The service writer/manager is still way off base.
Low oil pressure tells you a lot. What that says is that the lower end (crankshaft and bearings) are damaged; a.k.a. engine replacement time.
Jeez. If they say the oil pressure is low this just verifies it’s damaged goods.
Compression test won’t show anything? Yes it can. The cylinders are lubricated by splash oil from the crankshaft and if the engine is out of oil then it only takes a few seconds for the piston wiper rings to wipe the oil from those cylinders. Since there is no oil pressure this means there is no constant supply of fresh oil being thrown onto those cylinders and this can lead to cylinder and/or piston ring damage PDQ.
Personally, I would not trust them about the dropping the rod caps thing unless I was standing there watching them do it. Even then a novice would not really know what to look for.
I will reiterate that a badly damaged engine can run perfectly fine and may run fine for a short time or even a long time. It’s a coin flip.
They have a vested interest in sending you down the road. Speaking from my experience over the years, I’ve never seen a dealer that had insurance to cover a screwup like this.
This repair would be “on the house” and that means it’s coming directly out of their pocket so you can see why a whitewash might be in order.
I still think an even over trade on another car is the best option for you. Not necessarily for them though.
OP here. I spoke to the GM tonight. He said the car was fine and that he wasn’t sure who my sources were but they were offbase. He said that he wouldn’t provide me with a new car and that I would have to prove that the car has serious issues to get out of the lease - and that I’d have to take that up with Toyota directly. I pressed the issue for about 20 more minutes before he offered to buy my car back. He took back the service car, put me a Hyundai from Enterprise (rental and gas paid for by him) and told me he’d call me tomorrow.
OP here. I don’t have a letter that says they accept responsibility for future problems. I have an letter/email that says the problem has been fixed. Oil in the car. No more noises.
They said I could rely on the power train warranty if any issues pop up. I don’t have the expertise to read it and know if I’ll be covered well or not.
I should probably point out that the whole reason I’m leasing a Toyota with prepaid maintenance is that I want to drive a relatively hassle free car - and (in Oct of last year) I figured this was my best shot. I don’t want to break down in the middle of nowhere or have to go to the repair shop or drive a car that sounds like a tractor.
Not that this would change anything, but I think this is the newer oil filter design Toyota is using that has got everybody confused, I guess their own techs are not immune to it either.
The engine would probably burn oil fast and that would be a sign of more things to come. With what is considered “normal” oil use now a days, you might get the dancing around for a while. Make sure you document every single discussion with time and date. Ask the GM to put everything in writing. If anything is missing take an objection.
I am sure if you drop the name of the popular local news cast reporter, their attitude will change.
This guy is dead wrong too and since when does a GM have much mechanical expertise? They’re salesmen and talkers, not mechanics. Tell him who your sources are and tell him he’s invited to weigh in on this forum. Not that I would expect to hear a straight answer even if he did.
This is a dealer screwup and Toyota Motor Company is not going to pay for what the dealer did. They’re separate business entities and TMC is not liable for this error.
In the meantime, take the GM up on his offer. Contact the Toyota regional office and let them know what happened. As of now, you’re entering the buck passing stage.
Here is one potential big problem you have. Down the road if an engine problem surfaces where it’s really noticeable then it’s quite possible to have them lay the blame off on you. The argument they would use would be that if there was an engine problem it would have been noticeable from the get-go and that is not the case.
Alright, relax, Caddy. I missed the part about the OPer leasing the car from the same dealer that serviced the vehicle. I was P O’d that the people at the dealership were kind of stalling her.
Something else to consider here when giving credence to comments by the dealer GM and service manager.
I don’t know how they do their pay scale there but most employees at a dealer are going to work on commission or a salary based against a commission.
When I was a shop foreman for a large dealership I got a salary and several bonuses based on various criteria.
One of those criteria was the percentage of any screwups or good will money (the latter is bunk) based against the service dept. gross for the month. It only takes one healthy screwup to kill that bonus and you can bet a 2010 Camry engine replacement would put a dent in the service managers check (and possibly the GM too) if they receive criteria-based bonuses.
The OP would get an unbiased opinion here. At the dealer it’s possible they could have a bit of a financial axe to grind.
All she needs is a letter on the dealer’s letterhead stating they are responsible for any engine problems that may occur during the lease period. That lets the OP off the hook during the lease. OP, I would have all future required maintenance and check-ups performed at that dealership and keep those records so Toyota has no wiggle room at the end of the lease…
If the engines performance does not meet your expectations, (excessive engine noise, exhaust smoke, CEL light problems, high oil consumption) THEN I would demand the car be properly repaired or replaced. You do not have to drive damaged goods for 3 years…If all else fails, see a lawyer…
If you can get out of prepaid maintenance do it. Dealerships run out of business or change owners.Guess who loses their “pre-paid” maintenance plan when this happens? You
I just got burned for $1000 in pre-bought Home Heating fuel. I will never hand over prepaid anything to anyone.
OP here. Well, it’s over. They bought the car back from me today. I got my down payment and the value of my trade-in back in a check. Released me from the lease. Noted in the paperwork that they were buying the car as is.
You guys were my counsel and I am grateful. Thank you.
Thank you for posting back and letting us know the results. This is for the best when it comes to your interests and while they’re “doing the right thing” it’s not because they care. They know if push comes to shove they’re dead meat on this issue.
The sad part is that it’s quite possible some unfortunate soul in the near future may be signing a stack of papers before driving off in a “low miles creampuff”; all the while unaware of what has happened with this car.
Happy ending for you. Live and learn, never believe that they did everything the way they were supposed to.
I agree with OK4450, someone would be driving off, probably with a rebuilt engine Camry that has low miles. Used cars are always a gamble.