SiDHEaD

My mom recently bought a 02 plate Toyota Celica. When she went to the dealer to look at Celica's, it was out the back and they apparently "couldn't find the keys". Out of all the stock they had, it was best suited to her budget etc and had spoiler and alloys options.

They told her she could testdrive a different car as no keys available. It was the exact same model and same MY. She liked it, so agreed a finance deal on the condition they sort some scratches on the paintwork, and give it a full valet.

The finance deal the guy worked out involved her trading in her old car, them clearing the finance on it (it was about even to trade price), and her paying £1000. They charged her card £250 there and then, and said she was to pay the other £750 when she collected the car.

She went to pick up the car a few days later, and they forgot all about this £750. She thought maybe they had changed the finance deal or something (this sort of thing confuses her). Anyway off she went.

Turns out it is VERY stiff to get into both first and second. It's about akin to when you try to put a car in first whilst you are still rolling. Her being a bit of a wimpy woman (read: small/petite), its been giving her pains down her arm and completely ruining her experience of the car. She dreads driving it round a town situation.

She took it back for warranty work, telling them she thought it was related the gearbox. They claimed to change the clutch. There was no sign of this and it was exactly the same.

She went out with an workshop engineer, who let slip that the newer ones had "teflon coated gear linkages" or something similar. She insisted that the do this to hers. They said they'd book it in in a week (this was last week).

Meanwhile, the finance guy phones this Monday to say they were trying to close the last month's books and her £750 was outstanding.

The car went in today for these teflon linkages, but it's made no difference. I took it out earlier, and it truely is very stiff. My girliefriend's 1973 beetle is easier to get in gear.

And now to the point....

Can she tell em they can't have this £750 till they get it sorted (i.e. a new gearbox), or legally can they report her to credit agency or something???


Thanks for listening

davegtt

Id "guess" legally your both on a stand off. until she pays the balance they wont carry out any major warrenty work?? although shes int eh same position, unless they do the work she wont pay. to be honest I would probably favour the garage to demand their money first because until shes paid the balance its not truely hers is it.... dodgy 1 I suppose, good luck with it

SiDHEaD

They just seem to keep fobbing her off. And it's pretty obvious it isn't right - so I can't see why they give it her back when it's not done. They tried to say it's "because it's a sports car". She informed them she'd driven my s2000 and it had no such problem, they backed down then and did the second lot of work.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

In honesty, the gearshift on them isn't really the best in the world and tend to be rather stiff and inprecise (I've driven a few)...Try driving a few metres in Reverse, then try to shift into 1st quickly or do a very fast 2nd to 3rd off the limiter and you'll see what I mean It also doesn't seem to tolerate shifting gear if the clutch isn't 100% on the floor either (bloody carpet mats ).

So I can see why the dealer won't take it seriously, as these problems are probably well known to them on that particular model.

But the gearshift shouldn't be so hard to the extent that it hurts. So something certainly isn't right!!

Apparition

I presume her 14 day cooling off period is now long gone ? Most reputable dealerships would offer the chance to return the vehicle if the purchaser wasn't completely happy within an agreed time. I know you weren't being rude about your Mum but to call her wimpy when she's given birth to you is a bit off. Come on , be a hero, step in for her and sort this out. Mums are precious.
Gets down off soapbox.........
PS Hope it works out ok for her.

SiDHEaD

What i meant about wimpy was i drove the car around for the day and found it stiff. It didn't however hurt me. It gives her pains, meaning she often ends up having painkillers to drive it. This also means the technicians probably don't realise how much of a problem it is for her! Have edited post a little.

She's just gone off to phone Toyota HQ to speak to get them to lean on them.

Hanslow

Is it a 6 speed? Has it had a shortshifter fitted? Has she/you tried sitting in the other Celica's there and checking the difference and then getting the manager (demand that he sees the difference) to try it?

I mention the shortshifter because I have an MR2 roadster and the TRD 5 speed shifter kit doesn't properly fit the 6 speed box and caused some of the gears to be a nightmare.

SiDHEaD

It is 6-speed, and I thought about quickshift - as it has a fair few other extras. She mentioned it to them at the first time it went in - so they have been made aware of that. I don't know if it actually has one, but i've not driven another Celica to compare.

Hanslow

All the more reason to compare to another Celica in their yard then. If it's as bad as you say, you'll notice a massive difference and should be able to point out to any employee of the garage as such and that you want it the same as the usable one.

Quickshift kits do make it slightly harder to engage gears so could well be that. Easiest way to check would be to try a standard one and compare the throw of each. Shouldn't be much hassle for the garage to change it back if it is that.