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A Dealer To Avoid: Prestige Warren Toyota, Warren Michigan

Discussion in 'Dealers & Pricing' started by css28, Oct 25, 2014.

  1. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    We bought our 2011 Prius in March of 2012. I have never paid to have the oil changed in any of my vehicles over the past 37 years but with the Toyota Care deal that came with the purchase (free maintenance for the first two oil changes) I decided to let them do it--the Toyota dealer in this thread's subject line is within walking distance of my workplace, so it was a very convenient thing to do. So convenient that when I was looking at the upcoming maintenance I was half tempted to let them continue doing the services at my expense.

    A couple of weeks ago I put the car on jack stands to give it my first oil and filter change.

    First problem: The filter housing was very tight. As in "tighter than the lug nut torque". Fortunately, thanks to advice from a PriusChat thread I'd bought an Assenmacher filter housing adapter. I had to get my 1/2" drive breaker bar wrench out to loosen it. The operation resulted in a little surface damage to the housing because of the high torque to break it free--I might buy a new one for the next change.

    Second problem: Same deal (gross over-tightening) with the drain plug. I found a thick walled 14 mm deep socket from my tool collection to break it loose.

    Ultimate problem: There was no filter element in the housing. None.

    I have been in discussion with Toyota in California and with the dealer group customer relations manager (Joanne Conlan) about perhaps getting some supplemental extended warranty coverage t0 compensate for any engine wear that might have resulted from the filter omission to no avail. Toyota considers their dealerships to be autonomous associates and the dealership has limited their offer to a free oil and filter change.
    Given that there's no way to determine whether the filter element has indeed been changed if I were to take them up on that, I've decided that I'll pass on that.

    The best I can do it is give Google a destination for the dealership using its name in the subject line and move on.

    FWIW, the original discussion thread can be found at Dealer Problems with oil Changes | Page 2 | PriusChat

    I try to be economical with new threads but feel that this one would be an exception. Moderators, if this belongs in a different subforum feel free to move it.

    Thanks for your time.
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Here's a Toyota USA email contact page, fwiw:

    Toyota FAQs | Send Questions to Toyota Customer Service

    Maybe if some other US PriusChat members (and any one interested) email them, and link this thread, it might get the ball rolling?

    (If this doesn't seem a good idea, I can edit this down to a ".")
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    great thread. i'm glad your plastering their name all over the internet, these dealers need to be taken to task. unfortunately, toyota can't do much about their dealers except pull the plug, and that would probably take fraud or worse. generally speaking, most manufacturers are way more concerned about sales than anything else. i suppose it's the nature of the beast. if you find a dealership with a good service department, it's because they have an honest owner who cares about people.
     
  4. srivenkat

    srivenkat Active Member

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    The dealership should have used their discretion and provided some sort of extended warranty for the Engine and in the absence of the dealer acting, Toyota should have.

    For those that lack the interest or time to do their own oil changes and want to take the car to the local dealer while the car is under warranty, I suggest they buy (from the parts counter or elsewhere as appropriate) the correct oil (5 qts of Toyota 0W-20 or compatible), oil filter and washer that comes with the filter and leave them on the passenger seat with a note to the service manager and another note pasted to the steering wheel about using the parts on the passenger seat. I also ask my dealer to only put 4 qts in and leave the 5th qt in the car for me to add later as needed. I take the latter precaution as my dealer over-filled my Camry Hybrid once; dealers are also notorious for using the wrong or generic weight oil.
     
  5. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    I suppose that the next logical countermeasure would be to ask for the oil-soaked filter element that was pulled as proof that the filter housing was at least opened.

    That wouldn't have helped in my case--they obviously pulled the filter element.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    ^ Supplying them with parts and instructions and stipulations is a noble idea, but will do naught to prevent what happened to the OP. They can still over torque and forget the filter.

    Dealing with them like that becomes laughable, there has to be a certain amount of trust. If you're standing over them, supplying them parts and instructions, that just isn't any way to get along. Put yourself in the mechanic's shoes: how would you react, to a customer like that? You're way better off to DIY.

    I like what you're saying about Toyota's responsibility though, their hands are NOT tied, they could very easily take the dealership to task and give OP warranty extension.

    It would likely cost them NOTHING in the long run, gain them a bit of respect. Their current stance benefits no one.

    Addendum: added red text.
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Oct 27, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2014
  7. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    What you do is your decision but if it were me I would fight to the end. Write to the President of Toyota and turn that dealer in to the Better Business Bureau.
     
    PriusC_Commuter likes this.