Complaint Review: Desert Toyota - Tucson Arizona

Dear Cory, To answer your question, it's not just Toyota. Toyota is the 'leader' in the industry right now. So, they get the attention. Ford is just as bad and I have proof about what they are doing to customers too! Don't worry, it will ALL come out soon! And keep in mind, it's really not Toyota, Ford, GMC, Lincoln, etc. that is doing anything against consumers. It's the PEOPLE who work at these companies and corporations that are committing the acts. Wait until the people of the USA see the TRUTH. There is Hard Proof as to what is taking place inside these wonderful PUBLICY HELD COMPANIES! The goal at all PUBLICLY HELD COMPANIES is money. When money alone becomes the goal it alienates you. (Deepak Chopra). Money is based on numbers. Numbers never end. When your life and your happiness is based on something that never ends, you will never attain it. This is the reason that so few people ever attain HAPPINESS! Our society does not teach people how to BE HAPPY. It's all about MONEY. That's why so many Americans are addicted to alcohol, sex, drugs, etc. They are lost in their lives and are seeking ESCAPE from reality. This quote sums it up perfectly: 'There is a much more powerful force than love called desire. Desire comes down to the pursuit of SEX, MONEY , POWER, SECURITY, and COMFORT. These are what people REALLY want.' (Deepak Chopra) And guess what? Another great man from the East knew that also, and preached that all his life. He was put on two big pieces of wood and was crucified. Now, BILLIONS claim to follow him. Maybe you know that story.

CORY i am not Karl but i have a response. You are right my freind you could say what Karl and I have said about toyota or any other car dealer GM FORD DODGE or any used dealer as well. The problem is much deeper than just one dealer or car manufacture. I have spoken out about toyota because I have first hand experience with them. I beleive Karl has too. I do not know him personally but have been reading his posts and tend to agree with what he says. I also have some of the same things happen at the toyota dealers here in Richmond Va. the stories read the same NATIONWIDE maybe even worldwide. Karl has similar stories in Colorado. I have not checked stories on other manufactures dealers but i will out of curiosity. thanks for the post and helping spred the word

Is there something special about toyota? You make many good and valid points but I don't see ANYTHING that ANY of the other car MFG/dealers AREN"T doing. Just look at all the posts on this site. You could just as easily put in ford or gm or chevy and still say the same thing. About the only difference is toyota is a foreign based company, as is bmw and we know what those people think about Americans. Who's that guy out of AZ who is an advocate on this site and writes about those US companies that teach car dealers how to fleese the public? What's the difference? I posted about how north park lincoln-merc ripped my Dad exactly the same way . He traded in a 5 year old grand marquis with 68k miles on it and paid $22k for a frickin' car they were selling for $22k. They got his car for FREE. Figured they would sell it for $6 ot $7000. HE'S 76 and it was the first time he went to buy a vehicle without me. I didn't know anything about it otherwise it wouldn't have happened. F**k them.

SOME ADVICE ON BUYING A NEW CAR FROM AN INSIDER 1) check your own credit score before you go to the dealer DON'T TRUST THEM TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY WILL LIE TO UP THE INTEREST RATE. Check with local lenders and get some rate quotes before you go to get some idea what kind of rate you credit score deserves. 2) Do not sign anything i mean anything untill the deal is done and you have seen and read for yourself the Truth in Lending statement they are required by law to show you and don't trust the dealer to explain it to you they will leave out the important parts READ IT YOURSELF they will wait on you if they want to make the sale. it is your money and they do not have any interest in helping you save it. 3) ONLY NEGOTIATE OVER TOTAL PRICE. NEVER LET THEM FLIP THE CONVERSATION TO MONTHLY PAYMENTS. THIS IS A BAIT AND SWITCH TACTIC AND WILL GET YOU RIPPED OFF EVERY TIME. TOYOTA TEACHES THIS TACTIC TO THER SALES PEOPLE. LOKK AT TOTAL PRICE TIMES NUMBER OF MONTHS FINANCED TIMES THE INTEREST RATE. i could go into great detail about this but the key to remeber is only discuss TOTAL PRICE and nothing else till you have agreed to buy the car then pick the number of months that gets a payment you can afford. if the 60 month payment is to high stretch to 72 that will lower the payment but always know what figure you are starting from. if you only negotiate payments you will get screwed. i can sell you a 50,000 car and make the payment $299 if i stretch it out long enough and you will nevr be the wiser until it is too late and you have already signed. 4) The best negotiation tool you have is your TWO FEET if you don't like the way the deal is going get up and start walking. As long as they can keep you talking and they will hoping to eventually wear you down and getting you to sign. I read story after story of people tired confused and hungry willing to sign anything just to get in the new car and get the hell out of there. if you do not believe me just for fun go to a dealer and look at some cars then get up and start walking. They will chase you all the way to the door trying to get you to buy it right now and not go home and think it over. They will send everybody working there over to convince you to stay and buy it right now!!!!! THIS IS A BAD MOVE ALWAYS GO HOME AND THINK IT OVER!!!! THEY MAKE CARS EVERYDAY YOU CAN ALWAYS BUY IT TOMORROW!! You wouldn't buy a house without thinking it over so since a new car is generally your second biggest investment why would you not think it over as well... i hope this info will help and good luck on your next new car ONE FINAL NOTE REMEBER IT IS YOUR MONEY AND IT HAS BUYING POWER. THEY KNOW IT AND HOPE THAT YOU DO NOT. ALL THAT I HAVE SAID HERE IS ADVICE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND HAS BEEN REPORTED BY NUMEROUS TV STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND ON THE INTERNET....

