I am the owner of a Lexus LS400 which I purchased from Sterling McCall Lexus as a certified vehicle. The car had only 17,000 miles and the vehicle was in tip top shape inside and out. This is the fourth Lexus vehicle that I have purchased from this dealership.
My nightmare began when my car was flooded in September of 2001. All the repair work was done satifactorily with the exception of the installation of the carpet. The carpet did not fit securely and in several place it did not even touch the floor. I was told the carpet had to settle and I allowed months for this to happen.
After several months not only did it not fit but it was worse and falling down in places where it should have been tucked. I contacted the dealership and they made arrangements to pick up my car to attempt to fit the carpet correctly. I was told part of the problem was the carpet that was removed was a thicker grade and that carpet was no longer available.
Sterling Mc Call Lexus attempted to place padding under the pre-formed carpet to make it fit better. In the process of removing the seats and molding to redo the carpet, my seats were torn and the moldings no longer fit securely. My car was returned to me and the installation was no better than the first one, but now they had begun to deteriorate my vehicle my tearing my leather seats. I pointed out to the driver that returned my car all my dissatisfactions and he stated he could on relay the message.
I drove my car back to Houston for Sterling McCall Lexus to repair my vehicle satifactorily. During this process of going back and forth at least 10 times over a period of one year, I was writing Lexus Customer Service Satifaction and asking for assistance on this matter.
I was contacted by a district representative, whom I met with at the dealership and he stated he saw the problem but they had made several attempts to fit the carpet, but that was the best that they could do. He insulted me by offering to pay a car note for me as compensation for dissatifaction. I told him I would not have bought four Lexus vehicles if I could not afford the notes. I told him what I wanted was for my vehicle to be restored to look like the luxury vehicle that I had purchased.
The district representative then agreed to outsource the carpet installation and once again I left my vehicle in the care of Sterling McCall Lexus. After an extended period of time my vehicle was returned to me and when I looked at the carpet, my blood pressure went off the chart. It was horrible. It looked as if I tried to install it myself. Once again I was told it had to settle. I waited for several months and brought it back to Sterling McCall Lexus and this time not only did it not fit, but it was shedding profusely.
Again I left my vehicle with Sterling McCall Lexus and they once again replaced the carpet and once again it did not fit. I wrote Toyota Motor Sales Legal asking for assistance and the response was it was not a warranty item. I told the legal representative, I knew that and I was not trying to get anything done for nothing. I explained payment was being made by my insurance, but I needed the work to be completed satisfactorily. I was told that would need to be taken up with the dealership.
I then wrote Toyota Motor Sales USA, the president and received a call from someone other that him of course. I was told that they had spoke to the dealership and was told they had done all that they could do. I told representative that if he would take the time to look at the workmanship and what was once a luxury car, he would not be proud to have the Lexus name on that vehicle. Once, again, I had reached a dead end.
My vehicle has never been driven as an every day car and in four years I have only driven 30,000 miles. Of those 30,000 miles, approximately 3,000 miles have been going back and forth 200 miles roundtrip trying to get this carpet issue resolved. What was once a vehicle in tip-top shape, is now a vehicle with moldings that don't fit and leather interior that has been torn in numerous places, long with carpet that is falling down and shedding.
I am in the process of filing a Defective Trade Practice Act lawsuit against Sterling Mc Call Lexus.
Carolyn
Beaumont, Texas