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Unhappy Owner

Toyota advertising standard specification which is not fitted to their car

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How Toyota an international company treats its customers

 

I purchased a Toyota GT86 Club Series Blue Edition from the Derby dealership on 29 March 2019.

 

Looking forward to my new car I ran through the standard features as shown on the Toyota UK Website.

 

Imagine my dismay when collecting the vehicle an advertised standard feature, an automatic rear dipping mirror, was not there. Instead there was an old fashoined paddle operated rear view mirror.

 

When I queried this with the dealership they explained that not everything shown as standard was present on the models they sold and I was the first customer to query it. I explained that as it was advertised with the feature and proved where on the Toyota Website I wanted it retro-fitting or under the Consumer Rights Act of 2016 I would reject the vehicle and ask for my money back.

 

The dealer contacted Toyota who were really grateful I have spotted the error on their Website (which they have now corrected) and offered me 150 in store voucher to effectively go away.

 

I rejected their offer and explained that I wanted the feature. They gave some cock and bull excuse that if they retro fitted it it would void the warranty on the car. They would be fitting it to their car!! How could it void their warranty.

 

I was not satisfied and complained again. Unfortunately in the time frame the GT86 was written off which is another story to be added later so Toyota simply closed my complaint case and have effectively walked away from their responsibility.

 

I have spoken to the Financial Ombudsman who says I still have a case for rejection as mentioned above if I wanted to go down that route. However, I am now lodging a formal complaint with the Motor Ombudsman and will let him deal with Toyota.

 

I just wanted everyone who has bought a GT86 or who is intending to buy one or perhaps has purchased another Toyota recently to check your specification and if it does not match what is advertised complain to Toyota. If enough of us consumers do this then they will have to mend their ways and accurately advertise what they are selling and compensate owners accordingly.

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As the car no longer exists can't see this going anywhere but understand your issue after my experience with Toyota dealerships in my area they are not the honourable company I thought they were but let us know if you get a result

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Auto hill-hold was advertised on the original models, but wasn't available or an option and it was a misprint. The car is good enough to overlook these kind of convenience features. As for the mirror, again I don't think this is even an option in the UK. That's why they wouldn't fit it. As for compensation, I think £150 is more that suitable for a feature that is not going to be a deal breaker.

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It's never had an auto dimming mirror. Maybe you would have been better checking on here first? Pretty small beans I mean in the scheme of things is it really that important? 

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For auto hill-hold, maybe try this:

Quote

- Park car in a flat location
- stop the engine
- start the engine and check that the ABS warning light and slip indicator are off
- Press and hold the "Traction-off" button (leftmost button that looks like car with skidmark and the word "off" at the bottom) for 30 seconds. Both VSC and Traction Control off indicator should illuminate and then turn off.
- Within 5 seconds after the indicator lights turn off, release the "Traction-off" button, then press the switch again within 2 seconds of releasing it.
- The hill start assist ON indicator will illuminate and then turn off.
- Turn the engine off, then restart the engine
- If done correctly the hill start assist ON indicator should now be illuminated.

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2 hours ago, Unhappy Owner said:

 If enough consumers do this then they will have to mend their ways and accurately advertise what they are selling and compensate owners accordingly.

Enough did, you. 

They fixed it, the website. 

They offered to compensate the owner, you. 

 

If you refuse a product that's your right, but if the car was written off in your care, that's insurance, not Toyota. 

Good luck with the ombudsman, it might come though. 😊

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5 minutes ago, matrixprotein said:

Think it's more of a principle matter here.. people are very meticulous about cars. Just some more than others. Wouldn't say sad though but that's just me

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
 

It's more this, I take umbrage with; 'How Toyota an international company treats it's customers', with a username of 'Unhappy Owner''. Maybe it would be more accurate if it said. 'How Toyota an international company treats one of it's customers'. 

I have received an excellent service from Toyota in my six years plus of ownership from new. I have had a fair few things placed under warranty when they could have easily said no. I too noticed that the car didn't have an auto dimming rear view mirror when I got my car, but as I had never had a car with one, I decided it didn't really matter. I'm all for standing on principle if I feel it's important, but on this occasion I didn't. 

