Car/Truck Buying Drama
 

So, we bought the pickup truck on Saturday night, signed everything,wrote a check, left the truck with them for putting the coatings on. We could pick it up Tuesday evening.

I got a call today that we couldn't get the truck today. Someone damaged it over the weekend and they need to find us a replacement truck exactly the same with the manual tranny and reg cab. They didn't say what the damage was. They would call me as soon as they found a new truck for us.

And I thought this was going to be simple.

Toyota Tacoma, Reg Cab, 5-sp Manual, 2.7L 4 Cyl

go back and buy the PreRunner model. it is worth it.

as far as damage? anything could have happened. a customer or lot boy could have backed into it. a detailer could have dropped something on the seats. you name, they can do it.

Somebody with a fatter checkbook. :eyebrow:

Their inventory only has PreRunner w/V-6 which brings me from $14,500 to $25,050. Ouch! Can't do that. Most of the dealers only had automatic transmission Tacoma Reg Cab for an extra $900.

I thought it was some Meth Head walking by decided to key scrape a bunch of new cars.

Now that I've thought about it for a few more minutes, I think you are right. This was Memorial Day weekend and they had two more days to sell it at a higher price to someone buying the maintenance and warranty. Duh, RS!

So, I guess now they negotiate with other CA dealers and maybe drive one in from Las Vegas or Humbolt wherever they can make the biggest spread. Of course, I should brace myself for the bait and switch.

Well, LumberJim can help me out here, but if you 'signed everything' and wrote a check, then you own the truck. If they sell it to someone else, that's grand theft, or at least breach of contract (OK, I'm not a lawyer).

Ask for an upgrade on them.

We are somewhat in limbo. The title is in both our names and my wife left to get and serve dinner. When it was finally time to sign the next wave of documents, only I could sign. The dlr & I agreed that she would sign when we picked up the truck.

This dealership was bought by new management about 8 months ago. They are trying to project a higher-integrity image than the last owners, who were true sleaze balls. They have a 10 point buying program which includes 3 days or 300 miles you can return the vehicle for full refund no questions asked. So, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt for now and assume that they will get me a similar vehicle soon.

In the Silicon Valley, you don't get a break on the price of cars. I'm not willing to go 500 miles away and drive one back to save the money. This dlr is about one mile from my home. I went to two other closest Toyota dlrs and they wouldn't even sell me a manual tranny and wanted more $ for more loaded trucks in inventory. They laugh at you if you think you're going to mess up their supply line with a custom order.

I think LumberJim was off on Sunday. Not if he were here. This dlr is open until 8pm six days a week and closes at 6pm on Sundays.

I guess I should have taken custody of the truck on Saturday night. :smack:

I don't expect an answer from LumberJim who is boycotting me because he didn't realize that Gwennie! is MY girlfriend and he didn't have a chance with her. She gets kinda flirty sometimes, but she never strays.

Juxtaposition. http://www.e-toyotaclub.com/th/TcCpI...1/pdf/imv1.pdf

Just watch -- they'll come back and offer another truck that isn't as nice as the one RS bought, and try not to tell him that it's a lower model. RS, did you happen to keep a list of the features/options?

Oh, and they'll tack on another dealer handling charge for transporting the new truck and taking the plastic off the floormats. They'll pile on a bunch of incidental charges and when you look sufficiently shell-shocked they'll take a couple of them off to look like they're taking it in the shorts by selling you the truck. It's punishment for not using their financing.

I don't know what I'm talking about. But that *seems* like a likely scenario.

you bought and payed for it !!!!!!!
I would pay them an un anounced visit and DEMAND in a calm voice to see it and get a FULL report of all damages !!!!! I don't mind going to a body shop , or glass shop .
Ask for the manger or the owner , ask them how they are going to sweeten the deal to make up for this FUCKUP !!!
If they have to DRIVE in a replacement , inspect it THUROLY !!!!! " why does it have So many miles on it ???" " there's bird shit and squached bugs on the front and the glass ."


