New Car finish

[Coffs Harbour]

We purchased a new Camry in June and have been debating/arguing with the local toyota dealer regarding the boot lid condition and the colour match of the boot lid.

Have a look at the photos and please share your coments.

The local Dealer (Coffs Harbout Toyota. Skinner Motors. ) says there is nothing wrong with it and is not prepared to do anything, we of course after spending $35K are no so happy about there decision.

Images have been compressed for easy viewing.

2meg images available.

Thanks for looking

Carl

[1rocky]

Welcome

Have you tried toyota australia.

I have had my car serviced with Coffs Harbour Toyota and always have found them very good.

Have you spoken with the service manager?

If you are still not happy after contacting Toyota australia then there is always fair trading.

there seems to be quite a bit of swirl marks

[Whip Cracker]

Oh HELL NO, those swirl marks look bad as! There's no way in hell I'd want a Camry with a surface like that... even my 95 Camry doesn't have those marks!

I can notice a slight colour difference... might be more noticeable in person I reckon.

If you don't get any joy from one person... you move higher up the food chain til you find someone that'll help. You stay onsite until the problem's fixed. That's what I do... works every time. If you're 100% sure you're being dealt wrongfully, you shouldn't have a problem expressing that to the General Manager.

[Igor]

Those photos with the swirl marks look pretty average mate. I'd definitely be taking it up as high as it takes to get Toyota to fix it.

[1stKill]

Are they kidding (Coffs Toyota) they must be able to see those swirl marks ...totally unacceptable in my opinion,as 1rocky said contact Toyota Aust.

[1rocky]

Here are some toyota phone numbers for you

http://www.toyota.com.au/about/office-locations

here is their facebook

http://www.facebook.com/toyota.aus?v=info

I have also pmed you.

[Rolla Boy]

They've obviously tried to bring the paint up by polishing it and thats where the swirl marks have come from...

The bumpers are always a different colour on new cars these days so don't compare the boot to the bumper...

But I can see the boot is darker than the rear quarter panels...

Take it up with Toyota themselves and I'm sure you'll get it fixed...

[Tash]

Damn!! They are some serious swirl marks :S I too can notice a slight colour difference; it looks more like as Rolla Boy has suggested that it's had the absolute crap polished out of it and basically the top coat that gives it the clear gloss has been seriously reduced. This certainly should not have happened on a brand new car - perhaps happened when the spoiler was fitted?

As the others have suggested I'd definitely be taking it higher up the chain and not giving up until it is resolved, best of luck mate.

[akuma]

certainly doesnt look like a new car. i suggest you to go there at night to the dealer and go key all the cars for revenge LOL.

[corhijas]

crikeys as the great man would say

that is absolutely s..t house matee,contact toyota for sure,i can definitely see a difference between the boot and rear quarter panel and why is the edge of the boot so damn rough,bodgy bodgy,call toyota and send them the pics.

[1rocky]

here is maba s dealings with toyota http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...p;mode=threaded

[Coffs Harbour]

Thanks for your replys,PM's and suggestions.

I will try to list the series of events that have led to now in point form.

-Deposit paid for car, with high rear spoiler fitted, reversing camera fitted and enviro pack, (windows tinted, paint polished rust proofing)

- 3-4 days later told by salsman "car is ready"

- wife went to pay for car and pick it up, wife rang me told me that small spoiler was fitted, I told wife not to pay for car.

- salsman said high rear spoiler not available Toyota do not make them anymore. (note no discount was offered)I told salsman we don't want the car then.

_ Salsman found aftermarket spoiler, offered to get it fitted when it arrived approx 1 week. but car would be delivered with a plane boot lid from another new vehicle then the spoiler would be fitted to this boot lid. I agreed and wife paid for vehicle and car was delivered.

- approx 1 week later vehicle was taken by salsman, high rear spoiler fitted and car returned. Apon returning of car a customer of ours said that the spoiler doesent match. I also noiced the difference. After much looking and head scratching I came to the conclusion that the spoiler did match the car but the boot lid did not match the car and did not line up with the car. Phone call was made immediatly to salsman stating my concerns.

