I really appreciate all the ideas and input from you guys...It has been very helpful and actually started me thinking about pursuing things a little further on my own instead of accepting what the dealer was telling me....
In summary, I am just not comfortable with the idea of having to paint what is supposed to be a brand new vehicle. The idea just seems crazy to me, particularly when I know that they can order a replacement part directly from Toyota Canada that is factory finished. This would be my preference because as I mentioned previously I have some experience with repainting on my Honda Accord and I know that factory paint is much better in general than after market painting...
The biggest problem I have at this point is trust towards the dealer. I have basically caught them in a lie. They told me that they would do whatever I wanted --> Either fix the piece right on the vehicle and either blend or completely repaint the piece right on the vehicle OR they said they would order a completely new piece from Toyota and paint it and then install it on the vehicle. I asked them a direct question about whether or not the piece comes in factory painted many times and they told me over and over that it does not, and that they would have to paint....
So basically I think they are not wanting to pay the price of the part (which I can understand to a point) and never had any intention of bringing in a new part either way...my guess is either way they would have just blended/painted the existing part right on the vehicle. The deception bothers me, particularly when there is a better option available to me where I can get the factory finish I paid for in the first place.
I determined that they were misleading me by talking to a collision center I have used before. They told me that they have replaced these pieces on 4Runners before and that they have always come in factory painted. The guy even took my VIN number and called another local Toyota dealership for me where he sources his parts from to confirm. He would pay $550 for the piece if he were to buy it for a job. He figures it would cost my dealership in the 300 - 400 dollar range to source the part from Toyota. This is why I think they chose the lying path because by the time they get the part and spend the 2 hours that is required to put it on (book time...I looked into it) they are out a few bucks for sure....
Here is someone who just bought a $55,000 CND plus vehicle from them that has every intention of servicing their vehicle there. In addition, our Honda accord is coming off lease soon and we were looking to likely replace it with a Rav4 (my wife likes them a lot), and I likely would have just bought it from them...Not to mention that we would be servicing this vehicle through them too...My point is, I think it was really short sighted on their part and a bad business decision...what are they gonna save themselves by giving me the lesser option...a couple hundred bucks?
It's just disappointing and annoying...I think in the end they won't have a leg to stand on if I have to end up getting Toyota Canada to lean on them...I documented the damage during the delivery...
Cheers
