First, let me say that I am very happy with my new 4Runner. I look forward to enjoying it for three years (my lease term) and wouldn't be surprised if I got another at that time.
However, my buying experience was and continues to be very negative.
When we went in to look at the vehicle and take a test drive, the salesmen (two of them) went over features and such, but what they really talked up was the "family atmosphere" at 355 Toyota. They told us over and over again that every customer was a member of the family and they were committed to our satisfaction as their number one goal. Yadda yadda yadda ...
During the process, we asked FOUR TIMES whether the combined Nav/Stereo system was a 1-CD or 6-CD in-dash system. The first salesman said he didn't know; the second said it was a 6-CD system. Then the second salesman told us that he had "checked" and determined it was six. Finally, before we closed the deal, we asked one last time and he told us that he had gone out to the vehicle and verified it took six in the dash.
We were also told that certain accessories that were missing from the vechile (wheel locks, first aid kit, IR headphones) were standard on the Limited edition we were buying, and that they would provide them.
It was about 11:30pm on a Friday night when we finally closed the deal, so everyone was exhausted and ready to go home. The salesmen told us to come back on Monday morning to pick up the promised accessories.
During the weekend, we discovered that the CD player does not take six CDs ... it only has capacity for one. As you can tell, this was a major factor for us because (a) I make long distance trips often and (b) all of the other competitor vehicles we were considering had the 6-in-dash feature. The manual is very clear about it. There is no way the salesman "checked" anything.
So Monday morning I drive to the dealership intent to work this out and pick up my extra accessories. But instead, I am told that it is my own fault ... and that as long as I have "a CD player" as indicated on the sticker, I got what I paid for and cannot complain. To add insult to injury, I'm told that the salesmen (and the sales mgr) were all wrong on Friday when they told me those accessories were standard with the Limited ... turns out they're an extra package that I didn't pay for (even though I thought I had when I negotiated the price), so I can't have them, either.
Let me be very clear: I had a list of questions I asked before settling on a price. One of them was whether the CD player was a 6-disc changer or not; answer: yes. One of them was whether the wheel locks and first aid kit were included; answer: yes.
Then, after negotiating a price and leaving with the vehicle, I'm told none of that matters. So I call the Sales Manager and try to talk to him. He informs me that it's the salesman's fault, not 355 Toyota. If I want it fixed, I'll have to get the money from the salesman personally. When I asked if that was the way 355 Toyota stood behind its employees' commitments, he hung up on me.
So Monday afternoon I called and left a message for the General Manager explaining that I needed to hear from him before close of business or I would be back the next morning intent on returning my vehicle. I was promised that 355 Toyota took my complaints very seriously and that I would hear back from him before the day was out.
No one ever called.
Tuesday morning, my wife tried. She brought the vehicle in and spoke to someone higher up the food chain. She was promised that they would "take care of" the accessories ... someone would call back by that afternoon. However, there was nothing they could do about the CD system ... according to them, it is physically impossible to install any type of CD changer anywhere in the 4Runner. When she told them we'd found an auto parts store that offered to sell us a Sony 6-disc changer for less than $200 installed, they told her that it would violate the lease unless it was done by a Toyota dealership.
Not surprisingly, no one ever called us back to take care of the accessories, either. Subsequent calls we have made to the dealership have not been returned, either.
We are now contacting the Better Business Bureau, the Montgomery County Consumer Protection people, and the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, which handles complaints about new and used car dealers.
355 Toyota apparently feels that it is the customer's job to research the specific features of the vehicle in complete detail because its sales people cannot be expected to (a) know or (b) tell the truth. If the sales people and even sales manager report that something is standard and it is not ... tough luck. If you negotiate a price relying on their expertise and information ... sucks to be you. If you have a complaint about their service or the way they deal with customers ... who cares?
I will visit 355 Toyota again exactly three times.
First, to pick up my license plates when they arrive.
Second, to get my free (we'll see) 1000mi break-in oil change.
Third, to turn in my vehicle after the lease is up.
All of my other service needs, and any future sales needs (my wife will likely be purchasing a new vehicle before the year is out) will be directed to a different dealership which is farther away, less convenient, but apparently understands some concept of honest, fair dealing, and customer service.
