It all started about a month ago when I contacted a "Car Finder Company" that my dad recommended. I told the owner that I was looking for a 2000+ 4Runner. The next day he called me back and said that he had a 2002 SR5 fullly loaded with 72000 miles on it for 135000. The only problem was that he couldnt get it to me until the previous owner got his new 2007 4Runner and that it should be in the next week. Well after waiting 4 weeks the new 4Runner finally got delivered. That night the guy's (who owned the the 4Runner that I had already put a down payment on) totaled her car and now he is not trading in the 02. I have 2 weeks until I graduate from college and start a professional job and will be driving my rust covered 1985 Ford Bronco II and is only good for about a 5 minute drive before starts acting up.

 

The owner of the "Car Finder Company" wont return any of my calls to let me know what I will have to do next. If I cant get him on the phone tomorrow I am probably going to call the BBB and file a complaint.

Damn, I feel like a woman after all of that bitching!

 

did you pay them any money? If not, just chalk it up to a learning experience and just do your own research. Craigslist is great for finding 4Runners.

 

btw, was it a dealership, or just a car finder company? Cause your title leads us to believe it was a Toyota Dealer, and if thats NOT the case, you may want to delete and re-post this. No need to defame Toyota's good name.

 

$500.00

 

No I have no problem with Toyota at all. I have been saving up for along time so I can afford a vehicle that will last(ie TOYOTA). The Car Finder Company works for a bunch of Toyota dealerships.

 

ah, yea I would be pretty ticked off too. Can you go to their office, and see whats going on? Sounds like that may get you further than just emails or phone calls.

If you have a reciept, and can prove they took your money and ran, contact BBB, and failing that file a claim in court.

 

then the title should be changed, cause the "Dealership" by definition, did nothing to you at all. The car company screwed you pretty good sounds like.

 

How about small claims court? Or maybe one of those consumer tv things on the news...Even if they didnt pay up in small claims court it goes against there credit which will cost them more than 500 in the long run.

 

So they owe you money, gimme 5 minutes with the guy he will cough up more than your money owed...heh (sorry i had to add some humor here).

Go down personally and ask for your cash back b/c there is no vehicle, therefore no deposit if you gave the deposit to the dealer guy, if you gave it to the person who owned the car go after them.

 

I dont have time to go up there right now I have finals coming up a ton of papers due so I can finally graduate. But I soon as I get the chance to go up there I will, but school is #1 right now.

 

What is a car finder company exactly?

 

the longer you wait, the harder it will be to get your money, take 30 minutes out of your busy day, and go do yourself a favor and make your $500 back...

 

so what exactly did the dealership do to you?

 

dude i have finals coming up to, but for 500 bucks i would go there, and put my foot down until i either walked out with a sweet deal on a different vehicle, or i had my 500 bucks in my hand.

its not your fault that you put a deposit down on a vehicle and now its not being traded in, thats their fault. They should now do the leg work, and make sure that you are driving around in the vehicle that you put a deposit on/were ready to purchase.

if you cannot get your money back, call the bbb and bring then to small claims court.

 

Did you sign anything or get anything in writing showing your deposit on the purchase? At the least I hope you have a canceled check.

If your dad recommended them have him start calling them or visiting them if you are too busy.

 

Sounds like you got wenzeled. Post up the company or guy in question's info. If you've seen what some people can do, SEE PIRATE 4x4 wenzel incident, the internet folks seem to have a way to bug people into helping you.
Also, contact my favorite site www.consumerist.com for some help and give them every bit of info you can!
Good luck. Update us

 

so you paid someone $500 to find a 4runner for you?

 

That was kind of my question. I expect that there must be some advantage to doing this for the $500 price tag.

 

I got it all straightened out. No, you dont pay 500 for someone to find it for you, that was the deposit. A car finding company is paid by the dealership.