I took delivery of this $30,000 (drive-out) car Monday evening. It has a JXXX... VIN meaning per the salesman that it was built in Japan. (The
4XXX... VIN means built in USA). Drove home, after I exited the car, and locked the doors, the alarm system would wait from 30 to 40 seconds to GO OFF HORN LIGHTS HORN ETC. ETC. ETC. ad nauseum. I called the 800 # for Toyota, and was told to call the dealer, because "they do not handle technical questions". I did, but was unable to get in contact with anyone at 6:40 PM, they closed at 7:00 PM. I left a message on a service writers (SW) voice mail, with no return call. This AM I called again, and as luck (BAD) would have it, I was connected to the same SW, that had not called me back from the night before. He said "Bring the car in" . I DID and as (TERRIBLE) luck would have it, I got the same SW. I did. "Three hour wait before they can, look at the car...No loaner car"... Fine. SW said I could get a lift to wherever I was going, and I said I had 6 stops to make and SW pointed and said "Go over there and rent a car". I pointed out that I had paid extra for "Rental car assistance" , and that according to the terms, the SW was supposed to obtain a tracking number for this assistance. He looked it over, and said "Oh, okay, I'll print it out for you. He did so, and I left to get the rental car. Six hours later, I had heard nothing, so I called SW...got his voicemail and long winded message, then beep "Sorry this voicemail box is full, try your LUCK again later." Thirty seconds later, my phone rings, it is, guess who, My old buddy SW. He says that your car is ready to pick up. I asked what the problem was, and he said they had to turn off the automatic feature, and made the alarm system passive, so that it would only alarm if the vehicle was actually broken into. I hung up with SW and called SM the Service Manager. I explained, he understood, and he asked what I wanted them to do, and I said I wanted the alarm system to work as per specifications, not crippled to short cut a repair procedure. He agreed to do just that, but stated that they would have to keep my car overnight, to which I readily agreed. I happened to look at the paper printed out for my Rental Car reimbursement by my old buddy SW. It was a list of options included on my car and he had HIGHLIGHTED the rental car reimbursement. Gee Not Even Close. So I called the toll free number they had NOT issued any number for my rental. I told the person the story, and he indicated that "It is not the Toyota dealers' responsibility to call and get the number, it is the owners responsibility." So I read the text of the Rental Reimbursement Plan per the paper received in the glove box of my new car, to him. He seemed to "maybe remember that now". Anyhow, he issued me a tracking number, and said that they would be happy to pay but it was "ONLY $35 PER DAY" I said pardon me, and he repeated You have to pay everything over $35 per day. I said "that sounds fine to me". According to their paper the correct amount is $30 per day.So, are the Japanese built Toyotas really better than the US built Toyotas? Is the high quality of the Toyota a thing of the past? Will they be able to repair my car by noon, Wednesday as guessed by the SM? Will the dealer really NOT pay for my rental car? If the dealer won't pay, will the Rental Reimbursement plan pay? And, will they pay $30 per day, or will they pay $35 per day.
Stay tuned!!!
OBTW - So far, the car is wonderful, other than this one little problem!