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Is Your Dealership a Stealership?

Not sure whether your vehicle’s dealership is a stealership? Follow this story about one car owner of a Toyota Tundra whose car repair quest revealed just how bad some dealerships can be and how they earn their “stealership” reputation.

When Does a Dealership Qualify as a “Stealership”?

Have you ever had a problem develop with your car, but could not get the problem resolved by a dealership---the very guys who are supposed to the experts on your car? And worse yet, wind up with other issues that they “found” and said needed immediate repair, of which you sought a second opinion and received conflicting diagnoses? You are not alone. And often it is hard to know who to believe and what you should do.

Perhaps to help develop your sense of when your internal scam or BS alarm should be clanging, it would pay to see what some other car owners have experienced that just might sound familiar to you with your car and its repairs in the past.

Here’s a good example according to a recent CarCareNut YouTube channel video where the host discusses one customer who got the classic run-around from multiple repair centers that left him bewildered and no better off as he tried to find the answers to car questions and concerns he had with his recently purchased used car from a dealership.

Related article: Scam Alert: What Dealerships Don’t Want You to Know About Used Car Inspections

We find out in this video how the owner of this 2008 Toyota Highlander kept going from dealership to dealership and from auto shop to auto shop and NONE of these could address their Simple and basic concerns!” stated the Car Care Nut.

Follow the host as he gives the car a thorough inspection focused on what the other garages told the owner as he finds answers to repairs that somehow evaded the other mechanics abilities and shows why some recommended repairs were not really needed.

The value of this video is that it will demonstrate:

• Some common problems with Toyota Highlanders

• How unaddressed problems with a used car in a dealership’s hands can lead to more business after the car is sold

• Why some oil and fluid leaks are really not a problem

• Why mechanics should treat customers with a “If I were you…” breath of honesty

• How some mechanics use language to overcharge and cheat their customers.

THIS is Why Dealerships get Bad Reputations! Makes me Very UPSET!

And finally…

For additional articles about developing sense of suspicion whenever something does not seem right when going in for service or repairs, here are a few selected examples of when some dealerships truly qualify as “stealerships”:

Why Ford Customers Don’t Trust Ford Dealerships to Fix Their Cars

Toyota Dealership Shows What Really Happens When Previously Owned Cars Are Inspected and Certified

A Dealership Horror Story That Could Happen to You

COMING UP NEXT: Car Customer Fails That Just Rolled In

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

Image Source: Pexels

Comments

Michael Gracia (not verified)    March 29, 2022 - 12:47PM

I took my RX 350 to Lexus dealer for service all the time. Once the car had 75,000 miles they tell rack and pinion has leak and needs replacement. I told him you never services it when it was here for service. I added a pint of power steering fluid and it has 175,000 miles without leak

Michael Gracia (not verified)    March 29, 2022 - 12:47PM

I took my RX 350 to Lexus dealer for service all the time. Once the car had 75,000 miles they tell rack and pinion has leak and needs replacement. I told him you never services it when it was here for service. I added a pint of power steering fluid and it has 175,000 miles without leak

Richard Derry (not verified)    September 27, 2022 - 2:00PM

To purchase a car at the McLaughlin Chevrolet in Massachusetts that they don't use gm financial. Thy told me I must take a longer loan term for a higher borrowed amount and dealer I stalled options they would later possibly receive must be paid in the price. Told the msrp price is the mandatory price no matter. Asked for manufacturer invoice, told "we don't want to sell to you" and got our $1000.00 deposit back at least. They wanted to nickel and dime us for $250. In options they placed on car but cannot provide us.they lost a sale for less than $250 for equipment they could not provide and not wishing to modify a $22000.00+ amount they would make. Very scank move.