Problem with dishonest Lexus Dealership

cs95aam

I purchased a second hand UX 250H last year. They took advantage of the fact that we desperately needed a car due to the ULEZ. When we were shown the car it was in a dark room. Didnt realise at the time why the salesperson insisted on not switching the lights on. If he did we would have seen the scratches on the bonnet. Secondly the car was given to us later than promised again literally on the date the ULEZ charge came into effect. My dad was unwell and I'm not too clued up on buying cars either or dealing with people like this.

Now a year onwards I need to replace the tyre but the wheel lock key is missing! I never needed to open the little box that contains it. I've Whatsapped, called and emailed the dealer. Sent two emails to two different people. Sent another one this morning chasing the first email. After everything they have put me through they need to cough up and send me a replacement. This should have been in the box in the first place. At first on Whatsapp he said he will send me one but now he's gone quiet. Clearly he's ignoring me.

Can somebody please advise on how to go about this? I don't want them to get away with this. Thanks.

oldernonethewiser

Go to the dealership and kick up a fuss.

Surprised you chose to buy a car you couldn't see properly.

born_again

Any decent garage will remove the wheel without key & replace the nuts with new ones.

Or as above go & complain in person. 

Grumpy_chap

cs95aam said:

I purchased a second hand UX 250H last year. They took advantage of the fact that we desperately needed a car due to the ULEZ. When we were shown the car it was in a dark room. Didnt realise at the time why the salesperson insisted on not switching the lights on. If he did we would have seen the scratches on the bonnet. Secondly the car was given to us later than promised again literally on the date the ULEZ charge came into effect. My dad was unwell and I'm not too clued up on buying cars either or dealing with people like this.

Now a year onwards I need to replace the tyre but the wheel lock key is missing! I never needed to open the little box that contains it. I've Whatsapped, called and emailed the dealer. Sent two emails to two different people. Sent another one this morning chasing the first email. After everything they have put me through they need to cough up and send me a replacement. This should have been in the box in the first place. At first on Whatsapp he said he will send me one but now he's gone quiet. Clearly he's ignoring me.

Can somebody please advise on how to go about this? I don't want them to get away with this. Thanks.

Was this a franchised Lexus dealership?

You saw the car in a dark room with the lights off.  Did you request the lights to be switched on?
Did you test drive the car and have opportunity then to see the car in light conditions?

I expect, being that a year has passed, you will need to buy the wheel lock key from a main franchise dealer parts department.  They will probably need a code to get the correct lock pattern.

Ayr_Rage

You should have checked the condition of the car before accepting it.

As for the locking wheel nut, it will be difficult to prove you have not lost it a year down the line, however in the little box there should be a card with the code needed to get the correct replacement.

Lexus dealers are normally some of the best in the business so get yourself down there and speak to them in person.

cs95aam

Grumpy_chap said:

cs95aam said:

I purchased a second hand UX 250H last year. They took advantage of the fact that we desperately needed a car due to the ULEZ. When we were shown the car it was in a dark room. Didnt realise at the time why the salesperson insisted on not switching the lights on. If he did we would have seen the scratches on the bonnet. Secondly the car was given to us later than promised again literally on the date the ULEZ charge came into effect. My dad was unwell and I'm not too clued up on buying cars either or dealing with people like this.

Now a year onwards I need to replace the tyre but the wheel lock key is missing! I never needed to open the little box that contains it. I've Whatsapped, called and emailed the dealer. Sent two emails to two different people. Sent another one this morning chasing the first email. After everything they have put me through they need to cough up and send me a replacement. This should have been in the box in the first place. At first on Whatsapp he said he will send me one but now he's gone quiet. Clearly he's ignoring me.

Can somebody please advise on how to go about this? I don't want them to get away with this. Thanks.

Was this a franchised Lexus dealership?

You saw the car in a dark room with the lights off.  Did you request the lights to be switched on?
Did you test drive the car and have opportunity then to see the car in light conditions?

I expect, being that a year has passed, you will need to buy the wheel lock key from a main franchise dealer parts department.  They will probably need a code to get the correct lock pattern.

Yes this is an official Lexus dealership in North London and I had a test drive. I did ask for the lights to be switched on but he said they weren't working! We did see it in light conditions but I didn't notice the large scratch on the bonnet until it was delivered. Like I said we were desperate due to the ULEZ and they took full advantage of that.

I reported this two weeks ago. The contact at this dealership, the guy that arranged the sale, asked for the personal code inside the box which I promptly sent. He said he'd send me a replacement and since chasing this week I've received no response. The chap I spoke to on the phone yesterday said I'd hear back today. Again nothing.

cs95aam

Ayr_Rage said:

You should have checked the condition of the car before accepting it.

As for the locking wheel nut, it will be difficult to prove you have not lost it a year down the line, however in the little box there should be a card with the code needed to get the correct replacement.

Lexus dealers are normally some of the best in the business so get yourself down there and speak to them in person.

Well this is an official Lexus dealership and if I wasn't an hour's drive away I would have turned up in person by now. My experience of these people leaves a lot to be desired! I already sent the personal code to the contact at the dealership and he said he would send it to me but despite chasing him he's completely ignored my messages.

Ergates

cs95aam said:

Grumpy_chap said:

cs95aam said:

I purchased a second hand UX 250H last year. They took advantage of the fact that we desperately needed a car due to the ULEZ. When we were shown the car it was in a dark room. Didnt realise at the time why the salesperson insisted on not switching the lights on. If he did we would have seen the scratches on the bonnet. Secondly the car was given to us later than promised again literally on the date the ULEZ charge came into effect. My dad was unwell and I'm not too clued up on buying cars either or dealing with people like this.

