Dealer Nightmare

[vormulak]

After a catalogue of diasters with the approved used RAV4 we are trying to buy , should I send our letter of complaint to the manager of the Toyota garage we are dealing with or is there another way to resolve the problems we are having ?

A brief summary :

Car delivered 2 hours late (due at 11:00 ) on next doors drive. The long scratch on the side had not been sorted. My wife goes to move it and the Battery is flat. Toyota send out a vehicle to jump start it and the Battery replaced with a new one and we get the vehicle at 16:30. Had a look round and found one of the rear passenger seats not latched in properly.

Next day during a check round ; rear wiper not working , screenwash empty , 2 window seals pulled into the door/window gap during operation of the windows.

This morning the engine management light came on and we decided we had bought a "lemon " and have contacted the garage to see what they can do. :censor:

Just wondered if anyone else has ever had this sort of experience with approved used Toyota dealers ?

Really want to buy a RAV4 and we are newbies when it comes to purchasing nearly new cars.

Apologies for the whingeing but I had to let off some steam before storming in there and any advice large or small is much appreciated.

Vormulak

[jonbr]

Keep calm when you talk to the dealer is the first thing to say.

Second, assuming they have sold it with a warranty, ask them to fix all the faults in a reasonable agreed time under it.

If they get funny, mention the sale of goods act and how the vehicle should be fit for purpose.

If you don't have any luck write to Toyota UK. They are very hot on the service given by their dealers and I'm sure they would get involved with such a poor example of quality service in their name!

[SMW]

You can exchange an approved Toyota up to 14 days after purchase if you are unhappy for any reason - see here

http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/...h&menuid=145663

[AMH]

I used the exchange clause last time I got a RAV - because it did not have ABS yet saleman had told me it did.

Dealer was superb - ended up getting my old car back with new road tax and returning new some RAV 2 months and 2,500 miles later (I complained within 1 day of getting car but was going away in it the following day - dealer said no problem and tried to get me an ABS car in the mean time but couldn't.

Was so impressed that I have now gone back to same guy (different dealership) for another RAV after sampling life in a Lexus for 3 years ...

As jonbr says just stay calm and explain problems - under 14d clause you don't even need to let them try a fix - just swap for another car.

[vormulak]

Thanks for the advice folks. I remained calm and we decided to go down the garage and see the general manager. After giving him the details of the unsafe car they sold us ( tyre pressures all down by 8 psi) he very quickly sorted out a newer and hopefully better car. We get it next Friday. Hooray!

[celtictricky]

Thanks for the advice folks. I remained calm and we decided to go down the garage and see the general manager. After giving him the details of the unsafe car they sold us ( tyre pressures all down by 8 psi) he very quickly sorted out a newer and hopefully better car. We get it next Friday. Hooray!

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Excellent result! :-) Just a shame you had to go through this in the first place I guess!