They damaged my car, then stopped answering the - Adel
They damaged my car, then stopped answering the phone
I came to Swickard Toyota when my car broke down on a road trip. They diagnosed a cracked engine block, blown head gasket, and other issues, all covered under warranty. Fine. The repair would take a month to six weeks, which I accepted. The problems were never about the car. They were about how this dealership treats people.
First, they refused to provide a loaner, even though Toyota's own policy covers one for warranty repairs of this length. My service advisor, Seita, gave me some of the worst communication I've ever experienced, unanswered calls, mixed messages, and me chasing him constantly just to get an update. Eventually they agreed to cover part of a rental and left me to pay the rest. I had to open a case with Toyota Corporate and go back and forth for weeks before I was finally reimbursed.
Shortly after getting my car back, I noticed an oil leak. A different Toyota dealer confirmed the oil pan was damaged, and that the damage was most likely caused during Swickard's repair (consistent with the engine being dropped). The cover beneath the pan was untouched, which pointed straight back to the repair work. That fix? $850, somehow not covered. So now I'm out of pocket for damage I didn't cause.
Here's where it became a nightmare:
• I contacted Swickard's service department to explain. Zero reply.
• The service manager at the other dealership tried repeatedly to call them with his findings. Ignored.
• I tried Seita again and again. Nothing.
• I escalated to service manager Justin, he listened once, promised to follow up, then vanished.
• I escalated to GM Jason, who seemed cooperative and promised someone would reach out. Justin called once asking for "a day to investigate." That was weeks ago. Since then: silence. I've called and left voicemails for both Justin and Jason repeatedly. No one calls back.
This isn't about a car or a repair. It's about a business that won't own its mistakes and won't even pick up the phone. When the general manager goes quiet rather than resolve a few hundred dollars they're responsible for, that tells you everything about how they value customers. I strongly do not recommend Swickard Toyota. Take your money and your time somewhere that will actually stand behind their work.
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