Certified Used Car Blues-- How would you handle this?

[Rocco Crocco]

In the middle of February this year, my girlfriend and I each bought a Certified pre-owned car from my local Toyota dealer. This is my second car I bought there. Always had good experiences.

My job requires a lot of driving. I am in the car 3 or 4 hours per day four days per week. All highway miles. I needed a car that gets great mileage and has a roomy trunk for my tools and other materials I need to do my job. I picked a 2013 Corolla S.

I love the car, except 2 or 3 weeks ago I turned on the AC and got nothing but warm air. It was the first time I tried the AC since I bought it. You can't really test AC when its cold so there is no telling if it was working when I bought it or not.

I took it to the dealerships service center. They told me it needed an AC amplifier (what Toyota calls their control module, apparently), which they installed and the next day I picked my car up. The air blew cold for maybe 5 minutes, then it was hot again.

Brought he car back. They quickly figured out the the AC amplifier was fried again, and that it must have a short somewhere else that was causing the problem.

I know finding a short in an electrical system is a PITA and is time consuming. Thankfully they gave me a loaner.

4 or 5 days go by and I get a call from my service adviser. He tells me that the compressor has a short and needs to be replaced.

HE TOLD ME THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER AND WOULD NOT BE IN UNTIL JUNE 16TH (TODAY).

In the meantime, he wanted me to bring the loaner back and take my Corolla back until the part came in.

I was not really happy with that arrangement. Driving for hours on the highway in June with no AC after sweating my nut-sack off at work was not optimal. I asked if I could get the loaner car back on my work days until the part came in. He told me his boss said he needed the car back for other customers, and that was a no go.

OK, I can drive without AC for one week... no big deal. I brought the loaner car back and picked up my car.

Well, I called this morning to see if my part was in. My service adviser was unavailable, but the person who answered the phone looked it up and said it wasn't in yet. I asked when it was due, she said she didn't know and suggested I leave a message for my adviser, which I did.

In the meantime, I called another dealer's parts department to check on the availability of the part. The parts guy told me that there are NO COMPRESSORS available in the USA, and that 219 other people are waiting on them. He said they're coming from Japan and there is no way of knowing when they will ship.

Now I feel like I was deliberately deceived by the service adviser. He told me the part would be in on the 16th so I would bring the loaner car back without too much griping. According the parts guy I spoke with there really is no way my adviser would have been told that the part would be in on the 16th (today).



So now what? Am I supposed to drive around for 3 or 4 hours a day for the whole summer not knowing when my part is coming in? I paid for a Certified Car that supposedly had the AC inspected before I bought it. I am not sure how to handle this. I want a loaner car for days that I work until mine is fixed. Is this too much to ask? What recourse do I have if they say no to this?

The adviser hasn't called me back yet (called 3 hours ago), so I don't know what he will say.

 

[kfowler8]

IMO,

#1 Be polite, cool headed but direct with what you want
#2 Call and tell them you would like a sit down meeting with the manager and would like to schedule some time to come in
#3 Tell them what you just told us. Tell them what you're expectations were and why you feel they're not being met. Again, be polite and professional. Be specific on what you want and how they can rectify the issue

 

[sk8rat]

kind of an s.o.l. situation.

I sincerely doubt they will give you a loaner for more than a few days since you car still drives and there isn't anything they can do to fix it without the part.

is this the part you need? since it is oem and from a toyota dealership they might be able to order it for you from them.
2013 Toyota Corolla S 1.8L Automatic. #8831002711: A/C Compressor. Compressor.

 

[Mule Train]

My guess is they sold you the car this way. You can test the AC in any weather by listening to hear if the compressor kicks on. I am not an AC guy but systems work differently in different cars. From the sound of it this is a common failing on your model, and I'll bet it's not the first one they have replaced. Do your windows fog up when they should not? Is it still under warranty?

