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The $3000 Brake Job

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Dark_matter_doesn't, Apr 22, 2013.

  1. KTPhil

    KTPhil Active Member

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    Not one of the six points you make means anything to me as a customer. Customers, remember them? They pay your salary, remember?

    If the issues above are what the dealer (and Toyota corporate) are concerned about, the Toyota will soon face the same fate as other failed automakers who looked inward instead of looking at themselves from the CUSTOMER's viewpoint.

    The self-absorption they show is a sign they are on the way down and out. They have forgotten why they exist, and where they came from.

    "Quality" as defined by Deming and others is not about defects, it's about the voice of the customer.

    When you stop listening to that voice, you stop having customers.
     
  2. srivenkat

    srivenkat Active Member

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    A majority of the "lay" customers are non-questioning of the dealer's service recommendations. I heard there are some people that simply don't even know/want to negotiate a price down on a vehicle, simply paying the asking price no questions asked. A super set of this group will do the same at the service desk. As long as dealers are happily making money off of them, the rest of us are going to be more of an irritant in their current sales/service models. I heard a couple of days back Toyota is still at number 1.

    I like to take my cars to the dealer for oil changes and the "free multi-point" inspection that they tag along to that, or if I run into any issues with the car that aren't easily tractable and if they find any expensive issues not covered under warranty, then get them taken care of at an outside shop with used parts, as the situation might demand.
     
  3. Conor

    Conor Junior Member

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    They don't make sense? They don't have to. They're reality. You might even use this knowledge to further protect yourself as a customer, too. These principals are universal throughout the automotive industry, too. You won't find a car brand that doesn't operate this away on a corporate level. Without profit there are no cars. If everyone did everything in their power to prevent an automaker or dealer from generating profit you would have no Prius to drive. No profit, no Prius. When you stop considering that, you stop having a Prius.

    Is there a balance? Absolutely. Do some dealerships work customers harder than others? Absolutely. Do some Toyota district reps deny warranty claims more often than others? Absolutely.

    You're entirely correct. Many/most people don't haggle on a purchase price of a vehicle. But then again, the fact that they don't (and the fact that they often buy upsold add-ons for their new cars) is what makes it possible for a dealer to sell a hard-bargain customer like you a new car at or below invoice cost. If EVERYONE did what you did, nobody would get the deal you do.

    Insofar as service departments, most customers will either OK a repair without much fuss or they'll instantly assume they're being ripped off. There's seldom any middle ground. True story.

    Customers like you are, as a dealership tech, my least favorite and the sort I give the least amount of attention and effort toward. Main reason? You don't make me any money. I get half an hour's pay to change your oil and do a quick MPI, knowing that you won't buy anything that will earn me income. I work to earn a living, right? If you're not going to help me, I'm not that keen on helping you. It's give and take, like many things in life. I absolutely understand being cheap.. The reason I learned to work on cars myself is that I realized how expensive it is to pay other people to do it for you. That said, you're already burning tons of money by driving a new/newer car. If you were really that frugal (and environmentally mindful) you'd be driving a 15-20 year old Corolla or Camry. ;)
     
    The Critic likes this.
  4. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    Finally, an update. After waiting patiently for the dealership to call back, I finally heard from the service manager that Toyota will give me $1500 back on the brake master cylinder replacement. I have to send in a letter requesting the refund, which goes in the mail today. I always maintained that I wasn't looking for total compensation, just some significant amount from Toyota that recognized they accepted at least partial responsibility for this situation. Why they can't just send me the check is a complete mystery - Toyota knows who I am and where I live.

    To get this, I had to engage (1) the service manager, (2) the dealership general manager, and (3) the Toyota customer experience phone line. (1) and (2) had a terrible record of returning calls as promised, and (3) essentially made sympathetic noises and did next to nothing except bug (1) and (2) to call me back.

    More when the check actually arrives . . .
     
    mmmodem and cwerdna like this.
  5. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    hope it works out!
     
  6. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    Today's update: Toyota received my letter, but when I called the corporate Customer Satisfaction Line this morning, they claim Toyota knows nothing about the $1500 refund that Burien Toyota had negotiated for me. They had closed the old claim number when the dealership started talking to the regional rep, but they've opened a new claim number based on the letter and the apparent disconnect between the dealer and Toyota.

    The Customer Satisfaction Line rep argued with me that since the warranty had expired, and I hadn't had the vehicle serviced at a Toyota dealer, I had no grounds to complain about the $2700 master cylinder failure at 50K miles.

    I've left a message for the service manager (Terry McCoy) to call me back. He was the person who told me to send in the letter for the refund.
     
  7. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    Ha, another stealership bait and switch.

    Hope it will work out for you.

     
  8. phoenixgreg

    phoenixgreg Senior member

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    Wow, the post-mortem on this debacle is nothing short of terrible! Much as I don't like to, I take my Prius in twice a year for recommended services just in case something big like this ever happens. Me and my dealer have a solid paper-trail so there would be no arguments on a warranty claim, should it be needed.
     
  9. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    I made my mind, I'm buying an extended warranty before 36 months expire. This is my very first one.
     
  10. nparker13

    nparker13 Member

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    Keep us posted, I'm having the same issue, its week 3, replaced master cylinder and same squeak.
     
  11. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    Make sure you're aware of what is covered and what isn't before you buy.
     
  12. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    I just did:
     
  13. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    What mileage/months of service warranty is this, where to buy it and how much?

    Mike
     
  14. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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  15. nparker13

    nparker13 Member

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    Sweet find 32kcolors, that is what my dealer is replacing as I type this!!!
     
  16. Agape

    Agape Member

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    If th recall has not been already initiated by you then I suggest to don't call but write to Toyota Customers Service and ask for full reimbursement.
     
  17. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    Thanks much for the tip about the recall. Unfortunately, my life is run on Murphy's Law, and the recall is for the brake pressure accumulator, NOT the brake master cylinder/ABS unit. I do qualify for a new accumulator.

    Last chapter of my saga, I called and left a message with the customer support person at the dealership, who didn't call me back. The service manager did call back and left a message that Toyota wants a copy of the service paperwork and my credit card receipt. I scanned them and sent him copies, but that was more than a week ago and no news from them since. Typical, I've come to realize. I'll call tomorrow about the master cylinder situation AND mention the other brake system recall and see what happens.
     
  18. Agape

    Agape Member

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    Since I started to put things on paper and deal via e-mail ( then call to set-up the appointments), everything started to shape correctly.
     
  19. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    I thought nparker13 indicated that they're replacing the accumulator in addition to the master cylinder? I'd inquire whether the master cylinder failure is somehow related to the accumulator not releasing the pressure properly, stressing it out and leading to premature failure.

    Check out this old thread.
     
  20. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    I did talk to the service manager this morning, and he's reassured me that he's got the process moving to get me some reimbursement for the brake master cylinder replacement. He's also frustrated that in all the discussions he's had with Toyota about the reimbursement recently, no one ever mentioned the recall to him, though it must have been in process. He's now asking how the recall impacts my claim. I told him my vehicle falls in the recall based on my VIN look-up.

    As before, I'll see what happens.