Love the new text communication updates.
Overall good experience today.
Thank you.
Lyndsey was very helpful and accurate. Thank you for your help today.
Kari Toyota is the best dealership in the world
I'd like to start off by saying that I wish I could make all of this up but never in my wildest dreams would I be able to create a story like this one.
I dropped off my car Sunday 12/17 for an appointment I had scheduled for the 18th of December. My appointment was to replace the plastic skid plates on the bottom of my 2011 Highlander as well as get the two rear seatbelts looked at as they were no longer retracting. The first thing that was asked if I would like to have replaced was the two air filters, one was installed upside down and I did not want that filter put back in the correct way to only blow dirty air where it should not be. It's only $25 and $28 for both to be replaced, fine that is not terrible.
However, afterwards I was sent an issue that needed approval for two very expensive repairs. The first off being that my "rear strut, drivers side leaking, recommend also replacing sway bar links" for the estimated cost of $168.80. As well as "coolant leak at lower weep hole of water pump, not visible on video. Also recommend new serpentine belt, getting glazed." for the estimated cost of $843.95. I decided that the struts could wait and that I would like to get the water pump replaced. As soon as I approved this service the cost of the repair JUMPED to $1,150.46, a price in which I DID NOT approve. The cost of the rear strut repair also jumped to $629.50.
After calling some other shops I decided to follow through with the installation of the new water pump on 12/18. On the morning of 12/19 I received a message from the automated system that there is another repair authorization request. Upon opening the request I found an estimated repair cost of $1,486.46 for a leak coming from the "torque converter seal". This link included a video of the said leak. I watched the video in panic of the total cost of the repairs that were suggested to me, as I watched the video I immediately recognized the dripping fluid to be coolant rather than transmission fluid. After reaching out to multiple mechanics I decided to not have that repair done until I could look at the leak myself. This leak is something that I had never noticed before so it seemed hard to believe.
After denying the repair to the supposed transmission fluid leak I was later sent another text from the automated system that read "your vehicle is ready for pickup! You can bypass the counter and use express pay to checkout, just click the link!". After clicking the link I was greeted with a total cost of $1,859.80. I would like to note that this price was NOT the total cost shown on the update promise page. The update promise page listed the "additional approved amount" to be $1,256.38, and the "total amount authorized" to be $1,416.38. This was the cost that I was under the impression that I would be paying, there was a $443.42 difference that I was NOT made aware of. At this point I am panicking at the difference of the cost. After some digging and questioning that was done by my Dad, it was found that the original repair that I brought my car in to be fixed was not included in the "total amount authorized".
My Dad was able to get a 10% discount due to the blame being placed on the new computer program that was recently introduced. I came by to check my car with my own eyes before paying for the services that I received. A tech was sent out with me and my friend that I brought along who is a certified automotive technician. My friend got onto the ground to check the "torque converter seal leak". I showed him the video that I received and he agreed that it appeared to be coolant rather than transmission fluid but I wanted him to check and reassure my suspicions. After finding the supposed leak, my friend agreed that it was dripping coolant rather than transmission fluid. This is most likely from draining the coolant from the radiator after replacing the water pump. I asked the tech that was sent outside with me if the transmission fluid level was ever checked before assuming that there was a leak. He replied with confidence that I have a sealed transmission on my car, to which I responded by showing him the dipstick and removing it to check the levels myself. After seeing the color of my transmission fluid that I got replaced roughly 8,000 miles ago it was definitely not the color of the liquid that was supposedly leaking, further confirming that the drip was coolant.
Any technician should know that used transmission fluid changes color the longer it is used. Used transmission fluid clearly would not be the same color as red coolant. And if color alone is not proof enough, the texture and smell even further confirmed that it was coolant. If I did not have the knowledge and experience about my car it is very possible that I would have paid $1,486.46 for a service that WAS NOT needed whatsoever. The tech working on my car immediately assumed and made a diagnosis on my car without doing any investigating. This made me question if my water pump even had a leak as there was no video provided.
On top of the unnecessary recommended repair I was charged $95 for my seat belt "repair". This repair was completed by pulling the seatbelt all the way out and retracting it as well as removing the plastic cover to make sure it was not twisted, all of which I have already done. I found this to be an unnecessary cost because nothing was repaired and if I were to have brought it in myself for an estimate those few things would have been completed with no charge in order to see what was wrong with it. Upon further discussion I was able to get that charge removed from my bill.
I would like to say that I am extremely disappointed with the service that I received at your shop. If I got all of the recommended repairs done to my car it would have cost me $3,532.34; $3,975.76 when including the cost of the original repair I requested that was not included. $1,486.46 of that would have been completely unnecessary due to the leak being nonexistent. I think that it would be of great value to your shop if you ensured that all technicians knew how to properly diagnose and recognize the different fluids that go into a vehicle as well as knew what type of transmission they are working on. Hearing the tech tell me that I have a sealed transmission when I knew that to not be true was extremely unnerving. All that I can imagine is all of the people that have gotten taken advantage of by paying obscene prices for unnecessary work in your shop if they don't have any prior knowledge about vehicles. You should be the contact that people trust, NOT the contact that charges for unnecessary work. The discovery of the fluid in the leak should not have been up to me, the customer. I saved MYSELF $1,486.46 by diagnosing the supposed leak on my own.
I will never be returning to this shop nor will I ever recommend it to anyone. I am extremely unhappy with my experience.
Kari did great Toyota co screwed me and I didn't want to do the same to Kari they were great bigetal peixes found in rear diff oil change brought it in for inspection got a 150 dollar bill which Kari reduced from 240 would not have brought in without metal on drain plug Toyota did poor building or machining of differential and me and Kari Toyota paid for it to be checked out total disappointment with Toyota please send this review to them thanks
They tried really hard to get me a second key!
Thank you
Dale N
The entire Kari team is great.
Excellent and professional service. Courteous and timely. Great!
Had to buy floormats as they didn’t come with the 2021 rav4 for some reason. Also had to get2nd key as Kari didn’t have one. Didn’t pay for the second key thankfully. Otherwise experience was fine.
Thanks
The video inspection was a great touch. See you in 5000 miles.
Left me sitting in the waiting room for an extra 1.25 hours after my job was finished. Had a tire rotation appointment at 12:30. At 1:45 I came to the counter and asked how things were going and was told by woman at the counter that tire rotation wasn’t finished and was assured she would let me know when it was ready. I got impatient at 2:15 and saw my car parked out front, so figured it must be done. Went back up to the counter and my technician said it had been done since 1:00. First bad experience I’ve had.
The wait time was egregious. I got there at 1:45 for a 2 o'clock appointment. They didn't take my car in until 3:30. I was there until 4:30 and missed sunset on the last night of Hanukkah. I would appreciate tighter scheduling.
Kari Toyota is always professional and personable.
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