Side airbags

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 18 2006, 06:41 PM) [snapback]241745[/snapback]</div>

I think a fair price would be what you paid, less a reasonable price based upon your few months usage. If you based it off of .40 a mile, it would be $900. That's less than $250 a month. I'm not sure if that's too high or low, but you shouldn't have to eat much on this.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 18 2006, 06:41 PM) [snapback]241745[/snapback]</div>

first, they are not acknowledging fault by offering you a trade. they need to be buying back your vehicle, minus the miles you've gotten out of it as maytrix suggested. all they're going to do is turn around and sell it used for $25k or more anyway. don't let them cheat you, they will still be making money on this.

if the deal is unsatisfactory, lodge a complaint with the regional office. it's good that they're trying to take care of this at the dealer level, however, it's clear that they won't acknowledge having misled you in the name of a quick sale and that still spells out s-h-a-d-y to me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 18 2006, 04:41 PM) [snapback]241745[/snapback]</div>

I have a question...why the wait until Friday? It sounds as if he wants you to go away, and hoping the longer he delays any type of response means you will just...poof...go away. A responsive, fast, satisfactory solution is what you want and here he is waiting until Friday? What's he doing with all that time? I don't think he is actively trying to resolve this issue in your favor.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 18 2006, 02:36 PM) [snapback]241635[/snapback]</div>

Among other things I am a clinical psychologist and former managing partner in a clinical practice. Getting money out of a health insurance company is quite a feat. I'm no longer worried about you. I pity the salesman, or I would if he didn't deserve it!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 19 2006, 11:53 AM) [snapback]242088[/snapback]</div>

i was afraid that would happen. time to go over everyone's head, above the dealership. they should be buying it back less the value of mileage you put on it and they're trying to screw you over.

admitting he did that will get him in trouble. he doesn't want to do that.

all i found was the number for US corporate HQ- couldn't find regional numbers. it's 800-331-4331. if you need a number specific for the cinci region let me know and i'll see what i can dig up.

 

Does Kentucky have a consumer affairs office? If not try the attorney general's office. A dealer should not be allowed to lie about a safety matter and get away with it.

 

let me see if we can get the number for the cincinnati regional distributor. they have more local control over their dealers. at least, i know all the dealers in the southeast stand at attention for SET...

 

As a previous poster suggested, I'd start looking for a lawyer to write a letter. Let them know you're serious with a capital "S".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 20 2006, 03:49 PM) [snapback]242785[/snapback]</div>

So far so predictable. I bet there is a glutted black market for adoption of car salesman's babies. Not much demand but lots of supply. It'll be interesting to see if you can get face to face with the owner. Where are they getting $18000, besides "we're making this all up as we go along. Opps, that was the problem in the first place." I see a 2005 Prius with 25,000 miles on E-Bay for $17400, and a 2004 with 31,000 miles for $15000. One reason I bought a 2006 was cause the price difference with a used 2005 was insignificant.

An additional thought, give some consideration to contacting the local TV news ASAP while this thing about Prius crash tests is still a hot item. The tie in might make it seductive for them to do your story.

Keep at them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 18 2006, 05:41 PM) [snapback]241745[/snapback]</div>

If you have not already done so, document all your dealings with these sales people. It will certainly come in handy if you are not happy with the deal they offer and go for litigation.
Just make notes as to where and when what was said or agreed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Orf @ Apr 21 2006, 07:47 PM) [snapback]243417[/snapback]</div>

If she is going to go around doing demos of the Prius at churches etc. and telling her feelings about the dealer she will need to document all her dealings to be prepared if the dealer decides to go for litigation. These things can work both ways so protect yourself.

 

<_< In the construction business, we have a saying:

"A contractor had rather climb a tree and lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth!"

Sounds like that may well apply to most car salespeople as well. Caveat emptor STILL applies in all transactions - NEVER take the word of a salesperson who has a financial gain involved. ALWAYS pre-research important purchases. TWICE read the written agreement and demand clarification of terms and conditions you don't understand. NEVER, NEVER sign a blank contract. In the excitement of a major purchase, like a Prius (or any car), it's too easy to gloss over details what with the "new car smell" and sparkle.

Of course, all this comes after the fact of signatures, taking delivery and "using" the vehicle. Hope your project works out without a lot of further travail. There's a lot to be learned here for other Prius buyers.

On the upside: With or without side airbags, you have a terrific machine.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 25 2006, 08:04 PM) [snapback]245299[/snapback]</div>

OK I am a Doc so my perspective is well "limited" to evidence based medicine, and that tells me that with the Prius side air bags are huge. In a side collision they mean your life. The price is not greater than that. Not now, not ever, never. I would suggest that you need to take this to the matt. As a Doc I do not say this lightly... believe me! You need legal help. Please do not rush out and get the lawyer with the most ads in the phone book. Please do research. Look around. Ask for advice, Even consider paying for help rather that operating on contingency, i.e. the lawyer does better than you. You really should have the car you bought! That is one with side air bags. This is not pretence, you may well bet your life on this. Please consider that!

 

When I bought my Explorer (my first car), back in '94, I specifically requested the "towing package" which was a different gear ratio and a bigger radiator and had a higher maximum towing weight. It was a primary option for me. I didn't have anything to tow, but I figured that since I lived in South Carolina at the time, deep in truck country, that if I was going to get a truck, I should get one that can actually tow something, in case I ever wanted to see it later.

They didn't have what I wanted at the dealership, so they had to swap cars with another dealer 100 miles away. They wrote down the description and price of the car I was going to buy when it arrived, including the fact that it had the "towing package" and faxed it to my bank, who was providing the loan. They wouldn't let me have a copy if it though, since I hadn't actually signed any contract and they didn't want me taking the quote to another dealer.

Anyhow, I got my Explorer two days later, took it home and read through the manual page by page. A couple of days later, I came across the page that explained how to decode the information plate on the driver's side door and determine the options and features that were present on the car. Out of idle curiosity, I took a look at the plate and discovered that the car did not have the "towing package".

I figured it wasn't going to be easy to rectify this, as I had signed the contract and taken delivery of the car and I didn't have any proof that I had even asked for the towing package. The first place I went to was the bank to discuss with the loan officer what my options were. They told me that there wasn't anything they could do, but then I remembered that they had been faxed a copy of the vehicle description. So I had them make me a copy. I then marched right down to the dealer, with the vehicle description paperwork in hand and demanded that they fix the situation.

They were actually very responsive. The salesman disappeared for about 10 minutes and then came back and told me that they would swap my car out with another one they had located at another dealer and that I could come back in two days to do the swap. They took care of the DMV paperwork and I was charged nothing extra.

Of course, I expect that I would have had a much harder time if I hadn't been able to hand them their own paperwork that stated they were going to sell me an Explorer with the towing package.