In Which Corpus Christi Champion Toyota lost my business
In March 2009 we took our Toyota Sienna to the dealership where we bought it - Corpus Christi Champion Toyota - for the final part of the huge pain-in-the-butt service packet I stupidly bought into. They made it sound like a good deal but we paid stupid tax for 3 years on it.
So on this date while they are doing the oil change they tell my wife that we need four new tires. Great, she says, we have the replacement warranty for that. Oh, says they, you don't need them after all.
Fast forward to today. We got a flat last night prepping to go to a family concert in which we paid $110 in tickets. We missed the concert. We took the car to Walmart - "we can fix that in no time" - but 2 hours later when they finally got to our car, nope can't fix it, tread too low. My whole family spent 2 hours in Walmart waiting for a flat they never fixed. Sigh. Walmart was the closest tire shop, by the way. And, yes, it was raining during the outdoor concert so I don't even know if it would have been any fun. But still.
Last night I figured Champion will finally bow to the fact that we need tires. Nope. They have a required baldness the tires must be at before the warranty kicks in. Tread depth has to be below 3/32 all the way across, to activate the warranty. Several tire people have said we need new tires - I'm at Banales Tires right now getting new ones - but even if they are dangerously worn in places, Corpus Christi Champion Toyota won't replace them.
This is on me - I made the decision to go for it - I am making the decision to forgo the warranty and buying new tires instead of waiting it out and endangering my family. BUT this is bad business. Yeah I didn't read the fine print but if your business is trying to trick your customers to make $400, then you are stupid. If you need fine print, you are not nice. Champion tells me that they stopped offering that warranty because of this issue but I feel they never should have sold it in the first place. Do I get my money back? Sorry, sucker!
If you buy a vehicle, I urge you to rethink any of the extras they sell. This was the 2nd new car I ever owned and I bought into "let's go the extra mile to keep my family safe sales tactic." Don't do it. You are a better decider of what steps will keep your family safe than anyone else will be.
Well, they lose me. I'll buy the Toyota Matrix or Corolla I plan to get next year in San Antonio or Kingsville with no extras. I'll get it serviced where I want to service it - or do it myself like I do with my truck. And this particular Toyota will lose whatever their cut of a sale is.
Probably a lot more than $400.
