[Ants in my Pants]

I just got a call from my Toyota dealer and you wont believe what they told me.

3 weeks ago I financed my 2005 RAV4 for 2.9% financing.

Well today I get a call from the financing lady saying, "we have made an error and you should have gotten 3.9% financing instead of 2.9%, I am really worried I am going to lose my job over this, can you please come in and sign a new contract."

I had to go and change my shorts at this point.

She called me at work and I am rather busy these days so I told her I would call her back shortly.

The extra 1% financing would cost $800.00 CDN, so I figure I have $800 in parts I could grab from them and go and sign the contract.
Or I could not sign and keep the $800 and buy a case of beer.

What would you do? If you would trade for parts, what parts?

I am thinking fog lights, spoiler and a hard spare cover. What do you think?

 

[VeroLAN]

Did they offer to give you $800 in parts or you assuming they will. I suspect they want you to just agree to pay more with no compansation. Don't be afraid to ask them what they are willing to do for you, and either get it in writting or get it before you sign. Maybe free oil changes for life plus $500 in parts at retail price. The trick is to find a way that you and them both come out ahead.

It all is going to depend on what the dealership has to lose, if only the girl will lose her job the dealership might not care at all, but if Toyota is going to get on them because the loan is a Toyota loan then they might be more willing to talk.

Remember, If you refuse to sign a new contract there is nothing they could do about it.

 

[bmorton]

As long as there's a whole new sales contract being written up, they could just reduce the selling price of the car in order to keep the payment the same. That's what I'd shoot for. Otherwise why would I agree to suffer the consequences of their mistake?

 

[RAV4Don]

I agree with the comments above. They have a problem; you don't.

What I don't understand is when you signed the papers did you believe you were getting 2.9% or 3.9%. Did they tell you it would be 2.9% when they meant to say 3.9%, or did they later determine that they should have told you that it was 3.9% all along? A clerical error is one thing. Misrepresentaton and an attempt to effectively change the terms of the deal later is another matter.

This may affect how you choose to respond.

 

[Ants in my Pants]

They told me 2.9%, and 3 different people looked at the paperwork before I signed. Now they came back and said it should have been 3.9%. Thats the thing, I never agreed to 3.9%, if I knew it was going to be 3.9% I might not have purchased it.

The thing is that I want those parts anyways. I dont know if they will go for that.

They will want to make Toyota Canada happy and at the same time keep me happy.

 

[VeroLAN]

If they told you 2.9% and are now trying to change it I wouldn't sign a thing unless you are getting something (something = worth equal too or more then the money you pay) Parts that you could walk into the parts department and pay $500 for isn't a deal.

Remember things like parts and labor don't cost them what they cost you. $800 in parts might only cost them $500-$600, labor is essentially free. This is how you can work out a deal where you both win.

Don't settle for less then what you could buy with the money. I am an honest guy and have mailed back a wallets I found to the owners only taking out enough cash to pay shipping along with a note of what I did. But ask yourself if the dealership had told you 3.9% and you signed and later they found out you qualified for 2.9% would they have callled you to tell you?

Remember you did NOTHING WRONG, don't let them pressure you one bit. You were sold @ 2.9% they sure better make it worth it to you to change it now. What they are doing could even be considered illegal so don't settle.

 

[parkwaycruiser]

Call A Lawyer

I'd call a lawyer before I went back.

Legally, they goofed on the contract, and the 2.9% that you both agreed to in the contract is legal and binding. Remember, a contract is between both parties, it's not just for the seller's benefit. They can't come back and say, oh we forgot to charge you an extra $800. That's their fault, not yours. You could also say "and I'll be bringing the RAV4 back for a full refund" - but I doubt that would go over very well.

If you feel bad for the lady who made the mistake, and you think she might lose her job over this, then that's your decision whether or not you give her back the $800. She owes you big time if you do give it back - at least a steak dinner for saving her job.

 

[zoomie]

If someone deposited $4,000 in my bank, i'm not obligated to give it back by law, but of course out of the decency of being human, I would. Your case however is not at all similar to this.

In the case with your finance difference, it was the mistake of 3 people!...not just that one lady. You have no obligation to pay a large corporation any new sum of money. They cannot make you sign a new contract. Personally, I would say that I had already agreed on 2.9% and would not have purchased the car otherwise.

I would not be concerned. Just tell them no and go on with your life. You don't have time nor energy to babysit people.

 

[Jeff]

First off, don't let them try to convince you that you have to re-sign the contract, because you don't. If they pressure you, tell them you are contacting your lawyer (whether or not you actually are). It's their fault that they screwed it up, and you should not have to suffer for their mistake. Believe me, if the roles were reversed, they would not cut you any slack at all. Besides, $800 is pocket change for a car dealer.

Secondly, what they are trying to make sound like a mistake does not sound like a mistake to me. I could see if you and the managers agreed on 3.9% and they put 2.9% as a typo, but the fact that they quoted you the 2.9% numerous times and are trying to say it was an error sounds really fishy to me.

And don't let the woman tell you a sob story about how she is going to lose her job, that's too damn bad on her part. In my experience with business, I have never been able to go back to a customer or client and renegotiate the contract after it was signed, and why should you allow anything different.

