Shady dealer...Help? (1 Viewer)

[mmleehr]

Hi all, first post here...after researching for months, I decided on a 2010 LX with 90k miles, routine 5k service done at Toyota dealer, 1 owner. I tested every system and it functionality before I bought it, I called the 2 previous dealers that serviced the car and asked if they saw anything that should make me shy away from the vehicle and they said "no, I don't see anything." So I bought it, and got it in for scheduled maintenance 10 days after I bought it. I couldn't confirm the 90k service was done at the last service when the owner traded in the vehicle, I booked an appointment at a Lexus dealer. My kids thought it was soooo cool that dad's new truck moved up and down and especially made it easier for them to enter and exit the vehicle. Suspension system worked like a champ when I dropped it off this am. Then the dealer called and said "Bad news, when we checked your brakes, you need new calipers in the front and rotors and pads in the front and rear, that's $2,500...then we put it up on the lift, and your rear hydraulic suspension seals broke loose and the bag must have ripped inside, so the whole rear suspension needs to be replaced, and that's $3,050." I explained the system worked perfectly when I dropped it off, what did you do? He insisted that if you have a leak and put it on a lift and the wheels sag, then the seals will give way and leak hydraulic fluid...and you can't drive it because it will ride like "a park bench with wheels or a bouncey ride in a semi" it has too much air in the system.

Sound fishy to anyone else? I've never heard of a perfectly good hydraulic suspension on an LX failing all of a sudden on a lift. I called 2 lexus dealers in other states and 2 indy's and they all said it's rare for those to fail, and if so its usually due to the line from the pump to the strut and Lexus put out a bulletin on it, that should normally be all you need to replace and it wouldn't happen out of the blue, it would be a slow gradual leak.

1. As I understand it, there are no "bags" in that hydraulic setup and I suspect nothing is wrong with my system, or they damaged it while they had it.
2. Who in the world charges $2,500 for brakes? I looked up the parts and they would have to be charging 8-10 hours of labor and overcharging for the parts if they had to replace all of the components. SO I will tell them, I'll handle the brakes
3. What do you recommend is my best course of action? I want to say "I expect you return my vehicle in the condition I left it with you, and if they suspension "failed" then whatever you did broke it, and don't give it back to me until you fix what you broke. My guess is it will miraculously convenient to repair.

 

[grinchy]

Wow. that sucks. putting The lx on a lift won’t break it. I’m a slow mechanic and I did pads and rotors in less than a day All around. It is not likely your calipers are broken. It was $300 or so.

did You run the vin on the Lexus owner site o check maintenance history?

 

[TeCKis300]

They're taking you for a ride. $2500 in brakes tells us that. COVID gives them lots of time and motivation with business very slow.

At worst, and it's rare, but sounds like a rear shock may be weeping. Putting it on a lift is not going to do a thing to damage it. Many of us beat on AHC, hanging a leg out over ruts and never see issues. AHC has a ton of fluid volume and it could do a lot of weeping before it becomes an issue. An AHC rear shock (hydraulic strut) is only $80 per.

I'd take your vehicle out of there and confirm for yourself what is going on before you spend a penny. Or have them put it on a lift and show you what they're actually seeing and take pics. A little smear is not going to an issue and shady dealers have been known to seed the fluid there as evidence of an issue.

 

[1world1love]

I agree with all of the above. Time for a second opinion. It certainly can’t be worse than the first.

 

[Mawgie]

mmleehr,

Get a second opinion! If you can tell us where you are at (SWPA?), it is quite possible Mud members can give you some leads on a good independent mechanic or a trusted dealer to evaluate the troubles with your new ride.

 

[bloc]

I can think of one legitimately seized caliper on this forum in three years.

I agree with act like a total car idiot and have them show you the issues on a lift. Then revel in their stammering as you ask pointed questions about specific parts and why they need to be replaced. Like the “bags” that don’t exist.

 

[rscoleman]

I would walk and drive away from them as fast as you can. I payed Toyota dealer recently for front pads and rotor turn on 2016 LC cost me 385. I think that was high price but I was at 44K miles and LC was wobbling and my mind could not fathom needing brakes. All my other vehicles have done 100K plus before needing brake work. Any way I would not trust that dealer find someone else.

 

[nwfl4runner]

I call bull. Agree with others, have them walk you through the entire rear suspension to locate these "bags" and show where the shock extended and blew seals.

 

[RET2]

I call bull. Agree with others, have them walk you through the entire rear suspension to locate these "bags" and show where the shock extended and blew seals.

You might invite the Service Manager and General manager to accompany you so they can learn about their operation. Or you could just go to another mechanic and not waste any of your time.

 

[LCtoLX]

Uh, I’d just say that money is tight and will have to bring it back in July. Asking them to show you where the issues are could potentially, depending on the morals of the “trained factory specialist”, cause him to actually damage something. It’s a stretch but I wouldn’t be surprised.

I’ve worked for a bit as a mechanic at a dealership many, many moons ago and there are things I saw that would surprise some of you. Now don’t get me wrong, as the say. There are good and honest mechanics (and dealerships). But there are also folks that like to increase their income when possible. And when that entails ripping customers off, that’s unacceptable.

