Route 22 Toyota — Local services in Hillside

From the moment I called them at 7pm (5x) on a Friday night and nobody picked up the phone I knew I was at the wrong dealership. I’m at a place in my life where I don’t need a “good” deal or a “hookup” I need service and this dealership does not deliver. The only reason I even pursued purchasing a car from there after they didn’t pick up the phone during work hours was because they happen to have a specific hard to find vehicle that other dealers weren’t able to get their hands on. They are located in an urban area where they are probably used to people with little money to put down as a down payment or bad credit. I knew what vehicle I wanted to buy and already did my research on pricing and made things super easy for the salesperson to make a deal. The only two things I asked for was 1k off the price of the vehicle and to include the all weather floor mats. The salesperson went to his manager and was able to get the 1k off the price but said if he asks his manager for too much he might not go for it, he was referring to the all weather floor mats but reassured me not to worry that he would get them once I signed the paperwork. And so I did complete the paperwork and had him write down “all weather mats included” on the paperwork because the car wasn’t coming in for 2 months and I didn’t want him to forget what he had promised. When I went to give him a check for 2k as a down payment he told me they don’t take check, only debit and credit. What kind of car dealership doesn’t take a check? I like using a check for big purchases because it provides me with bank protection just in case something goes wrong. And had I used a credit card I would of had to pay a fee of $30 per 1k charged. The salesperson told me a lot of people commit fraud in that area and that’s why they don’t take a check which honestly made me feel like I was buying a car at a ghetto dealership. The car came in January of 2025 and the salesperson calls me and tells me the car it’s in and wants me to pick up the car that day (like I was supposed to drop everything on a weekday to pick up the car). He called me on a Thursday and I asked him if they could hold onto the car for 6 days until Wednesday because that was my next day off and it was convenient for me to pick the car up then. He told me they could only hold onto the car for two days and was rushing me to pick up the car. Like I said earlier in this post I don’t need a hookup I need service and this dealership was not willing to make things convenient for me but rather rushed me. I told the salesperson I would pick up the vehicle the next day even though I work overnights and instead of going home to sleep I had to pick up the car when I was tired because they were rushing me. I also told him to have the all weather mats ready when I pick up the car. He acted like he didn’t know what I was talking about so I texted him a picture of what he wrote on the paperwork that the “all weather mats were included” and he said it already comes with fabric mats so he can’t give me the all weather rubberized mats. I felt very cheated. After buying a new vehicle from this dealership they didn’t do what they said they were going to do by providing the all weather mats that was apart of the initial deal. The salesperson basically said whatever he had to say when I was in the buying process but when the car came in he didn’t honor his word. This really soured the buy buying experience for me and I will not be purchasing a future Toyota from...

This is my experience with Route 22 Toyota. I bought Rav 4 in 2021 from Route 22 Toyota, When I bought the car, I specifically asked them to exclude any extended warranty which they agreed. After I received my docs, I realized they charged me around 6k more. When I questioned them, they said its for extended warranty. I said we agreed to not to add any extended warranty and they said they would refund it, It took them ages to take that warranty of my deal. I also ordered some leather seat covers when I bought my car , Which they promised me to get it asap. In the end, I waited almost a month, there was no cover, I asked my money back and again, I waited ages to get my money back. When I bought the car, they said I only have tire rotation and oil change service up to 2 years. They said thats the only warranty/free service I had. In January, I was away about 4 weeks, when I got back home, I tried to start the engine and It did not work. Trusting Toyota quality, I thought it was only one of thing and I just jump started my car and charged the battery. But this week battery got empty again after only leaving the car in the garage for a couple of days, so I called the Route 22 and explained the situation. She said battery has 3 years or 36000 miles warranty, This is the first time I was told this. My car is only on 29000 miles and It just passed 3 years. She said It is out of warranty, I told her that when It happened in January it was less than 3 years old. She said Its my fault and I should have called. So, It is not their fault to install a faulty battery into my car but It is my fault to not to call them. I never thought Toyota battery would die less than 3 years, Otherwise I would have called them as soon as It happened first time.Also, I read through the manual and the car still got powertrain warranty. Anyway, I jump started my car and drove to AutoCare. they tested the battery and they said the battery is ok. I then called Route 22 to talk to a service advisor, because if the battery is not faulty then there may be something serious wrong with the car to drain that battery and It may be covered by powertrain warranty. Despite, I called several times, I could not get anyone to talk. I left several messages and no one called me back. I only talked to service schedulers and they are telling me that I need to pay 200$ for a diagnostic. So, they dont replace your battery, there might be something serious wrong with the car and I still have to pay just to find out what the problem is with the car. The least they could have done to at least check the car and let me know if its battery or if its something else faulty but they did not even care to call and I ended up with a broken car that still got 15000$ debt. As you know my story now, if you want to get robbed by their salesman or if you want to get treated badly their service team after the sale, you can go and buy a car from Route 22. Or you can go and buy Mazda or Nissan and be happy. I have friends that bought Mazda and Nissan in 2020 before I bought my car and they have no issues.

