John, you are a hero!!! Thank
John, you are a hero!!! Thank you for your post and a picture of the check. This is so helpful to a lot of people like me who are wondering if the check is legitimate.
I got $20.46 for my 2002 Lexus GS300. I find it so interesting which model gets what amount. So I compiled the list of cars and check amount from all the posts on this webpage. Too bad not everyone posted their car model and/or the check amount - -
$8.76 - 2005 Camry
$8.97 - 2004 Camry XLE 6cyl
$20.00 - 2006 Camry
$20.46 - 2002 Sequoia Limited, 2002 Lexus GS300, 2007 FJ Cruiser, 2008 FJ Cruiser
$29.23 - 2005 Corolla S
$29.86 - 2002 Lexus ES, 2003 base Tundra, 2007 Highlander
I loved the Erin Brockovich movie when it came out. Later on I learned of the real truth and realized I was ignorant about how the real world operates, and feel sooo stupid to believe in Hollywood's propaganda. Since then I despised class action lawsuits, lawyers, and Hollywood. Due to that I have ignored all the class action mailings.
I searched on the internet and found this information on the caranddriver.com. You can search ‘toyota-settling-lost-resale-value-lawsuits-why-its-insane-why-everybody-loses-but-the-lawyers’ to read the details -
Term 1: Toyota puts $250 million into a fund to compensate former owners who sold or returned a leased example of select Toyota models (almost all of them) between September 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010
Actual Winner(s): Big used-car dealerships, which may have sold hundreds of Toyotas and Lexuses during that time.
Term 2: Toyota pays to install Brake Override Systems on eligible vehicles
Actual Winner(s): Toyota dealerships, Toyota’s suppliers, and—somewhat indirectly—Toyota.
Term 3: Toyota puts $250 million into a fund to pay people who still own certain Toyotas that aren’t compatible with Brake Override Systems
Actual Winner(s): Nobody, really.
Term 4: Toyota spends $30 million for automotive safety research and education
Actual Winners: The University of Iowa, other universities, billboard owners.
And the Grand Prize Winners Are . . .
Weighing in at some 85 attorneys spread over 25 firms, the grand prize winners are: the law firms. Toyota’s settlement proposal agrees to pay up to $200 million in fees to the plaintiffs’ lawyers, with an additional maximum of $27 million allocated to cover their expenses. (It’s distributed proportionately to how much work the firms put into the suit.)
I see that many of us are wondering if we should cash the check. I did a search on that and postings from freerepublic.com indicated the money from the un-cashed checks would not go back to Toyota, but maybe to your State’s Unclaimed Property, and/or the institutions from Term 4, or even towards the lawyers’ administration cost. The suggestions offered are either use it as part of a down payment on a new vehicle at a Toyota dealer, or donate the money to a charity. Quote 'So that you get the benefit of the check and Toyota gets to cram a small piece of that lawsuit down the lawyers’ throats.' (search ‘chat/3216493') I am going to donate mine.
John, thank you again for providing a platform for us to discuss this matter.