How much should I complain?

It's unfair 4sure. Definitely worth complaining about.

On the other hand, unless your current maps are missing roads, etc. the software upgrade is not really a big deal. You won't be missing out on anything.

This type of stuff happens all the time. I buy a MacBook Pro and in 2 weeks a new model comes out. And I am the MAC MASTER so you know, I gots to have the good stuff! Sheesh....

Good luck.

 

Keep escalating the issue, each time asking/demanding things that the service rep can't answer. You'll climb up their management faster.

Try to complain a large crowd but don't make yourself look like the foolish one. They'll try calm you or pull you aside. Only submit to that if youre talking to the highest level person or feel that they're ready to concede. Otherwise you have nothing to lose by making a little scene.

Above all be sure to have some good reasons why you need the upgrade. If you've been loyal to that dealer, tell them and use that to your advantage.

 

I guess I have mixed feelings. Part of me thinks, "that's not right," but the other thinks, "in a year or so it won't matter much anyway."

Maybe if they won't replace it, you could at least get them to throw in something else which you might want...?

 

Hmm...how much should you complain?

I think the question should be how much have you communicated your displeasure thus far?

The build date of the car? It was still "new" when you bought it...

As far as your Nav disk? You say,- "Initial communication with the dealer points to them being fine with disappointing a $30,000+ customer for the sake of a $200 (rrp rather than actual value) map update disc."-

I wouldn't "complain" at all. I'd calmly but firmly explain your feelings and logic behind why you think you should be provided the latest Nav Disk. Communicate calmly, rationally all the way up the line...you really have nothing to lose. Either someone in charge or at some level will agree or think it wise to provide you with the disk, or they will not, and you will KNOW you don't want future dealings with this dealership.

Bottom line, at worst you'll be seeking a new dealership for future interaction but still be owning the automobile you wanted to own...sans latest disk....

So my answer is, you shouldn't complain at all, you should calmly try to get the resolution you seek, knowing that it might not happen, inwhich case you have the freedom to seek a relationship with a different dealership for any future interactions or warranty repair work that happens.

I sometimes find it strange that people will spend $30,000+ on an automobile and then be put off, or upset that they didn't get $75 dollar floormats, or a free Latte at the dealership coffee bar....

 

Do you know if the nav disc is factory or dealer installed? If the latter, you have more leverage (and I'd suspect this is the case). The advice above should help--and if you're able to say "Hey, I know this was installed at the dealership, and if you didn't have the new one then, well, you probably should have..." that should help if you have to escalate.

AFA the build date per se, I don't think there's much you can do (or should worry) about that. That is pretty much a function of supply, demand and the fact that it takes it a while to get over from Japan. A year ago there was a lot less inventory, and the build dates were more 'recent'--no longer the case. (Also, you can take some satisfaction that your port of entry was probably Wilmington--didn't have to travel hundreds or thousands of miles on a truck or train before getting to you).

edit: If you haven't already completed the "customer satisfaction survey," you could mention that you perhaps might not be able to bring yourself to give them a '10' on this aspect (the nav software)...

In any case, you'll enjoy it--wish I had a V! Welcome aboard. And what PintoGirl says is true--unless you live in an area where construction/development has been booming in the last year or so, you'll likely not miss or notice the differences. But on principle, I hear ya.
~T

 

There is no question you should get the V10.1 map-set. We purchased our Prius III in September literally fresh off the ship and it came with 10.1.

Had you brought this up during your negotiations it would have been a non-issue but a month after the fact someones gotta pay for it. Sales wont want to pay, parts wont want to pay and service wont want to pay. I would start with the dealership GM. If that doesnt yield any results I would contact Toyota direct and respectfully voice your disappointment with your out dated mapset.

If your respectfully persistent you will get the latest DVD.

Craig

 

Ahhhh, I see your logic, BUT the new release wasn't in existance when the car was built, therefore it was up-to-date when the dealer received it. The same logic would have you getting a new TV or new MAC free because it's better than the old one? Dealers don't go through their inventory checking for NAV updates because the data disc was updated during the production year. I agree with other posters; someone has to pay the $200 for the update - who do you think should pay for it?

 

I would start with the dealership GM.

Good advice. And, put it in writing. Get a paper trail going. That will serve you well later.

 

All manufacturers have regional service reps who deal with "problems". Try to get his email address and explain your situation to him and see if he'll authorize a free upgrade. They probably will not give you his information, then politely by firmly request that the service manager contact him to get the upgrade.

 

Aren't the Prius only built in Japan currently? I'd be very surprised if they shipping to Port of Wilmington from Japan, if so. My guess would be that it ported in Cali, then came via Rail or Truck across the country into Wilmington.

My thinking could be totally wrong, but depends on where they're built I guess.

AFA the Nav update....I doubt there's much in the way of updates done to it. Main roads really don't change often, if at all, so the only updates may be a few new sub-divisions, neighborhoods, etc. Even then, I've noticed that updates tend to be 6 to 12 months behind anyway. If you feel it's worth your time and energy for a few small updates to the NAV disk, by all means, follow the advise of those replies. For me, I wouldn't consider it a big deal. I've yet to come across a destination that the current version didn't locate either via address or name.

 

wick1ert,

Back in 2005 my Prius salesman [who also used to be their inventory manager who ordered all the Toyotas for his dealership & worked out all the computer swaps (especially for my Prius) between dealers while the cars were still on the boats] told me the cars for the gulf & the eastern seaboard all came through the Panama Canal on the boats, got dropped at some locations on the gulf coast, then a port in Georgia, then Baltimore,MD (which was supposedly discontinued), then Elizabeth,NJ, & finally Boston,MA.

