I got worked at the dealership and I am a wimp...

[Jims5543]

EVERY time we take the FJ in for its "free" oil change we are told it "needs" and alignment, that there is abnormal wear on the inside fo the tires.

2 times prior I told them no, I'll get one myself, looked at the tires when I got home they looked fine. I even asked my uncle who is a mechanical guru to look and he said they were fine.

So today I take it in for the last time, I am selling it tomorrow, and they spew the same deal on me, this time I am worried it might be true so I agree to a $70 alignment.

when they are done the service adviser comes and gets me and takes me to the cashier. I ask to see the printout from the alignment rack. A deer in headlights look is given back at me and a long hesitation. Then he rifles through the paperwork and hold out the printout but will not let me take it. He then proclaims, see there? See the red number your alignment was out there.

I look at the "red number" and its my camber its -0.07 and its red, the other side is -0.06 and its green indicating within specs. There were no other alignment specs out. Everything was perfect and even the "red" number was 0.01 off and negligible.

I look at him with contempt on my face and he thrusts his hand out and say he has to go , shakes my hand throws the paperwork on the counter for the cashier and takes off.

I have half a mind to call them tomorrow and let them know I am nin the market for a new car and they officially are out of the running. <---- this is true BTW.


I wish I had spoken up and been more assertive as I drove away I got madder and madder at them. I was at first mad at myself for agreeing to the alignment.

[stomachmonkey]

If you need another Toyota product and don't mind huffin it down to Ft Lauderdale I'll let my brother know you are coming.

He runs the shop for Lipton Toyota.

He just got a C2 last month. Back in the day he and I had matching black 1st gen RX-7's.

We used to got to the track with Steve Stander when he was back east.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I'd be in there screaming bloody murder first thing in the morning.

How on earth did you let yourself get ripped by a shop like that? That might even be a temporary man card suspension. . .

[Jims5543]

Because I am selling it and something in the back of my mind told me to make sure the alignment is good before the new owner get sit. I am honest like that, I would hate to sell someone a car with an issue that was ignored.

When they told me for the 3rd time it was bad, coupled with my handing it over to a new owner I decided to play it safe and let them align it.

It was not until afterwards and I saw the print out that I realized it was a hoax.

But your right I should have raised hell right there.

I have purchased 4 trucks from this place and know the salesman well, I used to same one all 4 times. I will be calling the salesman in the morning and letting him know why he is not going to see me there for my next car like he wants me to be.

BTW- they cannot fix this, they burned this bridge with me. They will at least know they lost a client for good.

[rammstein]

You should get a new Audi Q7 anyhow.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Well, I applaud you for being honest. Maybe you can get some mileage (no pun) out of it by telling the prospective buyers "look how well I took care of this thing - I got an alignment done just to be sure because I want you to be happy with it". Not lying, but maybe it'll help with making the prospective buyers realize you're a stand-up guy. . . Anything helps sometimes.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by rammstein

You should get a new Audi Q7 anyhow.

I bet you almost peed yourself typing that.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Well, I applaud you for being honest. Maybe you can get some mileage (no pun) out of it by telling the prospective buyers "look how well I took care of this thing - I got an alignment done just to be sure because I want you to be happy with it". Not lying, but maybe it'll help with making the prospective buyers realize you're a stand-up guy. . . Anything helps sometimes.

The buyer is a FJ Cruiser fanatic. He is buying mine for his wife and he has one that is all customized for hard core trail use.

I was just on the phone with him and he could not believe that a dealership would do that.


You know who is a stand up guy? Paul K on this forum, he laid out $30 to ship me a bumper cover for the FJ because he knew mine was damaged by a parking lot idiot.

I never expected him to ship and told him I sold the truck as is and did not need it anymore. He knew the FJ was gone on Wed so he priority shipped it to me.

BTW- I sold the truck for trade in value because I was about to trade it in and would rather someone get a good deal rather than a stealership flip it out for a profit.

[Danny_Ocean]

Someone got a great deal @ $15k. They're going for $20k ~ $23k on E-Bay. Aren't they about $40k new?

[bell]

jim, the best way to handle your gripe is to send a nicely worded letter to the GM of the dealership explaining your frustration and how they lost you as a customer, the service department will have to answer to the boss........go strait to the top on this, make them answer to the guy who signs their paychecks on the fact that they lost him a valued customer (your 4 previous purchases will be the silver bullet)

don't expect much, alot of times the service manager is as far as the complaint will go unless you go over his head..........

[Hugh R]

$70??? Chalk it up to lessons learned. You work for yourself right? You'll spend 1-2 hours screwing around with this. Besides, the car will be gone and the service manager can just say the tires looked like they were wearing a little on the sides, but the car will be gone. Unless you want to go down first thing in the morning, hassle with them, and then get rid of the car at the end of the day.

