Three weeks ago, I received an email message telling me... - KJ Sim
Three weeks ago, I received an email message telling me it was time to come into Antwerpen for service. I ignored it at the time because my car was serviced about 2,000 miles ago and the posted sticker indicates I should have at least another 3,000 miles. Then, ironically, the maintenance light came on a week after I received their email. So I signed up for an appointment for the recommended service in their system, which should have been complimentary as part of 25,000 mile care package, which they had honored during previous visits. After I followed the email instructions to schedule an appointment, they sent confirmation and reminder emails for the 25,000 mile service but never once mentioned that the recommended service is “closed in my account by Toyota” ...until I drove all the way up there and am sitting in front of Doug Hevener. He states that my care package has expired, which is confusing because the 20,000 mile service was performed AFTER the expiration date he claimed was in the Toyota system. Because my plan is to purchase a newer Corolla within the next month, I didn’t want to extend the care package plan when he proposed that as an option. I had only come in for whatever was needed to address the maintenance light and figured it would be worthwhile to have that last 25,000 mile service before trading in the car. Nonetheless, I’m baffled because, according to the sticker Antwerpen put in my car after the 20,000 mile service in November 2020, the car wouldn’t need to be serviced again until 26,000 miles. So why did the light come on right before the car hit 23,000 miles? I did the math, and it seems the technicians forgot to reset the signal at a previous visit. Nevertheless, the question that gets to the heart of my disappointment is: Why did Doug Hevener promptly escort me back to my car without offering any service options or next steps other than extending the care plan for 20,000 more miles? I was very clear that I plan to trade in the car soon, but I obviously wasn’t prepared to spend hours in the sales department at that very moment. Regardless of my care package coverage or intentions with the car, the maintenance light should not be on right now unless they neglected to resolve something at a previous visit. As a result of this experience and their disregard for my time and business, I won’t be visiting their sales department or returning to their dealership at all. I had great appreciation for this service department and was looking forward to getting a new car and continuing my business with this dealer for the long-term, but now I will make sure that my family full of Toyota / Lexus owners knows to avoid this place at all costs.
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