Consumer beware! Toyota has consumers between a rock and a hard place! If you want a Prius, you "will" pay for it and a lot more than you thought when you ordered it!
On 5/24/08 I drove from Salem, OR to Beaverton Toyota, Beaverton, OR to complete paperwork to order 1 New 2008 4 cyl Toyota 4dr Hybrid Prius. I dealt with Michael Gillson, Internet Sales and completed a Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement and Special Order Form for the above vehicle. Color of ordered Prius was Silver Pine Mica w/dark grey interior. I ordered my Prius with Toyota's Option Package #3. Additionally, said package was advertised to include Carpeted Floor Mats and Rear Bumper Applique. The Purchase Agreement that I completed and signed was for a Total Cash Sale Price of $25390.00 ($25,640.00 less $250.00 discount) plus $230.00 for Other Charges (License/Registration/Filing fees) and less the $500.00 Down Payment I made (Receipt #F0830) leaving a total Unpaid Balance of $25,120.00. I was told I would receive my new Prius in 30-60 days. Having heard nothing since prior to 60 days, at nearly 90 days I sent an email requesting that I be given some indication as to when I might get my car. I received a phone call from Carrie Porter, Public Relations saying "sorry, we should have been touch", but "I did check our system and found that your name is assigned to an incoming Prius." Ms. Porter stated it had a port date of August 15 and should get to the dealership within two weeks of then, but could be earlier. On August 21 I received a call from Michael Gillson telling me that my new Prius had arrived. I told him that I could not make it up that day, but would come up on Friday August 22,08 after work. I asked if my car was the the color I wanted (in and out) and was told yes. I asked if it had the Option Package #3 I had ordered and the Carpeted Floor Mats and Rear Bumper Applique that were to be included and was told "yes it has everything you ordered". I asked if Michael could email me the VIN number so that I could contact my insurance and have that taken care of... He said no problem and emailed me the VIN number to my new Prius. Later on that afternoon (8-21-08), Michael called me back at work to tell me there was a slight "glitch". On 5-24-09 when I ordered my car, Michael told me that Toyota would be making a price increase to the 2009 models, but that it would NOT affect my order. However, the "so-called glitch" was a $375.00 price increase that had been added to the price of my new car! I had read the "fine print" in my purchase agreement and I knew that I could cancel my order and get my $500.00 deposit back if Toyota increased the price. I was NOT HAPPY about the increase, but after waiting 90 days, I did not want to cancel my order for $375.00. I still planned to go up on 8-22-08 to get my new car. At about 11:00 am Friday 8-22-08 I received another call from Michael stating that there was another problem with my car... He stated that he went out to look at it again and saw that "they" had applied a "clear protective coating" to the car front, bumper and bumper sides and this was going to be an additional $375.00!! He stated he wanted me to understand that he wasn't "trying to rip me off or anything" and I said "it sure sounds like it to me!" I told him I could not discuss it further at that time (I had a patient in the room) and would have to call him back. Before I called Michael back, I called the local Toyota dealer and told him what was happening... He said "that coating is NEVER put on unless the customer specifically asks for it and the Toyota price increase is supposed to apply to 2009 models". He told me that it sounded to him like Beaverton Toyota was "just trying to increase their profit margin". I called Michael back and discussed this with him. I told him that I would be willing to pay the $375.00 price increase, but not the cost of the protective coating. He told me that in addition to the price increase and the coating cost, "they" had also added another "cargo net" package that was an additional $275.00!!! He said he "was not going to worry about that one" and "I would not have to pay that charge". Needless to say, I was very upset by this time and informed him that I would pay the increased cost of $375.00 and NOTHING ELSE! He told me he would have to talk to someone else and would call me back. I got a call from someone else (didn't get his name as I was so upset), but I told him the same thing... I would pay the $375.00 price increase but I felt that Toyota should have to cover the other additional costs. I said it wasn't my fault "they" added all these thing to my car, I had not ordered them. I told him that I had read the fine print on my Purchase Agreement and that I could cancel my order and get my $500.00 back based on the price increase alone. However, I would pay the price increase if they should eat the other additional costs. He said that the car wasn't "my car" and was just one that had come in that was close to what I had ordered". I said I was told that this car was "my car" and had been assigned to "my name"! He said he would have to talk to someone else and hung up. I then got a call from Ken Gillett, General Sales Manager who proceeded to tell me that the car should "never have been assigned to my name and that it really wasn't 'that much money' we were talking about!" He said that if I wanted the car I would have to pay all three additional charges which equals $1025.00. At this point I told him that I would have to cancel my order and requested my $500.00 deposit be returned to me. $1025.00 may not be much to Toyota, but it's a whole lot to someone who has to finance the additional cost! If this vehicle wasn't really mine, then why did I receive phone calls and emails telling me it was mine? Why was I told it had "been assigned to my name" and why was I given the Vehicle Identification Number from the car so I could contact my insurance company??? I am extremely disappointed... I really wanted this car. I have never experienced such UNDERHANDED, DECEITFUL, SHODDY business practices by any business before and I have been around for a few years! SHAME on Beaverton Toyota!
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