[Advise needed] Heated debates about return shipping cost w. Toyota dealership for a defective part

Hi, long story short, on last Saturday, I received a door mirror glass for my Toyota Tacoma with two of the four clippers on the back of the mirror broken. The broken clippers are not in the shipping box, indicting the glass part was broken prior to shipping. Also, the glass has over ten fingerprints on it, indicting it is not brand new. On Sunday and Monday, I contacted the part manager of the dealership multiple times, and they agree to send me the new part and cover freight when sending the new part to me. However, they need me to send the defective part back to them and ask me to cover the shipping cost for sending the defective part back to them. I am so upset and need your help! Please help me address my three questions below.


1. When receiving a defective OEM part from a Toyota dealership through shipping, do customers typically need to pay the shipping cost for sending the defective part back?

2. On the dealership website, it stated the terms and condition for part sales below:


Return Policy

We will accept authorized returns 15 calendar days after the date of the shipments delivery to the customer. Authorized returns must be in the complete and original packaging. If your shipment has arrived with a damaged or incorrect item, please repack items in its original shipping container contact us and we will arrange for its return. All authorized returns must be in their original condition include all components and cannot be disassembled, mounted or damaged due to incorrect installation. Returns of missing components will not be credited. We are not responsible for installation errors, nor will we cover any labor expenses, towing expenses, rental car expenses caused by the use of wrong or defective parts during installation. Electrical parts are not returnable if plugged in or unsealed for any reason. Freight charges are not reimbursable unless the return is a direct result of our error. (Source: https://parts.dickhannahtoyota.com/policy.aspx)


Based on the above term and condition, how can I prove that receiving the defective part is a direct result of the dealership's error and get my returning shipping cost covered by the dealership? Do I just need to tell the part manager that it is not my fault for the part being defective, so it must be the dealership's error?


3. Is there any way to persuade the part manager that dealership does not need the broken part any more as the broken clippers on the back of the mirror are beyond repair, and you cannot use glue to fix the clippers temporarily as the broken clippers/pieces are not in the box. I have already sent the dealership's part manager photos of the broken glass part, but he still want the broken part back.


I know shipping cost is not huge money, but for a single mom with two kids, every penny counts, especially I did nothing wrong for receiving the defective part.


I would appreciate your guys' help.


Emily Z.

 

Maybe the Sales Manager can discount the price to help offset your return shipping cost?
If that doesn’t work, you have about 2 real options.
Pay the return shipping and get the new mirror from the SAME dealership.
Or pay the return shipping and take your business to a different dealership.


I am surprised they even offered to send you a new with out charge. A lot of place now place second “pending” charge on your Credit Card until the old part is returned.

I always feel like I need to buy 3.
Because the 1st one usually isn’t the right part.
The 2nd one is broken
And the 3rd “usually” works. (For awhile anyway )

 

I bet you have a better chance of getting your issue fixed by taking the items to a local toyota dealer and speak to the parts manager about your situation. They can at least call on your behalf and making it right.

 

It's reasonable for them to cover the cost of return shipping of the damaged part.

Follow their instructions that you highlighted in your OP. Pack the bad part back up and ask them to send you a prepaid return shipping label. They should do that. It's easy for them. Then just put the label on the package and drop it off at the carrier's nearest drop off point. If dropping it off is a serious hardship for you, the dealer can arrange to have the carrier come pick it up from you, but that's very expensive compared to just issuing a return label.

Don't try to get them to let you keep the bad part. They probably need to return it to their warehouse so they can get their refund. The harder you try to get them to let you keep the part, the more they will think you are scamming them.

Don't try to get money from them to ship back the bad part. Use a return label as I described above.

 

What are talking about $5-$15? Seems like a lot of bitching on the internet for less money than most waste at a fast food joint

 

@dcoursler I see youve never really been counting pennies...sometimes it IS that tight..OP like the others have said, you can try and talk to them and refer to the disclaimer "direct result of our error" in whcih case it is, its broken, and see what comes of it...or call and see if you can talk to the General Manager of the dealership?

 

General Manager time.

 

Good news for you, you have a new part on the way at no additional cost, so they seem to be working pretty well with you. As for the broken part; contact them back and thank them for sending the new part, and remind them that you still have the defective part in the original packaging as requested, and are awaiting a return shipping label. If they push back for some reason, politely explain to them that the return policy states otherwise, and you're not responsible for the return shipping, although you're more than happy to drop it off at a carrier if they'll send you a prepaid label. If they want to be reimbursed for the part, they'll send a label or coordinate pickup. Worst case, they try to charge you for the part twice and you can dispute it with your bank/CC at that point. Email is preferred communication bc you can document all communication.

 

Noted; don't plan to use your business/employer for anything in the future.