EDIT MORE ADDED

_Vehicle was taken again days later, apon returning vehicle I was told by sales man that the car has been buffed and the boot lid re aligned and also that the colour match on the boot lid is acceptable and he invided me to look at other new cars in the lot.

- I was not happy with his statment that the car boot lid colour match was acceptable and took the car to a pannel/spray repair shop for assesment.

EDIT more added

Same day, car was taken to Coffs Harbour Toyota. Mr Skinner asked me to take the car to either Seebreez smash reapirs or Smith and Voit, I knew Garry from Seebreez so opted to go there. When I got to Seebreez which is only 100m from Coffs toyota Gary was on the phone so I had to wait a little.

Gary came out to look at the vehicle. Much was spoken about. To conclude Gary said . " The colour match on the boot lid was acceptable" I said "What about the scratches." He replied "They will Buff out" I explained to him that the car had already been buffed by Coffs Toyota and I did not want it buffed again as this would just be removing paint.

Later on same day assesment and quote for boot lid repair was picked up from Absolute panel & Paint. See attachment.

- A few days later I took a photocopy of the assesment to Col at Coffs Toyota and told him "I would like a new boot lid please." He said he would have to take it up with the sales manager.

We waited 3 hrs but no reply from Coffs Toyota so we lodged a complaint with Dept Fair Trading.

Approx 2 weeks later we were contacted by fair trading.

Fair trading had contacted Mr Skinner and Skinner said they were not prepared to do anything about the car and that we changed our mind about the rear spoiler, I don't know what that has to do with anything but is a lie as we never changed our minds, Coffs Toyota could not deliver the rear spoiler we ordered fitted to the car and paid deposit for.

A day or so later I went into coffs Toyota to talk to Skinner to try to sort this out.

MORE TO COME WHEN I GET TIME TO TYPE

Edited September 13, 2009 by Coffs Harbour

[-DAvo]

When we purchased our Aurion, the dealer said they would include free paint protection, this IMHO was a massive mistake, as they left buffer swirls all over the bonnet and boot lid. Plus when we received the car it was obvious the panels needed a lot more work than what the paint protection "hype" stated. (the car was in dire need of claying from brand new)

I was pretty disheartened by the treatment from our toyota dealer (scarboro toyota WA) throughout the whole process... Salesmen did not return our calls when he said he would call back in 1 hour, car missed its delivery date by 2 days, wheels had to be replaced under warrenty (which took three (3) weeks for them to sort out...)

in the end i gave up and bought a DA polisher and fixed up the dealers work myself... (and am now a self confessed car detailing nut) :P

as was mentioned in the earlier posts, just keep moving up the chain of command and dont stop pestering them.

good luck

[Coffs Harbour]

Just spoke with Toyota Australia.

They said that because the dealer swaped boot lids and we agreed then there is nothing they can do.

The dealer said that the boot lid came from another new Toyota Camry deliverd to them at the same time. This may be true when the car was first delivered, but when we got the car back from them after they fitted the spoiler the boot lid was not in the same condition as before they took the car.

[Whip Cracker]

Nah dude that's bull****. Just because you agreed to have another bootlid doesn't mean you asked for a slightly different colour and scuff marks!

As I mentioned before, go higher up the food chain. Stay onsite until you get a satisfactory outcome.

If you don't get any luck from there, I'd be asking for a full refund and taking it to the ACCC. If they sell you something and find that it's not what was originally ordered, then there's no reason for them to not refund you the money. They know they've stuffed up and they have to fix the mess.

[RoM2nV]

that's dog act man, I hope you get it sorted alright without any real hassles.

[Rolla Boy]

Ahhhhh, well that explains your colour difference...

The only way you'll get anything done is to take it up with the dealer...

I don't think Toyota will cover anything due to the parts being swapped...

Keep hassling the dealer and they might just get sick of you and agree to cover the costs for repairs...

