Warning- Rant And Whine- My Toyota

[wdwoldtimer]

Seems to me you should be going after Carmax. You can't really blame Toyota for the stance they're taking...a 4Runner with 28,000 miles should not have a blown engine unless the thing was abused. If it was a Toyota Certified Pre-Owned purchase from a Toyota dealer it would be a different story.

The blame rests solely on Carmax. Sounds like they didn't do a background check on the car and didn't have their mechanics take a good look at it before you took delivery.

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by Christine
As for me, I had to get a new engine in my Dodge.

Having had to replace my engine on my Caravan recently, I've done a lot of researching about engines and Chysler/Dodge. Did you know that sludge buildup is a KNOWN problem with the Dakotas and has caused many many many owners to have to replace the engine, NOT covered by Dodge?

Do a simple search like this one on Google and you will find all kinds of reports about it. Of course, I'd keep up on it, cause if Dodge admits their problem they may pay for your engine.

In the meantime, you will need to find out what you can do to not destroy the new engine in the same way.

Good luck with the OP and the engine - having just gone through this (and having a specific exclusion in my extended warrany excluding replacement due to loss of oil pressue) and had to pay for my own engine. It sounds like it should be covered!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I am on my third Toyota Camry in about 20 years. Had one $50 repair and that was probably the fault of a cheapy oil change. Only oil changes and standard maintaince items.

I had the car from hell from Ford years before. Almost lost what sanity I had left before I got rid of that car. Had the owner of the dealership threaten to call the police on me just because I would wander the showroom floor muttering, in clean language, about the service I was NOT getting. Seemed to be disturbing some of their customers. The owner even had the audacity to say that he was more of a lady than I was. LOL When he was arrested and sentenced to prison for fraud a short time later I was somewhat tempted to ask him if he felt like a lady but restrained myself. It was a demo car and had obviously been damaged in some way. Would not make left hand turns. Made for an interesting life for awhile.

I sang the praises of my Toyota so much that many people have bought them for themselves. One sister bought a Corolla only to complain about three years later that the engine went bad. Turned out that she had never had an oil change in all that time let alone any other maintaince. Unfortunately people who cannot pay their bills often do not take care of the items they are about to lose and that seems to be what happened to you. I think the place that sold it to you owes you big time and I am hoping that they will allow you pick another vehicle as this one is sure to have more wrong later on.
One thing, you might check for hidden warranties also. There is a website, don't remember where, that lists such info. Many auto models have certain recurring problems and if enough of them crop up some manufacturers allow them to be fixed under warranty, if the customer is savvy enough to complain enough.

Good luck and best wishes from one who has been there too.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[larry's girl]

I have had my share of major car repair problems that shouldn't have happened in the past, so I will just say I hope you get this one worked out to your satisfaction. You shouldn't have to pay for someone else's irresponsible behavior!

 

[TexasErin]

**UPDATE**

After probably 30 phone calls, Carmax has agreed to buy our car back. At first, they were going to reappraise the vehicle and give us the price for a damaged vehicle when the damage was already done when it was sold to us. The service manager went to the regional vice president and he told the dealership to buy us out of the 4Runner and we could get a different one. Carmax has apparently decided to do the right thing, thank goodness
I will still feel a lot better once it is a done deal- we will go to Plano sometime this week.
Looking for opinions....
Considering getting another 4Runner with 4 cylinders or getting a 2001 Ford Explorer (V6). I would really like to have the 4Runner because they are SUPPOSED to be reliable. I am now afraid of getting a 4 cylinder car since it has been suggested that maybe part of the problem with our 4Runner was because 4 cylinders don't have much power and it was driven too hard trying to get some power- either that or because no oil changes were done.
Which would you get???:happy1:

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

TexasErin, I have been hoping it would come out like this. Was Carmax's fault, not Toyotas IMHO.

Having only owned Toyota Camry's with 4 cylinder engines (am on my third one) I can only state what I have experienced. I would not have anything BUT the 4 cylinder engine. If I had gotten the 6 cylinder it would cost far more in gas as you have to buy a higher grade and I have never had any engine problems in my over twenty years of owning Toyota Camry's.

Not sure if there would be a difference in owning a larger model though. I am sure that someone more automotively savvy than I will be able to help.

I always pick vehicles according to Consumer Reports (NOT Digest) listings. They have an issue out this time of year that list which models of which brands are the best buys, what problems you might encounter and the price range you should expect to pay. I have never been steered wrong in doing this.

Best of luck to you in your next purchase.

SG/Linda

 

[DocRafiki]

OK I don't know ANYTHING about cars, but even I learned not to go less than 6 cylinders in an SUV -- the difference was very apparent in my test-driving. As far as mechanics, I think few would argue that Toyota is the way to go. However, in the years that I've been researching, the Explorers are much safer. That's left me with such a delimma that I'm thinking about just getting another sedan until Toyota or Honda can improve their safety ratings.

 

[MICKEY88]

Originally posted by jfulcer
Having had to replace my engine on my Caravan recently, I've done a lot of researching about engines and Chysler/Dodge. Did you know that sludge buildup is a KNOWN problem with the Dakotas and has caused many many many owners to have to replace the engine, NOT covered by Dodge?

Do a simple search like this one on Google and you will find all kinds of reports about it. Of course, I'd keep up on it, cause if Dodge admits their problem they may pay for your engine.

In the meantime, you will need to find out what you can do to not destroy the new engine in the same way.

Good luck with the OP and the engine - having just gone through this (and having a specific exclusion in my extended warrany excluding replacement due to loss of oil pressue) and had to pay for my own engine. It sounds like it should be covered!

Synthetic oil is the best way to prevent the sludge problem..

 

[stego]

had some time to browse the motors discussion boards over at e-bay. Lots of interesting stories about seller/buyer; lots of folks getting burned-particularly the buyer. One post interested me-so I clicked on it. Lo and behold, I found a story that went way off the charts. It appeared a dealer had retracted a vehicle for sale-even though the buyer had met all the terms. The internet community all over America, and other countries got wind. They tore into the dealer like there was no tommorow. The phones rang non-stop. I can imagine the dealership turning into a ghost town. Everybody's grandmother, cousin, uncle, sister-in-law told each other. After a SEVERE downturn in business, Mark Mitsubishi in Arizona saw their mistake and offered the vehicle to the buyer for the price. After the whole mess, the buyer rejected it. Can't say I blame him.
Glad to hear you got a resolution.
Toyota's hold their value MUCH better than domestics. If there is anyway to get a 6 cylinder Toyota, do it.