS 300 automatic, even with the "POWER" button pressed, the car starts off in 2nd gear. You cannot access 1st gear even with the vaunted "E-Shift Buttons" on the steering wheel. I was told that the "reason" for this is that Lexus owners don't want "jerky" acceleration. I'm gonna calm down soon and be nice again...I promise

 

[joeinitaly]

Rawhyde-

I think you are well within your rights to get what you want. I fear that my MINI may have spoiled me on this, but I will not settle when I buy another new car. I will get what I want or I will wait. The customer is always right.

Get what you want.

Good luck!

Joe

 

[dansmini]

Rawhyde-

I think you are well within your rights to get what you want. I fear that my MINI may have spoiled me on this, but I will not settle when I buy another new car. I will get what I want or I will wait. The customer is always right.

Get what you want.

Good luck!

Joe

Yep, I think the MINI spoiled my wife and I in this regard also. We couldn't believe that the Jeep dealership wouldn't order her the car she wanted. We were willing to wait the 2 months and make a sizeable deposit, but they just kept insisting we buy one off the lot even though they did not have a manual in the color she wanted. Needless to say, she now drives a 2005 Toyota Matrix.

 

[Cooper76]

Hmmmm....here's my Lexus story...happened yesterday as a matter of fact.

I just finished my errands and decided to stop by the Lexus dealer to look at an IS 300...(I have an older wealthy friend that's a huge Lexus fan, and he insisted that I at least look at them)

I need a new car and although I plan to order a MINI, I thought it'd be prudent to at least look at some other cars just to be sure. I told the salesman that I was planning to purchase a new car around the first of the year and I told him that the main canidates were the MINI Cooper S and the 3 Series BMW. He was rather derisive about the MINI and he kept telling me how the IS 300 outperformed the 330i on top speed. All was OK as he showed me the car, and all remained OK when I told him that I was adamant that I get a car with a manual transmission. He asked me what color I wanted. I told him that I wanted to review all the available options and get a firm quote. We went to his office and he gave me a brochure for the car while he started working on his computer.

There were a few options that I wanted to add such as heated seats and leather interior. I also wanted the daytime running lights turned off.

Lexus ain't Burger King. You don't get it your way, you get what they want you to have. Period.

Since I live in the tri-state area of TN, AL, and GA, Lexus has decided FOR me that I want the sunroof and that I want the leather/alcantra seats (it's like a synthetic suede material), and that I do NOT want heated seats and that I do NOT want full leather seats. He told me that if I wanted a car with a different spec, that I'd have to go to another region of the country to buy it. We put in 90210 as a zip code (Beverly Hills, CA) and far more optional equipment became available but not the heated seats. We input a zip code for Maine and lo and behold, Lexus allows yankees to have heated seats! Here;s another winner.... Lexus' version of DSC and limited slip rear axle is available ONLY on the automatic.

Needless to say, I was not impressed. In fact, I was somewhat PO'ed that I couldn't get options that were printed in the car's brochure. Of course in the fine print there's a disclaimer that optional equipment is available in certain regions. I guess we're supposed to be grateful that Lexus will indulge the customer in his choice of color...

Am I out in left field on this? I think that it's sheer unadulterated arrogance that my car's spec is dictated to me. If you live in Miami and you want the Cold Weather Pkg on a MCS, I feel confident that MINI would build it for you (same for a 330i).

Lexus can take a flying leap. I acknowledge that they build reliable cars, but when I plop down my hard earned money, I expect to be able to choose what I am buying.

The experience I had yesterday just increased my determination to get the MINI.

Rawhyde

PS For the record, the IS 300 compares unfavorably with the 325i strippo. A 330i with the Sport Pkg would stomp its guts out. In the IS 300 automatic, even with the "POWER" button pressed, the car starts off in 2nd gear. You cannot access 1st gear even with the vaunted "E-Shift Buttons" on the steering wheel. I was told that the "reason" for this is that Lexus owners don't want "jerky" acceleration. I'm gonna calm down soon and be nice again...I promise

Well, look at their target audience. Lexus caters to people who want "comfortable" cars and Lexus has, through many hours of research, carefully figured out what "comfortable" means in every region of the U.S. A cost-cutting measure, no doubt.

The IS300, with 225hp, is a slug, and their has been much chagrin at this. Of course, starting off in 2nd gear, again, catering to the "comfortable," will do this. The 330i is out of the IS300's league. No surprise then to know that Lexus is completely revamping the IS300, including the engine.

 

[indimini]

Lexus caters to people who want "comfortable" cars

That's so true. I've had an opportunity to attend a couple Lexus "Taste of Luxury" events where you get to drive their cars and the competition. They also provide all kinds of catered services, good food, etc.

It seems that Lexus views their target market to be the people who want a refined vehicle but who can't be "bothered" with the details of deciding what they want on their car. I'm certain Lexus views their approach as spot on for the market. Similarly, look at Acura. They offer almost no options on their vehicles -- you buy one with everything already included (whether you want it or not). You can choose from a handful of preconfigured autos along with your color.

 

[Willy]

The thing to remember is a typical Lexus costs about double that of a MINI. I would be hard pressed to find any $21,000 new car where I would be treated better than the MINI. Whenever I got some of the cool little freebees in the mail or go to the dealer for service, I have to look at the sticker from my MINI to remind myself that I only paid $21,000 USD for this car.

I always though Lexus was sort of the vanilla luxury car. They are comfortable, reliable and perform well, but not much character. Most Lexus owners I know are not really car people.

When I was shopping for cars when I bought my MINI, I struck any dealer off my list whose salesmen badmouthed the MINI. After I realized how p.o.'d I got from hearing salesmen talk bad of MINI's, I knew that there was no other car for me but the MINI.