So I wanted a truck but more specifically a new Tacoma. Recently we have had some odd European cars and one American one and it was time to get back into a reliable automobile experience with Toyota. Having had a few Tacomas in the past, I knew what I was getting into with Toyota’s allocation system but never did I think it would be this difficult to find what I was looking for. I used several sites but kept going back to Autotrader.com and set up a spreadsheet.
When I started my search, there were 29,786 new Tacomas available. But I wanted a manual, so that immediately cut it down to 385. Then I wanted an Off-Road so that cut it down to 169. But I also wanted the Premium package and another cut to 31. Then there was that one last option that made this the needle in the haystack, SDM… and then there was just 1 and it was at Four Stars Toyota in Altus, OK.
I already knew not to get my hopes up. Months of searching and double checking between car sites and dealerships had proven to me that most of what I thought I had found 1. did not actually have the options listed 2. was not a manual transmission 3. was pre-sold and not available 4. was already sold and the website was not updated.
So, I checked the Four Stars website and it was still listed, and wait for it… below MSRP. Hope still tempered, I sent an internet request on availability. I didn’t bother calling since it was not worth a salesman’s time if it was already sold/not available; I did not want any other vehicle to be offered to me. Minutes later I get a call from Israel. “The truck is here, when can you come by and test drive it?”
I’m 7 hours away in another state and immediately start navigating how to get this truck to me. Again, Israel comes in clutch with “We know this lady…” and puts me in contact with the most meticulous, thought-out, detailed, transport arranger I have ever spoken to. I recently had the nightmare of having a vehicle transported from Virgina to my home and it took 2 months of weekly contact and worrying before it showed up in my driveway. With that horrible experience in mind, I could not believe how amazing this transport arranger was, how quickly they could get me the vehicle, how fair the shipping price was… it was perfect.
Except… the last time I bought a new car sight-unseen it turned out that it had lot damage that showed up on a vehicle report 6 months later. A brand-new vehicle, “fresh-off the boat from Sweden” that had the entire rear-end repaired and repainted with no disclosure. Not wanting to repeat this, I had to pass on the shipping and decided that I would drive up although this meant getting rid of one of the cars in the stable. I was not ready to deal with the monotonous back and forth of having a trade-in so I was initially ready to just pay cash. Again, here comes Israel with “Don’t’ worry, I’ll run it by them in the morning and it will be no problem.” And he was right; it was no problem with an above fair offer with no arguing, fighting, back-and-forth anything.
On the way there, it occurred to me that I didn’t ask them to NOT prep the vehicle. I wanted a fresh-off-the-trailer truck that I could take to my detailer to correct and ceramic coat. I called and asked if it was too late to request that as horrible thoughts of giant license plate screws drilled into the front bumper and carless scratches and swirls in the paint crossed my mind. I called Israel and minutes later it was “Don’t worry, no one has touched it, there are 9 miles on the odometer, I will park it under the tent until you get here.”
Four Stars Toyota and more specifically, Israel, this review is not thanks enough for doing what you do and for being amazing human beings. The entire staff was outstanding, real, and honest. You took the “stealer” out of “dealership” and I wish that I lived closer. And that you also ran a doctor’s office. And a dentist’s office. And the post office. And that one office that runs everything… the world would be a better place.
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