Now, if I were in this situation, I would make them keep the 2.9% financing instead of giving me $800 credit towards dealer stuff. Dealer stuff is always marked up quite a bit, so they might actually let you do this, because $800 of stuff actually only costs them $400 or so wholesale. However, all of the stuff you mentioned can be purchased online or on ebay for much less than $800. I would just force them to keep the 2.9% and then buy the stuff you want somewhere else.

 

[rav97]

You shouldnt have to suffer for someone else's incompetance.

Its the same as you paying an agreed value, verified in a contract, then them asking you for more money.

All you have to say is the reason you bought the car from them was because of the low interest rate. Dealerships always try and stick it up people when buying a car......................its about time the favour got returned 8)

 

[Ants in my Pants]

First off, don't let them try to convince you that you have to re-sig
Now, if I were in this situation, I would make them keep the 2.9% financing instead of giving me $800 credit towards dealer stuff. Dealer stuff is always marked up quite a bit, so they might actually let you do this, because $800 of stuff actually only costs them $400 or so wholesale. However, all of the stuff you mentioned can be purchased online or on ebay for much less than $800. I would just force them to keep the 2.9% and then buy the stuff you want somewhere else.

I am in Canada so everything in general cost a little bit more. I am contacting a lawyer today to see if they can legally get out of the contract i already signed. Thank you all for you adivice/info, keep it coming. I am debating on getting up to $1000 in parts and have them installed. I think that worth $13.00 a month for 5 years, $780 overall.

Like I said, fog lights, hard cover, spoiler and now debating on alram (insurance costs) , or sidesteps nerf bars whatever.

I am also now concerned on taking there to gert serviced. I dont want to be naive and think that i couldnot get screwed oiver because I screwed them over.

I am just happy I am the on "in charge", if I could come out on top because of the mistake they made, i am laughing. I was going to get these parts over the next few years, this could be my opurtunity to to get them all at once and 3 weeks after getting the new ride.

I will let you know what the lawyers say and et you know how everthing turns out.

Peace.

 

[Heinznfries44]

I am also now concerned on taking there to gert serviced. I dont want to be naive and think that i couldnot get screwed oiver because I screwed them over.

As far as I know nothing obligates you to take your car to the same Toyota dealer where you bought it for services and warranty work. Unless of course there is only one Toyota dealer where you live and the next closest one is realy far away?

I bought mine for a realy great price, and at the time I was talking with the sales guy about all the mods I was going to do ( fender flares, window tint, cold air intake, 20" rims and tires, exhaust, audio upgrades, cargo liner etc... etc...) I asked for some estimates. Now this is where the guy was realy stupid..... he quoted me a price for the fender flares that I felt was very high, so I went to the Toyota dealer down the road and asked for an estimate uniquely for the fender flares..... half the price! I asked the first place about the cost for the flares (without telling them about the second price) and the guy I bought the car from told me the price was high because they had to be prepared and painted and everything. The dealer down the road told me they came painted from the factory and just had to be mounted... that's all. Basicly the Dealer I just bought a brand new car from wanted to F#ck me on parts and accessories afterwards...... so I ended up taking the car at a great price and not getting them do do one damn thing to it after. So because the guy wanted to jack me on the fender flares, he ended up losing about 10'000$ in after sale parts/work. VERY dumb on his part. I have since taken the car back to the dealer where I bought it and showed the guy all the work I've done to it, and all the money he lost out on because of the "fender flare fraud" he tried to run on me..... he didn't have much to say. That said, no way will I ever go back there for warranty work or services, I'll just go to the Toyota dealer down the road.... they are more than happy to have the work. Just don't think that because you bought the car at one place, you're always going to have to take it back there for work.... Toyota is Toyota, no matter where you are or where you bought your car. Ex: If you live and bought your car in Vancouver, and you have a breakdown in Calgary, you can get warranty work done in Calgary right?

Good luck with your case, just remember you're in the right, they're in the wrong, and it's up to them to bend over for you if they want their books to balance!

 

[gamma742]

I personally would tell them that 3.9 is a deal breaker. You never agreed to 3.9 and you are willing to return the vehicle for a 100% cash refund as this is their mistake!!

Trust me! They don't want it back. Now it's a used car and would have to be sold as such.

They will never bother you again regarding 3.9 :lol:

 

[Fatboy]

Don't give in what ever you do. Personally I'd try and 3 free services thrown in for your troubles.

 

[Phitty]

It's not a mistake - those types of mistakes don't happen. As you said, 3 people checked it over, and, in order to write the contract to get it out of the 3.9% rate you have to manually change it (3.9 was the going rate 3 weeks ago - I just bought mine).

It was changed from the default, and it was very likely done on purpose. However, it is an opportunity to gain on both your parts.

Toyota will be pleased you didnt make a huge fuss, and you'll be happy when they comp you the accessories you're after Seems fair enough.

P,.

 

[edcruz_2010]

Follow up???

Hey Ants, whatever happened with your problem? How did it turn out?

 

[Ants in my Pants]

I never called them back. I figured if they were really that serious, the they would call me back. I also think the girl who called made the error, and she wanted to hide it from "The Boss" and wanted me to come in secretly.