Seized-up engine

Maintenance/Repairs
21

You deserve the stars. I think I just awarded them to you. Hope I did it right!

Can’t go to Toyota. it’s beyond the eight year extended warranty that Toyota placed on the engine to settle the claims. The dealer gave me a verbal guarantee that if, in the first several months, a problem developed related back to time of purchase, they would make good on it.
The original owner of the car was an employee (now retired) of the leasing agency that sold me the car. The sales person said that the owner always brought the car in for routine maintenance and was “anal” about oil changes at 3K miles. Perhaps he was aware of the sludging problem. (Toyota’s initial response to the numerous claims, was to recommend 3,000 miles oil changes with synthetic oil.)

When the engine seized, and I found the dip stick dry, I was not aware of any engine design problem. I assumed that my daughter did not check/add oil. I assumed that the problem was mine, to deal with. The dealer offered to replace the engine for $3,800. Instead, I got a friend to take it on for considerably less. (The jury is still out on the results.) The dealer refuses to accept any claim regarding a existing problem with the engine when I bought it.

22

It’s almost a certainty the dealer did not even know the engine had a problem.
The dealer will take a car in trade, purchase one (or many) at an auction, etc. the car goes to the detail shop, and off to the line it goes for resale.

I would add that no one should believe anything a car salesman says unless they’re willing to back up the statements with a written affadavit. Most sales pitches (called puffing) may involve overblown claims by a salesman who may be ignorant of the facts or in some instances, even flat out lying.

My son bought a Lincoln Aviator about 2 years ago (it was a done deal by the time I heard about it) and the salesman told him the vehicle had been sent back to service and quote, “All filters and fluids were changed, spark plugs, etc. etc.”.
A month or so later I had a chance to examine this vehicle and absolutely nothing had been done it. It still had the factory original air filter that was absolutely filthy.