And if you do, the most you will get is "lip service" responses. Your father's age aside, anyone who "trades in" a mechanically sound vehicle in good cosmetic condition will be taken for a ride. Automobile dealers will typically write the cost of the trade in back into the sales contract somewhere, relying on the fact the buyer is recieving financing, is excited about a new car and has little knowledge or understanding of sales contracts. Your father, however, paid cash. The dealer was interested in making a maximum profit on this deal as everyone from the salesman to the owner gets paid NOW instead of waiting for their kickback from the financing. He was lowballed on the trade-in, it very likely went on the used car lot and was sold at retail blue book or higher. It would be interesting to know just what the trade in was sold for. Toyota corporation will be of little help. You may want to consider your own campaign to let the public know how they took advantage of your father. Take your own time on the weekend and picket the dealership. Notify the local media, see if they have a consumer investigative reporter etc. etc. Auto dealerships, especially in smaller communities HATE bad press.

first a few comments Theodore you will never get that call they got your dads money and thats all they wanted but his deal was not the worst i have seen..... Paul you are obviuosly an employee or sympahtizer NO MATTER WHAT YOU CLAIM. NO ONE WOULD GO BACK AND FORTH LIKE YOU HAVE OTHERWISE...... Karl you are 100% right and everyone should read what you have said. i have been through toyotas' sales training program and quit after 10 days on the sales floor. they teach unehtical sales tactics to their sales people. they do take advantage of their sales people. they did exzactly what you described to my commissionns. preesure you to make the sale and do everything and anything just short of holding a gun to the customers head to get them to sign a contract. they just won't let the customer leave. they will send every sales manager there to come and talk to you just to get the sale even if you don't qualify for it. i am not a disgruntled ex employee i am not mad at priority toyota of Richmond Va. i just have morals and could not bring myself to lie cheat and steal from the nice people that came in to buy cars anymore. the bottom line is toyota motors wants to be on top they now control 14% of the new car market world wide and want to oust GM from the top position. i heard this information first hand from a top toyota excecutive who came in to give us a pep talk during a morning sales meeting. they want it so bad they will do ANYTHING to get there. go read my report on automax sales training they train salesmen nationwide and i managed to get hired by toyota even without automax. in the short time i was there they went through 12 salesmen and women. the fact they have such a high turnover rate should tell you something. in fact my mother had purchased a car from priority toyota Richmond just two months before i started there and the sales woman that sold her a new camry was no longer employed there. my mom got a fair deal not great but fair i went with her and they played hardball and lost but it still took 6 hours to buy the car(ridiculous) and my mom has perfect credit. a score of 810 with a beacon of 5 she could have bought a cadillac with no money down but thats not what toyoyta told us(how ironic) SOME ADVICE ON BUYING A NEW CAR FROM AN INSIDER 1) check your own credit score before you go to the dealer DON'T TRUST THEM TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY WILL LIE TO UP THE INTEREST RATE. Check with local lenders and get some rate quotes before you go to get some idea what kind of rate you credit score deserves. 2) Do not sign anything i mean anything untill the deal is done and you have seen and read for yourself the Truth in Lending statement they are required by law to show you and don't trust the dealer to explain it to you they will leave out the important parts READ IT YOURSELF they will wait on you if they want to make the sale. it is your money and they do not have any interest in helping you save it. 3) ONLY NEGOTIATE OVER TOTAL PRICE. NEVER LET THEM FLIP THE CONVERSATION TO MONTHLY PAYMENTS. THIS IS A BAIT AND SWITCH TACTIC AND WILL GET YOU RIPPED OFF EVERY TIME. TOYOTA TEACHES THIS TACTIC TO THER SALES PEOPLE. LOKK AT TOTAL PRICE TIMES NUMBER OF MONTHS FINANCED TIMES THE INTEREST RATE. i could go into great detail about this but the key to remeber is only discuss TOTAL PRICE and nothing else till you have agreed to buy the car then pick the number of months that gets a payment you can afford. if the 60 month payment is to high stretch to 72 that will lower the payment but always know what figure you are starting from. if you only negotiate payments you will get screwed. i can sell you a 50,000 car and make the payment $299 if i stretch it out long enough and you will nevr be the wiser until it is too late and you have already signed. 4) The best negotiation tool you have is your TWO FEET if you don't like the way the deal is going get up and start walking. As long as they can keep you talking and they will hoping to eventually wear you down and getting you to sign. I read story after story of people tired confused and hungry willing to sign anything just to get in the new car and get the hell out of there. if you do not believe me just for fun go to a dealer and look at some cars then get up and start walking. They will chase you all the way to the door trying to get you to buy it right now and not go home and think it over. They will send everybody working there over to convince you to stay and buy it right now!!!!! THIS IS A BAD MOVE ALWAYS GO HOME AND THINK IT OVER!!!! THEY MAKE CARS EVERYDAY YOU CAN ALWAYS BUY IT TOMORROW!! You wouldn't buy a house without thinking it over so since a new car is generally your second biggest investment why would you not think it over as well... i hope this info will help and good luck on your next new car ONE FINAL NOTE REMEBER IT IS YOUR MONEY AND IT HAS BUYING POWER. THEY KNOW IT AND HOPE THAT YOU DO NOT. USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE NOT THEIRS. THEY WILL USE EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK AND A FEW THAT ARE NOT TO GET IT OUT OF YOUR POCKET

