Toyota

[Paulynia]

Jurisdiction

New Hampshire

Hi, I purchased a 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited addition about a month ago. I put down 23k cash and financed the balance. I've had several issues with it including having it towed back to the dealer for a dead battery, a couple of weeks after purchasing. I also purchased the vehicle with an automatic car starter, winter rugs and rain guards. After picking up the vehicle a week later I was told they had not installed any of additional items. So I made an appointment to have the them install them. After arriving to pick up my car from said appointment I was told they didn't have the rain guards in stock and would have to order them. At which point they would call me to go back and have them installed. About two weeks go by and no call from them, however now the oil filter light to the car is flashing, meaning they never even completed a thorough check of the car before selling it to me. So I called about the oil filter and asked them about the rain guards. The Service Manager said he didn't see an order for rain guards but would put in order in and call me back once again when they came in. At this point I've had a few issues with both the car and the dealership. I don't even want this car anymore, I put down a lot of money on this car and have had nothing but issues with it within the first 30 days I've had the car in my possession and I still don't have my rain guards installed. Is this considered a breech of contract by the dealership because I purchased a car with rain guards and with the understanding that they thoroughly checked and performed any necessary maintenance to the vehicle. obviously routine maintenance was not performed, due to a dead battery and oil filter needing replacement so shortly after I bought the car and I still don't have the rain guards installed on my car 30 days later. Please advise if I have any recourse on the purchase of this vehicle.

Thank you,
Paula

 

[txls]

I don't think you have anything to claim break of contract. In fact your actual contract probably doesn't address any of these issues. You say that you had an "understanding that they thoroughly checked....". Hopefully they already replaced the filter and battery, and you should have the rain guards soon.

 

[mightymoose]

You apparently bought a used vehicle?

If so, it should be no surprise that it could be in need of maintenance. Prior to purchase did you inspect the the battery and oil? Did you have a mechanic look it over? Probably not as most people don't- they just assume everything is fine.

It's a 2014. In 2017 it is not unreasonable that a new battery might be needed, especially if the vehicle day for a long period of time.
What was the mileage? Was it due for an oil change? You could have asked for an oil change prior to purchase.
Niether of those items are indicative of a problem with the vehicle and certainly are not the dealer's responsibility unless covered in a warranty which is unlikely.
The other accessories are owed to you and can either be installed when they arrive or you can obtain a refund for their value, but don't expect to get out of the sale over any of this.
The good news is that you likely have a perfectly good vehicle.

 

[Highwayman]

...meaning they never even completed a thorough check of the car before selling it to me.

It doesn't mean any such thing.

...obviously routine maintenance was not performed, due to a dead battery and oil filter needing replacement so shortly after I bought the car

That is not obvious and what you describe is far from proof that routine maintenance wasn't done.

You are very naive about motor vehicles.

 

[leslie82]

Hi, I purchased a 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited addition about a month ago. I put down 23k cash and financed the balance. I've had several issues with it including having it towed back to the dealer for a dead battery, a couple of weeks after purchasing. I also purchased the vehicle with an automatic car starter, winter rugs and rain guards. After picking up the vehicle a week later I was told they had not installed any of additional items. So I made an appointment to have the them install them. After arriving to pick up my car from said appointment I was told they didn't have the rain guards in stock and would have to order them. At which point they would call me to go back and have them installed. About two weeks go by and no call from them, however now the oil filter light to the car is flashing, meaning they never even completed a thorough check of the car before selling it to me. So I called about the oil filter and asked them about the rain guards. The Service Manager said he didn't see an order for rain guards but would put in order in and call me back once again when they came in. At this point I've had a few issues with both the car and the dealership. I don't even want this car anymore, I put down a lot of money on this car and have had nothing but issues with it within the first 30 days I've had the car in my possession and I still don't have my rain guards installed. Is this considered a breech of contract by the dealership because I purchased a car with rain guards and with the understanding that they thoroughly checked and performed any necessary maintenance to the vehicle. obviously routine maintenance was not performed, due to a dead battery and oil filter needing replacement so shortly after I bought the car and I still don't have the rain guards installed on my car 30 days later. Please advise if I have any recourse on the purchase of this vehicle.

Thank you,
Paula

You know when you buy a used car - even from a dealership - you're buying it as is. If it was a brand new car and you had the battery die I'd be a bit upset too. But it's a 2014. Generally I would think they would do some type of maintenance on it and check it before they sold it. The dealership I"ve bought two cars at has done this. But maybe they did check it and it was fine when they sold it and then things just went out.

When I took my 2013 Equinox in for service because the engine light came on I got it back a week later. Fuel injector, exhaust manifold and ECM replaced. Two days later - the engine light came back on and I had issues starting it twice. Luckily I took it in and traded it in a few days later they called me about wanting it. I was fine to let them have my car with almost 165,000 miles on it. (Long story). I got a 2015. No issues. But stuff happens even after they fix a car.

 

[army judge]

stuff happens even after they fix a car

True is so many mysterious ways.....

 

[leslie82]

True is so many mysterious ways.....

I forgot about adding this: Some places might purposely not fix something so someone has to come back - but if they're focused on one aspect and they fix that problem and everything is running fine when they sell you or return the car, then they did their job. How are they to know that something else is going to break? In my situation they kept it for three extra days to make sure it would start because after they replaced the fuel injector and exhaust manifold they said it wasn't starting right away. I had that issue a couple days too. So they looked into that. In the notes I got it said that it started 30+ times over that 3 days no problem.

Cars run down. It just happens.