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

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by isaacalves, Aug 2, 2007.

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  1. isaacalves

    isaacalves New Member

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    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
     
    #1 isaacalves, Aug 2, 2007
  2. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    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!
     
    #2 David Beale, Aug 2, 2007
  3. Devil's Advocate

    Devil's Advocate Member

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    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.
     
    #3 Devil's Advocate, Aug 2, 2007
  4. Platypus

    Platypus New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 12:51 PM) [snapback]489508[/snapback]</div>
    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 :huh:
     
    #4 Platypus, Aug 2, 2007
  5. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    Do you have a leather steering wheel? If so, it's package #6. If not, package #5 with leather added.
     
    #5 Godiva, Aug 2, 2007
  6. DelerPrius

    DelerPrius New Member

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    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.
     
    #6 DelerPrius, Aug 2, 2007
  7. rudiger

    rudiger Active Member

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

    telstar New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 02:51 PM) [snapback]489508[/snapback]</div>
    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.
     
    #8 telstar, Aug 2, 2007
  9. 9G-man

    9G-man Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 03:51 PM) [snapback]489508[/snapback]</div>
    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.
     
    #9 9G-man, Aug 2, 2007
  10. isaacalves

    isaacalves New Member

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    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.
     
    #10 isaacalves, Aug 2, 2007
  11. ohershey

    ohershey New Member

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    I would contact Toyota corporate. They will probably get the two dealerships to work it out in a damn-quick hurry. The phone number for the Toyota "experiences" line is (800) 331-4331.
     
    #11 ohershey, Aug 2, 2007
  12. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 03:51 PM) [snapback]489508[/snapback]</div>
    Isaac, does your window sticker & bill of sale indicate that the car has package 6? If so, the dealer misrepresented the car as Toyota verifies that it is a package 5. If the sticker has package 5 and a seperate line for leather then you got what you paid for.
     
    #12 JimN, Aug 2, 2007
  13. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Aug 2 2007, 04:22 PM) [snapback]489520[/snapback]</div>
    He said his seats wobble. They have to pull the seats to install aftermarket leather. I watched them do mine. It took HOURS. The seats wobble, so that means the installers may have done a cheezy job at reinstalling the seats. Take it back to the people who messed w/ the seats last.
     
    #13 hill, Aug 3, 2007
  14. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Aug 2 2007, 11:21 PM) [snapback]489792[/snapback]</div>
    Not only that, but if they pulled the seats and did a shoddy job, is it possible the airbag system might be compromised? That's a safety issue.
     
    #14 Godiva, Aug 3, 2007
  15. mcevedy

    mcevedy New Member

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    In the UK, leather is fitted in this country rather than at the factory. I just have received mine and it has been done nicely. Not sure about the rear arm rest which seems to just flop down but will ask when seen at dealer. Leather steering whell and also the door arm rests.
     
    #15 mcevedy, Aug 3, 2007
  16. 9G-man

    9G-man Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(isaac @ Aug 2 2007, 05:26 PM) [snapback]489586[/snapback]</div>
    Does the leather material on your seats have perforated and pleated center sections. If so that sounds like factory leather of Pkg 6. If not, then it sounds like the factory leather was replaced (can't imagine why) and you should have a big problem with your dealer is that's the case.
     
    #16 9G-man, Aug 3, 2007
  17. Barcelona Red Lass

    Barcelona Red Lass Sips gas like fine wine!

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    Having bought our Prius from Puente Hills Toyota, my first response is that I'm not too thrilled with this at all. Did you pay for package 6? Because all you got was Package 5 with leather seat covers. That's not right!
     
    #17 Barcelona Red Lass, Aug 3, 2007
  18. isaacalves

    isaacalves New Member

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    I'm glad there are so many quick responses.

    Well, here is what happened so far:

    The service manager at Puente Hills Toyota, Mike Vogel, contacted me through email saying that he didn't understand why toyota of orange will not correct the seat issue because he has proof that the seats are factory installed. He offered to contact the service manager at Toyota of Orange, Andy Fu. Andy Fu contacts me a while later and verifies that the car is a package six and that his sales were unaware because they failed to completely read the VIN report.

    This is where things get a little weird. And I don't get know if I should feel off about this but it seems legit in the sense its all on paper. First, running the VIN shows the car has cloth....reading further on the second page it says package 6, and it lists out all of the options included. I verified this with the original window sticker where it does say cloth below the first column, the second column to the right it says package 6 with those parts listed out (including all of the leather trim).

    All in all they're fixing the seat, they needed to order a new part that will come in tomorrow. I still want to talk to them again and get some more details about this. Although I do feel better that the vehicle information does say it has leather. I was afraid that the VIN specs wouldn't list this, which could hurt resale value, and that the warranty would not be honored at other toyota dealerships.

    I'll post more specifics when I get them.

    thanks everyone for the responses.

    I still love the car and I'm glad I got the Touring model with full options, but my experience at these dealerships has been horrendous.

    cheers,
    Isaac
     
    #18 isaacalves, Aug 3, 2007
  19. hycamguy07

    hycamguy07 New Member

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    #19 hycamguy07, Aug 3, 2007
  20. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Peter@Beoworld @ Aug 3 2007, 01:51 AM) [snapback]489846[/snapback]</div>
    It's normal.
     
    #20 IsrAmeriPrius, Aug 3, 2007
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