Still waiting for that call!

Karl Thank you so much for your input. It's nice to see someone with ethics, for the poor people that have had to deal with this type of scandal. At least if there are more people doing something about it and not caressing the idea of corporation abuse! I also tell everyone I see about it, but I didn't think to write a letter to the CEO. I really appreciate it! It's really is a disgrace to our country.

Toyota Dealerships have the most Unethical Sales Managers in the Industry. These Managers are attracted to Toyota Dealerships because Toyota attracts the most customers. This allows these Managers to take advantage of the most customers as possible. Toyota Managers like to "Load the Backend". They include warranties that the customer is unaware of and they "Make Rate" by increasing the interest rate on customers who qualify for lower rates. They will also tell customers that they do not qualify for special financing that is being promoted by Toyota Corporation. This allows them to "up-write" the loan and make additional profits that the customer is unaware of. They will also lead the customer into believing that their payment is much higher than it actually is and then show them a lease payment. The lease will have a "Money- Factor"(which is simply the interest rate) that will also be "up-written" so additional profits can be made on unsuspecting customers. They will also represent a Lease as "special residual based financing" leading the customer to believe that they are Buying the car. You can go to 9news and type in the name ORNELAS and search the story that made the Front Page of the Denver Post on 5-19-2005 and still watch the Video from the 9News undercover Investigation. Toyota Managers will actually Trick their own Salespeople out of commissions without the salesperson even knowing it by moving the profit to the "Back-End" and making theFront-End" a "Mini"(which is the Minimum Commission). So, a deal that might be a $2,000 "Front End" deal which would pay a salesman $500 in commission will be made a $2,000 "Back End" deal that now pays that rep only $100 or $150 in commission. The owners and Managers "Trick" their own salespeople out of hard earned money. In short, Toyota Dealers(most) are all about "Tricking" as many customers and salespeople as possible. Latinos, Blacks, Women, the Elderly, and the less educated are their #1 target. Toyota Corporation knows this and has known it for many, many years. EXPOSURE to the problems is the only answer! Do not waste your time trying to sue. Make a Picket- Sign and alert the public. Do it right in front of the Dealership. You have the right to speak out. And if you have evidence, use it. Tell as many people as you can. A bad reputation spreads fast! Let the CEO of Toyota know that you are disgusted by sending him a letter at Toyota Corporation 19001 South Western Ave. Dept. WC11 Torrance, CA 90501 "Write a letter. You'll feel better."

