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One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made in my life was choosing Wondries Toyota
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One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made in my life was going to Toyota Wondries in Alhambra, CA to buy a car. I felt I was intentionally mislead by the sales staff, threatened by management to send law enforcement to my home, and they did not live up to the promise made which were part of the basis of the bargain. They hid my complaints from the owner, lying to me when they said they spoke with him only to admit later they never spoke to him. When I requested to speak with the owner I was blocked at all fronts, and ultimately Mr. Wondries was never contacted or after finally being informed simply didn’t care. Buyer beware, and below are my facts as to what happen. Ive been quite busy since my purchase but hopefully will find the time to file a formal complaint with the Department of Justice Consumer Rights Division.
I went to Toyota Wondries in Alhambra looking to purchase a new car. The car I found, a 2016 Toyota Camry, was okay but there were scratches on it, and I wasn’t sold on it because I might as well by a slight used car instead if its not going to be in pristine condition. I wasn’t chomping at the bit to buy the car, and if I knew then, what I know now, I would have never purchased the vehicle, I would have never stepped foot on the lot. But for in my opinion being actively being mislead as to what Toyota Wondries can and is willing to do to remove scratches and improve the overall look of a potential new car sale I would not have purchased the vehicle. I was principally concerned with the look of the car, and I didn’t like the fact that I was going to pay a new price for a car with scratches and blemishes, but when I voiced these concerns to the salesmen Javier and Tony, I was treated with overwhelming assurances that it was no big problem at all, and that they would be able to remove scratches and make the car look amazing, they again, again told me it was their goal to make me happy, and that customer satisfaction is their top priority.
After countless assurances I moved forward with the purchase and Javier gave me a receipt, for Full Detail in order to get all the scratches out and make the car look great, again my satisfaction was heavily emphasized. I understood and was under the impression that the “full detailing” would remove the large scratches as well as any more minor or cosmetic scratches, since it was a detailing of the entire car. With this I felt satisfied, and so Javier told me to bring the car the following week, but only on certain days, because he has “guy” who specializes in detailing black cars, and so wanted me to have this specific individual do the job, to guarantee it was done right. This demonstrated to me that Javier was very knowledge about car detailing and black cars in specific, as he understood a specialist was needed. I called Javier the following week and set up an appointment, we agreed I’d come early in the morning to drop the car off and let their black car detail specialist do his work. Though when I get the car back Javier will act as if car detailing is outside of his realm of specialty and doesn’t have any knowledge of the practice.
I get to the dealership as agreed and on time. No one had been informed about my detailing, Javier had not set up anything, and so I am introduced to Cody Von Baxtel, a manager at the dealership to assist me. He apologizes for Wondries not having their act together and Javier asking me to drive down at 8am, without properly scheduling me an appointment when they understood I lived about 90 miles from the dealership. I had to wait about 5 hours for them to finish the detailing process.
A porter brings out my car and I do a walk around to inspect the vehicle because the no one came to do an inspection with me, I immediately notice the scratches are still present, and honestly really not diminished by the detail at all. I found Javier and pointed out that the scratches were still present. He gave me a confused look, and told me the scratches were “probably” too deep, no they were clearly too deep. Javier then advised me to by some car wax to address the problem, I declined his solution. I told them they had an obligation to remove the scratches from my car, as promised, and I told him that servicing the exterior, was part of the basis of the bargain when I purchased the car, that if he told me the detail wouldn't work, I wouldn't have bought the car. They seemed nervous and, then told me to wait while they discussed how to move forward with the his Manager, Tony Diaz, because he was not qualified to make a decision.
