Need Help:Lemon Law
 

Hi,

I know this isn't a Porsche question or topic but I thought you guys can help me out.

I have a 2001 Lexus LS 430 which has been at the dealer since August 21, 2006. They have been unable to fix the problem in over a month and I keep calling and they tell me they have yet to find a solution.

The problem with the car has been that the car cannot connect to the Lexus Satellites for the Lexus Link System. They have tried everything and nothing seems to work. The car is almost 6years old, but I want to know, does anyone know anything about a Lemon Law which would cover such a thing?

I love the car, and do want it back, but after a month and half at the shop with no answer I can’t help but to feel skeptical about taking the car back.

Should I fight it out with the dealer even if they do find a fix? Or should I just wait some more and let it ride out and just take my car back when it’s done?

Any information or thoughts you guys can give me will help.

......And they said Japanese cars never give you problems......

TriGem, this has been discussed a lot here. Do a search. Here are a few posts that may help:

http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6662&highlight=lemon

http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5519&highlight=lemon

It has been discussed, but probably only relating to new purchases.

In general, the so called "Lemon Laws" apply to the purchase of a new vehicle or sometimes a used vehicle under warranty (factory or otherwise).

I can not see how your car would be covered. I understand that it's frustrating that they can't fix it or figure out the problem. But, sometimes that happens and, unfortunately, that doesn't make the car a lemon. It makes it old with a problem.

You do, however, have the right to get your car back and to get the kind of service you expect. I would not be surprised to see them try and charge you for all kinds of tests despite not fixing the problem. And, if you refuse to pay they could refuse to give you the car back.

Personally, I think you need to take the car somewhere else.

Good luck. Seriously.

Have you made an appointment with the service manager? If so, then it's time to make an appointment to talk to the general manager of the dealership. Working your way up the chain, explaining your frustration and asking them to get involved usually gets things fixed.

This is a very interesting thread to me. I have a '95 LS400, and the wife has asked me if we should trade it on a 2001-2003 LS430... apart from this issue, has the car been bullet proof like my 1995?

A Lexus in repair for a month!!! You have to be the first guy ever.
I haven't even heard of Lexus from anyone I know ever breaking down.
Me, I would threaten to go to the press and destroy their near pristine
reputation. You should call the local news networks and get them to do
a shame on you type story. I love when I see those and the GM of the whole
dealership shows up to personally deliver the keys to a free two year lease (while they tell all their other disgruntled customers not on TV to piss off).

get a cheap lawyer to write a threatening letter. Things will speed up quickly.
THey'll avoid spending more on legal fees than the cost of rectifiying your problem.

Randall,

The car was bought brand new from the same dealership and as you mentioned about your 95, has been absolutely Bullet Proof up to this point. Even now, I don't consider this a serious problem with the car; it’s for the Lexus Link System which is basically OnStar for Lexus. It just won’t connect to it, and I like having the Services they provide and I do pay my yearly dues to them of about $225 so I want it there.

I am meeting with the General Manager in about an hour or so. I'll keep you guys updated.

Thanks for all the responses

Defintely nothing Lemon Law would cover. But if the dealership can't resolve it then I would write a letter to Lexus they may be able to help solve the issue or compensate you for your grief. I had a friend who got some money out of writing a letter to Jeep because of a recurring Cherokee problem.

Legal fees are not their concern (they've got plenty of time and money), but you're other point of "pristine reputation"....now thats the money statement. Lexus dont want that to be tarnished. That they have spent big money trying to achieve.
I too would be heading down the track of legal letters threatening to go to the press!

Hope it's a favourable out-come :)

Hi,

I agree that Going Public will probably get them to sit up and listen. But, I would discourage sending Lexus or the Dealer legal letters threatening to do so.

People who scream they're gonna sue, almost never do. People who sue, just go ahead and sue. Then, there are laws (Federal) about threats and extortion - you do this, or I'm gonna do that...

Call your local TV station's Consumer Reporter, Local Paper, Click & Clack, etc. Lexus and their Ad Agencies employ Clip Services and will surely get the message. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

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Wait a second! This was about Lemon Laws and Lexus not lawyers. If you read bmussatti's response he directed trigem2k to a thread which included some outstanding legal advice from people who could actually help him.

TriGem2k, I don't deal in much consumer law but there is one universal truth in any field: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I've read previous threads from you on the great service which is expected from dealers in your neck of the woods. It sounds like your going through the motions. Your meeting with the front office, etc. IOW, you're squeaking. Continue to do so. I'm betting they'll resolve this in your favor at the expense of a bad rep.

Remeber, keep squeaking!! :mad:

So here is the deal. I had my meeting this morning with a couple of the "top dogs" at Keys Lexus in Van Nuys, CA.

According to them they have one last idea in which they think will resolve my problem....Their idea...Change the antenna....When I heard this I was about to blow, wouldn't that be one of the FIRST things you check when a car has no satellite connection?

Anyway, I explained to them my frustration and that I would expect this from any other car but not Lexus/Toyota. It’s ridiculous for a $70k car to be in the shop for 6weeks with no answer, let alone from a brand like Lexus. They all agreed, and expressed their apologies with the whole thing. I told them that if they ever do fix my car I expect something in return other than my car and they all agreed. They said whether it be from Lexus itself, or the dealership they will compensate me in anyway I feel is right. They mentioned to me free services for the car up to 100k miles (car currently has 41k) as well as a free brake job. I told them before they start offering something, that they should fix the car first.

On the other side of things, if the car is not fixed with the latest "bright idea" they said they will speak with me to see how they can compensate me for the car itself. I thought this was nice of them as I know they don't really have to. I would hope for a new car but I doubt it, hopefully a high blue book price for the car. If I get $40k+ for it I will be running out the door and into the show room looking for the 2007 LS460L, wow that’s one hell of a car.

I will find out tomorrow evening or early Friday morning what the final outcome is and I will be sure to keep you guys posted.

Thanks so much for all the responses and help.

~James

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squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak!