Let's hear your dealership BS

My dealer is awesome. They replaced my truck's roaring front differential and CV Axle with a new OEM set but installed the ECGS bushing between taking the differential out of the box and installing in my truck. No expense to me. Full warranty still intact.

 

Just a friendly wave from your neighbor in Schererville! Have you thought to check out Team Toyota on 41?

 

Don't get me wrong here folks. Have dealt with six Toy dealers over 45 years (damn, that means I'm getting old). All of the experiences - buying, trading, service - have been above average to excellent. It's just that this has been the worst, most over the top BS situation - which only amplifies the disappointment and annoyance factor. In statistics this kind of event is called an "outlier". Doesn't make it feel any better though.

 

And another good experience for me:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/te...-trip-dealer-repair-warranty.html#post9955492

 

My experience last week was a little frustrating. There's a dealership about 5 minutes from my house, and I've used them for years for service. They recently opened up their new building, and are obviously growing the business.

Well, since I rolled/totaled my older Taco a few weeks ago, I was in the market for a new one, in short order. Their internet sales manager kept feeding me promises that they could get the feature combo I wanted, in the color I wanted, and probably in just a few days. So I came in for a test drive of the same model & packages, but not my first choice in colors. After the test drive, the sales manager on duty (not the internet sales person I talked to), came out and basically told me the price is absolutely firm, including the processing fee.

Total BS of course. I realize that transferring a truck from another dealership probably involves cutting them in on the deal, but I also told them I wasn't 100% requiring that color either, which meant I could have bought the one that I test-drove.

He fed me lines about the internet destroying the market, and how people now will usually only shop at maybe 1.4 dealerships on average before buying, whereas a decade ago it might have been 8.

So what he told me, effectively, is that I should look at more dealerships. And so I did, and bought elsewhere. And I even got a different color.

 

My dealer was good but they tried to trick me when I was buying my tacoma. I had called the day before to make an appointment to look at a black tacoma trd with black wheels. So I get to the dealership the next day before they even open and start walking around the lot looking at the tacomas (used) I was looking at a 08 for 21,500 there was a 09 for 22,500 that I was also kinda interested in. So a sales man comes out and asks if he can help me. I said yes I have an appointment to look at a 2008 Tacoma black. So they look it up and told me that someone put money down on it to hold it and it was sent to another dealership. I was a little upset but I said I was interested it the 09 to. So I took it for a drive and loved it. A little less miles on it to. So we sat down to work out a deal. We couldn't come to an agreement I told them my price and they were a little high but still high lol. They get a manager involved and I said this is the price I want. He said we can't make that happen. BUT I think we may have another one that might work. I said OK I'll check it out. 5 minutes later my sailsman drives up in the 08 black tacoma with black wheels!!! WTF. The one I originally wanted. I sat in it and fell in love. We got back and made the deal. Good thing I stood my ground with the price.

 

For my next vehicle purchase, I will avoid the finance manager at all cost. My first Toyota experience was pleasant until that part. I still get angry thinking of that experience.

 

Ill add to the list.

Back then, my wife bought a new '12 Highlander and I bought a new '12 Tacoma within 2 weeks of each other. She struck first and bought at IRA Toyota of Milford, MA. and I was going to do the same there, but didn't because their sales staff is deceitful.

She picked out her SUV... color, options etc. Her request was to have a factory tow receiver, the kind that is designed into the bumper and hidden away. The sales guy said they will put one on her car with no change in the agreed total price of the car, but will have to order it and it will be a couple of days.

As a few extra day go by, she called them for a status on the hitch. After some back and fourth phone calls, she was told to go to (I forget the name of the place) a truck cap type dealer. They would install the receiver there, which we thought was odd... why wouldn't the service shop do it, well whatever.

After the installation, she went out to check out her new hitch, and it was a friggin' aftermarket hitch... Curt hitch, that hangs below the rear bumper and not hidden it like the factory type.... Factory type is what she wanted. While still at the hitch place, she got on the phone with the sales guy and wanted to know what happened with the agreed hitch. A heated exchange between my wife and him revealed the sales guy never wrote the word 'Factory Hitch' in the agreement... so aftermarket it had to be.... she was pissed!