At this point I start to feel cheated and annoyed because I do not believe that they were fully open with me in regards to changing the condition of the vehicle before I purchased it and for Javier to act knowledge in the beginning with talk of how black cars need to be detailed in a specific way and his importance placed on having a specific detailer work on my car demonstrates to me he is not being honest with me. It is either the case that Javier was incompetent at his job and actually believed a detail would remove the scratches and make my car look “Perfect,” “Clean” or he knew that the detail wouldn’t take out the scratches and hoped I would just accept the car saying what he needed to say prior to the purchase to close the sale. He represented himself as very knowledge about the specific practices required to sertice the car and then with a straight face tells me I should try using wax to see if it removes the scratches, that’s answer was not acceptable to me. In either case he made representations, which were materially untrue because detailing could not remove the scratches from my car.
He goes to retrieve his manager, Tony, who told me that they were very sorry for not doing the job right, and that they wanted to make me happy, so Tony tells me that they are going to paint the car to make things right, and make sure I am satisfied, and to make amends for the prior inconveniences. Painting the car required me comeback in two days to drop the car off. And they would return it in about 4 days, after they finished painting it. I told them that I didn’t want to drive back to drop my car off, and they wasted my day by having me drive down to their location for nothing but aggravation. I had to drive over 150 miles to go to the dealership and go back home, it is very inconvenient. I tell them it might be best if talk to Mr. Wondries about the situation. At that point Tony offers to send someone to pick the car up from home, as a curtesy. I tell him that I’ll meet him half way, and that Ill drop the car off, if and only if, they promise to return it. Tony accepts, and I return to drop my car off in two days.
They told me not to worry the entire time, but I was right to worry. Even after giving them the benefit of an additional day, because they couldn’t finish the car on time as promised they returned the car to me around the end of the workday the following day. I had called earlier to see if they were done painting the car, Cody, assured me that he and others looked at the car and it looked great, and that I would love it. I greeted the driver when he arrived at my home and began to inspect the car. The rear bumper looked immaculate I had no complaints. I then turned my action to the hood of my car and was less than impressed. The hood looked almost the same, but it was clear that it was not painted, upon closer inspection I noticed two long streaking scratches on the hood and then realized that the car wasn’t painted at all, only the bumper was painted. With confusion I call Toyota Wondries Alhambra to find out what happened. Cody told me that they only painted the back, excitedly informing me that that the detail guy was able to buff out the scratch on the hood. So I asked If the scratch could have been buffed the first time why wasn’t it, and more over why did I need to leave my car in Wondries care for a week if they were merely going to paint the back, buff the hood and not paint my car as they initially promised. I further explained that my car was left in their care relying on a promise to paint it, an attempt to make the car conform as agreed upon, when detailing that was supposed to get the scratches out of my car failed completely to affect the scratches. I purchased the car with an understanding that the scratches would be removed, and that there would be no problem, and I was assured further to not worry and let the associates at Toyota Wondries take care of me and my car, which was a mistake.
Upon my continued protest over the phone, Cody tells me that I should be happy they didn't paint the whole care, and that he was doing me a favor by only painting the back. I asked him to explain. He gave me some excuse about how if I paint my whole car a future purchasers maybe ask why I painted it, as if it was something I would want to conceal from a potential buyer. I responded by saying “that if that’s a deal breaker for the buyer then Ill find another” and that they would and should appreciate a fresh paint job. I was told because of the massive inconvenience of having to drive back to Wondries, and to honor their commitment to making me fully satisfied, they were going to paint the car, this was not true. I further went on to explain that it seems like they over promised and thought they could save money by only doing a portion of the job. He asked me what I want to do, and I tell him that I want them to take the car back, and paint it like they said they would. Cody complained and said when they told me they would “paint the car” they only meant paint the hood and the bumper, which was not what I understood, and is not a fair plain word interpretation of their promise and commitment. No distinction was ever made about what was supposed to be painted I that they were going to paint the car, as well as take care of some other minor issues. Never once, did anyone from Toyota Wondrous make a distinction, saying they would paint only the hood and bumper. I thought I was going to be getting a new car in what I consider new condition, and was quite excited that Wondries was going to accomplish what the detailing was supposed to do, and there after that what the painting was supposed to do. I was really excited to drive around in immaculate car, but unfortunately that reality never came to pass.
