Toyota RAV4 buying experience, part 1

CR Senior Engineer Jennifer Stockburger shares a car-buying experience from hell:

My goal was to buy a redesigned 2006 Toyota RAV4 AWD for our test program using the Internet and phone to arrange the purchase before visiting a dealership. I was looking for a four-cylinder Base model with side air bags.

Toyota's Web site shows that side air bags are optional on the Base model. Like most manufacturers' sites, you begin the building process by entering your zip code. Following the instructions, I entered our Connecticut zip code, then proceeded to build the vehicle with "Option Combination #D" for side air bags.

After I contacted a local dealership, a salesman said that they had a RAV4 in their showroom equipped "just as you want it." I gave the salesman a $200 credit card deposit over the phone to hold the car. We scheduled a follow-up meeting when I would go to the dealership and sign the paperwork.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and he still didn't know I was from Consumer Reports.

Unfortunately, we had a typical New England snow storm on the meeting day. I couldn't get out of my driveway, so I cancelled the appointment. We went back and forth as to when we could get together. His day off was Thursday, I had to travel another day, and so on. Throughout the exchange, he gave me the clear impression that his time was more valuable than mine. He twice asked me why I couldn't come in on Saturday, to which I replied that that day was my time off. Plus, the thought of dragging along my two children to do this gave me pause.

Still, I was reassured that my vehicle was the only RAV4 he had, and that it's "locked in the showroom." To lay the guilt on even thicker, he said that his boss was complaining that it's taking up too much space: People can't get in it and the dealer can't really show the car. I suggested he take the RAV4 out; it didn't matter to me if it got snowy.

We continued having scheduling problems, and he told me, "If you don't pick up this car on Monday, that's it." At this point, the end of the month was fast approaching and he likely wanted this deal to be in the books by then.

So that the paperwork could be prepared, I told him that Consumers Union would be the vehicle owner. Our policy is to wait until the delivery day to disclose that a test car will be registered to Consumers Union.

To be continued…

--Jennifer Stockburger