Big Two Toyota of Chandler

Reviews 3

CO

Colette E

I was going to wait a few more days before writing this review to give Wally Henkel the General Manager a chance to speak with me, but I now realize my situation isn’t as unique as I thought it was. I’ve also realized that Chris Henkel is the one who responds to the complaints and given that I was at the dealership yesterday and had asked to speak with him and I was told “he was buried under paperwork” and couldn’t talk to me I’ve decided to share my story. Service: I have a 2009 Toyota Carolla. On Friday August 12, 2016 I got to work and it wouldn’t go into park. I could get it into neutral, but it wouldn’t release my key. I drove to the dealership and saw my service representative Big Mike. I received a call a few hours later that it was my transmission and would be $5600 to repair. I left work to go back to the dealership to see about getting a new car and make arrangements to have my car towed home. I had the vehicle towed to my home to be looked at by someone else. Here is what the dealership said is wrong with my car: shifter cable stretched, park/neutral/drive switch broken, arm that comes off the front prndl swith bent and transmission needs replaced. My shifter cable is stretched/broken, by park/neutral/drive switch is broken, but here is where it gets interesting. We aren’t sure that the transmission is broken. I’m still waiting for the final word. However the bent arm that comes off the prndl switch that may have caused the transmission damage was done by the service department forcing my car into park!!! That is how it got bent. I would also like to note that I had to go to the dealership to meet the tow truck as Doug from sales put my car key in his personal locker and not back with the service desk. When I went back with the tow truck we also discovered my plates had been removed as well as my registration. I DIDN’T sign a contract to buy a new car or trade mine in. Sales: My biggest mistake was meeting with the sales team on a day that my car was undrivable on their lot. We all knew they had me bent over a barrel, but I trusted that they were going to help me. I won’t get into all the gory details, but I had been told to tell them I was a Costco member so I could get the Costco pricing which is the lowest they can go. I was told by Doug that this deal was better and if I showed my Costco card they would have to follow Costco rules and wouldn’t be able to give me this amazing deal. I told him I was unsure about leasing a vehicle and had lots of questions. He told me I would have to talk to finance to get all the details and the only way to talk to finance was to complete an application. I completed the application and while in the finance waiting room I asked for the blank lease agreement twice and didn’t get it. I told them prior to be pulled into the finance office that I was uncomfortable and didn’t want to move forward. This is when I was finally moved to the finance office where Doug, Rusty Anderson the Sales manager and someone from finance spent 2 hours trying to pressure me into signing the lease agreement. I was crying and kept telling them I wanted to leave and think about it all overnight so I could research some things. They told me there was nothing to research. I finally quit talking and was taken back to my car to get my belongings. I was up all night researching and other Toyota dealers have the same vehicle for $3k to $4k less. There was also a rebate on the vehicle and 0 percent financing which I was told I didn’t qualify for due to credit score. I have since met with Brian their internet manager and I was shown the Costco deal for that vehicle. It was better than the deal they were giving me. I saw the invoice. They had told me they were taking a $1500 loss on my deal yet I was still paying over invoice. I was also told my credit score qualified for 0%.

DO

docterryt

During recent visit for maintenance on 2001 Toyota Sienna, I requested a front-end alignment because steering wheel was shaking and vehicle was pulling to the right. Technician stated front-end alignment was needed and that lower control arm bushings were split and that was the reason for the steering wheel shake. The service manager quoted a price of $864 to replace the bushings in the lower control arm. The service, of course, was declined. After a video on YouTube showed how easy it was replace the bushings, I decided to do the work myself and I decided to replace both control arms instead of just replacing the bushings. From start to finish, from the initial loosening of the lug nuts to the final tightening of the lug nuts, and just using the tools in my tool box purchased from Sears many years ago, I was able to replace both control arms, including ball joints, in just under two hours. The two control arms with ball joints costs around $230 total. The bottom-line is the Big Two Toyota service technician lied. The bushings in the control arms were not split In addition, how could he have diagnosed a split lower control arm bushing when the entire bushing is covered by two plates that make up the bushing mounting bracket. Both plates completely cover the bushing. Lastly, after completing the lower control replacement, the steering wheel shake and vehicle pulling to the right did not go away. I took the van to Sears for a realignment and it determined that the cause of the steering wheel shake and pulling was due to a left front tire tread separation. It was not due to a split in the lower control arm bushing. After replacing the tires and getting the realignment, the van now runs perfectly. I did end up spending almost $800, however, $230 and two hours of my Saturday were totally wasted. After receiving my final bill from Big Two Toyota, the vehicle inspection produced a number of other findings, in addition to the split lower control arm bushings. 1. Radiator hoses were seeping, price to fix: $325 dollars: The anti-freeze overflow container has yet to show a change in the anti-freeze level and its been over 3 weeks since my visit to Big Two. 2. Rear shocks leaking, price $250: Have yet to see a drop of hydraulic fluid leaking from rear shocks. 3. Tire replacement, price $625. Got them cheaper at Sears, $500. All in all, had I gone with the Big Two recommendations for repairs, I would have spent almost $2000, and it would not have come close to fixing the real and most obvious problem diagnosed by a person that problem doesnt come close to having the training of a Big Two Toyota technician has, i.e., tire tread separation. I feel sorry for the people that take their cars to dealerships for service and just open of their checkbooks and pay for whatever service the technician recommends because they dont know any better.

MR

Mr Michael

I am writing this review because this is now the second time that this dealership, specifically service has bothered me. Im giving it two stars because the facility is nice (though the last time I visited it was cleaner) and most of the people that Ive encountered are friendly. I was also not there for the purchase of the Toyota and cannot speak for the sales so will give them the benefit of the doubt. The first time I went for service I was met immediately with a smile and was told my scheduled adviser would come to greet me soon. I waited in my car for at least ten minutes while people came and went while even the employees in the bay were looking and Im assuming were wondering why I was still in my car. However, Im patient and this is in the past. The most recent visit was fine at first. I was met quickly and my adviser greeted my soon after. I informed him Im here for service which my "Premium" service plan (which has a sample contract attached?) bought at my previous visit covered. I also told him that my right DRL was knocked out of place by road debris and I would like it back in place. After waiting a hour and a half (I get it, it takes as long as it takes) I was returned my car at the outgoing bay. I was told it would be just a moment as no one cleared the maintenance code on the car (people forget). With a courtesy rinse, I was onto the rest of my busy day. It wasnt until I reached the airport that I found that the DRL was in the same position as before I took it in. Thats when I was really disappointed and believe is were multiple failures occurred. For my Nissan (though they tried to swindle me for a multiple hundred dollar, out-of-warranty repair which was a false diagnosis) and my Mazda (currently my best experience, for they always make sure my concerns were addressed), each dealership has comments on their report of work requested, work performed and notes. No where on the report I was given does it say anything about a light out of place. So it was missed there. Second, there is a report of the condition of the car on a following page. For "Bulbs and Lights" it is marked as "Checked & ok at this time." Unless checked means its present and not missing, it was checked and was ignored. Of course this suggests to me, what services were performed at all? Ironically at this visit, I was given a letter that the dealership will be getting new technology that will improve multi-point inspections. Of course I could have been diligent and checked my car over before I left the dealership but even if I had and found it was missed, it should not be required of me and wouldnt have had the time to wait for someone to actually take care of it. Now I will have to wait until the next time I have the time to fix it myself. While the attitude of everyone there is great and always is a pleasure to deal with, I would like what I had requested be attended to.