[jyl]

You're being too hard on yourself, auto dealers are set up to gouge people, not that they all do but some do and they all have the inherent ability to do so. So you got a little bit nicked today, think of all the times you didn't let yourself get pinched there.

Write the complaint letter, you might get something good out of it, enough to call it even. Toyota is a good brand, it'd be a shame to have to boycott your local Toyota dealer for life.

[Steve Carlton]

You ought to see if you can discuss this with the owner of the dealership (other managers may be aware of the scam). They're obviously looking for work to do in exchange for the free oil change. What isn't right is them fabricating work that doesn't need to be done (three times)- a huge no-no. They can wind up on the local news for crap like that and destroy their reputation. It certainly ain't worth $70 minus their cost to do the work. Look what they've lost with your lost business, possibly the business of the guy who bought it from you, plus perhaps whoever else you tell about it.

[stuartj]

Dealerships, bah. As for wheel alignment, the cretins couldnt line up four beers on a bar.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by Danny_Ocean

Someone got a great deal @ $15k. They're going for $20k ~ $23k on E-Bay. Aren't they about $40k new?

Dood, you really need to get a life. Sometimes I feel like your stalking me. Its kind of creepy.

I paid 25K for it, since it was my 4th purchase at this dealership in 3 -4 years and it was for me personally the salesman cut me a sweet deal on this truck. Besides, I traded in my Dodge on it that I had for 5 years so I paid 15K out of pocket to own this FJ outright.

Yes, they are going for 20-23K on E-bay but going is not the right word, sitting is the better one. There are over 60 of them on E-bay for sale and more on Autotrader, with 15-16MPG city and 19-20 hwy they are not hot tickets anymore.

Someone just sold one in the high teens and I was about to trade mine in, that meant I was going to give it to a dealership so they could flip it for a profit.

I decided to sell it for what I would get for a trade in and KBB said I would get 15K.

I drove the snot out of it for 2.5 years putting 36K miles on it, its not perfect it has a few scratches on the plastic parts and the back inside is scratched up. It was far from a perfect example but still a good driver.

Getting 15K was a good deal for me, not having to deal with a dealership and a trade in was a bonus for me. I also may go private party now so it was a win win for me, I may have thrown away 2K selling this cheap. So what a dealership would have made it worse.


I am sending a e-mail to the salesman I use, he was working on me hard to come see him for me next car, I am going to explain to him why I am not coming there anymore and let him decide how to deal with it. That will be the extent of my chasing this down. I do not want to waste a lot of time arguing with them, there really is nothing they can do to win me over anyway, if I get ripped off I move on and find someone else that is more honest. Its their loss they need every buyer they can get.

[NICKG]

jim does your FJ have the trd pack? if so make sure that you inspect the inner wheel wells in the front for tearing..the sheetmetal is weak there and the trd suspension makes it tear...that would be the alignment issue

[Danny_Ocean]

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

Dood, you really need to get a life. Sometimes I feel like your stalking me. Its kind of creepy.

Umm...err...the link to the "for sale" ad is in your signature. I didn't have to go very far.

Besides, you're my favorite Eye-Tye.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by rammstein

You should get a new Audi Q7 anyhow.

that is the funniest thing I have ever seen you post

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

I bet you almost peed yourself typing that.

I almost peed when I read it


Write the letter to the GM and cc the salesman, or visa versa. Don't waste any time on it, just send the letter to vent. It will do no good at all with the stealership, but it will make you feel a bit better to have the outlet I would bet.

My father-in-law had a bad experience with the dealer where he bought a new truck every 3 years and went elsewhere for a few vehicles. He went back was just talking to one of the sales guys who recognized him. Salesman asked him where he had been the last 10 years. He told them the tale, ended up getting a brand new, loaded crew cab turbo diesel V-8 truck for $30K when they were going for 38

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by Danny_Ocean

Umm...err...the link to the "for sale" ad is in your signature. I didn't have to go very far.

Besides, you're my favorite Eye-Tye.

I guess you missed my point. How does what I sold the car for have anything to do with the topic of the thread? Why did you feel it was so necessary to try to indicate I tossed away 5-8K selling at this price? If I traded it in... never mind....

You comment had nothing to do with the topic on hand other than a lame attempt at trying to belittle me and my actions.

[TGTIW]

Couple of things, they HAVE to give you a copy of the alignment printout. If they don't I would dispute the charge because there is no proof they actually aligned it. And secondly, don't think the techs are above leaning on a wheel so the report shows that it's out of alignment.