Comments on: Toyota pays for my dead battery http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/ Otis Maxwell is a copywriter who likes to mouth off on marketing, technology, food and sundry topics. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:20:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Otis Maxwell http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-47075 Otis Maxwell Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:47:33 +0000 http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/?p=1232#comment-47075 Claude and Amy: the Wordpress comment feature doesn't include a link to your email addresses. It would be great Amy (for general interest) if you'd post the name of your dealer. Meanwhile I will forward Claude's request to you offline. Claude and Amy: the WordPress comment feature doesn’t include a link to your email addresses. It would be great Amy (for general interest) if you’d post the name of your dealer. Meanwhile I will forward Claude’s request to you offline.

]]> By: Claude http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-47071 Claude Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:09:07 +0000 http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/?p=1232#comment-47071 Hi Amy, Can you email me? I am facing what you're facing on my 2001 Prius (only 70k miles), and I sure would like to know which dealer hooked you up! Thanks! Claude Hi Amy,

Can you email me? I am facing what you’re facing on my 2001 Prius (only 70k miles), and I sure would like to know which dealer hooked you up!

Thanks!

Claude

]]> By: Amy B http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-46829 Amy B Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:41:48 +0000 http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/?p=1232#comment-46829 I just learned my 2001 Prius, with 113,500 miles, needs a new hybrid battery. My cost? $200. Dealer says Toyota will cover the cost of the battery and they'll give me a 'good-will' discount on the labor. It's nice to see that Otis got a full refund. Maybe $200 is all I'll have to pay but I'm expecting something 'unexpected' like a new computer or other expensive add-on before it's all said and done. Hate to be a skeptic, hope I'm wrong, want to believe Toyota is doing the right thing. I'll let you know how this shakes out. :) I just learned my 2001 Prius, with 113,500 miles, needs a new hybrid battery. My cost? $200. Dealer says Toyota will cover the cost of the battery and they’ll give me a ‘good-will’ discount on the labor. It’s nice to see that Otis got a full refund. Maybe $200 is all I’ll have to pay but I’m expecting something ‘unexpected’ like a new computer or other expensive add-on before it’s all said and done. Hate to be a skeptic, hope I’m wrong, want to believe Toyota is doing the right thing. I’ll let you know how this shakes out. :)

]]> By: Michael E. http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-33618 Michael E. Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:59:48 +0000 http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/?p=1232#comment-33618 Otis, I would love gain insight via email for steps you took towards James Lentz' office and your successful outcome. I am about to write up the chain of corporate command. I also will be on blog, Facebook and Twitter to relay highlights of my "Customer Experience," which ended with a semi-tragic call with my Case Manager. Toyota and my dealership's "loyalty reward" offer: $1,000 towards my next purchase." Huh? This individual car has been a virtual lemon in hindsight. The history of the 1st and 2nd gen Prius includes "corrosion," "service bulletins" and other issues that all added up to negating fuel & fuel-cost savings (The environmental pile-up of exhausted batteries is another whole topic). I'm both saddened and stunned by the recent evaporation of good will and loyalty from my North Hollywood, CA dealership's service dept. I had been told in 2009 when I first voiced my concern of this essentially hidden cost & built-in revenue for Toyota, that "[if you are loyal to Toyota dealership they'll just replace the battery for free.]" ME, loyal, now on the other side of a 2001 Prius hybrid battery, dead at 86K miles and a $3,000 decision to make. My Prius "Doctor's" earlier words now confirm what I suspected - just words, not guarantee, to keep me in the fold as even service relies on regular visits and loyalty for profit. Just asked him today for an off-the-record name he had given me for more cost-effective service choices. He's having memory loss on that, too. I think Toyota is losing ground to Hyundai, and a company founded in Japanese culture of honor and loyalty is becoming a footnote to it's Korean counterpart. Otis, I would love gain insight via email for steps you took towards James Lentz’ office and your successful outcome. I am about to write up the chain of corporate command. I also will be on blog, Facebook and Twitter to relay highlights of my “Customer Experience,” which ended with a semi-tragic call with my Case Manager. Toyota and my dealership’s “loyalty reward” offer: $1,000 towards my next purchase.” Huh? This individual car has been a virtual lemon in hindsight. The history of the 1st and 2nd gen Prius includes “corrosion,” “service bulletins” and other issues that all added up to negating fuel & fuel-cost savings (The environmental pile-up of exhausted batteries is another whole topic). I’m both saddened and stunned by the recent evaporation of good will and loyalty from my North Hollywood, CA dealership’s service dept. I had been told in 2009 when I first voiced my concern of this essentially hidden cost & built-in revenue for Toyota, that “[if you are loyal to Toyota dealership they'll just replace the battery for free.]” ME, loyal, now on the other side of a 2001 Prius hybrid battery, dead at 86K miles and a $3,000 decision to make. My Prius “Doctor’s” earlier words now confirm what I suspected – just words, not guarantee, to keep me in the fold as even service relies on regular visits and loyalty for profit. Just asked him today for an off-the-record name he had given me for more cost-effective service choices. He’s having memory loss on that, too. I think Toyota is losing ground to Hyundai, and a company founded in Japanese culture of honor and loyalty is becoming a footnote to it’s Korean counterpart.