For anyone that is interested in this file, please go to Auto trader and find out for your self! there you'll see what is the price this car is going for.

I was being sarcastic. I know there is not a KBB dealership. My point was that it is a guide that is all, what they say a car is worth is their OPINION and that is all. They will not write you a check for your car, so they can say whatever they want to say as far as what a car is worth. Your personal car is worth whatever somebody will pay you for it, some are more and some are less. NOW do you get my point?

Well every time I trade in my cars I get the KBB on it and also receive that from the dealer that I purchase the new one from. I even do a print out of it with date! So why is there such a thing as Kbb just to fool the public? I think not. And the point here is, he didn't know and that took advantage of him! One more thing there is no such thing as a Kbb dealership, So I can see why you can't find one please seeing you know all go to kbb.com and don't forget to put in www. first OK?that may help you to understand it better! Good for you you know someone!!

So what you are saying is if I go online to KBB and put my wifes 2005 Honda CRV in with all the options and miles, then KBB says my car is worth good trade in value than that is what it is worth? That does not make a lot of sense. I looked online for a KBB dealership to take my wifes car to and have yet to find one. Could you let me know where one is located so I can sell it? They were $1500 higher than what the dealer was going to give me. Theodore;KBB DOES NOT BUY CARS. They are a guide, and if you read the fine print on the sight it is what you might expect less any reconditioning work, advertising etc etc. You really need to do a little more homework before you start spouting off on something you know nothing about. I talked to a freind of mine who buys car loans for a bank and he said they use KBB as a guide. They will finance wholesale KBB + tax, lic, warranty etc. Not trade in value. Like I said before, in my opinion Desert Toyota did nothing wrong. He could have walked out at anytime but he didn't and he did write and sign a check for $13000.

No I don't work for Dessert Toyota, and I am not in the car sales business, but I do know how to buy a car. Nobody got screwed in your dads deal. If he is happy and he thinks he got a good deal than he did, the only one who seems upset is you, so MOVE ON, unless you are worried about him spending your inheritance. Life is to short. He paid MSRP ( Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) and got x number of dollars for his trade. So they did not discount the car, it happens everyday at any number of dealerships all over the world. I just think you are being uptight about Desert Toyota in reporting this story. I know people who have bought the Toyota Hybrids and they didn't get a discount either. Did Desert make your dad write the check or trade in his car? I think not. At any time he could have walked out, but he did not. Why didn't he? I am sure this is not his first car he has ever bought. I have read a number of reports on this sight about Dealerships and not once did the person say they made me sign a contract against my will or put a gun to my head and made me. I know there are some very shady Dealers out there that do a lot of unethical things, but in my opinion these guys at Desert did nothing wrong. They did not force him to do anything against his will. Have a nice day:)

So seeing you work for Desert Toyota, Would you happen to be the salesmen that did it to him? You see your illogical thinking has got the better of you!

Well lets see if you take a car in Kbb and look in trade in value and get $9000.00 and the car that is in the condition of good!!! That means its worth $9000.00 trade in not something else. nothing to do with brakes tires or anything like that. So to further that, All was good nothing wrong. The key here is to know how to use Kbb and understand it!!

It seems like your dad paid MSRP for the car and probably paid for a protection pkg or something like that. If he paid $16995 for the car + 8.1% sales tax than lic, title and doc fee it would probably come up to $19000. He gave them a check for $13000 and his car; for a brand new 07 Corolla. So his trade was worth $6000. The internet said his car was worth $9000, Why didn't you sell it to the website that said this is the value??? The real problem is that Toyota has started to sell vehicles to rental car companies and that hurts the value of used toyotas. A dealer can go to the auction and pay $9000 to $10000 for a 2007 rental corolla with 20,000 miles on it. Your dads was a 2003; that is the difference in why his car was only worth $6000. I am sure Desert Toyota is going to sell the 03 Corolla, so they have to make sure the brakes, tires, ac, etc are good and that does cost money. I really don't think they did anything wrong I think you are mad that he made a decision without consulting you. Did he buy any warranties or alarm systems cause I know that most dealerships do sell those things. Hopefully he is happy with what he has ; afterall he did write the check.

True, that Toyota dealer did a dastardly deed. And your father let him. Why?? Your father COULD have approached this purchase as did you, albeit you are a bit after the fact. This may be a warning sign for you that you should obtain a professional evaluation of your father's cognitive facilities. Otherwise, you may be in for far uglier surprises.

My bad!! I didn't remember to add that the 2003 Toyota Corolla was paid for in full at time of purchase!!!