So back in late June of this year, I ordered a 2022 Tundra. They said due to backups, blah, blah, blah, they didn’t have a delivery date for me which was fine, really no rush. In about mid July, they said they found a truck that was going to be built in August that was 99% of what I wanted. It was just missing one package which I could live without. I said lets go for that one. I ask for some dates, will be built the beginning of August for delivery mid-September.

Mid-September arrives, no truck. I ask what’s the status. It’s still in transit, should be here 9/30. I wait until 9/30 and I get a text from the salesman, your truck has been delayed a little, should be here between 10/4 and 10/14. Annoying, but fine.

Well surprise, 10/3 I get a text from the salesman your truck showed up early! Great! Let’s start down the paperwork path while they prep it. They said they could have it ready for pickup by 10/5.

This is when things start to go south. First, I had asked to add a factory tonneau cover and running boards when I ordered the truck. I asked if those were going to be installed and the salesman said, oh, we have to order those. Ok, you’ve had 2 or 3 months to get them. Luckily they were going to have them overnighted for delivery today and be installed before pickup. Next, the price they quoted me for both when I ordered was about $600 less then what they want to charge me now. They explain that parts from the factory are cheaper then if they have to order from Toyota. Not the best explanation, but not a huge deal, but this is just the start of the problem.

Back when I ordered the truck, they mentioned something called Auto Armor which is some type of paint and fabric protection package. Cost for that package was $1495. We said no thanks, don’t want that. Fast forward to yesterday, they salesman sends me the paperwork to review the figures and final price for the truck. This is where I first found the increase in the tonneau and running boards, but more important is that I found out they added the $1495 Auto Armor package on. I texted the salesman back and said no thanks, we don’t want that package. He then said, it’s already been applied. I reminded him that we didn’t want that package and I ask for the copies of the paperwork where we signed saying we accept it. First he sends me just the signatures of the paper we signed back in June. Didn’t show anything of what we purchased, just the signatures. I find our paperwork and match it up. Nothing on this form shows Auto Armor. I then asked this is just signatures, I need the paperwork where we authorized adding Auto Armor. He then sends me a purchase agreement form dated 10/4 that we did not sign and that stated the Auto Armor and two other items at full costs. I again remind him that we did not agree to this. He said he would take it back to his Manager, about 20 mins later he said he would have to take this to his GM.

As I was typing this up this morning, I get call from him. His GM said that he would give me the Auto Armor package at $995 and both the tonneau and running boards at the original agreed upon price.

So now I have to decide if this is the direction I want to go. We have already put down $1000 so if we walk we lose that. The market is getting better, but still not great on new trucks so finding another truck might take another month or so.

At this point, I should probably stop typing this and start running some numbers and make a decision if I should walk or take this deal.

Wish me luck.

Chris

Oh man that sounds aggravating. I can understand the urge to walk away over their apparent attempt to add an option you clearly declined. On the other hand when you’ve been patiently waiting for months there is a certain level of investment already put in that would seem wasted if you just walk away.

I wish you good luck in your search for a new Truck.

What you just wrote is pretty much the scene from Fargo where Jerry Lundergard is cheating the couple. The husband got pretty mad, but still bought the car. Unfortunately, I think we are still in a seller's market.

quote:

Originally posted by xd45man:
What you just wrote is pretty much the scene from Fargo where Jerry Lundergard is cheating the couple. The husband got pretty mad, but still bought the car. Unfortunately, I think we are still in a seller's market.

Ha! As my wife and I were sitting here debating this issue, we thought the same thing. “We don’t want no damn true coat!”

That’s a bad salesman. He lost you, any family & friends future business. Might have even hurt the Service dept.

RE: The AutoArmor

When I bought my F150 back in 2016 they tried to saddle me with the $2,000 pkg that was essentially the same thing.

Told them I didn't want it & their response was that it was already applied.

Long story short, we waived the 'warranty' that lets you get issues fixed & they took the upcharge off.

That, or get them to put the accessories on for free & pay for the snake oil.

As frustrating as it is - Here's how I'm looking at it....You can spend $1,000 for something you didn't want or lose $1,000 walking away. Either way you're out $1,000.

I guess I'd be asking them to sweeten the deal w/some free oil changes or something.


Rick

We ended up walking way. The deal was getting too sour. Every time they ran the numbers, they kept “forgetting” the $1000 deposit. Then they wanted us to unlock all three credit bureaus instead of just one. In all the vehicles we have purchased over the years, we have never been asked to unlock all three. This deal was just going downhill fast. It was time to walk. I lost the $1000, but at this point, I don’t care. I’m done with that dealership. They lost a lot of follow up business too. I have two other Toyota’s that will not be going there for service any more.

