Can a dealer do this?!! (Puente Hill Toyota)

[isaacalves]

I purchased a 2007 Silver Touring package #6 model from Puente Hill Toyota, CA in april of this year.

My front passenger seat was starting to wobble and squeek a lot when I drive it. This started about a month ago. So I took the car in today (Aug2) to a dealership near where I live (Toyota of Orange, CA). They informed me that the leather seats were not toyota factory leather seats but were aftermarket seats --- meaning they can't fix the problem and I would need to go back to where I originally purchased the prius, Puente Hills Toyota, to get it fixed. I was a unnerved by this so I called Puente Hills. The service rep assured me that Toyota of Orange was incorrect and that the car must have all factory parts if it was purchased new off of Puente Hills' lot.

I called Toyota of Orange back and told them this. Toyota of Orange's response was that the VIN indicated that the vehicle did not come with leather. I asked Toyota of Orange to correspond directly with Puente Hills Toyota to verify. They were willing to ablige. Toyota of Orange called me back and said they had to go through three different departments at Puente Hills before they got to someone in what Puente Hills calls "the tower". This person in the "tower" admitted that the vehicle was originally cloth from the factory and they had installed Leather before releasing it to their sale grounds.

I'm upset about this on so many levels. I don't know if this is standard practice or not. Someone please advise. I feel that the VIN states that its cloth hurts the value of the resale. And the fact that I can't get it fixed anywere but Puente Hills really pisses me off. AND I'm wondering if I'm missing other leather pieces. I'm angry about this and I'm wondering what other people think.

Sincerely,
Isaac

[David Beale]

They didn't change the seats, just the "seat covers". It should have no effect on warranty or anything else. Toyota do it at the "dock" as well. It's pretty much standard practice. You can get:
1. Factory leather, installed in Japan, in the case of the Prius.
2. Port installed leather, installed in the holding lot at the port of landing by Toyota.
3. Dealer installed leather, installed at the dealership, sometimes by the dealer, usually by a contractor they hire.
4. "Aftermarket leather", installed by an automotive upholstery company. They usually purchase the leather as a "kit" from companies such as "Katzkin" and install it over the factory seat.

In your case, the original dealer should stand behind their work, and pay the other dealer to fix the seat, if indeed the leather install caused the problem. If it didn't, Toyota of Orange should fix it under warranty. Either way, the two dealers should work it out between themselves and shouldn't be bothering you! Pretty shoddy dealerships! If they still give you trouble, time to call Toyota! They'll get straightened out quickly!

[Devil's Advocate]

They can do it, and it was quite common before leather was an available option on the Prius. The disturbing part was they were unwilling to admit to it!

Did youpay extra for leather?

I would get confirmation in writing from Puente Hills regarding the leather seats and a statement that they will warranty them.

[Platypus]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 12:51 PM) [snapback]489508[/snapback]</div>

I purchased a 2007 Silver Touring package #6 model from Puente Hill Toyota, CA in april of this year.

[/b]

I'm not sure what happened in your situation but my '07 Touring package #6 came with factory installed leather. It is possible that the dealership you purchased from removed the factory leather and installed their own but that seems like a strange thing to hide from the customer.

I'd be interested to know if Toyota of Orange, CA says your VIN comes back to a package 5 or a package 6... /tinfoil

[Godiva]

Do you have a leather steering wheel? If so, it's package #6. If not, package #5 with leather added.

[DelerPrius]

AND I'm wondering if I'm missing other leather pieces. I'm angry about this and I'm wondering what other people think.


Package #6 on a Touring includes leather upholstery AND a leather covered steering wheel(plus all the package #5 options). I would think that the car would be coded as leather upholstery, not cloth, if it is an actual package #6.

[rudiger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Platypus @ Aug 2 2007, 04:37 PM) [snapback]489533[/snapback]</div>

It is possible that the dealership you purchased from removed the factory leather and installed their own but that seems like a strange thing to hide from the customer.[/b]

If the car's interior had already seen a lot of wear and tear (such as originally being a demonstrator or sat on the showroom floor for a while), I could see it being very possible. The OEM leather seats could easily have become damaged or soiled in some way that they couldn't be cleaned or repaired.

