First, and after such success with a stupid Prius, I thought I'd give Toyota a chance to redeem themselves. Obviously, I wouldn't even consider other dealers in the same area that had already tried to rip me off on a Prius (Price Toyota in Newark, DE; Koons Toyota in both Annapolis and Easton, MD).
Second, I thought maybe I'll buy another car that Toyota advertises those wonderful, mysterious, fine-printed incentives. Well, guess what? Either they didn't have that model, or miraculously the incentive is not as advertised on the local television stations.
Third, I again complained to Toyota Customer Care. Did they do anything besides issue a complaint number? No! Did anyone else do anything to help, such as the general manager? You guessed it, no.
I read in a recent AP press release that Toyota sales have recently dropped 8%. Two reasons were cited by Toyota representatives: 1. They can't supply enough Prius vehicles (duh... They knew that months ago, but still can't catch up&yeah, right); and 2. Their gas-guzzler models aren't selling very well now (again... Duh).
According to the same article, one of the big three in Detroit only had a sales slip of 12%. Perhaps Toyota should be taking some notes here. They intend to manufacture the Prius in the USA beginning in 2010. The 2009 Prius model will probably change, and of course, come with another hefty price increase.
For the most part, Toyota has become a rip off company and their cars are overpriced even if they do run to 100K or more. Well, I can buy two or three of another model for the same price that Toyota has for just one and then still get the same 110K. No if's and's or but's about it. Toyota doesn't care about the consumer. They can't get over themselves and think "they're all that and a bag of chips."
It's about time consumers stopped buying from a company that doesn't give a crap about its most important asset, the customer. I hope their stock and sales plummet, not just by 8%, as I'd like to see double-digit drops so that it sends a clear message to the executives (higher levels) that they can't continue to do business the way they are now.
Almost all Toyota dealerships practice deceptive selling techniques, try to rip you off with financing agreements, have illegally pulled credit reports, price gouge, stick you with hidden excessive fees, push unnecessary add-ons, and the list could go on forever. I even tore up the paperwork at the dealership before I left, without purchasing, and found out they still pulled a credit report. I also had another dealership pull a credit report off of nothing more than my credit card that I used for a deposit.
We shouldn't have to educate ourselves to the point of Einstein's Theory of Relativity to simply buy a darn car. I've seen supposed "suggestions" to change your own oil and anti-freeze in order to prevent being overcharged or ripped off. Are you kidding me? Why should we? Isn't that what the service department is for at the dealership? This may be ok if, 1. You have the extra time and ability, and 2. Your auto isn't under any specific warranty. Be forewarned and read your warranty first, because doing these types of repairs or service yourself will void it.
I've even lost money on the tire warranty because I used fix-a-flat instead of taking it to a service shop. Sure, let me have it towed for $50-$75 for a nail hole when I'm in the middle of nowhere and my "donut" won't get me back to a dealership. While the tires weren't warrantied by Toyota, I have had to have other repairs that were (or should have been under warranty). Do you think they would honor it? No! Toyota and their dealers try to rip you off in every way possible.
My suggestion is to buy another type of vehicle. If you don't agree with me, fine, then buy a Toyota. However, for others, or even novice buyers, they need to be made aware of what Toyota is doing. Are they the only manufacturer that does this? Not necessarily, but they are the one that I have had the predominant amount of problems and issues with in every imaginable facet. Yes, I have bought other makes of vehicles over the past 35 years; and none has been as difficult to deal with getting my issues resolved as Toyota. Once upon a time, they were a good car manufacturer with a solid reputation; those days are long gone.
Don't believe me, go to www.toyotasucks.com. Read some more complaints about this company, its representatives, employees and selling agents. I just wish I had found out all of this sooner so I didn't waste my time thus far. Oh yeah, I have one other Toyota dealership that was trying to get me a fuel-efficient car with a decent warranty for a fair price. Since that's still in process, I'll be fair and see what they can do before I form a final opinion. However, I'm betting that experience is going to stink too.
Lastly, if you own stock (just in case) in Toyota, I certainly don't want you to suffer financially. Thus, please do something as a shareholder to change the way this company does business and operates, as well as how little it does to enforce specific objectives (other than sales goals), such as consumer satisfaction after the sale, servicing and future purchase incentives. The only way we can make things happed is to boycott (not spend our hard-earned money on a particular item or product) or vote the people who aren't helping and/or speaking for the majority of their constituents out of office.
DJ
Dover, Delaware
U.S.A.
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