Dealer smashed into a curb. What do I need to check

No way I would be that calm.

 

LMFAO!

 

call in the heavy duty enforcement.. This need to be brought up to the corpation level.. the dealer played out thier card hand. you got got the ace.. so once the dealer gets hell for it.. then move on to a differnt dealer or do on your own.

 

This incident brings up a lot of bad memories for me. Years ago my wife's Kia Optima needed major service and when we got the car back from the dealer it was covered in mud and leaves. I kept that car perfect, but she didn't want me to cause a fuss. As I was cleaning it, I discovered yellow paint embedded in the front bumper, then I discovered it was dented. Yup, some lot-boy had slammed it into a barrier pole. Went immediately in person to the Service manager and he refused to even look at the car and said I couldn't prove anything. Basically called me a liar. I left tons of bad reviews and called Kia direct, but nothing was ever done.
Moral of the story. You have evidence, now get more. Get the name of the guy who was driving the truck and ask for a statement. Have an attorney on retainer and route all communications through him (that's a quick way to tell them you're serious). Get a certified frame shop to laser check everything. Get a Toyota mechanic from another dealership to drive and video his comments. Have your attorney send them a list of your demands and recourse if they don't respond in a timely fashion. Everyday you wait is just another small victory for them.
Basically gather enough evidence that you can screw them into the ground if they hesitate to try anything other than full cooperation. Don't get the shaft like I did.

 

I turn 50 next month, so my memory is kinda hazy at times, LOL. Shiot like this I don't forget. Hope it gets resolved quickly and appropriately.

 

Make sure that you are getting documentation each time that you visit from being there. There is a good possibility that they are not generating a repair order. If no repair orders are being generated for each of your visits, there is no paper trail of this ever happening. I'm also not sure about how Toyota's customer survey system works, but where I work the surveys get sent out randomly to customers - IE if you have more repair orders generated you have a better likelihood of getting a survey. - Corporate people all see those surveys and take them seriously - especially the poor ones.

 

It looks like they really believe they did nothing wrong and that you're trying to scam them. Time to lawyer up, nothing else will work. Begging the general manager or Toyota corporate is not gonna work, because they'd be admitting guilt. Go fix your car somewhere else because they're not going to do anything about it.

It's not only that they damaged your car, you are forced to waste a tremendous amount of time dealing with a problem they created. Time is money, and they should compensate you for that also.

 

This is a little naive. Ask the GM to give his word? Why would the general manager essentially admit guilt, take ownership of a big problem, and make his people look bad?

 

Hey!!!! Don't compare me to a Dealership

 

I agree the OP is in a terrible situation and the little punk deserved to have a can of whoop ass opened on him. But everyone keeps referring to this one kids fuck up as a generalization of ALL dealers. Does shit happen? Yes. This isn't an honest mistake though, kid was driving like an idiot. I treat customer's cars with respect. I just don't like that essentially I'm being badmouthed because some kid in another state is a dumbass. So yes like you said I do blame kids like this for giving dealers a terrible image.

Anywayyyyyy, best of luck to OP for getting this resolved in the way that it should be resolved. Look up who the regional manager is for your area. Say you've talked to him. Once they hear his name come out they Will do anything to prevent you from going any further. Corporate typically won't do anything. The regional manager is who you need to get in touch with.

 

I never said that you should " Just drive it and deal with it ". What I stated was to all of those with the torches, melted tar and pitch forks that the dealer ( from what I have read in here ) it working to get this corrected. No need to break out the lawyers and hang mans noose yet anyway.

 

This does tend to make one wonder WTF they are doing. It is hard to follow the way you posted the emails. Who is Frank? The service manager? And Steven is what the GM?

I hope you get taken care of.

 

If it doesn't get resolved fast, post dealer name. After a week of flooded bad reviews on google, Facebook, instagram, and every other social media, they'll probably regret their decision. Might even try to fix it.

Every time someone on a forum gets jerked around by a dealer, epic results happen.

 

i would have went ballistic!!
the truck would have not been moved until the top man was called out to look at it.
then anything that i found after that that was not there prior would have been on them.
hopefully everything turns out ok for you.

 

Apologize for jumping in late. First I would not have remained that calm if I saw that. I would have waited by the truck till the dumbass came out to move it and would have gotten everyone up to the owner there to see it.

So damage wise, not driving or looking at the truck I would say you have a busted sidewall on the tire, possible tweaked rim, more then likely a bent tie rod, possible destroyed ball joint, and wheel bearing. Depending how fast and hard he hit I would almost say the strut as well.

Our trucks are built tough but you slam into a curb blowing donuts and shit is gonna brake. Hopefully they make it right in the end but honestly you need to get the owner in the truck with you and show him whats happening. I've been having issues getting warranty work done on my truck as well (wheel bearing and ball joint issues, basically dealer saying they are fine when they clearly aren't) and also a dealer trying to hold my truck hostage. Idk whats been happening to dealers lately.

Good luck bud!!

 

IMO, you should have it towed from dealership to another mechanic(ideally) or another dealership and have them check it out. have them notify you if they find anything but do not have it fixed. then ask the GM to come down and have a real mechanic explain and show the damage. sounds like they are not even looking into the real issues with your truck. make them pay!

 

Has anyone removed the tire from the rim and inspected the tire for internal damage and the rim for bending? If the truck has been lifted and indication of it being used off road, you are going to have a VERY hard time showing that the damage was from parking the tire against the curb.

Did they find a bent component such as a tie rod or slipped control arm to cause the wheel not to be centered?

And last, if the porter or grease monkey has a habit of abusing customers vehicles, why is he still there?

There was a story on the forum about a porter at a dealership fiddling with the radio while bringing a car through the car wash and damaging the automatic radio antenna motor, and the dealership finally owned up to it and replaced the motor.

If there is NO damage to a wheel or tire, and NO bent or damaged front end components and the alignment is good, there is VERY little that can be done, on a lifted truck. Once the truck got lifted, you are basically on your own.

Howard

 

I saw a tech at a Ford dealer doing burn outs in the garage. My ex use to fuss at me because I refused to valet park. Lots of people driving other people's vehicles have no respect. Like others I would not have moved the truck until the service manger saw it. Then I would have requested that they fix anything that was wrong and would have asked for free service for life. Now would I actually use them for service, maybe not.

 

I took the truck into an independent shop that I really trust. Within 10 mins the problem was diagnosed.

and...

Drumroll please.......


Lower control arm.

I'm not sure how the dealer missed this in their thorough inspection. H


So I go back to the dealer expecting a battle (especially since the truck is lifted) and without hesitation the service manager agrees to fix it. I am guessing this is because the truck is still under warranty.

The service manager was very nice today, apologized, and generally seemed like he had gotten completely chewed out by someone.

I sent him and the general manager an email thanking them and confirming once again that they will fix this first thing Monday morning. If all goes as agreed upon then I will be very happy.