I went into the dealership for the 40k mile service which involved some fluid changes, tire rotation and brake wear test. I walked out of there $1300 poorer, after they nickel and dimed me for a bunch of other things that came up during the inspection. I even turned down some of the “suggested services.” I won’t be going back there again. Anyone else get this treatment?
Dealers are not in the business of helping you. They are big entities in the business of making money. Good rule of thumb is that unless you’re going to buy or car or getting warranty work, it’s a good idea to avoid dealers.
There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. But for the most part it’s true. And this isn’t just toyota.
“Toyota isn’t as bad…”?
Hell, I’ve come close to getting physical with a Toyota service writer or two over my refusal to take a “fuel system flush” or a radiator flush once a year!
That moment when your filing all the sales paperwork at the toyota dealership and the salesman is pushing all the warranties and coverages on a new car…
buy this extended warranty, this and that, car can break down, this can happen, you never know with reliability…
All this bullshit rhetoric about Toyota quality, all of a sudden your telling me you dont stand by it? Then why tf am I buying this toyota car?
I was buying a new Sienna a few years back. I was in the dealership with my wife and 1 year old son.
I’m sitting in the finance office and this guy won’t quit. I told him no repeatedly to the point that I’m getting pissed. I finally told him I’ll buy the warranty for $20 per payment so $1200 instead of the $3500 he quoted me. He said yes and hurried up the paperwork. lol
I didn’t even use the warranty but I figured for $20 per check it can’t hurt.
I got the extended warranty and GAP for $10/month, so only $840 on my certified used Camry I bought two years ago. They kept pestering me too and I didn’t even offer a price that I’d accept because I genuinely didn’t want it but I figured GAP from my insurance would cost about the same so I was getting the warranty for free.
The warranty probably only cost a few hundred for the dealership, if they quickly agreed then they were still making money on the deal.
And both the sales type and I both know it’s so they can make more money.
Wish it was just Toyota that did this, had a Ford dealer try to push 8 grand worth of warranties and an extra 5k on the sticker price on a 41k truck, and they wouldn’t budge 3 hours later and a micky d’s Uber order later I walked. Service manger manager mocked me on my way out the door… what are you going to save 1-2 grand? I asked what are you going to take 1-2 grand off? No? Then I guess it matters doesn’t it?
For the record I didn’t save 1-2 grand I bought the same truck same trim same year half the miles 2 days later for 42k out the door not 57k… so I guess I saved 15k. Plenty of great dealers out there, but the bad ones tell on themselves before you ever drive off the lot.
And if you DO buy that extended warranty and, God forbid, something breaks - then you find out there is a long list of EXCLUSIONS that the warranty does not cover.
I asked them if the warranty could cover me for 300,000 miles and 30 years instead of 100k and 10. I said I drove here in a 1990 model car so I trust the brand to last that long, why don’t you? The finance lady buttoned up her shirt at that point (metaphorically). Conversely the guy who bought a warranty after me she walked out of her office to get the paperwork for him with a pep in her step ;)
i pointed out the eames chair he was sitting in and said he must sell a lot of warranties! he shut up
Can’t you get negotiate a lower price by taking the warranty and then refund the warranty within a few days of the sale?
One Toyota dealer I went to kept telling me my brand new battery was bad. I ignored them but bought a battery jump pack just in case. The last time it went for repairs I went to a different Toyota dealer when my car was overheating and they said my battery was in good condition.
Agreed. I almost believe that half of these recalls are baked in to bring people back to the dealerships.
“Toyota recalls 8 million Rav 4 for faulty window motors” or something.
Normally we just would have gone and gotten it fixed and then found out that the model we bought had a faulty part and we shook our fists at the sky. Now they proudly recall and get a boost of potential buyers walking through their doors. No way in hell I go to a dealer for their free service even. You’ll sit inside their showroom for 2 hours for an oil change and a wash and for a million salesmen to offer me water and talk to me about the newer models.
I like going to the dealer for these. I act super interested in the tacomas and 4Runners and supras and GRs and ask to test drive any manuals they have. Rarely they even let me!
