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Thomas Toyota Of Joliet Alignment Off, Front Passenger Window Motor Bad, Tires Bad Joliet Illinois
It's very simple and clear, I bought a Toyota Avalon 2003 (around 14,000 USD) from this dealer and financed it with an APR of 9.5%. My credit history was limited so this was the best they could do in order to get me approved. I purchased this car and immediately took it for an alignment elsewhere (knowing that it was probably off). The National Tire & Battery (NTB) told me the alignment was "way, way off" and they seemed pretty amazed at how bad it was, once aligned the car drifted left badly.
This car is a nightmare but even more importantly what dealer sells you a car but fails to do a pre-alignment prior to your purchase?! So after this I was stuck with a car that drifts left unless I hold the wheel and you can imagine after 3,000 miles how desperate you become to have it stop. My other vehicle had the same issue and it cost like 800 USD to repair, they had to replace the struts, springs, and stabalizer bar + link. I can only assume that's what's wrong here too!
Onto the next disaster, the tires they had on it. When I was at NTB they said "your tires are going bad, the treads an 8 and 6 means they need replacment." I was like "what?" it was just amazing to me that I was sold a car with nearly dead tires!
One other lovely thing they'll do to you is make sure the miles are below 60,000 so when your servicing comes up for it you'll owe them 369 USD! I called them to have it looked at considering all these issues, they said I had a servicing coming up and it would be only a mere 369 USD, I laughed myself silly. Let me guess, they service it and find the alignment problem + the bad tires and get sales?! Sounds about right to me.
So let's review what they do there, sell you a car with less than 60,000 so when your servicing comes up it's 369 USD then they'll ignore the alignment issues / probably don't align any cars prior to selling them or even during the purchasing and finally your tires will need replacment because the tread is bad a few thousands miles later (at the next servicing you need).
Then the funniest thing I've heard of, the passenger side window squeaks when I lower it, not just low humming but loud like you're hitting your head against it. The window itself is fine (function-wise) but the noise is unbearable, I'm going to try selling this car ASAP.
Let me warn you this dealer has no brains, who sells a car to you without an alignment and good tires? Who sells you one with a bad motor in the window and just below the next schedules servicing needs to be done? Well folks they do!
I really wanted to like this dealer but in the end I've wasted money and time, they are liars.
Sam
Bolingbrook, Illinois
U.S.A.
11 Updates & Rebuttals
Friendly Help
Anderson,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
'Buyer Beware' is true, but the dealer should have resolved the issues before presenting the car.
#12Consumer Comment
Thu, August 14, 2008
I drove a 91 Camry 330,000 miles and the axle constant velocity joint (CVJ) boots were still fine. I did (somehow) tear a CVJ boot on a Buick years ago but that car also had a lot of miles. A torn CVJ boot at 60,000 miles is not reasonable.
Additionally, I believe OP has been fooled by the myth that one saves money by buying used. Now OP may have realized that this is not true! Always buy NEW!
Why buy new? Because all vehicles depreciate at the SAME percentage rate (%) every year. The only exceptions occur when there is a dramatic market shift such as now when people are flocking toward high-gasmilage vehicles causing large SUV's, P/U trucks and so forth to drop faster in value.
So while it is true that 15% depreciation on a new $30,000 Toyota is $4,500 while 15% depreciation on a used $10,000 Toyota is $1,500, the used Toyota can be expected to require repairs that are not needed for a new Toyota. And repairs are always priced at full retail while a new car is essentially bought at wholesale, i.e. that new car would cost 4X as much if purchased piece by piece, which is the way you purchase repairs.
Buying used higher-line cars rather than less expensive NEW lower-line cars is false economy. $14,000 USD would have bought OP a NEW Corolla- and also buying a NEW Corolla would have avoided $500 or more in tires & repairs and OP would have also gotten a lower loan interest rate. OP would have been miles ahead financially on all counts buying a NEW Corolla instead of the used Avalon.
Delete Me!
Delete Me!,Illinois,
Canada
Update
#12Author of original report
Thu, August 14, 2008
I just read you can't remove reports from here, could you at least remove my d**n name from the report and the place I lived?
Delete Me!
Delete Me!,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I forgive them, I apologize
#12Author of original report
Thu, August 14, 2008
I should know more about vehicles and this wouldn't have happened. The dealers are not solely responsible for the cars we buy, the consumer is too. Had I pressed these issues and sought more of a fix from them I feel they'd probably have helped. At the very least the torn axel (not strut) would've been replaced IMO. I'll do what is suggested and wisen up about vehicles + get a carfax report too. Again this report is accurate details-wise but really I should've been smart and alerted them to these issues so perhaps they would've fixed some.
Take care and I wish them + you the best.
Delete Me!
Delete Me!,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I forgive them, I apologize
#12Author of original report
Thu, August 14, 2008
I should know more about vehicles and this wouldn't have happened. The dealers are not solely responsible for the cars we buy, the consumer is too. Had I pressed these issues and sought more of a fix from them I feel they'd probably have helped. At the very least the torn axel (not strut) would've been replaced IMO. I'll do what is suggested and wisen up about vehicles + get a carfax report too. Again this report is accurate details-wise but really I should've been smart and alerted them to these issues so perhaps they would've fixed some.
Take care and I wish them + you the best.
Delete Me!
Delete Me!,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I forgive them, I apologize
#12Author of original report
Thu, August 14, 2008
I should know more about vehicles and this wouldn't have happened. The dealers are not solely responsible for the cars we buy, the consumer is too. Had I pressed these issues and sought more of a fix from them I feel they'd probably have helped. At the very least the torn axel (not strut) would've been replaced IMO. I'll do what is suggested and wisen up about vehicles + get a carfax report too. Again this report is accurate details-wise but really I should've been smart and alerted them to these issues so perhaps they would've fixed some.
