Advice on issue with dealer.

Just looking for a couple opinions before I even go to the dealer about this. I bought the truck a couple months ago from A local Toyota dealer, it's a 2010 from down south, with only 23 K on it. IF I purchased this from a private individual, I would take full responsibility for not checking these items when I purchased it, but this is the first truck I ever bought from a dealer , and possibly expected better service than I should have ? It has been running sluggish since I got it, and also after the smell of the crap they used to detail the interior wore off, it has had a strange smell inside I could not locate. They claimed they did an oil change, and had serviced the truck before delivery, I would have thought these areas would have been at least looked at. This is what I found when I checked the cabin air filter and engine filter yesterday. That is all dried out mice droppings in the cabin air filter, that my family has been breathing for a couple months. I suspect I should have checked these earlier, but when buying from a reputable local dealer, I took for granted they would have checked for this before selling the truck. Should I just take my lumps and admit it's my fault, or be pissed at the dealer for not finding this ? Or a little of both ? Thanks.

 

Wow! Shave that thing man.

I know what you mean about not going through everything from the dealer. They supposedly inspect and check it all.
I would be kinda cranky about it too. I am just making my way around and through the truck that I have had for about 4 months now.

 

Wow, Have you cleaned the filters?
I would take them to the dealer just like that and drop them on a managers desk.

Did they give you a list of things they checked?
If yes and the filters are on the check list I would blow a gasket.

 

I saved them, and took a few pictures, even wrote a pretty hot headed letter to the owner of the dealership who I personally know. I just didn't want to over react if this is normal dealer behavior and I just expected too much, before mailing it.

 

Some things are worth getting annoyed about, some things aren't worth the trouble.

What exactly would getting all pissy with the dealer get you? A free air filter? Free oil change? Is that even worth the drive down there?

Change your air filter, inspect the rest of the truck yourself, and get on with your life.

 

Yeah, I would sit on the letter for a little bit. Just from my "hot headed" experience.

 

I would imagine the owner would appreciate knowing what goes in his business unless this type practice is his call to begin with. Ironic all the stories we hear about dealerships selling/gouging the public on cabin/air filters and then when you really need it you got this. If it was me I would not use this dealer.

 

Like Chris4X4 said the whole certified thing is a joke, they will just check a few things and put them on the lot.
See if you can get some new filters out of them.

 

The air filter looks new.
Cabin looks like it could have been ready to be changed.
We see this a lot after the truck is prepped and put on the lot.
It sits for some time and mice make a home.
It takes only days to get what you see.
I had someone come in every two weeks with stuff like this until I convinced them to put traps out.
If you had the smell within the first few days then it happened on the lot.
Nothing can mask the smell of mice urin and poop.
Do yourself a favor and don't send a hot letter.
With what I see they were in there looking.
It happened after.
Getting off on the wrong foot in either direction is not good for either of you.
Buy yourself a couple of filters and wipe the box the best you can. Check for brown and yellow goo around the filter area and look at the blower wheel. Any crap you see and the blower needs to be pulled and the wheel cleaned. Not really a bad job to remove.
I do this mice stuff a lot and it is a health hazard. My avatar shows me doing a Prius with dead mice in it.
I don't think Anyone would leave that in a truck on the lot and try to sell it knowing it was in there.
I would be checking your area for mice too.

 

You got off lucky. Now change the rear diff lube and let me know what you think.

 

Proving that this just didn't happen since you bought it will be the issue. I agree with above, pick your battles. That $10 air filter that you can't prove was like that when you bought it, may cost you way more that $10 on your first dealer repair. Would I mention it to him, yeh, probably, would I jump up and down and make an enemy, nope.

 

Take ur lumps.
They should've checked but you can't blame them totally.
Change the filter and remember to change it regularly.

 

Thanks for the advice, I will politely let them know what I found, and take my lumps, I am disappointed in myself for not checking these sooner.....I usually stay right on top of stuff like that. Now we're off to the fluids....

 

You state you know owner . I would ask for personal meeting with him and his used car manager and see why this occurred. I am tired of bs some dealers will try to sell you yet when checking on your dime while on theirs it does not happen. Even though it was used I would let Toyota know also.

 

clean it. write a letter to the owner of the dealer, maybe save the next guy from dealing with this. move on.

 

I've dealt with a similar situation with mold on my cabin filter and I knew the owner as well. I simply told the owner about what I found and that I had already solved the problem and replaced it. He apologized and offered to reimburse me for the new filter..this made me happy and earned my business for the next truck i go in for!

 

I totally agree ... No sense causing problems in case there is a larger issue down the road and you really need to get their help.

One of my mantras:

"Keep you words short and sweet ..... just in case you have to eat them."

 

Yep, Know this for a fact. Cost effective for them to take a chance, Dealer does not inspect the vehicle as advertised...Too much time, paying the tech.