I am soon going to become a 2024 Rav4 owner and I am dealing with a Toyota dealership now. My honest question to you is (since I have no clue) – after my free services, based on kms, are completed, can I do the servicing of the car somewhere other than the dealership? I am based out of Ottawa (if that matters)
Yes. Keep receipts.
Name one business in the retail world that’s there to help you and not in the business of making money.
Name a business in the retail world with the same monopolies enjoyed by car dealers.
A lot of them don’t lie to get business though. It’s very common for a dealership to straight make shit up if the customer isn’t car savvy. Sometimes you actually have a good product or service that people want. That said not all dealers are like this. I have one 20 miles away that does immaculate service. Never tries to upsell and doesn’t just throw parts at the issue.
I’m definitely not taking the dealers side on anything. But it’s asinine to think anybody in retail has your best interest at heart.
The problem is that when it comes to dealerships, there is a massive power imbalance. When you go into a Best Buy to buy a computer, chances are you know what you want, all the prices are clearly labeled in the store, it’s easy to compare prices with other retailers, you know how much computers should cost, etc. Best Buy has very little opportunity to swindle you. But that’s why they swindle old people, upsell them, and load them up with geek squad warranties. Computers are to old people as cars are to most people.
Most people going into a dealership for car trouble don’t know what’s wrong with their car, none of the prices are transparent, there’s no way to compare prices, people don’t know how much stuff should cost, the technical details are confusing to them, etc. This gives dealerships open opportunity to capitalize on their conflict of interest and prey on you.
It’s why I’d encourage everyone to at least learn a little bit about cars and basic parts & maintenance.
Um all that information is online. Google it. But I love cars so I’m always reading and watching car shit
'IVE BEEN STAYING TF AWAY FROM DEALERSHIPS FOR ANY/ALL REPAIRS FOR 30YRS! ^rabble ^^rablle ^^^rabble
I have one argument (as a dealer) that I will throw in there. If I see a 90k mile car that’s been serviced by the same dealer it’s entire life, I am likely to throw an extra 1000+ on it in appraisal than I would a car with no service history. At my store we typically throw an extra 2000-2500 in discounts and/or higher appraisal value (edit: to a customer who does all their service at my store). I am a forward thinker, and am all about the legacy of the customer, more so than a 1 off transaction that left a bad taste in their mouth.
I have certificates and awards from Honda, Chevrolet, Toyota, Subaru and Mopar for sales. The one thing I can say about your comment is this. We are held at all manufacturers at a standard that will reflect upon the stores success, future success and “help” from said manufacturers. We have to be exceptional or atleast try to at our best accord.
Now, that being said; yes, any business, local, mom n pop, or fortune 500 company, profit isn’t a bad word. Charity unfortunately isn’t in the auto market however; As a sales person for each one of those manufacturers, the one criticism I have for young sales people, Do not try to justify the amount of money people will or won’t spend.
Little short story. At Chevy, young guy in a Mario cart t-shirt, cut up jean shorts and dusty skater shoes walks in and says, I really like this Z51 Corvette 3LT. I sat him down, came up with a payment option. Managers said stop wasting their time. I went up to him, and I said hopefully you won’t take offense to this question, what do you do for a living. He said he was a Decoder for the US military. Say less. That guy travels 4 hours every single time to buy a car from me and no one else, 10 years down the road.
It’s the dealer, not the manufacturer. Manufacturers have little control over dealer antics, they’re franchises.
Oh Toyota is that bad and it filters down from corporate, which was explained to me by a Toyota service tech.
Whenever I’d take my old Scion in for regular oil changes they’d habitually try to get me on board with close to a grand of extras but I could kind of see that the service writer wasnt really into it either. Going through the motions, so to speak.
Found out after having to take the car in on a rear input shaft bearing warranty claim at around 50K it was because Toyota corporate likes cutting hours compensation to the absolute bone.
So shit rolls down hill and they have to do these claims so the dealers turn around and extract it out of you any way they can.