Update- They replied to my review as if they care. Then I called the number they asked me to, Someone answered the phone and he said Its not Rod Solis's desk. I explained the situation and left my number. He said he would call me back shortly. It has been almost a week and no one called. Am I surprised ? NO Just another proof that they are not good to do...

RUN AWAY FROM-THESE CROOKS!!

Just had a horrible experience with this dealership. They tried to add on $7500 to the purchase order agreement. We never discussed or consented to this however when I went to sign the contract, there was a markup of $7500. They are incredibly deceptive and dishonest at this dealership. I cannot imagine , all of the money they’ve made on people.

Here are five tips to avoid getting ripped off by a car salesman at Route 22 Toyota!!

Do Your Research: Know the fair market value of the car you're interested in. Websites like Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and TrueCar can provide pricing information based on the car’s make, model, year, and condition. Know what the vehicle is worth and what you’re willing to pay. And this situation no other dealer was willing to charge me a premium price except these greedy folks.

Secure Financing in Advance: Never discuss how you’ll be paying for the vehicle. Arrange your financing through a bank or credit union before visiting the dealership. This gives you a better idea of what you can afford and prevents dealerships from offering higher interest rates.

Avoid Add-Ons: Salespeople often push extras like extended warranties, gap insurance, and other add-ons that can quickly inflate the purchase price. Consider carefully if these extras are necessary and shop around for better deals if you think you need them.

Be Prepared to Walk Away: Don't let the salesperson pressure you into making a hasty decision. If the deal isn't right or if you feel uncomfortable, be ready to leave. Often, walking away can lead to better offers. This is often the most important step of any car purchase. Do not get emotionally attached.

Negotiate the Out-the-Door Price: Focus on the total cost of the vehicle, including taxes, fees, and any additional charges. Salespeople may try to divert your attention to monthly payments, but it's crucial to know the full amount you’ll be paying. This is also very important because you want to make sure that you do not give the sales person a payment that you want to pay. They manipulate the numbers to give you whatever payment you want but make thousands of extra dollars on you and interest rates or by adjusting the car price up or down, as well as manipulating the trade-in value to make it look like you’re getting a good deal but in reality they’re just adding the extra on the back end of the deal. The finance managers can often add some padding as well as increase the interest rate Which ultimately makes you pay more!

Using these tips can help you navigate the car-buying process more confidently and avoid common pitfalls. My experience with the dealership is absolutely horrible. I never even stepped foot into the dealership. Everything was done online and it would’ve been the easiest sale and deal they ever did. Their greedy, deceptive tactics provide otherwise. RUN AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN!! #NewCarNearMe #ToyotaTundra #ToyotaCorolla #ToyotaTacoma #WorstCarDealershipInAmerica #SneakySalesPeople #UseCarSalesman #NewCarSales #Toyota #Toyota #HowToAvoidGettingRippedOff...