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Frustrated with the dealer

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Hoosiermama, May 20, 2013.

  1. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    This is why it is important to post useful information like location.

    IMO, you have two transactions. The purchase of the vehicle and the loan from TFS. Not making the scheduled payment isn't going to get the paperwork to you any faster. It will get a slow pay entry on your credit report. Do you believe 0% loans are offered to people that miss due dates?

    Absolutely play hardball with the dealer. If the law says the dealer has to deliver paperwork in X days I don't care what anyone has to do between Toyota & the dealer to do it. I do hope you haven't submitted the customer satisfaction survey.

    It is easy enough to trace a Certificate of Origin. You obviously aren't in NJ so I can't say whether or not you will receive an encumbered title or no title. I can't image you would receive a clear title.
     
  2. Hoosiermama

    Hoosiermama Junior Member

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    No. I don't believe in making late payments. which is why I am working with TFS and the dealer to delay the first payment until I receive the paperwork I need. I also don't expect to receive a clear title, since I am financing part of the purchase. Until today, I had no idea what paperwork the dealer was missing...because I couldn't get any information from the dealer. I only knew that I had received NOTHING, so that I could not register the car/tranfer the plates.
     
  3. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    I am just curious, is this car you bought brand new?
    For brand new cars, the dealer should have all the paper works when the car is delivered to the dealer.
     
  4. Hoosiermama

    Hoosiermama Junior Member

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    Brand new. One mile on the odometer at purchase. Hopefully I will get a call today that the dealership finally has my paperwork.
     
  5. daviswavis

    daviswavis Junior Member

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    Could it be this? <from a google search:worst dealer scams-msn auto>

    Scam: Selling Cars Without Proper or Clear Titles
    Title fraud is on the rise because of the current recession and is often the result of poor business management on the dealer's part, says Willy Hall, detective supervisor for the Office of the Inspector General at the Arizona Department of Transportation. It mostly happens when struggling dealers without enough money to keep operations going can't pay off the liens on titles for the vehicles they've purchased and sold. Surprisingly, a lot of dealers don't technically own the vehicles they sell. They borrow money from financiers, called "flooring agents," to pay for them. Once a dealer sells a vehicle paid for by a flooring agent, he or she is supposed to pay off the agent to get the title — or clear the lien on the title — and pass it on to the buyer. The problem arises when the dealer doesn't pay off the loan. In such cases, car buyers will return to pick up their license plates and title, only to find that they aren't available and the dealer is nowhere to be found.
     
  6. Hoosiermama

    Hoosiermama Junior Member

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    Finally! After taking the letter to the dealer stating that would be returning the vehicle unless I got the paperwork in 10 days (delivered last Saturday and per state law), I was able to get my plates transferred and the car registered today!:) The dealership I bought the car from is part of a group of at least 10 dealerships around here. When the receptionist at the dealership (who I am sure was tired of hearing from me) finally transferred me to the corporate Customer Care office, everything got resolved quickly. They said the mix-up was on Toyota's end, and the Certificate of Origin was sent to a dealership in Ohio because Toyota's inventory records were incorrect.

    As I said, the finance office at the dealership didn't return phone calls, and the dealership manager sent me a paper license plate, but never followed up to see why the paperwork never came through. I became more concerned about the lack of follow-thru and ignoring of voicemails than anything, as time went on. When the finance guy said he didn't get any of my voicemails over a three week period and that his voicemail must be broken, that was the last straw.

    I'm relieved everything is taken care of and I have a feeling some procedures/policies at the dealership may change, as they should.

    Just thought after venting, that I'd let you know that all is resolved!