If they arn't forth comeing , call the cops , then and there on a cell phone , don't leave untill they show up , remain calm but demanding , this IS your new truck , bought and payed for .
Look on some of the paper work there should be a vin # , this will help you make certin that they arn't swopping for a different vech ,

DON'T pay ONE fucking penny more for there expences!!!
This IS their problem not yours !!!!!

Good luck , and stand FIRM !!!!!!!!

Yeah, it's your truck, I'd want to know exactly what happened to it. If it were a scratch or dent I seriously doubt they'd switch you into a different truck, they'd just fix it.
Ljim would know better, maybe he'll post if the #@%&* meeting he had to go to this morning, on his day off, ever ends.

A) you agreed to buy a vehicle. you did NOT buy a vehicle. in a spot delivery state you do not own that vehicle until you 1) drive it off the lot, and 2) your financing clears - which in your case means that your check clears and replaces the contract that you signed.

B) accidents happen pretty frequently at large dealerships. one of our guys drove the new T-bird (when there were only 14 expected with a waiting list of 200) right off a cement pad. the customer swore up and down that we were faking it because someone was willing to pay more.

C) yes there are slimebags in the car business. get over it. most people are just trying to make an honest living - the same as you. if they agreed to sell X vehicle for Y dollars, then they probably forgot about you and that vehicle the moment you left the Dlr. once an invoice is torn out of the book, it would have to be pretty extraordinary circumstances for them to hose you and sell it to someone else. there just isn't enough profit in those little trucks for them to care enough to bother creating stories.

D) when they find a replacement for you it will not be the exact same thing. there are hundreds of different option combinations. they will most likely offer you something with a little bit more on it, for a few more dollars. most likely they'll give it to you at invoice(don't mistake that for cost), just to make this all go away. you can take it or leave it, but just expect that they'll try to make a few extra dollars, but they will be prepared to lose a few extra dollars, too.

not true.

you have no concept of how little free time i have. i think i worked/commuted something like 58 hours on friday, sat, mon, tues. and i do mean worked

we sold 84 cars in 4 days. yeah.


to answer your question: if all of the paperwork you signed is in both names, and only one of you has signed, then the purchase is not complete. if you really feel like they're fucking you, you shouldnt buy from them in the first place. get your money back, and go to another dealer. i agree with lookout. your salesman would not have tolerated selling your truck out from under you.

you should be appreciative of the fact that they didnt try a quick repair to the damage and blow it by you. There may also be state laws that require disclosure of damage above X amount prior to negotiating, and they're that careful about their liability after the fact.

have they they updated you since this happened?

Note: All car dealer are great and so are all of there sales persons.

Sorry Lumber Man, I was baiting you. I expected you to be very busy over this weekend. Yet, I still harrassed you. Bad on me. Sorry about that. Your reply was helpful. Perhaps this is a rule: only have both persons sign the paperwork when you get custody of the vehicle.

The dlr called today saying they have the identical truck for the same price and we can get it tomorrow afternoon. Sometimes you don't get screwed. Update tomorrow.

They should still give you something for the resulting inconvenience to you ... and something better than some travel mugs!

But do check the VIN.

Well, we drove the truck home finally. We signed all new paperwork with the new VIN. But everything was the same. They even got the same color again.

Thanks to all for discussing this. As LJ says I'm glad they didn't try to fix the damage and hide it, although that may have taken even more days, so hard to cover up. I'm also glad they didn't try to bait and switch.

A few hours ago my daughter, Rockette, took this picture of me going redneck. Vroom Vroom.

so what got Messed up on the other truck ????

Some body couldn't beleve the great deal and crapped their pants ?????

They said someone backed into the side of the other truck.

Rock Steady doesn't want his picture on the internet. Hmmm. On a wanted list somewhere? :worried:

G********! is particular about controlling her image without makeup...