Toyota refuse to fit my tow bar, is this right?
Hi Guys,
First post :-)
I bought a new quality tow bar from indespension last week and fitted it to my 2012 Avensis. That car is now being replaced with a 2016 Avensis next week. I was looking to fit the the new tow bar fitted to my 2012 car onto the new 2016 car. I could do the work or Toyota. The tow bar will fit, I have checked with the manufacturer.
I have asked my main Toyota garage if they could fit new Toyota electrics onto the 2016 car after I've fitted the tow bar, or would they rather do the whole job using my tow bar. They have said no to any combination of work, stating it would void the warranty on the 2016 car.
They said the ONLY way to fit a tow bar to my 2016 car and keep the warranty was to fit their £600 full unit.
Is the above correct, or can I infact fit my tow bar, have Toyota fit the electrics and keep my warranty?
Thanks from any towing drivers :-)
Rob.
Comments
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The reaction of the dealer seems strange if, as you say, the towbar of a 2016 model is identical to that of a 2012 model. One can easily check by looking at the type approval number on the plate that is attached to the towbar. They must be the same.
Perhaps you should have asked why fitment of the towbar makes the warranty void.
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Why did you fit a towbar to your car one week and change the car the next week, I’m sure you have your reasons but it seems a bit odd, surely you knew you were changing the car.
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I had a sort of similar issue last month. I had the 12n & 12s changed to 13 pin euro type. I wanted to supply the genuine LR parts (that I could buy cheaper) but the Landrover dealer would only do the work (whilst the car was being serviced) if they supplied the kit at £40 more than I could get it for.
I had to have them do the work to maintain the warranty.....0 -
In my case they were new genuine parts that I could get a 15% discount on from another main dealer for being a member of a club. They still wouldn't have it
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Sadly they are still second hand.....or 'used'.
Retailers are not obliged to sell anything to anybody at any price....service or product
It's simply an odd situation that is a real pain to you with the dealer being, not awkward, but not cooperative.
There are other garages but possibly not franchise dealers?
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Thank you guys for your replies.
I fitted the new Brink towbar to the car I bought the other week, but the car went bad unexpectedly. I decided to buy a much newer replacement car of exactly the same type. The towbar covers both cars.
However, I have been told by Toyota UK and several dealerships the 'used' towbar can't be fitted without losing the warranty, even if Toyota put it on!
I'll have to buy a whole new Genuine Toyota bar set. It's not the end of the world and the dealership I'm buying the new car from is £100 cheaper than my local dealership where it will be serviced :-)
Thanks.
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When l purchased a new Santa FE in December, l had the Dealership fit the tow bar and electrics, cost me £200 more than having it done privately. l know for a fact the dealership used the tow bar company that l would have used but with 5 year warranty on SF it was a no brainer as the dealership is now responsible if anything goes wrong and it doesn't invoke the warranty
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If they do MOT test then they will have the equipment. 13 pin plugs are a testable item for all the lighting functions. Constant live and switched live are not but most of the better quality testers have the function.
They are not expensive either, under £50 for a VOSA (or whatever they call themselves now) approved one for testing.
!2n & 12s are not testable other than for security, i.e. it's not likely to fall off.
I have a Mayploe one which checks all functions and the lead is long enough to sit in the car whilst you run through the checks. cost me under £30 IIRC.
See Here you can get it cheaper if you shop around, but is handy to have when you have a problem and want to quickly identify if it's the car or trailer that is the problem.
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Dealerships are duty bound to fit the parts advised in service bulletins by the manufacturers. This not negotiable.
Why would they fit your old one when they can charge for a new one.
When buying a car assuming you need a towbar and its a new/ nearly new car then then negotiate the deal. Once the deal is done then tell the salesman you will not buy unless it comes with a towbar fitted at no extra cost. If he says no then walk out. You will get your towbar.
A £500 towbar costs the dealer no more than £200 and an hours labour. They wont lose a sale for sake of the value of a towbar.
PS if and when the phone you back and offer to split the cost, resist. They now only have to find £100 discount!
Be bold, be cheeky, never pay for extras.
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I work for a main dealer and as part of our franchise agreement we aren't allowed to fit any secondhand parts certainly where the vehicle is under manufacturers warranty.
Where a customer has a vehiclue out of warranty and there is no official replacement part or cost is prohibitive we do look at reconditioned units. An example of that was recently with some hifi equipment for a Mazda MX-5.
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In my neck of the woods, few of the dealers seem to fit towbars themselves but take it to a specialist fitter in town. Find out who that is round you and go direct. It should invalidate the standard warranty on the car & the fitter will guarantee their work.
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