[telstar]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 02:51 PM) [snapback]489508[/snapback]</div>

I purchased a 2007 Silver Touring package #6 model from Puente Hill Toyota, CA in april of this year.

My front passenger seat was starting to wobble and squeek a lot when I drive it. This started about a month ago. So I took the car in today (Aug2) to a dealership near where I live (Toyota of Orange, CA). They informed me that the leather seats were not toyota factory leather seats but were aftermarket seats --- meaning they can't fix the problem and I would need to go back to where I originally purchased the prius, Puente Hills Toyota, to get it fixed. I was a unnerved by this so I called Puente Hills. The service rep assured me that Toyota of Orange was incorrect and that the car must have all factory parts if it was purchased new off of Puente Hills' lot.

I called Toyota of Orange back and told them this. Toyota of Orange's response was that the VIN indicated that the vehicle did not come with leather. I asked Toyota of Orange to correspond directly with Puente Hills Toyota to verify. They were willing to ablige. Toyota of Orange called me back and said they had to go through three different departments at Puente Hills before they got to someone in what Puente Hills calls "the tower". This person in the "tower" admitted that the vehicle was originally cloth from the factory and they had installed Leather before releasing it to their sale grounds.

I'm upset about this on so many levels. I don't know if this is standard practice or not. Someone please advise. I feel that the VIN states that its cloth hurts the value of the resale. And the fact that I can't get it fixed anywere but Puente Hills really pisses me off. AND I'm wondering if I'm missing other leather pieces. I'm angry about this and I'm wondering what other people think.

Sincerely,
Isaac
[/b]

I've talked to all the Toyota dealers in 2 states looking for a particular Prius (Mag Gray package 6). All of them told me they could get a #6 (which includes leather) or if they could find a #5 they could have leather put on locally. So it appears they will do it either way. In fact when I first inspected a Prius on a dealer lot they had a Mag Gray #5 that was sold but it was setting on their lot waiting for leather to be put in, then the customer would be picking up the car.

[9G-man]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 03:51 PM) [snapback]489508[/snapback]</div>

I purchased a 2007 Silver Touring package #6 model from Puente Hill Toyota, CA in april of this year.

My front passenger seat was starting to wobble and squeek a lot when I drive it. This started about a month ago. So I took the car in today (Aug2) to a dealership near where I live (Toyota of Orange, CA). They informed me that the leather seats were not toyota factory leather seats but were aftermarket seats --- meaning they can't fix the problem and I would need to go back to where I originally purchased the prius, Puente Hills Toyota, to get it fixed. I was a unnerved by this so I called Puente Hills. The service rep assured me that Toyota of Orange was incorrect and that the car must have all factory parts if it was purchased new off of Puente Hills' lot.

I called Toyota of Orange back and told them this. Toyota of Orange's response was that the VIN indicated that the vehicle did not come with leather. I asked Toyota of Orange to correspond directly with Puente Hills Toyota to verify. They were willing to ablige. Toyota of Orange called me back and said they had to go through three different departments at Puente Hills before they got to someone in what Puente Hills calls "the tower". This person in the "tower" admitted that the vehicle was originally cloth from the factory and they had installed Leather before releasing it to their sale grounds.

I'm upset about this on so many levels. I don't know if this is standard practice or not. Someone please advise. I feel that the VIN states that its cloth hurts the value of the resale. And the fact that I can't get it fixed anywere but Puente Hills really pisses me off. AND I'm wondering if I'm missing other leather pieces. I'm angry about this and I'm wondering what other people think.

Sincerely,
Isaac
[/b]

It all boils down to what did you buy......What does the manufacturer's window sticker say.... pkg 5 or 6?
Did your car come with leather steering wheel? That is part of the pkg 6 factory leather. The leather should be perforated and mildly pleated in the center sections of the seats. If not, you don't have Pkg. 6 factory leather.
In that case you have a problem with you dealer, and possibly yourself, for not knowing what you purchased.
Any problems with dealer installed leather would have to be addressed by that dealer.

[isaacalves]

It does say package #6, and the steering wheel is leather. The armrests and center console lid are also in leather or leatherette....i can't really tell to be honest if its real leather in all of the pieces. The dealers are still going back and forth.