Wow, Just had a really horrible experience at Power Toyota Irvine Service Dept

teacozy · #1 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:11 PM

I stopped by Power Toyota Irvine yesterday and test drove a 08 Scion XB because I need a second car. Their sales dept is surprisingly decent and professional and considering I bought my 06 Tacoma from them, I decided to go back to them. At the same time, I decided after 4 months of ownership, to finally get the customization for the door locks. Obviously, I have a RCSB so can not do it myself through the display menu, so kill two birds with one stone.

So after the XB test drive, made an appt for this morning to take care of the Tundra. Brought the Tundra in today and went through all the paperwork thinking it is going to be covered under warranty and then the service advisor says: "Oh, yeah, this is not free, was never free and we have to charge you labor because it is so involved and our tech needs to go in manually and reprogram your Tundra."

WTF?! Manually? You mean because he actually needs to pull out a handheld scanner and spend all of 5 minutes to change a damn door locking setting?

All new news to me, especially since this is my 4th Toyota product that I purchased new from a dealer. Other Toyota's being: 01 IS300, 05 RX330, 06 Tacoma TRD Sport Doublecab, and this 07 Tundra. Even more shocking because I've had my 05 RX330 customized 2 times all free of charge from the Lexus dealer. In fact, I did not even need to make an appt, just showed up and the service advisor grabbed his tech and did on the spot.

Wow, did not think the quality of service disparity would be so huge. I asked to speak to the service manager and some guy who looks like Newman from Seinfeld, shows up and right off the bat is abrasive and pretty defensive and tries to argue how no one gets this "service" done for free.

Then the line he adds, which I thought was really special:

Newman-clone: "Why don't you go back to the dealer where you bought the Tundra and have them do it for free."

(The only reason I bought this Tundra at another dealer is because they did not have the color and options I wanted. I gave them first dibbs for a sale but they did not have the inventory. Nevermind the fact that I bought the 06 Tacoma from them.)

Me: "So are you saying that if I bought this Tundra here at Power Irvine, you would provide this service as a courtesy and it would be free?"

Newman-clone: "No, it would not be free."

Me: "So why would Mossy Toyota provide this for free?"

Newman-clone: "I don't know, just our answer is No. I already talked to my DPSM and they will not assist."

Me: "Why would you bother your factory rep. with something so petty, and amazing that you were in contact with your DPSM within 2 minutes. You are telling me you have absolutely no goodwill budget of your own to handle something that should be a warranty claim?"

Newman-clone: "The answer is no. Go back to your dealer."

Me: "So hypothetically, if I bought my Tundra in Texas and moved to California, I would still need to go back to the dealer in Texas to get the doorlock reprogrammed?"

Newman-clone: "That's up to you, but we can't do it for free."

So obviously, Newman at this point had circled the wagons and wasn't going to budge. I called customer service dept for Toyota in Torrance and they refer me back to the CR rep at the dealer. Who I left a message with, but have yet to hear back from. In the meantime, the salesman and sales manager call back wondering when I am going to buy a Scion from them. Wow, they really make you feel special and loved as a loyal customer don't they?

I might have to call Toyota in Japan and let them know how F'd up the customer service is. I actually did this when I had the IS300 and the Toyota Japanese customer service dept contacted the Torrance office and they were apologizing profusely and goodwilled all sorts of stuff. Amazing that it will have to go to that to make a local dealer more responsive.

Anybody know of a dealer in so cal that is decent and won't pull this type of BS? This really, maybe my last Toyota product. I haven't dealt with this type of BS at the dealership level in a while. It kind of caught me off guard. What a waste of time.

freedomeagle50 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:22 PM

try Longo Toyota they are the countries largest toyota district and might budge a little more

impilot · #3 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:26 PM

I know of at least one person here with very bad experience with Longo...

Longo Toyota Service Department

Might want to look elsewhere...

teacozy · #4 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:28 PM

I bought my RX330 from Longo, but they are just as far away as Mossy Toyota in San Diego. I might visit Tustin or Garden Grove Toyota and see how they are.

Songdog · #5 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:29 PM

Thanks for the heads up. I was going to ask the dealer to change my lock settings when I take the truck in to have the BU camera installed next week. I would have assumed it would be free, but now I'll ask ahead of time.