[prometheus]

When we purchased our Aurion, the dealer said they would include free paint protection

Paint protection ..... what IS paint protection anyway ? An extra wax and polish ?

[lateralus]

When we purchased our Aurion, the dealer said they would include free paint protection

Paint protection ..... what IS paint protection anyway ? An extra wax and polish ?

the most expensive, cheap-***** polish you will ever buy. essentially, you pay $700 for an inexperienced detailer to rub polish all over your car, and you have it take it back once a year for reapplication (free of charge) otherwise you void your paint warranty.

[jbcamry]

have you considered phoning your insurance company and trying to get the paint and dint fixed. I am sure if they do fix it they will chase the dealer. I just hope that i dont have the same trouble as you have had Coffs Harbour, as I have just bought a new camry from Skinner Toyota, and when they were fitting the towbar, they scratched the rear bumper bar. They said they will repair, but now I am really worried.

[lateralus]

have you considered phoning your insurance company and trying to get the paint and dint fixed. I am sure if they do fix it they will chase the dealer. I just hope that i dont have the same trouble as you have had Coffs Harbour, as I have just bought a new camry from Skinner Toyota, and when they were fitting the towbar, they scratched the rear bumper bar. They said they will repair, but now I am really worried.

claiming for that and getting the insurer to recover the damages from the dealer, which involves the dealer admitting liability, is very unlikely. thus, you will have to pay your excess and get it all repaired but youll drop a couple of ratings as it will be considered at fault until liability is sorted. then youll get your excess back after who knows how long once liability is admitted

another problem is getting the loss adjuster to agree with the inconsistencies in the bodywork and thus authorise the repairs. but keep in mind, the insurer will authorised replacement with new genuine factory parts, but it may look the same as before depending on who repairs it.

i work as an accident management consultant for an insurer, and people do stuff like that all the time with the same result.

Edited September 16, 2009 by lateralus

[prometheus]

the most expensive, cheap-***** polish you will ever buy. essentially, you pay $700 for an inexperienced detailer to rub polish all over your car, and you have it take it back once a year for reapplication (free of charge) otherwise you void your paint warranty

Yep , sounds about right.

Dealers LOVE selling customers "paint protection" or whatever else they call it because it allows them to make a hefty margin on the service. I reckon if they are charging you $700 , they are probably making a good $500 out of it.

Surely it would be cheaper just to take your to a decent car detailer and just have them wax and polish it.

I doubt it would even cost $700 ?

[prometheus]

I just did a Google search for " detailing wax polish melbourne " and the first link that came up was for Brazilian Waxing.

LOL

[lateralus]

the most expensive, cheap-***** polish you will ever buy. essentially, you pay $700 for an inexperienced detailer to rub polish all over your car, and you have it take it back once a year for reapplication (free of charge) otherwise you void your paint warranty

Yep , sounds about right.

Dealers LOVE selling customers "paint protection" or whatever else they call it because it allows them to make a hefty margin on the service. I reckon if they are charging you $700 , they are probably making a good $500 out of it.

Surely it would be cheaper just to take your to a decent car detailer and just have them wax and polish it.

I doubt it would even cost $700 ?

when i bought my car they asked me if i wanted the paint protection package and it was $749

[Mr De Angelo]

the most expensive, cheap-***** polish you will ever buy. essentially, you pay $700 for an inexperienced detailer to rub polish all over your car, and you have it take it back once a year for reapplication (free of charge) otherwise you void your paint warranty

Yep , sounds about right.

Dealers LOVE selling customers "paint protection" or whatever else they call it because it allows them to make a hefty margin on the service. I reckon if they are charging you $700 , they are probably making a good $500 out of it.

Surely it would be cheaper just to take your to a decent car detailer and just have them wax and polish it.

I doubt it would even cost $700 ?

when i bought my car they asked me if i wanted the paint protection package and it was $749

That really is a genuine ripoff, I could just do it myself for a fraction of that price using quality products such as Meguiars rather than let them rub generic rubbish all over my car, and as you can see, they cant even seem to do it right.. The last thing I'd pay $749 is for my car to be all scratched like that.