Kingston Toyota

I had always gone to this dealership to service my Toyota since I moved to Kingston from out West. I had a problem with cracking and noisy drive belt and got it replaced. The same problem came back a year af since I moved to Kingston from out West. I had a problem with cracking and noisy drive belt and got it replaced. The same problem came back a year after. After back and forth to this dealership and after a "thorough" (so I thought) investigation, was told I might need to change the AC clutch which was going to cost me >500$. I thought I'd run the AC to failure and have the drive belt replaced again. The same problem came back again. I decided to google it and see if there is any other owner having a similar problem. After 5 min. of searching, I found that there was a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) issued for this problem a few years ago. So, this was a common problem with my car model, which prompted Toyota to inform its service departments about it and how to fix it. Actually, there was a defect on the drive pulley and Toyota had issued a new pulley design to fix it. So, I brought my car to another mechanic with the TSB and after the pulley was changed, no more noise! I spent ~300$ to get my drive belt changed twice and I could have spent hundreds more if I had gone to change the AC clutch. All this for a problem that Toyota has issued a TSB for. I don't know how it's possible for the mechanic at this dealership failed to know this. Needless to say, this Toyota dealership lost my trust and I don't bring my Toyota here for service anymore. I filed a complained to Toyota and this dealership tried to contact me. As far as I am concerned, I am done with this dealership. There were a couple other issues with this dealership and I think them being the only Toyota dealership in Kingston, people really have no choice but to put up with them. More

Recently went in a couple times looking to buy a used Rav4. I was looking to buy outright, no financing or leasing. From the get-go employees will tell you their vehicles are "priced to sell" and refu Rav4. I was looking to buy outright, no financing or leasing. From the get-go employees will tell you their vehicles are "priced to sell" and refuse to negotiate at all. It actually makes me wonder why they even still have salespeople working there. They display a very "take it or leave it" attitude and do not seem to actually care about selling you a vehicle. As I was told, if they budge on the price at all you lose the 1 year warranty, which to me basically felt like being penalized for daring to suggest they can do better. Employees described a new "pricing format" where they price low to keep them on the lot for less length of time, which allows for no negotiation. It came across to me that this was something all of Toyota was doing, meaning other Toyota sales lots. I spoke with Toyota Canada, described that their staff has been very curt, if not rude at times. Described this pricing policy of theirs as well. Toyota Canada rep insisted she had never heard of anything like it and that she would pass my complaint along to their sales manager and ask him to call me. So he called, and again with a curt attitude, insisted their prices are non-negotiable. Also flatly told me "you never get something for nothing" in regard to throwing in any extras such as snow tires, which many dealers in the area are actually willing to do. Sales manager also said Toyota Canada Rep was a call center worker and had no idea what she was talking about. Also suggested Toyota, the manufacturer, knows little in regard to actual sales anyway. Awesome attitude for the company he's representing. Not. My girlfriend spent 25,000 on her vehicle there and had nothing but good to say about them until hearing of my experience with them. Because of this attitude and the policies displayed at this location, it is very unlikely we will ever be purchasing a Toyota product again. When I inquire at a business looking to spend $15-25,000 cash, I expect a certain level of politeness and a little more than "take it or leave it". Really, they should just replace their salespeople with a computer terminal to process the sales if there is no actual room for any negotiation whatsoever. I had my heart set on a Rav4 and am now taking my business down the road to the Ford dealership. (On the Ford quote I got today, I've received both winter tires/rims as well as a cash reduction.) More

I am looking for a used car and test drove several at Toyota Kingston recently (June 2012). I emailed the salesperson and made an offer on one car. He responded that he would be happy to present my offer Toyota Kingston recently (June 2012). I emailed the salesperson and made an offer on one car. He responded that he would be happy to present my offer to the manager, and said as soon as a credit card number was provided the process could get started. I replied that I was unwilling to provide any deposit on the vehicle until the price was settled. He explained that if I were at the dealership he would ask me to sign an offer and provide a credit card number, which would then be presented to the manager, and assured me that no money would be deducted from the credit card until a mutual agreement had been reached. He then said that if I wanted to put a deposit on the vehicle to hold it until I went to the dealership and the offer could be presented in person, the deposit would be refunded if the offer was not accepted by management. I checked with two coworkers who bought used vehicles at other dealers, and asked if they were required to provide a credit card number (or deposit) before the price had been decided. Both of them said no, and thought it was a little odd that I was asked to do so. I then emailed the salesperson again and said I was unable to understand the rationale for providing a credit card number or deposit when I was making an offer but it had not yet been accepted. I also mentioned that I intended to check with the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council as to whether this is considered standard practice. That last message was sent at 12:52 pm. At 1:12 pm I got this response: “Our rationale for requiring a deposit on a vehicle PRIOR to making an offer on a vehicle is simply that we do not want to "tie up" a vehicle in inventory if there is not at least SOME commitment on the part of the customer to purchase it. Having said this, I have shared the details of your proposal with my manager and he has declined the offer.   We appreciate your interest in our vehicles and wish you all the best in your vehicle search.” Obviously at that point they wanted as little to do with me as I wanted to do with them! My issue is not with the salesperson, but rather with what seems to be a management policy that I do not understand, and frankly, that seems a little shady. First, I don't expect, when I make an offer, for the dealer to stop showing the car before a price is decided and a deposit is paid. Second, even if, from their perspective, this does “tie up” their inventory, it took them less than 20 minutes to make a decision, which isn't really tying up anything for very long. I intend to contact Toyota Canada to ask whether requiring the customer to provide a credit card number or deposit when an offer is made but before it has been accepted is Toyota corporate practice, or whether this is something unique to this dealership. I had another, more minor issue: when I asked about fees other than the actual cost of the car, I was told the registration was $389. I questioned why their website listed the registration as $289. In response, I was told the fee had gone up the previous month (in May), but he would “present” it to the manager as advertised. I don't know what the outcome would have been regarding this, but this exchange took place on June 25. I do not understand why the website is updated on such an infrequent basis. I thought Toyota had a great reputation for customer service, but I was not impressed. More