Jordansrealm · #6 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:30 PM

Toyota of Rancho Santa Margarita

Hands down the best Customer Service I have experienced with Toyota.

Stuff · #7 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:36 PM

Well, I think this is more of the industry standard than anything specific to this dealer.

Example:

I bought a car from Shelly BMW in Buena Park, because they were the only dealer in all of so-cal who had one configured the way I wanted. I did not come with a front plate bracket mounted, went to the dealer by my work, Santa Monica, and they wouldn't mount it without charging me, because I didn't buy it from them. And to be fair, it really is sorta of delivery type stuff that should be taken care of by the dealer who sold it.

Now your case is different, it's more of an adjustment which a good dealer would probably just take care of, but yea, it's kind of a gray area. Btw, I've had a similar exchange at a Mitsubishi dealer as well... so yea, it's not just a Toyota issue...

teacozy · #8 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Songdog

Thanks for the heads up. I was going to ask the dealer to change my lock settings when I take the truck in to have the BU camera installed next week. I would have assumed it would be free, but now I'll ask ahead of time.

Well, apparently if you take the vehicle back to the original selling dealer then you're alright, and they will do it for free. Otherwise, they will tell you to beat it, like in my circumstance. Which begs the question, how do dealers like Power Irvine ever hope to win over customers or retain customers with this type of attitude?

This is pretty much a deal killer for me in terms of getting a Scion from them. I may have to cross shop with some other manufacturers.

cliff clavin · #9 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:43 PM

How much were they going to charge you? I agree that there should not be a charge, but if it was a nominal amount then it would probably be worth it to avoid the aggravation..

teacozy · #10 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuff

Well, I think this is more of the industry standard than anything specific to this dealer.

Example:

I bought a car from Shelly BMW in Buena Park, because they were the only dealer in all of so-cal who had one configured the way I wanted. I did not come with a front plate bracket mounted, went to the dealer by my work, Santa Monica, and they wouldn't mount it without charging me, because I didn't buy it from them. And to be fair, it really is sorta of delivery type stuff that should be taken care of by the dealer who sold it.

Now your case is different, it's more of an adjustment which a good dealer would probably just take care of, but yea, it's kind of a gray area. Btw, I've had a similar exchange at a Mitsubishi dealer as well... so yea, it's not just a Toyota issue...

No, I agree with you. If I had absolutely no relationship with this dealer I can understand it, however I already bought a 06 Tacoma from them and was in the process of getting a 08 Scion XB from them, which would make it 5 Toyota products total (2 Lexus and 3 Toyotas, 2 of which would be from their dealer). I told the service manager this too, but he could careless about the pending Scion sale. As I was arguing with him the salesman kept calling me and at one point, I told the sales guy, I would call back once I was done arguing with the service manager.

teacozy · #11 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliff clavin

How much were they going to charge you? I agree that there should not be a charge, but if it was a nominal amount then it would probably be worth it to avoid the aggravation..

It did not even get to that point. As they say, it's the principle not the cost that is the issue. I would imagine they would charge at the very least, at least a half hour of labor. If they are really greedy maybe a full hour. Who knows, it's really moot at this point.

metrictundra · #12 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 03:05 PM

Sometimes it is better living in our own little private Idaho. My dealer did all the changes I wanted free of charge and was happy doing it.

mxsjw · #13 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metrictundra

Sometimes it is better living in our own little private Idaho. My dealer did all the changes I wanted free of charge and was happy doing it.

Mine too, but I may have to move soon. Am I going to run into this in Portland, OR?

Djackman777 · #14 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 04:56 PM

What did the estimate price say when the service writer first wrote you up?? If you never signed on the estimate paper, then you were not aware of the charges and they cant charge you....

teacozy · #15 (**permalink**) 10-18-2007, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djackman777

What did the estimate price say when the service writer first wrote you up?? If you never signed on the estimate paper, then you were not aware of the charges and they cant charge you....

Well, here's the invoice. Says verbatim: "Free of Charge".

You can understand my frustration, when they initially say that and then come back to me and say nope if you want this done, we have to charge you or go somewhere else. This all happened in the span of 5 minutes.