]]> By: Otis Maxwell http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-32427 Otis Maxwell Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:41:32 +0000 http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/?p=1232#comment-32427 These are both sad stories. Robert, I'm assuming by customer relations you mean the national # for Toyota? Keep in mind they and the local dealer's customer relations dept are independent. I got no satisfaction from the national group and it was my local dealer who came through for me. So you should be sure you have exhausted both avenues of appeal. These are both sad stories. Robert, I’m assuming by customer relations you mean the national # for Toyota? Keep in mind they and the local dealer’s customer relations dept are independent. I got no satisfaction from the national group and it was my local dealer who came through for me. So you should be sure you have exhausted both avenues of appeal.

]]> By: Robert Sher http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-32426 Robert Sher Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:06:26 +0000 http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/?p=1232#comment-32426 I just had to replace the hybrid battery on my '02, with under 60000 miles on it. Not withstanding the price reduction announced in the 9/24/08 press release ($2299), of which I was unaware at the time of the repair, my dealer charged me $2885 for the part and another @$880 for the labor (although they comped some other items they discovered). Customer relations told me they wouldn't consider any reimbursement. I just had to replace the hybrid battery on my ’02, with under 60000 miles on it. Not withstanding the price reduction announced in the 9/24/08 press release ($2299), of which I was unaware at the time of the repair, my dealer charged me $2885 for the part and another @$880 for the labor (although they comped some other items they discovered). Customer relations told me they wouldn’t consider any reimbursement.

]]> By: Anne http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/2010/05/toyota%e2%80%99s-missing-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-29067 Anne Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:03:54 +0000 http://www.otismaxwell.com/blog/?p=1232#comment-29067 I recently had my 2002 hybrid battery go belly up. It was five months out of warranty, and only 66,000 miles on it. My service rep called Toyota, expecting that they'd pay got the replacement if I paid for the labor. Toyota came back with a $1000 discount which is STILL too much. As I was planning to buy a new car in about four months, I decided not to sink the huge amount of money into a car that I won't own much longer. But I have to bus it around the city now to get to work and other locations. I felt that since I have such low mileage that they would replace the battery, but for me it is not to be apparently. I recently had my 2002 hybrid battery go belly up. It was five months out of warranty, and only 66,000 miles on it. My service rep called Toyota, expecting that they’d pay got the replacement if I paid for the labor. Toyota came back with a $1000 discount which is STILL too much. As I was planning to buy a new car in about four months, I decided not to sink the huge amount of money into a car that I won’t own much longer. But I have to bus it around the city now to get to work and other locations. I felt that since I have such low mileage that they would replace the battery, but for me it is not to be apparently.

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