Now a year onwards I need to replace the tyre but the wheel lock key is missing! I never needed to open the little box that contains it. I've Whatsapped, called and emailed the dealer. Sent two emails to two different people. Sent another one this morning chasing the first email. After everything they have put me through they need to cough up and send me a replacement. This should have been in the box in the first place. At first on Whatsapp he said he will send me one but now he's gone quiet. Clearly he's ignoring me.

Can somebody please advise on how to go about this? I don't want them to get away with this. Thanks.

Was this a franchised Lexus dealership?

You saw the car in a dark room with the lights off.  Did you request the lights to be switched on?
Did you test drive the car and have opportunity then to see the car in light conditions?

I expect, being that a year has passed, you will need to buy the wheel lock key from a main franchise dealer parts department.  They will probably need a code to get the correct lock pattern.

I did ask for the lights to be switched on but he said they weren't working! We did see it in light conditions but I didn't notice the large scratch on the bonnet until it was delivered.  Like I said we were desperate due to the ULEZ and they took full advantage of that.

I don't think your claim about the room being dark on initial viewing will carry any weight given you *did*, subsequently, have the opportunity to view in fully lit conditions.   That you didn't notice the scratch is unfortunate, but is hardly their fault.

I'm also not clear how you were "desperate" due to the ULEZ given the literal years of advance warning.

oldernonethewiser

Did you make them aware of the scratch at the time of delivery? 

I imagine sending out a locking wheel nut will be low priority for them. 

Contact them again and say the whoever you contacted before had assured you new wheel nut would be sent out, so please do that. 

Not convinced they are dishonest. 

Grumpy_chap

Ergates said:

cs95aam said:

Grumpy_chap said:

cs95aam said:

I purchased a second hand UX 250H last year. They took advantage of the fact that we desperately needed a car due to the ULEZ. When we were shown the car it was in a dark room. Didnt realise at the time why the salesperson insisted on not switching the lights on. If he did we would have seen the scratches on the bonnet. Secondly the car was given to us later than promised again literally on the date the ULEZ charge came into effect. My dad was unwell and I'm not too clued up on buying cars either or dealing with people like this.

Now a year onwards I need to replace the tyre but the wheel lock key is missing! I never needed to open the little box that contains it. I've Whatsapped, called and emailed the dealer. Sent two emails to two different people. Sent another one this morning chasing the first email. After everything they have put me through they need to cough up and send me a replacement. This should have been in the box in the first place. At first on Whatsapp he said he will send me one but now he's gone quiet. Clearly he's ignoring me.

Can somebody please advise on how to go about this? I don't want them to get away with this. Thanks.

Was this a franchised Lexus dealership?

You saw the car in a dark room with the lights off.  Did you request the lights to be switched on?
Did you test drive the car and have opportunity then to see the car in light conditions?

I expect, being that a year has passed, you will need to buy the wheel lock key from a main franchise dealer parts department.  They will probably need a code to get the correct lock pattern.

I did ask for the lights to be switched on but he said they weren't working! We did see it in light conditions but I didn't notice the large scratch on the bonnet until it was delivered.  Like I said we were desperate due to the ULEZ and they took full advantage of that.

I don't think your claim about the room being dark on initial viewing will carry any weight given you *did*, subsequently, have the opportunity to view in fully lit conditions.   That you didn't notice the scratch is unfortunate, but is hardly their fault.

I'm also not clear how you were "desperate" due to the ULEZ given the literal years of advance warning.

There was only 6 months notice of the ULEZ expansion beyond the North and South Circular Roads 

Ergates

Grumpy_chap said:

Ergates said:

cs95aam said:

Grumpy_chap said:

cs95aam said:

I purchased a second hand UX 250H last year. They took advantage of the fact that we desperately needed a car due to the ULEZ. When we were shown the car it was in a dark room. Didnt realise at the time why the salesperson insisted on not switching the lights on. If he did we would have seen the scratches on the bonnet. Secondly the car was given to us later than promised again literally on the date the ULEZ charge came into effect. My dad was unwell and I'm not too clued up on buying cars either or dealing with people like this.

Now a year onwards I need to replace the tyre but the wheel lock key is missing! I never needed to open the little box that contains it. I've Whatsapped, called and emailed the dealer. Sent two emails to two different people. Sent another one this morning chasing the first email. After everything they have put me through they need to cough up and send me a replacement. This should have been in the box in the first place. At first on Whatsapp he said he will send me one but now he's gone quiet. Clearly he's ignoring me.

Can somebody please advise on how to go about this? I don't want them to get away with this. Thanks.

Was this a franchised Lexus dealership?

You saw the car in a dark room with the lights off.  Did you request the lights to be switched on?
Did you test drive the car and have opportunity then to see the car in light conditions?

I expect, being that a year has passed, you will need to buy the wheel lock key from a main franchise dealer parts department.  They will probably need a code to get the correct lock pattern.

I did ask for the lights to be switched on but he said they weren't working! We did see it in light conditions but I didn't notice the large scratch on the bonnet until it was delivered.  Like I said we were desperate due to the ULEZ and they took full advantage of that.

I don't think your claim about the room being dark on initial viewing will carry any weight given you *did*, subsequently, have the opportunity to view in fully lit conditions.   That you didn't notice the scratch is unfortunate, but is hardly their fault.

I'm also not clear how you were "desperate" due to the ULEZ given the literal years of advance warning.

There was only 6 months notice of the ULEZ expansion beyond the North and South Circular Roads 

6 months official notice, but that it was coming was obvious from the start.  Plus 6 months is still more than enough time to buy a car.