Take care and I wish them + you the best.
Delete Me!
Delete Me!,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I forgive them, I apologize
#12Author of original report
Thu, August 14, 2008
I should know more about vehicles and this wouldn't have happened. The dealers are not solely responsible for the cars we buy, the consumer is too. Had I pressed these issues and sought more of a fix from them I feel they'd probably have helped. At the very least the torn axel (not strut) would've been replaced IMO. I'll do what is suggested and wisen up about vehicles + get a carfax report too. Again this report is accurate details-wise but really I should've been smart and alerted them to these issues so perhaps they would've fixed some.
Take care and I wish them + you the best.
Karl
Clovis,New Mexico,
U.S.A.
Skip the Toyota rip-off "Servicing"
#12Consumer Suggestion
Wed, August 13, 2008
You don;'t have a warranty so there is no need to take the car to Toyota for their overpriced "60,000 Mile Service". Look in your Owners Manual and see what needs to be done at 60,000 miles and take it to an independent mechanic. The periodic
"service" at 15,000 miles 30k, 60k by Japanese car dealers is just a rip off. I have a Honda and change the oil every 3,000 miles. That's it. It that is good enough for my Cadillac it should be OK on a Honda.
I have no sympathy for someone who doesn't drive a vehicle and check alignment before buying it. If the alignment was that bad it should have been obvious -ditto the tires. I can tell worn tires. Can't you? You should have told the dealer that you will buy the car if he fixes the alignment and puts on new tires. If he balks then you walk. There are thousands of Avalons for sale and lots of Toyota dealers, private sellers, etc.
Friendly Help
Anderson,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
Let's cut ''Sam'' or ''Sderenzi'' a little slack, here
#12Consumer Comment
Tue, August 12, 2008
First, Sam's credit isn't so hot. Buying poor used cars isn't going to help that. So Sam, next time you buy a car, take soneone along who REALLY knows how to ''read'' a car.
Second, I am guessing that this car was wrecked. CarFax may have some records for that VIN. Check especially if a salvage title was ever issued or if the car was retitled between states. Then I would investigate ''fitness for purpose'' if the car was wrecked.
Third, The car drifted more after the wheel alignment possibly because the body is distorted such that one front wheel is displaced aft of the other front wheel and this will cause the front wheels to ''cone'' toward the side with the aftmost front wheel. The car could have been previously aligned to counter such a drift, i.e. the aftmost wheel was castered forward to reduce pull. The under body can be measured for its ''X'' dimensions which show the presence of a diamond distortion, & then the wheelbase on each side can be measured to show if one front wheel is closer to its rear wheel w/r/t the other side.
Damaged front end components and sloppily assembled body parts point to a car that was wrecked. Look for sloppily assembled body parts in the front, focussing on the left side assembly details not looking the same as the right side assembly details. Toyota cars are manufactured and assembled very pricisely under a statistically-controlled system such that if you were to line up, say, 10 white 2009 Camrys with identical equipment, it won't make a difference which one you picked.
Sderenzi
Bolingbrook,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Update
#12Author of original report
Tue, August 12, 2008
So basically what I had to do in the end was buy all new tires a few months after buying the car, there was a torn strut I had to replace, the window still makes that noise and it's annoying, then, ugh anyway.
Karl
Highlands Ranch,Colorado,
U.S.A.
URGENT UPDATE FOR ALL TOYOTA OWNERS!! YOUR LIFE COULD BE IN DANGER!!
#12Consumer Comment
Sat, February 23, 2008
Google this: MY TOYOTA SEQUOIA YOUTUBE and watch the video!
Google this: ENGINE SLUDGE and go to the consumeraffairs website and read all the Toyota Engine complaints AND read all the AIRBAGS complaints!!!!! Very important!! (you must read all 'airbags' complaints!!)
Google this: SINGH V TOYOTA and read how a man died in his Toyota Corolla!
Alert EVERYONE of these 3 that you have Googled!! Innocent American's lives could be in danger!!! Make sure to read Brittany's complaint at the consumeraffairs website that is under the Engine complaints on 6-16-07!! Her AIRBAG did not deploy after she hit a Honda Pilot going 45-50mph!! She has a Corolla S. (newer)!!
Google this: POOR BRITTANY IN TEXAS HER BODY ALL BRUISED NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT RIPOFF and sing the song for Brittany.
We all hope that Brittany is doing O.K.!!
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!
And Google this: SLUDGE POEM and read it. Toyota's CEO quit his position exactly 2 weeks after Sludge Poem was posted! Go to the 9-7-07 Toyota Rip Off Report that made this site's Front Page for proof!! "Toyota's CEO Can't Stand The Heat"
TOYOTA DOES NOT WANT ALL OF THIS TO COME OUT BECAUSE OF THE "NEGATIVE OPINIONS" THAT WILL FORM!! Negative opinions will drive a corporation's stock value down. That's why Toyota is keeping many things quiet! TIME TO SHOUT, SHOUT, LET IT ALL OUT!! - Tears for Fears.
Robert
Bowie,Maryland,
U.S.A.
I'll cut to the chase
#12Consumer Comment
Sat, February 23, 2008
NOTHING about your post makes any sense. The car drifts AFTER NTB works on it, yet you claim it's the dealership's fault. The tires are an 8 and a 6? What does that mean? Sounds like NTB screwed you, not the dealership.
They sold you a car with less than 60K miles on it. That sounds pretty good, considering most 5 year old cars have almost twice the mileage. You are amazed that the dealership didn't do the 60K mile service before it was due? Gee, what am I thinking? I'll bet everyone else does them before they are due.
Are you subject to drug testing? You should be.