Military Purchase Issues (warranty)

[Mallrat]

Good morning.. I'm hoping someone may be able to shed some light on an issue I am having and may be able to guide me in the right direction.

I am currently in the Navy stationed in Rota, Spain and am moving to Stuttgart, Germany in the next two months.

I traveled back to the US last week to visit family in Virginia and fell in love with a TRD Pro 4runner in Attitude Black. I went so far as to procure my financing and sit down to finish the deal with the intention of having it shipped to Germany (shipped by the military) to await my family's arrival.

We got all the way to the contract signing before I was informed the factory warranty would be void as soon as I take the vehicle overseas. I REALLY want this vehicle and would even consider purchasing a supplemental warranty to cover overseas work required, but Toyota hasn't returned my emails.

Does anyone know of a way to make this work? I contacted the only authorized seller of Toyota USA in Germany (Military Auto Source) and they can only sell and warranty stock vehicles they receive and sell which are limited to a couple Limited models and the SR5's (with 3rd row).

Is it worth buying the SR5 and just upgrading from there? Thanks in advance.

 

[ben550]

Good morning.. I'm hoping someone may be able to shed some light on an issue I am having and may be able to guide me in the right direction.

I am currently in the Navy stationed in Rota, Spain and am moving to Stuttgart, Germany in the next two months.

I traveled back to the US last week to visit family in Virginia and fell in love with a TRD Pro 4runner in Attitude Black. I went so far as to procure my financing and sit down to finish the deal with the intention of having it shipped to Germany (shipped by the military) to await my family's arrival.

We got all the way to the contract signing before I was informed the factory warranty would be void as soon as I take the vehicle overseas. I REALLY want this vehicle and would even consider purchasing a supplemental warranty to cover overseas work required, but Toyota hasn't returned my emails.

Does anyone know of a way to make this work? I contacted the only authorized seller of Toyota USA in Germany (Military Auto Source) and they can only sell and warranty stock vehicles they receive and sell which are limited to a couple Limited models and the SR5's (with 3rd row).

Is it worth buying the SR5 and just upgrading from there? Thanks in advance.

Here's what I would do. Buy something rare like the TRD PRO you want. Have the military ship it over for you. Use it while you're there. Sell it/trade it in for a nice German car when you are sent back to the US. Have the military ship the new BMW or Audi back over to the US. When you get back here buy a new T4R or something you like while trading in/selling the German car. Over there a rare 4WD has a lot of value, and over here people want the authentic German BMW's etx... especially with the european plates... just a thought. Might be a way you can make some money...

 

[adam2562]

Here's what I would do. Buy something rare like the TRD PRO you want. Have the military ship it over for you. Use it while you're there. Sell it/trade it in for a nice German car when you are sent back to the US. Have the military ship the new BMW or Audi back over to the US. When you get back here buy a new T4R or something you like while trading in/selling the German car. Over there a rare 4WD has a lot of value, and over here people want the authentic German BMW's etx... especially with the european plates... just a thought. Might be a way you can make some money...

What he said.... you'd get a pretty penny for that thing over there when you're ready to come back.. and face it.. it's a Toyota.. yes warranty is nice.. but at least you're ahead of the game with a Toyota LOL

 

[gm350reratliff]

I would just get it. The chances of stuff going wrong are pretty slim. Even if something major came up you could 1. Ship it back over to have it worked on ( I would forget to tell Toyota it was overseas) or 2. Sell it over there. Being 4x4 and a rare package (really rare over there) you could probably still recoop the cost on it.

You mentioned they sell SR5s and limiteds over there. What other Toyota SUVs do they sell over there?

 

[Cheers!]

I would check with Toyota USA corporate. In the past USA cars were a lot cheaper brand new in USA than in Canada. Canadians would go across the border to buy one and bring it back to be used in Canada.

Toyota USA & Canada once honored cross border warranties but not anymore. However if you were physically moving "i.e. wasn't buying one just to take advantage of the pricing difference and currency exchange" they would honor the warranty still.

That was what happened in the past. Double check with corporate. Honda USA and Honda Canada honors my Honda S2000 I bought in Canada when I lived in Canada and still honor the drivetrain warranty today while I'm here in California. I shipped the car and brought it with me from Toronto, Ontario, Canada to Mountain View California, USA.

Further: I would think that yourself being an active member of the armed forces will make it more of a good reason to honor the warranty.

 

[NoDak]

even if they do, does anyone overseas even seen the us spec engine over there?

can they even work on it since euro spec 4runners are different than us spec?

that's like bringing a aussie spec hi lux diesel to the usa. not a dam soul even knows how to work on that engine much less the rest of the components.

just a thought.

 

[philsey]

.... We got all the way to the contract signing before I was informed the factory warranty would be void as soon as I take the vehicle overseas. I REALLY want this vehicle and would even consider purchasing a supplemental warranty to cover overseas work required, but Toyota hasn't returned my emails.
....

I think your plan is flawed (sorry to say).

The only reason I can imagine the factory warrantee is invalid, is that an overseas dealer is not capable/trained for working on a US-spec vehicle. Ergo, a purchased extended warrantee would be money wasted for the same reason.

Picture this: You bring a new-ish Euro-spec 4R into a US Toy dealer for warrantee ... know what will happen? I do. Same diff.

I sure don't blame you for liking/wanting a new TE, but if it were me I'd buy something Euro there and sell it upon departure.

One of the reasons to buy new is for a warrantee. You may as well buy a nice 4G and take it.

How long is your deployment? You getting out at the end?

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

It's worth noting that in many places all over the world Toyota doesn't offer a warranty on the purchase of a new vehicle. People still buy them because of the reliability that they offer. I would get it, drive it, sell it overseas and use its rarity to make up some $ loss. Then when you come back, use that money towards what ever is out when you return.