How bad is the repair? If done with proper prepwork some Bondo and paint isn't necessarily all that bad of a thing. If they fix mechanical propblems I'd probably accept the cosmetic repairs if I had reason to believe it was done properly. We aren't talking about rusted out fenders filled with nothing but Bondo and spray paint. Sounds like a sideswipe type of damage, which isn't likely to cause structural damage.

Every body needs to stop with this social media, news crew stuff. No channel 7 is not going to show up or do an investigative report on an eight year old car having undisclosed body work.

See what they are willing to do for you David, maybe they'll take it back, but not likely. Next best option is to have the bearings replaced at their expense and deal with an imperfect finish on an eight year old car.

Good luck with the dealership/GM today.

The GM seems a nice fellow but they wont take the van back. He let me look around the lot for a while to see if a trade was possible. A lot of vehicles with repaired damages. He is having the wheel bearings changed out at their expense. It was a noisy ride up here today.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
The GM seems a nice fellow but they wont take the van back. He let me look around the lot for a while to see if a trade was possible. A lot of vehicles with repaired damages. He is having the wheel bearings changed out at their expense. It was a noisy ride up here today.

You get the check stopped this morning? If yes, my approach would have been to tell the GM here's your van (keys are in it), and I'm keeping my money. Good bye. And please don't take this the wrong way, but you have little to nothing the dealer could sue you for, so any lawsuit would simply cost the dealer more money in attorney fees to pursue (i.e. not gonna happen).

Called my Credit Union and my check hasnt been cashed yet. I am going down shortly to stop it. Already called them about it.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
Called my Credit Union and my check hasnt been cashed yet. I am going down shortly to stop it. Already called them about it.

Of course they’re not going to willingly take the van back. I would just give them the keys and walk out after you tell them that the check has been stopped.

I asked this in the other thread about David's fund raising, but is there anyone in his area that has a contact(s) or some kind of connection with a reputable car dealer?

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
Called my Credit Union and my check hasn't been cashed yet. I am going down shortly to stop it. Already called them about it.

Of course they’re not going to willingly take the van back. I would just give them the keys and walk out after you tell them that the check has been stopped.

+1
I agree.

They replaced right wheel bearing and its a lot quieter now. There remains multiple clicks when making a slow turn from stop. I believe thats my left CV joint. Those aren't expensive to replace. I think I am keeping the Sienna guys. The body repair is not so bad but, every time I so much as drive on their lot, the van gets more paint chips and scratches. Except for to pick up my title, I'm never going back there. Credit Union says 2 weeks for the funds to be returned to my account. At this point, I am done with that dealer. A pretty darn good lesson in car buying has been learned by me. I still like the van and its a good van. Besides all the drama from this, I have a job interview Wednesday. I want to go back to work now. The Sienna will serve me well.

quote:

Originally posted by charlie12:

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:

quote:

Originally posted by reloader-1:
Big deal, this isn’t a “dealership”. It’s a small, unaffiliated shop.

Thus, leverage is greatly diminished. There may still be a way out, but it is nowhere near as likely if he bought it from a Toyota dealer.

EDIT: been reading some of their Google reviews (Midwest Auto Connection is the dealer), seems like this behavior is quite typical:

quote:

They get some interesting inventory but the salespeople could use some training. Also, be sure to check the vehicles thoroughly as I've noticed signs of "rebuilds" on some of their cars. Especially very noticeable bodywork and paint that isn't the greatest.

They are probably a lot of auction cars that need work and they may do the work on site, I'm not positive. But a lot of the work is clearly not "top notch".

I noticed on their site most of their cars come from western Pennsylvania.

Did you look under the vehicle? My Army buddy lives in Pittsburgh and he's told me how bad the salt on the roads are for the undercarriage. And you posted that most of their vehicles come from Western Penn. No telling where these vehicle come from they buy the at auctions for little or nothing.

Being a southern boy we don't have the salt problems. I've been at my buddy's shop here in Louisiana and see some vehicle on the rack that came from up north that were about to fall to pieces underneath. Good luck David.

I got to see under the van today on a lift. Only rust I saw was on the rear shock mount brackets and it does need to be brushed off and protected. Its quite clean under there and much looks like new parts. I also noticed its rear brake calipers are new.

The van is a good running van. Its a 8 year old Toyo not new. It has as much as I can deduct one remaining issue, the CV joint. It looks good, runs good, has good tires and is clean. It will be reliable. I was disheartened by the body work. Even that is not so bad. Why should I carry on further looking for another when this van is just fine. I can get the CV joint replaced in time as its minor now and wont go bad anytime soon.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
Besides all the drama from this, I have a job interview Wednesday. I want to go back to work now. The Sienna will serve me well.

Now THAT is good news! Good luck, fingers crossed.

Thank you Clubleaf. I will report back on that.

Best of luck with your interview.

quote:

Originally posted by deepocean:
How far away is the dealership from where you are staying? Can they not mail the title to you?

Maybe a PO box. They are near 40 miles. Those online reviews, there was a customer who waited months and months and was still waiting for her title. The dealership is trash. I just completed another Google Maps review of them. Gave fair warning to those who use Google for customer reviews of Midwest.

The dealer should have the title in hand. Why would you need to wait for it on a cash deal?

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
I think I am keeping the Sienna guys.

Except for to pick up my title, I'm never going back there. Credit Union says 2 weeks for the funds to be returned to my account. At this point, I am done with that dealer. A pretty darn good lesson in car buying has been learned by me. I still like the van and its a good van. The Sienna will serve me well.

If you're going to keep the van, did you tell the car lot you did a stop payment on the check? I imagine they aren't going to give you the title until they have good funds from that check for precisely this reason. You need to be crystal clear transparent with the car lot as to when you are going to re-pay if you are going to keep the van and did a stop payment already.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
The dealer should have the title in hand. Why would you need to wait for it on a cash deal?

A new title will come from the State. Sinse I dont have a address, I asked the dealer to hold it and notify me.

quote:

Originally posted by Scuba Steve Sig:

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
I think I am keeping the Sienna guys.

Except for to pick up my title, I'm never going back there. Credit Union says 2 weeks for the funds to be returned to my account. At this point, I am done with that dealer. A pretty darn good lesson in car buying has been learned by me. I still like the van and its a good van. The Sienna will serve me well.

If you're going to keep the van, did you tell the car lot you did a stop payment on the check? I imagine they aren't going to give you the title until they have good funds from that check for precisely this reason. You need to be crystal clear transparent with the car lot as to when you are going to re-pay if you are going to keep the van and did a stop payment already.

I told them nothing and did not stop payment.

quote:

A new title will come from the State. Sinse I dont have a address, I asked the dealer to hold it and notify me.

Ah. Your state must do it differently than mine.

In Missouri we get the title and (maybe) a temp tag. You have 30 days (without fine) to go to the DMV with your title and pay the sales tax. They then mail the new title back out with no dealer involvement.

On the advice of a friend and some here, due to the added cost of the vans axle shafts, and all that has transpired in this purchase, I am at my Credit Union to stop the check.