At the OP, are you going to get another one? ;)

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1 hour ago, knightryder said:

Auto hill-hold was advertised on the original models, but wasn't available or an option and it was a misprint. The car is good enough to overlook these kind of convenience features. As for the mirror, again I don't think this is even an option in the UK. That's why they wouldn't fit it. As for compensation, I think £150 is more that suitable for a feature that is not going to be a deal breaker.

Auto hill hold did come on the later models, I tried it but couldn't get the hang of when it would and wouldn't hold, good old fashioned handbrake does the job 😁. Plus the dash light was very annoying. 

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@lauren didn't take much note of the name. Funny enough I decided to call rrg Macclesfield today just for advice based on their gleaming reviews.

They were more than helpful with trying to help me. Unfortunately I have one of those Auris' which seems to have a failed mmt gearbox of some sort. Got stuck in neutral as the other half was driving! Dangerous as hell.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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Happened to me years ago. Alfa 75 Limited Edition .. brochure said electric rears windows .. came with manual ... but there they covered themselves with E&OE which basically means "we could make a mistake in this and there is no come-back".

My dealer had a very long standing relationship with Alfa and knew a couple of directors. Apparently they simply had lots of manual winding rear doors and so changed the production line to use them up. 75 was about to be discontinued.

Didn't bother me too much as that car was a hoot to drive and I rarely had rear passengers ... the last front engined, rwd Alfa until the recent Giulia. 

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I also distinctly remember seeing auto dim mirrors advertised.  Having had all 3 mirrors auto dim on a previous car I was slightly disappointed for about 5 seconds and then thought ah well less to break down.  

I would have negotiated a free service instead and retro fit an auto dim mirror if I was that passionate about the issue.

I'd be way more annoyed that I'd just written off a brand new car rather than complaining about a mirror. 

Please don't tell me somebody was blinding you with their lights and you went full rage mode, screaming poxy bloody mirror, while trying to reach for the toggle and lost control of the car?

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I remember seeing auto dim mirror in the spec but never bothered me, just assumed it was a feature available in some markets. 

Think all car companies are the same, look at the amount of ads on TV with a disclaimer at the bottom along the lines of 'not all features shown are available on UK spec cars'.

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42 minutes ago, willfmair said:

You sound like a right piece of work.

Interested as to how you wrote it off, did you reverse into something brightly lit?

10365772-cartoon-man-gets-a-bright-idea-

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We should all get off the OP's back.  I find my entire driving experience is ruined when I have to manually reach for the mirror dimmer.  For all that I love the way the car handles, the feedback it gives, the perfect control weights, Toyota blew the whole thing by forcing me to take my left hand off the wheel to dim the rear view mirror.  Now I can never drive my car at night, or when the sun is low.  😭

It reminds me of the time I had to kick Scarlett Johansson out of bed for farting.  I just couldn't look at her the same after that and we haven't spoken since.

 

(Some of these things may not be entirely true)

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You've taken the time and effort to sign up to a forum (with a ridiculous username) to bitch about a rear view mirror in a car that no longer exists?! 😂

You must be real fun at parties... 

Compensation was offered for a genuine mistake, which you refused. I don't really see what your rant on here was meant to achieve? 

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2 minutes ago, smudge said:

You've taken the time and effort to sign up to a forum (with a ridiculous username) to bitch about a rear view mirror in a car that no longer exists?! 😂

You must be real fun at parties... 

Compensation was offered for a genuine mistake, which you refused. I don't really see what your rant on here was meant to achieve? 

I think we should all sell our cars and hurt Toyota the way they hurt him..

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I remember the brochure mentioning Auto Wipers but our Market doesn't get it!

I must admit would easily trade Auto Lights for Auto Wipers purely on the grounds that I drive with my lights on all the time and rarely use that feature on the GT86...

I can't fault Motorline Gatwick as when ever anything has gone wrong since the Warranty ran out they have fixed the car free of charge or have given me a reduced price because I always bring the car back to them every time.

I think the £150 vouchers are more than generous seeing as that is close to the value of the optional part that you say is missing!

By the way my next car will most probably be another Toyota, as got my eye on the New Camry

Sent from my ASUS_A001 using Tapatalk

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