I have the worst service department luck

[Sac State]

dealer

Dealers are independent franchise owners. Taking one dealers screw up(non warranty) and asking another to clean it up will not go far.

Maybe 800 Toyota could authorize that option, but assuming they are all 'related' and accountable to Toyota, I can't see one profit center fixing anothers problem (non warranty).

 

[Derek]

I asked them about taking it elsewhere, and they said it would be fine, but to be honest I don't know of anybody else around here that could clean and detail it. Since I spoke to the GM, I felt a little better about letting them try to fix their screw-up. Thanks guys for the advice, I think I'm going to print out this entire thread and give it to the service manager right before I leave tonight so he can see how other 4Runner owners feel about the situation and so he knows that his service department's reputation is going downhill.

 

[Biff]

Good for you, speaking with the GM is the best thing to do. A few weeks ago I had to speak with a GM at a local dealer regarding a situation I had with a parts guy that thought my stuttering was funny. As soon as I spoke with the GM he handled it right away. Long story short parts guy was talked to, and I got a $200 part for my Landcruiser (FREE)- it pays to speak with the GM.

 

[mikes4runner]

I asked them about taking it elsewhere, and they said it would be fine, but to be honest I don't know of anybody else around here that could clean and detail it. Since I spoke to the GM, I felt a little better about letting them try to fix their screw-up. Thanks guys for the advice, I think I'm going to print out this entire thread and give it to the service manager right before I leave tonight so he can see how other 4Runner owners feel about the situation and so he knows that his service department's reputation is going downhill.

Great Idea.....Word of mouth and keyboard is very bad for them.

You took care of it like a man. If I got my truck back looking like that I would have been there worst nightmare.

Let us know your how it goes.

 

[darktiger]

Hope you get that straighten out. I love my dealership. They are a lot better than my old jeep stealership....

 

[4route]

erm ... i'm not sure you want to show the dealership this thread ....... i've had personal experience with that and they may try to bully you into retracting what you've said here ... and just, well, trust me on this one, i know.

 

[Derek]

erm ... i'm not sure you want to show the dealership this thread ....... i've had personal experience with that and they may try to bully you into retracting what you've said here ... and just, well, trust me on this one, i know.

haha, yeah, I was thinking about it and maybe it isn't the best idea after all. What exactly happened to you if you don't mind me asking?

 

[4route]

it's a very very long story ... mostly happened over at yotatech ... ended with me getting threatened lots and the parts guy from the dealership refused to sell parts to anyone from YT ... and lots of threats from the customer relations woman trying to bully me into lying and saying that they had fixed things when they hadn't. they found the thread on their own, or else someone from yotatech pointed them to it ... then when the parts guy refused to sell to anyone on yotatech a few people there got mad at me some ... but, anyway, the whole thing was horrible. you'll have a lot better chance of successfully getting your problem taken care of if you can come here and get advice without the dealership sneaking around and getting to see all your cards.

but really, it's okay to post a negative review of that dealership in order to warn other people ... just don't point out this thread to them unless you have to.

 

[DaveS]

At the end of the day the dealership I use pressure hoses down the floor of the service department - which means it is always very clean in there BUT if your car was in there at the time and the drivers side door and hood were open I guess the results would be pretty much what you have. I would be checking out the interior pretty carefully -heaven knows where a fine spray of oil and water would get to in those circumstances.

Thankfully the dealer I use does oil change on a drive thru basis - I always watch them do it over a coffee and a donut in 20 minutes - usually have them pressure hose off the underside for a few bucks as well if its winter time. I am just SO thankful I have a dealership which seems fairly capable in the service dept.

 

[cdoyle]

If you have them replace the cover, when they are done. Ask to see the old one, just to make sure they actually replaced it, and not just tried to clean it.

 

[peter78]

Sorry to hear about your problem. Living in Acworth, Cobb County Toyota is the closest dealer. My parents have had bad experience with their service with their 91 Previa. Even though it is a little further I use Marietta Toyota. They seem OK, not as good as the Acura and Honda dealer I have used in Marietta. Marietta Toyota is a little crowded and hard to park, but their service so far has been good. They once did too much work, which was a screw up, but they didn't charge. Overall they are better than Cobb County Toyota.

