Need Advice - New Truck Was Painted Prior to Sale

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44977000/jpg/_44977313_44977256.jpg

Found this pic of gulfport, MS during hurricane gustov...

 

Amazing thread...If you haven't sent the letter in already remove the warranty request on your current vehicle part. Trade it for a real "New" truck. There is no reason why you should have to deal with ANY issues that may or may not arise due to any sort of water damage. You have obviously done your homework on this. Don't settle for anything except what you paid for. A brand new, problem-free Tacoma.

 

Ugh...::holds head::

I've removed the option for the dealer to warrantee the truck and added that I would contact the Commonwealth Attorney General's office for resolution after the 4th.

This letter goes out tomorrow...I have a feeling I'm in for a long ride but I hope the outcome is positive. Thankfully its winter so my mobile motorcycle maintenance business is dormant and I have a second car to drive.

Thank you for all the helpful links and postings with sections of consumer protection laws.

 

Call the local newspaper and have someone write up an article on it. That will get the dealership's attention.

 

Letter's out. Best case, this is all taken care of before Christmas and I'm either riding in a new Tacoma or taking a fistful of cash somewhere else to buy one. Worst case I go through the processes with BBB, Fairfax County, and definitely the Commonwealth AG's office. I'm not sure how long that would take.

I have time now to start organizing my documentation and making everything presentable in case I have to contact these agencies. Is it a good idea to report this to BBB, Fairfax County, and the Commonwealth AG simultaneously? Or should I work with one agency at a time? Snowboarder, my g/f suggested going to the press as well. I'm thinking that would be a last option for me - I think I have more leverage now since I have not contacted any consumer protection agencies or spread any bad press. The potential that I go that route may help the negotiations in my favor.

If the dealer accepts a refund or trade I'll need to take two days to get the truck back to stock. Installing the lift took a whole day. I expect everything else to take another day at least. Hopefully not so long since I'll already know how to do it all.

I'm sure that they will contact me and ask me to stop by so they can look at the truck. What should I do? On one hand they have already had the opportunity to inspect the truck and told me there was no water damage. But will they need to look at it again before deciding to take it back? Should I be concerned about them seeing all the mods I've done? They are all bolt-on and reversible.

 

What do you want to get out of this situation? What is your ideal solution?

If I was in your shoes, at a minimum, I would want a trade in on a new truck with no additional cost. It gets tricky with your mods but I guess just ask that they remove them and allow you to reinstall on your dime. The hood makes it REAL confusing but I guess just give that up.

At a MAXIMUM, I would sue the snot out of this dealership for punitive damages. This is to "deter the defendant and others from engaging in conduct similar to that which formed the basis of the lawsuit." Living in the northeast, you may have found this rust in a couple years and just blamed it on our cold, wet weather. I have in the past. It worries the shit out of me to think they can dump this thing half a country away where flood damage is more rare and not even considered when buying a vehicle. Any concious Mississippian would have known to look for signs when buying a vehicle down there. They're used to it. Instead, this dealership sent the truck to a more "nieve (to floods)" part of the country. They scammed you and need to be punished for it. No offense but I don't want to end up in the same shoes as you.

 

None taken - I wouldn't want anyone else to have to go through this either!

All I really want is to have my truck replaced and move on with life. Yes, what these people did is wrong but I really don't have the desire to go the length to get them back or teach them a lesson, unless that ends up being the only way I get this problem resolved.

I'm not worried about losing the hood - I found one and if I get an Off-Road instead of a Sport I'll find another one. Do you think it makes sense to negotiate removal of my parts? I was thinking I would have to remove and reinstall everything on my own. It didn't cost me anything except for the alignment after the lift and demounting/mounting stock tires on the FJ rims.

 

If you are fortunate enough to be able to trade even up for a new truck, insist it is the same color and insist you are able to swap the hood. Also try to have them pay to swap you lift and everything, and don't dismount your tires just swap the wheels from the old truck to new truck.

 

Thats a good idea to swap the current wheel/tires from truck to truck. They'll need to re-initialize the TPMS sensors but that should not be a big deal. I'll see if I can work in the lift swap...we'll see. For the next week I'll just wait for a response and start preparing my claim to the AG.

 

Good Luck Man I hope it all works out for you. It seams like the dealership in Gulfport is the one that is screwed especially if they failed to disclose the to the dealership you bought it from. On a positive note at least you noticed the issues this soon while you can still get something done on it.

 

Holy smokes man, what a bunch of crooks at that dealership. They knew the whole time they sold you a fcked up truck. I would do everything in your power to get the hell out of that truck and into a new one. If I were you, I would also start taking all of the aftermarket parts off now. Good luck man and keep us posted.

 

The more I think about this, the more I realize that this is more than likely true. Why else would a dealer in VA accept a 'trade' from a dealer in Mississippi? I was told that they couldn't sell this vehicle and that's why it was transferred to VA.

The dealership has provided me just 2 sheets of documentation - one is the service report. The other is the trade sheet that shows the true value of the truck and what it was traded for (supposedly). I know there is more paperwork on this truck that they are not providing me.

 

Wow! I don't know how I missed this thread for the last few days.

SManZ, I hope you get it worked out. It sounds like your pretty level headed so I'm sure your outcome will be positive. Reading your story makes me want to drive MY truck straight through their showroom. But I digress.

It's probably a good idea to also stop all conversation with the dealer of purchase and only deal directly with Toyota corporate. They have lied to you before and, now that it's their ass on the line, you can guarantee they will do it again. Especially if you take the steps you've mentioned in the previous posts. Don't take the truck there anymore for anything. Document everything and keep moving forward. They offered to "do all the footwork" for you. That means they are trying to handle it in house and gives them the opportunity to shove it under the rug.

 

I like the idea of involving Toyota Corporate office.

I also agree that the dealer in VA knew what was going on. There are plenty of other trucks between VA and MS that could have been had. Someone knew someone and dumped a flooded vehicle into an area where floods are not common and easily overlooked.

In the south, people know what to look for.

 

I don't know if this has been addressed, but there are laws pertaining to the disclosure of repair work done on a new car/truck in California. You (and the Toyota dealer you got the truck from for that matter) could have a legitimate case worth addressing with a lawyer.

Just my .02.

 

flood damage for sure

 

I would without a doubt eliminate the keeping of that truck as one of the options you present to them.

That defeats the purpose of buying 'new'.

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

One of the things that the dealer has claimed numerous times is that they were not aware of the repairs. They said they contacted Allen Toyota and they fessed up and faxed over copies of the service reports. That doesn't sound right and I really think that there is a good possibility that Koons has had these service reports and everything else from day 1.

I've been thinking about how I can contact Allen Toyota to confirm this. The service manager's name is on the service report. One of my thoughts was to contact him and ask him if the customer relations manager from Koons has contacted him in the last two weeks.

Ideally, to have a statement from Allen Toyota that Koons has not contacted them might suggest that Koons merely provided me documents they already had.

Any ideas on the best way to get this information?

-Thanks & hope you all have a happy and safe one!

 

IMO, cash for what you paid for the truck, plus cash equivalent for all the mods you put on would be acceptable. Or a replacement new vehicle exactly like you bought plus cash for the mods, plus installation $$ for those mods. Those would be fair recompense for the grief you have been through. You shouldn't have to swap your mods to the new truck after all they have put you through...my .02

 

I would not go there. Your letter states your case pretty well. Best to wait to see how they respond. If there is not an appropriate response from them, then contact the state authorities and Toyota corporate.

Starting your own investigation is IMO more likely to muddy the waters than move your case along.

Good luck!