5 minutes after the phone call, and while still at the hitch place, she noticed that there is no plug harness... anywhere! She asked the hitch salesman where is it hidden, he said "IRA Toyota did not authorize a plug harness". My wife is now livid over this added bullshit. She called the Toyota sales guy back and blasted him for a hitch that cannot be used on the road if you can't plug in the lighting harness. WTF! The salesman ended up talking to the hitch guy and settled on installing a harness.

After that bullshit-ending of a vehicle purchase, I bought my truck at another dealer, Harr Toyota. I had a great experience with them, I'll buy there again when the time comes.... as will my wife.

 

Wow!

 

I've had a few good ones. I'm not going to name names, but they're entertaining regardless.

1. I was using one of the Toyota Care oil changes and requested the 5w-30 synthetic upgrade. I had done this previously and it's pretty straight forward, I pay the difference in cost. The service writer wrote down synthetic but wrote 0w-20. He had called over the head service writer and during this time I noticed and called to the first service writer's attention that the V6 takes 5w-30 and that his comment wasn't right. He asked the head guy and they were going back and forth and I just in a friendly manner said the 4cyl had the 0w-20, the V6 had the 5w-30. The head writer looks me dead in the eye and goes "Is that what it says on the oil cap?" with a sneer. I looked at him and said, would you like to go pop the hood and look with me?

2. I had dropped off the truck with a knocking noise in the front of the truck, which after I had dropped it off and did some reading here on TW, I realized it was most likely due to a bolt not being tight enough after an alignment. I got a voicemail from the service writer who with a smug laugh said they couldn't locate the issue and my truck was "operating as designed." I went down there and asked to take a tech out to replicate the noise. I didn't even get it out of the lot before the tech heard it goes "oh, I totally heard that." I ended up having to go back another time to replicate the issue for a second tech. At the end the head service writer calls me (same guy from #1) and goes we tightened up every bolt in your truck and noticed you have an aftermarket fuse panel holder and that wasn't installed right (thinking I'm going to get hit with an hour in shop time) I just said "that is no way related to the issue" and he goes "let me finish..." Maybe I jumped quick, but I wasn't about to have them blame a suspension clank that should be warrantied blamed on an aftermarket part.

3. Drop my truck off for another oil change and decided I'd complain about the Tacoma vibes, as well as my passenger seat clanking over bumps (I can easily replicate it by hitting the seat when the truck is off and parked). They blamed the vibrations on my "very aggressive tires" (they're BFG ATs, same as the Baja, seriously?) and my truck "having the TRD package". They also blamed my seat rattle on my tires. Umm, the seat rattles when the truck is stationary, I could jack the truck up and have no wheels on it and replicate it. I tried explaining even with my winter highway tread Hankooks, I can replicate the issue and they again were like blah blah aggressive tires.

4. Called (2) dealers for pieces of the 30K service, including T-case, F/R diff, plugs, retorque the driveshaft and a trans flush/fill. Dealer from #1-3 told me nothing but the plugs were necessary and quoted me a price. I asked politely for a price for all the items. He told me he'd get back to me. He then gave me a price for the full 30K service, including all the filters. I had made it clear in the initial conversation I only wanted what I had stated and he was like well you don't need those other items and still didn't give me a price. I gave up. The second dealer gave me all the pricing and reminded me I didn't need to do the trans, but I decided to anyways (I'm a bit overcautious with that stuff).

5. This is from a new dealer different from #1-3. I again mention my vibes. They can't reproduce them, so I took a tech out and showed him and he's like oh yes, totally there. I had my Hankooks on instead of the BFGs to stop them from going aggressive tires angle. They did the first part of the TSB for me. I made sure to mention the 3-leaf pack can't handle weight (I know that the TSB for weight doesn't include the 2013, but I wanted to push for the TSB springs). Halfway through, they call me and tell me they can't complete the TSB for me because of my ARB bumper. They claim that it throws off the driveline angles in the rear. I mean, I can sort of see it if I think really hard, but what's the difference if I weighed 200 lbs more and had a heavy passenger. I again asked about the fact the 2+1 can't handle ANY weight and he tried to blame my ARB.

I completely get that this service writer didn't really care and wanted to do the full TSB and obviously someone higher up (probably the warranty rep he asked to approve a rental when I asked for one since they had my truck for a few days and I was running out of goodwill with my Mom to borrow her car) must have taken one look at my truck and said deny him. I just wish I got a "look, your truck has an aftermarket bumper, we're not touching it because it has aftermarket parts," not some convoluted story about weight.