Here is a thread where I talked about Cobb County Toyota.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?threadid=218

 

[Expat]

Any update? This situation is incredible. How could they have handed the vehicle to you in that condition?!

I had a 5000m service done at Hamer Toyota (in CA) last week and was satisfied with the work but not the time it took! Plus I hate not being able to see what actually is done to my truck. Being locked away in a waiting room sucks...especially for 4 hours on a Sat. afternoon :awais:

 

[Derek]

Yet another update...

I went there straight after work and they had my 4Runner sitting in the service garage inbetween the two drive-in lanes so that nobody would touch it I suppose. I went up to it to inspect it and there was still oil on the mirror, and I could see it on the roof-rack. I popped the hood, they hadn't even tried to clean under there. I looked at my seat, there were still two obvious oil spots on the seat. I told them to clean the seat, then I'd clean the rest of the outside myself. And I'm supposed to call the GM next week to find out when my new seat cover will be here. And...to top it all off, the inside of my 4Runner now smells like a can of WD-40. Not sure if its because of the cleaners they used, or its because of the oil on the inside, but my new-car smell is no longer thanks to Cobb County Toyota. I really hate the fact that I even have to go back to get the seat cover replaced, but I think I'll insist that I be allowed to watch the guy that does the work to assure he does it right.

 

[TranceKrayz]

good lord......i'm sorry for what you are going through. i know that in your situation, you have nowhere else to go. i would have taken it to my detailing place and get a $200 detailing job done, and then taken it to my friend's upholstery shop and changed the seat cover. Then i would send them the bill. I hope everything gets sorted out for you.

 

[saps]

Wow!
Please let us know what they finally do to make things right. I've been using that dealership also and will not use them any more unless they fix this!

 

[Sac State]

And...to top it all off, the inside of my 4Runner now smells like a can of WD-40.

That is probably brake cleaner. Brake cleaner is used by a dealership the way my wife uses Clorox wipes in the kitchen.

They spray and wipe it on everything. It is the most caustic cleaner there is available short of acid.

Sorry for your Toyota experience. I wonder if corporate knows how badly their dealers represent the product?

 

[bluewolf]

Just read this post and I can't believe they turned your vehicle back to you in that condition!!!

The only thing I can think of that might have happened (short of vandalism) is that someone working on a vehicle in the next bay started an engine without the oil cap on, or something similar, which sprayed oil everywhere. Your vehicle apperently had the hood up and the drivers door open at that time.

I would go PSYCHO INSANE on that dealership GM!! They haven't even told you the truth about what happened yet!!

 

[Bluto]

Your vehicle is damaged, you have insurance. Could you have your insurance company contact the dealer, or their insurance?

A bit drastic, but mention it and maybe the dealer will take you more serious. You may not have laywers, but your insurance company does.

 

[DaveS]

I would contact contact Toyota Customer Relations - the treatment you have received is terrible. Although individual dealerships can behave like this, Toyota do not want their reputation messed up and are likely to come down hard on the dealer for something like this. My understanding is that Toyota have a fairly big hand in the standards their dealerships maintain and would probably be interested to hear about your situation.

 

[Derek]

Well, it has now been over a week and still no phone call from Cobb County Toyota. Not that I can say I'm surprised. The last thing I was told was... "We'll give you a call when your new seat cover arrives, it should be here in two or three days". I would call them, but I shouldn't have to at this point. Honestly I don't think that I'm even going to go back to Cobb County Toyota IF they do call me about the seat cover. I do not trust anybody in that service department. Out of the 5 times I have taken my 4Runner there, I've had my passenger fender dented and now this. And when they tried to give me my 4Runner back with oil still on the seat and the mirrors, I could do nothing but just stand there and laugh, because I didn't expect anything more from them after all. The GM has my name and number, and if I find anymore oil in my interior he will be contacted. As for this weekend, I will be looking for other Toyota dealerships in the area to take my 4Runner for its service needs. If anybody has any recommendations, please let me know. And thanks again to all of you for your advice and comments.