I don't know if Wilmington has since replaced Baltimore as the drop-off for the mid-Atlantic Toyota region's cars. Back when he told me that Baltimore was no longer receiving Toyotas, he said that the mid-Atlantic region's cars were all coming in through Elizabeth,NJ which prior to that had only served the New York region.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

 

OP - In my opinion I think you are being a bit over-sensitive. Saying that you car is now tarnished because it sat on a lot for a few months before you bought it just makes no sense to me.

The thing is that you agreed to purchase a specific car - I would imagine that you were able to inspect it before delivery. If things like build date and version of the GPS disk mattered to you the time to mention it was before you bought it. I would imagine that there was a bit of negotiation over price, etc - how are you to say that the dealer did not give you a slightly better deal since the car had been on the lot for a while?

Unless the dealership lied or mislead you somehow I think that you just need to suck it up and live with the car that you chose and in the future do your research and ask questions before you buy.

 

i also see the point, but NAV systems that dont have some sort of auto updates will always be behind. what they have is simply version 9.1 goes with the 2010. the version 10.1 goes with the 2011.

there could be other hardware changes that simply makes one version incompatible. also, a version update does not mean newer more accurate maps

 

drew_flux,

Your advice MIGHT have worked for the OP had he not already had words with his dealer about not having the latest version, but then again I would think the functionality of the nav system would be one of the things that would have to be checked off on the PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) sheet, so how could this customer say his nav unit was reporting "no disk installed" when the PDI checkoff should have indicated it was working upon delivery?

Then again, some non-conscientious workers are just paperwork robots checking off things that they are just too lazy to actually check because they believe they have to be O.K. from the manufacturer & therefore why do the extra work if they don't believe it's needed & they think they won't get caught for skipping it.

That had to be the situation behind what happened to a co-worker of mine years ago in the late 70's when he took delivery of a new Dodge pick-up truck & only got a couple of miles down the road from the dealer before his engine seized up from lack of oil. There was no hole or leak in the oil pan & no missing drain plug, so the truck had to have been shipped from the assembly plant minus the oil. The short engine runs & slow speed to get the truck onto & off of the transporter & in & out of the dealer's service bay apparently didn't make enough noise to raise any suspicions.

Nowadays the PDI is built into the MSRP on the window sticker, but back then you paid a separate charge of a couple of hundred dollars (on the window sticker, but listed separately as "Dealer Prep") to have somebody at the dealership get the car fully ready to drive safely off the lot. If that guy at the dealer hadn't been too lazy to pull the dipstick, he would have caught the empty oil pan from the assembly plant & avoided an unpleasant new car experience for the customer.

By the way, the dealer refused to replace the engine with a new one (probably afraid to get caught by the manufacturer for not doing what was expected of them) & chose to only rebuild the damaged one under warranty (which left an even worse taste in my co-worker's mouth). Shortly after, he left his job & moved away, so I never got to find out if he got any satisfaction from the arbitration board he was talking about using to resolve his problem.

P.S. For all you Prius owners who trust your dealer to do everything right when you bring your car in for service, just double check their work before you leave the lot or even before you start the engine. That way you can catch an over-fill (& have them drain some of the excess out) or even catch a no-fill situation (such as happened to my father). He was planning a big trip to Canada, so a couple of days before leaving he checked his tire pressures & checked & topped off all his fluids. His speedometer had not been working, so the dealer had ordered a replacement.& it came in late the day before his trip. They told him they could squeeze the job in the next day before his trip, and that it wouldn't take long at all. He had packed the car the night before, so that when he was done at the dealer he could get right on the road. He only got a few miles when he heard this horrible knocking coming from the engine & shut it right off. He checked the oil & found nothing on the dipstick when it was full the day before. He got towed back to the dealer & they filled it with oil & told him it should be safe to drive for his trip, but to bring it back for them to do some work on as soon as he got back. It seems there was another car just like my dad's (model, body style & color) there that morning for an oil change. The work orders got mixed up & my dad's car was mistakenly put up on the lift & the oil drained. When they saw the speedometer on the other customer's car was O.K. & realized the mistake, they just swapped work orders & mechanics (thats what they were known as back then) & my dad's car was brought back down off the lift. The only thing is that they forgot to refill the oil before they swapped the mechanics, so after the speedometer was done my dad drove off with an empty crankcase. At a little 2-bay corner garage you can see everything being done to your car usually, but at the dealership's big service bays that is almost impossible & they won't let you out there to watch because of their insurance regulations (should you get hurt).

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

 

This is just absurd to even mention it. "Tarnish"ed, really? What did you expect that it would still smell of the meal that the guy who last touched it at the factory ate that morning? You paid for a 2010 and it's what you got.

Getting recent nav makes sense and the dealership should give it to you for free. It's unlikely to matter much anyway, though.

 

Well, the OP bought a "New" car, not a "New Old Stock" ("NOS") car. I think he's perfectly within his rights to ask the dealer for a free upgrade as he bought his car after the new updated disk was released. Any dealer worth their salt would goodwill this.

I bought my 2010 in Nov 2009 and it had the 9.1 disk already.

 

When buying new car, check the date of manufacture if it matter to you. When you open the drivers door, there is a black data plate plate right on the door jamb. The first line shows the month and year of manufacture.

Car dealers aren't your friends, you need to look out for yourself, not that I think a car that has been in the pipeline a few months is a big deal.