 

[Nick-O]

If you have good standing with the dealership, ask to speak to the dealer principle, in person. He should take care of you as the amount of money you are talking is relative peanuts to him. Be prepared to quote him if you are not satisfied and he offers you nothing. Ask them to remove a compressor from rolling inventory (used same model veh) until the new part is available.
In the event you are not satisfied call the (Toyota) District Manager and complain royally. He has the ability to recoup any money the dealer principle has to lay out for CSR in this case.

.02¢

 

[Rocco Crocco]

My guess is they sold you the car this way. You can test the AC in any weather by listening to hear if the compressor kicks on. I am not an AC guy but systems work differently in different cars. From the sound of it this is a common failing on your model, and I'll bet it's not the first one they have replaced. Do your windows fog up when they should not? Is it still under warranty?

yes windows fog up. yes it is under warranty. The parts guy I spoke with told me they are having a lot of failure with that compressor.

 

[Rocco Crocco]

kind of an s.o.l. situation.

I sincerely doubt they will give you a loaner for more than a few days since you car still drives and there isn't anything they can do to fix it without the part.

is this the part you need? since it is oem and from a toyota dealership they might be able to order it for you from them.
2013 Toyota Corolla S 1.8L Automatic. #8831002711: A/C Compressor. Compressor.

I would not want to give me a loaner either if I were them. Just like I don't want to drive around without AC. Seems like the consumer loses more often than not.

Thanks for the link. I just got off the phone with them. They do not have the part either, and she said there are none available from other dealers in her network.

 

[scott1970]

Any chance you can discuss with the general manager about having a compressor pulled from a junkyard and installed on their dime? Surely there are a bunch of totalled Corollas sitting around this country.

 

[rockstar232007]

You lost me at "Toyota Corolla".

Those cars have always been the biggest piles of crap.

 

[Nick-O]

This is the solution, but not junk yard, rolling used car inventory under the same district manager. Some of their credit/bonus comes from CSR, you are a good customer, so I would pursue this.

 

[Rocco Crocco]

You lost me at "Toyota Corolla".

Those cars have always been the biggest piles of crap.

Thanks. Big help!

 

[Rocco Crocco]

This is the solution, but not junk yard, rolling used car inventory under the same district manager. Some of their credit/bonus comes from CSR, you are a good customer, so I would pursue this.

Yup this is a great idea. I just left a second message for the service adviser. If I can't get anywhere with him, i'll go up the chain.

Car problems?? Post your question on a guitar forum lol.

 

[Rocco Crocco]

This is the solution, but not junk yard, rolling used car inventory under the same district manager. Some of their credit/bonus comes from CSR, you are a good customer, so I would pursue this.

BTW, what does CSR stand for in this context?

 

[Bigfoot410]

Look up and read the "Certified" contract and see if they check the AC. They should give you another car or take the compressor out of another corolla they have....something. Wag yer finger. Threaten to sue. Bring an alligator or a gorilla!

 

[Bytor1958]

Next time buy a Ford. I have always had Fords. That's my Opinion and I'm sticking with it.

 

[Rocco Crocco]

Next time buy a Ford. I have always had Fords. That's my Opinion and I'm sticking with it.

I've had 5 fords... all were great except one... my 87 Taurus was fuqued up. My 2 Grenadas, T-Bird and Turbo-Coupe gave me many trouble free years.

I have also had great experience with Toyotas as well.

 

[scott1970]

Look up and read the "Certified" contract and see if they check the AC. They should give you another car or take the compressor out of another corolla they have....something. Wag yer finger. Threaten to sue. Bring an alligator or a gorilla!

Don't bring that zoo gorilla. He's been dead a spell now and will be way too ripe. It will hamper negotiations.

 

[bulletproof]

This is the solution, but not junk yard, rolling used car inventory under the same district manager. Some of their credit/bonus comes from CSR, you are a good customer, so I would pursue this.

+1...this right here. And I do believe CSR = Customer Service Relations....maybe??

 

[Rocco Crocco]

Don't bring that zoo gorilla. He's been dead a spell now and will be way too ripe. It will hamper negotiations.

I would bring a big inflatable Gorilla, but being a car dealer, they prolly already have one.

 

[rockstar232007]

Thanks. Big help!

Sorry.