At this point they made excuse after excuse about how it was actually my fault for the situation and the misunderstanding. Saying that essentially I needed to point out each and every scratch even though the solution that they presented was supposed to cover the whole car and thus rendered such an endeavor a pointless waste of time because if they would have serviced my car as promised any and all scratches large or small would have been removed. If at any point Toyota made it clear or even hinted at the fact that they were only remove specific scratches that I point out, I would have spent at least 30 mins going over every inch of the car, but because they were going to use methods that treated the whole car, ie. the full detail, and later promise to paint the car, not a promise to paint the bumper and hood. Further, it wasn’t about just removing the scratches for me, it was about buying a new car, and having it look amazing, so I can feel proud when I drive it, so I can feel excited to constantly maintain that scratchless look, even if for only a little while because it was my first new car and I wanted to have nothing less than an amazing experience. I didn’t have to buy a car from them, there are thousands of dealers all over the state and country, but they robbed me of a meaningful opportunity.
I was adamant about having the porter who drove my car to my home to take it back to Toyota to have them at the very least paint the hood as promised, but on the Managers Cody Von Boxtal, with a thinly veiled threatened me and told me that he would call law enforcement to my home to forcibly seize possession of the rental vehicle and force me to accept the partially finished vehicle. I reminded him of his promise to paint my car as recompense for my tremendous inconvenience and I told him I did believe it was appropriate under the circumstances to threaten to call police to a customer’s home after they just purchased a new vehicle. The conditions of the rental I agreement didn’t even provide for the situation of having a car picked up from a home and I said Ill drive the rental back myself and pick up my car after they paint it. At most they could have charge me to extend the rental, even though my rental agreement didn’t even have a date for the car to be returned. The rental agreement had written on the back the policy and procedure for returning rentals. It was not as if I said I was keeping the rental and my car. I wanted them to take my car back do the job promised, if not painting the whole car as I understood, based on the language they used at the dealership, but even if only to reach the threshold of their interpretation of paint the car, which was hood and Bumper.
Cody told me it was unreasonable to paint the hood because the car is black, and so the hood would look slightly off. This lets me know Cody understood the impact and consequence of painting part or all of a vehicle, and how the cars specific color may impact the process, so if he knew this, why wasn't I told? I don’t work at a car dealership, and so when someone tells me they are going to paint my car under those circumstances it is reasonable to believe it is the whole car, and if it wasn’t then the Dealership and its agents have an obligation to be more specific in how they communicate to customers, instead of using vague terms and descriptions.
I made it clear while on the phone that I was tremendously unhappy with the condition my car came in, the fact that they only painted my bumper, not addressing the whole car, or even with their interpretation they only finished half the job they believed they committed to. The fact that a manager feels it is appropriate to threaten to call police to a customers home, and furthermore the only legal obligation for me to return the car in that fashion outlined by the signed rental agreement. The agreement says that the cars will be dropped off by me at the dealership, so Cody had no basis for the actions he demanded of me. He merely used the police to make me feel unsafe, because quite frankly, though I admire the great risk law enforcement takes, as a man of color based on the string of unjustified police shootings and beatings across the country felt concerned for my own personal safety. I don’t like being made to feel unsafe at my own home, and took his threats very seriously and personally. I don’t know about reader, but I am not fond of someone deliberately trying to make me feel unsafe at my own home. I’m sure Cody will say I was unreasonable, but I was 100% willing to bring the rental back, but Cody insisted that he had to take my car back, and that they would get back to me with what they can do after they talk to Mr. Wondries. Surprise, they would not go on to contact Mr. Wondries. With the lies they fed me before I wasn’t surprised.
I told them that after all this I don’t want the car, and I feel that they mislead me before, during and after the purchase of my vehicle. That I am incredibly dissatisfied and I would like to voice my concerns with Mr. Wondries personally about the sales practices at the dealership in addition to Cody’s outrageous and threatening conduct. I also told them that I do not want to have any further communications with Cody, because I found his conduct unacceptable. They refused to give me any contact information for Mr. Wondries. They say they would call back the following day, so I told them that they need make sure to inform Mr. Wondries about the entire problem, not cover up their behavior, they told me they would pass on the message.