Stay safe ...
However, my buying experience was and continues to be very negative.
When we went in to look at the vehicle and take a test drive, the salesmen (two of them) went over features and such, but what they really talked up was the "family atmosphere" at 355 Toyota. They told us over and over again that every customer was a member of the family and they were committed to our satisfaction as their number one goal. Yadda yadda yadda ...
During the process, we asked FOUR TIMES whether the combined Nav/Stereo system was a 1-CD or 6-CD in-dash system. The first salesman said he didn't know; the second said it was a 6-CD system. Then the second salesman told us that he had "checked" and determined it was six. Finally, before we closed the deal, we asked one last time and he told us that he had gone out to the vehicle and verified it took six in the dash.
We were also told that certain accessories that were missing from the vechile (wheel locks, first aid kit, IR headphones) were standard on the Limited edition we were buying, and that they would provide them.
It was about 11:30pm on a Friday night when we finally closed the deal, so everyone was exhausted and ready to go home. The salesmen told us to come back on Monday morning to pick up the promised accessories.
During the weekend, we discovered that the CD player does not take six CDs ... it only has capacity for one. As you can tell, this was a major factor for us because (a) I make long distance trips often and (b) all of the other competitor vehicles we were considering had the 6-in-dash feature. The manual is very clear about it. There is no way the salesman "checked" anything.
So Monday morning I drive to the dealership intent to work this out and pick up my extra accessories. But instead, I am told that it is my own fault ... and that as long as I have "a CD player" as indicated on the sticker, I got what I paid for and cannot complain. To add insult to injury, I'm told that the salesmen (and the sales mgr) were all wrong on Friday when they told me those accessories were standard with the Limited ... turns out they're an extra package that I didn't pay for (even though I thought I had when I negotiated the price), so I can't have them, either.
Let me be very clear: I had a list of questions I asked before settling on a price. One of them was whether the CD player was a 6-disc changer or not; answer: yes. One of them was whether the wheel locks and first aid kit were included; answer: yes.
Then, after negotiating a price and leaving with the vehicle, I'm told none of that matters. So I call the Sales Manager and try to talk to him. He informs me that it's the salesman's fault, not 355 Toyota. If I want it fixed, I'll have to get the money from the salesman personally. When I asked if that was the way 355 Toyota stood behind its employees' commitments, he hung up on me.
So Monday afternoon I called and left a message for the General Manager explaining that I needed to hear from him before close of business or I would be back the next morning intent on returning my vehicle. I was promised that 355 Toyota took my complaints very seriously and that I would hear back from him before the day was out.
No one ever called.
Tuesday morning, my wife tried. She brought the vehicle in and spoke to someone higher up the food chain. She was promised that they would "take care of" the accessories ... someone would call back by that afternoon. However, there was nothing they could do about the CD system ... according to them, it is physically impossible to install any type of CD changer anywhere in the 4Runner. When she told them we'd found an auto parts store that offered to sell us a Sony 6-disc changer for less than $200 installed, they told her that it would violate the lease unless it was done by a Toyota dealership.
Not surprisingly, no one ever called us back to take care of the accessories, either. Subsequent calls we have made to the dealership have not been returned, either.
We are now contacting the Better Business Bureau, the Montgomery County Consumer Protection people, and the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, which handles complaints about new and used car dealers.
355 Toyota apparently feels that it is the customer's job to research the specific features of the vehicle in complete detail because its sales people cannot be expected to (a) know or (b) tell the truth. If the sales people and even sales manager report that something is standard and it is not ... tough luck. If you negotiate a price relying on their expertise and information ... sucks to be you. If you have a complaint about their service or the way they deal with customers ... who cares?
I will visit 355 Toyota again exactly three times.
First, to pick up my license plates when they arrive.
Second, to get my free (we'll see) 1000mi break-in oil change.
Third, to turn in my vehicle after the lease is up.
All of my other service needs, and any future sales needs (my wife will likely be purchasing a new vehicle before the year is out) will be directed to a different dealership which is farther away, less convenient, but apparently understands some concept of honest, fair dealing, and customer service.
Stay safe ...
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