 

[biphnest]

I don’t understand why “routine 5k service done at Toyota dealer” is touted as a positive attribute when buying a used car. Dealership service departments can not be blindly trusted to properly service a car. Taking your car in for “routine” service can easily do more harm than good. Putting in the wrong engine oil, over-filling the oil, damaging interior access doors, improper torquing, forgetting to reinstall panels and hardware, scratching paint, driving the car into things, replacing parts that don’t need to be replaced are all common outcomes of taking a car to the dealer for “routine maintenance”.

Many dealer service departments have a high employee turnover rate and seemingly low training standards. The dealer’s flat-rate book compensation system means that technicians are pushed to perform high value, easily identifiable jobs... replace brakes, replace suspension component, replace compressor, replace transmission, etc. They have little to no incentive to thoroughly look over your car and truly perform the detailed inspection/preventive maintenance exercise of the 5K service.

Learn to change your car’s oil and filters. Learn to perform the 5K inspection. Keep a detailed log book. If you are not interested in performing your own maintenance then find a good local independent Toyota mechanic. Use the dealership service department only for recall work, warranty work and as a last resort.

Detailed owner kept maintenance service records that show properly performed maintenance by capable individuals is much more valuable at resell than “routine 5k service done at Toyota dealer”.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Dealership service departments can not be blindly trusted to properly service a car. Taking your car in for “routine” service can easily do more harm than good.

Anyone doubting the above statement should have a look at my build thread, starting with this post (Builds - eatSleepWoof's '14 LX) and read about the 5-week fiasco that ensued from "routine maintenance."

 

[Sandroad]

In addition to the red flags mentioned above, I'll note that anytime a service dept. says anything like: "It's not safe to drive.", your personal scam alert should go off even if it's set on low. It's second opinion time for sure.

Oh, and by the way, welcome to MUD! Folks on here will help get you through this. The '10 LX is a nice vehicle!!!

And speaking of more harm than good, my LC is at a dealer right now having the HVAC repaired after been damaged by a dealer tech.

 

[Chewbacca]

Definitely time for a second opinion. This sounds like the last time my other car was in the Audi dealer for warranty work. They said my tires were wearing unevenly (which is a lie since they had just gone on, but I digress...) and that I needed an alignment. I asked how much the alignment was. He said it was $140 for the alignment and then another $600 to calibrate the adaptive cruise control. When I informed him my car does not have adaptive cruise control, he then said the air suspension also needed to be adjusted. Needless to say, I declined. Sounds like you should to, OP.

EDIT: And make sure everything still works when you pick it up. Make them fix (or pay to fix) anything they broke.

 

[mmleehr]

First, you guys all rock, thank you for taking the time to give your input and chime in.

Second, I went up unannouto the dealer today in Pittsburgh, I asked them to show me what was going on because I was very confused based on what the service advisor had told me we walked out to the vehicle we put it up on the lift it was still holding pressure and fluid in the system there is a legitimate leak. From a corroded line (which is the one part that does seem prone to fail based on what I’ve read)

The mechanic apologized because he said he heard the service advisor explaining it incorrectly yesterday there is a decent amount of fluid on certain parts of the frame in the spring coming from the corroded line I even touched the oil to make sure it was mineral oil and not some mechanic spraying motor oil.

It’s only one of the rear lines and he told me the problem with replacing just the line is that he in the past has not been able to get the nut off of the rear shock/strut and he hast to cut the shock to be able to get the line out so I need to replace one rear line in the rear shock if he can’t get the nut off I asked why did they recommend I replace everything in the rear and he said usually when you have corrosion on one you have corrosion on the other and that one is either going to fail when I do the work or soon there after I’ll develop a leak on my hat side as well.

I told them I’m not authorizing any work but to send me a quote for replacing one line and possibly one shock and the associated labor with both and we can go from there.

I’ve heard the good indys in Pittsburgh area are Baum, Chucks, and Harbisons, anyone have experience with these shops, or any others you’d recommend?

Lastly routine maintenance I generally do myself regarding brakes oil changes filters the only reason I mentioned before it had been routinely serviced every 5000 miles at a Toyota store was just to show that dealerships had seen this car regularly and on the Lexus site never had any notes about the rear suspension showing any signs of leaks but I guess if you didn’t look for it you wouldn’t put any notes in it.lastly routine maintenance I generally do myself regarding brakes oil changes filters the only reason I mentioned before it had been routinely serviced every 5000 miles at a Toyota store was just to show that dealerships had seen this car regularly and on the Lexus site never had any notes about the rear suspension showing any signs of leaks but I guess if you didn’t look for it you wouldn’t put any notes in it.

the leak appears to be coming from right behind the white plastic connector on the hydraulic line...very slow leak, only had one or two drips while it was on the lift.

 

[LCtoLX]

Anyone doubting the above statement should have a look at my build thread, starting with this post (Builds - eatSleepWoof's '14 LX) and read about the 5-week fiasco that ensued from "routine maintenance."

eatSleepWoof, OMG, I read through your horrible experience. So sorry that you had to go through all of that. And it got me thinking again...

I have almost 2 more years of the factory warranty (out of 4) remaining on my ‘18 LX. I also have quotes for the extended factory warranty options from that Jennifer that many here on MUD have bought from. I’m definitely going to spring for one of the longer term ones. I know that LX’s and LC’s are very, very reliable. Have had a few samples of them for many years without any major issues. But the price of just one repair could be more than the cost of the “insurance” policy. Of course, YMMV.