Toyota of Huntington Beach Service Department Deceptive Sales practices, lie about service needed, dirty sales tricks, scare tactics, rip-off Huntington Beach California

Consumer beware of the con artist tactics used at Toyota of Huntington Beach Service Department.  I love my Toyota vehicle, it is the most reliable on the road, but buyer please be aware of the total con game going on at Toyota of Huntington Beach Service Department.  You should typcially expect to pay more at a dealership for service, but Toyota of Huntington Beach service department is down right predatory, ruthless and pulling scams.  This is my personal experience.  After having my vehicle serviced only 4 weeks prior at another Toyota Dealership in another state (where I was pleased with the service and paid a little more) I had an issue with my car and decided to pop in to the Toyota of Huntington Beach for an assessment and a potential repair.  After waiting for the assessment the "service writer" or who I would call a con man, gave me the horrible news.... it would cost of $800 to only take my car apart before they could even tell me what was going on.  And there was no telling what they were going to find once it was in pieces... it could cost as much as $2,000!  WHAT?!  This didn't make any sense at all.  As I mentioned, another toyota service department had just "taken it apart" and gave me 2 thumbs up after doing a minor service less than a month earlier. I was sick to my stomach... not b/c of the repair, but because of the blatant lie and how this "service writer" con man was trying to take me to the cleaners.  This was his way of testing to see how much money he could extract from me.  It had nothing to do with fixing my vehicle.  He also mentioned that they may have to keep my car for "days".  As if my car was a total loss!  BTW, on this same day there was a sales event going on so either he was going to try to make a big commission by selling me unneeded service or try to put me in a new car.... total scam.  He even offered to have his mechanics take it apart for a few hundred then I could "come pick it up in pieces with a tow truck".  This jerk was tryint to paint the worst possible picture so I would be scared into leaving my amazing vehicle in his hands so that he could begin the money extaction.  I said no. Told them to give me my vehicle back and I would be on my way.  I got my vehicle back and it was leaking like crazy out of the bottom of the vehicle... which was not happening before I came in.  I was in shock and again, sick to my stomach at what was happening.  

I spoke with a friend and asked him if he had an honest mechanic that could help me.  He made a phone call and help was on the way.  My friend's mechanic and now my new mechanic fixed my car for $280 and in under 2 hours.  He said it was a very simple fix and he also suggested that the Toyota dealer may have sabbatoged my vehicle so I would break down and be unable to drive it.  The honest mechanic told me that this type of thing happens all the time at dealers, but then I went online and googled the Huntington Beach Toyota I noticed that they had horrible reviews and mostly a 1 star yelp rating with many complaints.  So I thought it only right to write up a review here on the rip off report.  I've never in my life written a negative review about a company or service, I usually just take my lumps and move on and refuse my service to that place.  But in this case I felt it my duty as a comsumer to warm others to avoid Toyota of Huntington Beach Service department at all cost. The "service writer" con man I dealt with is a crook.  He is not interested in customer service or helping, he was only interested in ripping me off.  I pray that not all of their "service writers" are con men like this but usually a spoiled apple will ruin the bunch and after reading other reviews, this sounds like an ownership or management issue... honesty or crookeness comes from the top down.  I would not tolerate for a second this sort of behaviour and I wonder how this service writer sleeps at night.  My advice again is to avoid Toyota of Huntington Beach Service department at all cost and find a local mechanic who is honest and ethical. 

I hope this helps you in some way and I hope you are reading this before you make your choice in choosing a mechanic in the Orange County area.  I have no issues paying premium price for a really good, honest mechanic that keeps my vehicle healthy and safe, but I will not tolerate being ripped off by any of these "service writer" con artists with their slick talk and scheming ways.  Good luck and God bless!