I call back the next day because I haven't heard from them. I speak with Tony over the phone and reiterate my concerns, and ask what Mr. Wondries has to say about the issue. He first lies to me and says that Mr. Wondries wants me to bring the car in so they can look at it to determine if it needs to be painted. A response which surprises me, because I thought Wondries would be more concerned and accommodating under the circumstances.
I then asked him what Wondries thought of Cody’s threats and the misrepresentations that I believe were made to me. He gives me a generic response, so I press him further and he reveals to me that he did not tell Mr. Wondries about the misrepresentations or the threats, which I find demonstrates a lack of integrity, transparency and honesty shaking my faith in the dealership to act in a lawful manner. I tell him that there is “no way in God’s green Earth” that I am going to drive down for a determination of whether my car should be painted, I want what was promised and agreed upon because at this point Ive driven down to their dealership more than three times to settle this matter adding up to over 500 miles total to my brand new car, which is not what I want to do with a brand new car. If I’m not getting a guarantee, then I won’t make the trip because at this point my confidence in Wondries Toyota to address my issue is shaken, and I would really prefer a refund and to never do business with them again. The car is fine, but the experience ruined it, the hassle of driving back and forth only to wait around to only receive poor workmanship is not ideal, and that the cherry is that I was forced to accept it on threat of law enforcement coming to me home to intimidate me. Furthermore, there was absolutely zero consequences for the misrepresentations and threat made against me.
Tony goes onto lie and say that no one EVER said they would paint my car, to which I laughed and asked why would I leave my car with your dealership for close to a week if it wasn’t to get painted? These guys are a really joke and are lacking in integrity. Tony is a manager, I could not believe he had such a thick face to spout and defend bold face lies, but when you have no shame, you have no shame.
I tried to follow up in an attempt to speak with Mr. Wondries, because I was sure he would give my matter the proper attention. I had to wait an additional week, because I was told Mr. Wondries was out of the office on vacation. Finally when my call is returned it is Tony, telling me that he spoke with Wondries and he said that I didn't have to bring the car down to their dealership, and that I could take it to Toyota dealership near me to do THE SAME THING of having it be inspected to see if painting was required. This tells me that its likely that if Mr. Wondries was actually contacted a lot of the story and the bad acts of the dealership were left out because if I was an owner I would be very interested in getting the customers side of the story to ensure my business operates honestly, respectfully, and most importantly in a way which conforms to expectation and the law.
I do not believe it is positive for a business to have managers which conceal their behavior and customer experiences at the dealership from the owner if that was the case for the second interaction. And if it is the case that wondrous was fully aware of my experience, and simply gave the same answer, then well he is pretty callous, and detached from his customers. Though I think it is more likely that Tony, and Cody, when and if they spoke with Mr. Wondries either diminished or concealed their culpability in this matter.
Mr. Wondries never replied to me, nor did he address any of my concerns with his staff. I know for certain though his own admission that Tony did not inform Mr. Wondries of the whole story, when I first requested him to do so, I don’t know why I asked him to convey my trouble a second time when he was dishonest the first time.
Long story short, is that there are better places to safely buy a car. I despise my Toyota and hold the Wondries and Toyota in very low regards, their brand and service when it really matters is no better than dog excrement in my opinion and experience. I wouldn’t recommend this dealership to my worst enemies because I don’t think anyone should give them their business. They have personally ruined the Toyota brand for me, and I know I will NEVER buy a Toyota in the future nor will I recommend the brand to anyone that asks because of my personal experience at Toyota Wondries located in the city of Alhambra on Main Street. There is a great Honda Dealership right across the street which I have heard good things about, go their instead or the Acura dealership a couple blocks up the street. Honestly anywhere is probably going to yield a better experience.
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