Now a new search begins. I sold my other truck back in August in preparation for this and have been driving an old 4Runner we purchased for my son. Thankfully he won’t get his license until next year so I have a little bit of time.

Why would you lose the $1K, was it stated as non refundable deposit in the agreement, they should have returned that regardless.

Those "auto armor' packages are nothing but fluff for the dealer, and it's how many dealers are getting around jacking the prices over MSRP by adding floor mats paint treatments, etc so you're "getting something" for the markup.

If they changed the deal and the pricing you should not be losing your deposit. This is definitely fishy.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Why would you lose the $1K, was it stated as non refundable deposit in the agreement, they should have returned that regardless.

Those "auto armor' packages are nothing but fluff for the dealer, and it's how many dealers are getting around jacking the prices over MSRP by adding floor mats paint treatments, etc so you're "getting something" for the markup.

It was agreed when we put down the deposit that it was non-refundable. I’ll take the loss to be done with that stealership.

Gotcha, that sucks, they figured you'd just pay the extra and be good with it, like others before.

When I bought my Challenger, my sales guy perp walked me from the sales area back to the finance office. He led me to a Ram pickup with a mirror and lights set up under it and then stopped. Then began the sales pitch for the paint protection and rust proof treatment. At the end of the spiel, sales guy asked if I wanted the package. I said sure! If its free. End of pitch. The next scam was extended warranty. Third party and 3K. Pass. I drove the Challenger home and bought a 5 year bumper to bumper Dodge factory extended warranty online for 900 bucks.
I once actually negotiated and got a free paint / undercoat deal. Then I read the contract. Unless the vehicle was brought to the dealer yearly for an "inspection" the protection package was null and void. Wow! That was not mentioned during the sales pitch!
These petty tactics are all part of the fun of buying a new ride.
Buyer beware!

quote:

Originally posted by cmparrish:

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Why would you lose the $1K, was it stated as non refundable deposit in the agreement, they should have returned that regardless.

Those "auto armor' packages are nothing but fluff for the dealer, and it's how many dealers are getting around jacking the prices over MSRP by adding floor mats paint treatments, etc so you're "getting something" for the markup.

It was agreed when we put down the deposit that it was non-refundable. I’ll take the loss to be done with that stealership.

I’d argue that as they didn’t deliver what you ordered since they added shit.

I simple letter from a lawyer might get you that grand back.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I drove the Challenger home and bought a 5 year bumper to bumper Dodge factory extended warranty online for 900 bucks.

There was (is?) a Toyota dealership who made more money doing that than selling vehicles. I think they were based in New England. They sold the warranties for low markups and cashed in on the bonuses Toyota was giving out for hitting certain warranty sales goals. Other Toyota dealerships complained and I think what happened was Toyota restricted the warranty sales to either having to go buy it in person versus online or only to that state.

I'm not a smart man but I know dealerships make more money with parts and service than sales. Why try to make $1,000 more over a one time purchase of a vehicle and burn that relationship for multiple sales, parts and service down the line? Makes no fucking sense to me.

Their cost of the auto armor is about $50.00.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
There was (is?) a Toyota dealership who made more money doing that than selling vehicles. I think they were based in New England. They sold the warranties for low markups and cashed in on the bonuses Toyota was giving out for hitting certain warranty sales goals.

There was a Honda dealership doing the same thing in the mid-2000s when I bought my Ridgeline. They were well known on the various Honda forums as the go-to for extended Honda factory warranties, and were charging over a grand less than your local dealership. They were making money hand over fist just for doing a little bit of paperwork, because they were severely undercutting all the other dealerships, figuring they'd rather make $200 off 10 customers while everyone else was trying to make $2000 off of one.

OP’s story sounds pretty typical of the treatment we’ve gotten from every Toyota dealership we ever tried to make a deal with. They seem to think their shit smells like ice cream.

Number of years ago was looking at the Highlander as well as a number of similar vehicles. I wanted to look at them all before making a decision, Toyota was the first stop due to the proximity of the dealership. Made it clear from the beginning that I just wanted to look that day, not buy. Salesman and GM tried every trick to get me to buy, kept telling them I was just looking. Finally they said tell us your price you would pay if we could get you "into it". So I gave them a number, (which to me was fair, I figured if they want me to make up a price I will.) The look on their faces with pure disgust was priceless, then they started ranting at how they couldn't accept my price. I simply said, well in that case you should have listed when I said I wasn't buying today and you should not have asked for me to give you a price.

I don’t know what your were going to pay for the truck but I think some dealerships want you to back out.

They agree to MSRP so they can place factory orders. Then they get you to back out so they can sell the vehicle for a markup.