I fully understand I'm particular when it comes to my truck and maybe not the easiest to work with because I'm so particular (although I try to be very affable at the desk and only question after I've been fed BS, and even then I remain polite) and I don't listen to their BS and buy into it, but some of this is ridiculous.

 

Have had nothing but excellent service and maintenance on all of our Toyotas with our local dealership here in Nebraska!

 

I HATE YOU!









j/k

 

Picked up my '11 Taco from Newburgh (NY) Toyota. Internet sales gave me a good price, great finance rate and sold me a vehicle that with the exception of a blower motor has not needed an ounce of work in 70K miles. Went back there last fall just to window shop, sales rep knew those cars inside and out. Despite me trying to trip him up, he answered every question I could throw at him.
As for service departments, haven't seen one of those since a Ford dealer tried to charge me for rotating my tires after servicing all 4 brakes.

 

Dealer didn't torque my lugs to spec. I was washing the truck yesterday and noticed I was missing a lug!!!!
I'm calling tomorrow morning to bitch them out.

 

Some of the things I can remember from my last 2 years' dealership experience at Marina Del Rey Toyota:
- forgot to change oil at the first service
- broke the seat lever and glued it back on (I caught it and had to argue to get a replacement)
- forgot to re-calibrate the occupant sensor mat after changing the seat track
- told me (repeatedly) that the whistle noise I hear from the front is normal wind noise. Until they found a TSB, and changed the grille to hood seal.
- told me that the vibration when the truck comes to a full stop at cold engine is normal. Repeatedly. Could not replicate the issue - of course they only attempted to replicate the issue when the engine was warmed up. After several complaints, a miracle TSB was found, transmission re-calibrated and the vibration was gone.
- told me that I had a lot of brake dust in the rear brakes and that Toyota recommends cleaning and adjusting the brakes every 6 months, for only $56.95. I asked what exactly they are "adjusting" on self adjusting drums....response was that they still need to be adjusted.
- asked them about the clunking I hear and feel after coming to a stop. After some discussion, they agreed to put a tech with me in the truck. After about 10 "clunks" the issue was acknowledged - and they quickly came up with a whole list of interesting explanations: my roof rack is loose. My Snugtop is loose. The spare tire is loose. Finally, they refused to check it because I have Ride Rite airbags on. I even asked if they want me to remove them and come back. Answer was that the truck has to be 100% stock for them to do any work to find the issue. Snugtop off, airbags, compressor and all cables off etc.

Would love to hear their theories on what causes my steering to shake violently when braking at higher speeds - but since the 2 year free service period is up, I don't think they will be seeing me again.

 

"Would love to hear their theories on what causes my steering to shake violently when braking at higher speeds - but since the 2 year free service period is up, I don't think they will be seeing me again. "

Could it be warped rotors ??? They could have over-torqued them when checking for brake dust??

On second thought I'd try another dealer ..

 

Brought my truck in for service on my failing e brakes. Parked it outside, told them I park it in first gear with no e break on. Dude brings it into the bay and and gets out of my truck... It immediately continued to roll forward at a snail pace, which I saw from inside the service office, so I said Um my truck is still moving! Rolled right into some chicks suv in front of mine!

 

I bought my '11 in Sept 2010 @ Grappone in Concord NH. I used USAA buying service. I got an email from the internet girl and we set up appointment for the next day. I test drove the truck I wanted and completed the whole transaction in less than an hour. The finance guy even sold me the 8 year/100k "platinum" warranty for less than $ 800. I have taken it back for the initial routine service and once for the spring change without problem or hassle.

 

I went to my dealer to get the drain plug gaskets for front, rear diff and transfer case for 2011 DCLB. Parts man spent 20 minutes looking at computer screen then came out and asked me to come look at the screen for him. He said he has never ordered those parts and couldn't locate the part numbers on the diagram. I said thanks I'll get the part numbers and buy them online.

 

After negotiating deal for my 2015 & paying deposit to get it secured, specified not to drill into front bumper.

Came to pick it up when it arrived. Dealer frame + paper dealer "plate" drilled into front bumper