I first test drove an xB in early July. I knew I wanted one.

July 13th
I called and told a salesman that I was interested in purchasing a Salsa Red Pearl xB. As luck would have it, you had one on order. It was scheduled to be in port the following day. I indicated that I wanted the iPod stereo upgrade, and floor mats, so those were put on the port install for that vehicle.

We arrived at 6:30 pm July 13th to finalize matters. We met with the salesman with whom we had first taken our test drive with, and reviewed the options and price. He quoted a price somewhere around 15,300. I told him the price was incorrect. He asked what I meant. I said that the 2006 xB with the upgraded radio and floor mats should be around 14,900. He double checked, and said sure enough. Whoever had put the paperwork together had listed the options as port install, but then added them as dealer install as well, so they would fix the problem.

No big deal. Mistakes happen, right?

At 7:30 we sat down to wait for the finance department so that we could sign the final papers. Two-and-a-half hours later, we were done, with a temporary VIN number (since the car was not yet in the country). We were told that we could probably arrange financing with just that.

No big deal. I had researched, and was aware that 2 hours was typical (even though we were arranging our own financing), even though the process was supposed to be streamlined with the Scion brand.

July 20
We went to the bank, where we were informed that no, we would need the purchase agreement with the actual VIN number.

No big deal. Scion wasn't sure we could do it with the temporary VIN.

We called our salesman, and he said to come by and pick up the revised purchase agreement. We also asked if we could add a rear bumper appliqué to the order. He said they wouldn't be able to do it at port, but he could order it for the dealer to install.

July 24th
I called ahead to make sure the purchase agreement would be ready, and told them I would be there in an hour. An hour later I arrived. The receptionist paged finance. No one answered the page. Ten minutes later, I had her page them again. This went on for half-an-hour, at which point I told her we'd come back later.

No big deal. Finance was probably just tied up with someone else.

I got a call later that day from the salesman, saying the car was in. I told him we would be by between 6:30 and 7:00 to pick it up and sign the updated purchase agreement. We arrived at 7:00, but the salesman was not there. So we waited for half an hour. Things had been quiet, so he'd gone to get something to eat.

No big deal.

He went inside, and told us that the finance department was with others right then, so he brought us the keys to inspect the car. We looked at it, and my wife asked where the iPod input was. I looked, and pointed out where it was supposed to be, but it wasn't there. So we asked the salesman. He looked at it, and asked if that wasn't it. We said that either the stereo was not there, or the inputs were not there. So he went to check a tC that he knew had the iPod upgrade, and sure enough, the port had forgotten to install it. He'd call and get one ordered, and they could install it at the dealer in a week or so.

No big deal. Not your fault that the port failed to install it.

So at 7:45, we sat down in your waiting room (which was devoid of anything to eat or drink) to wait for financing. Around 9:30, we sat down for 2 minutes to sign the paperwork and then we were done. So 2 hours and 15 minutes of waiting for a 15 minutes talk with the salesman and 2 minutes with your finance department.

No big deal. Finance had been tied up with some more difficult customers.

July 25th
I return to finance to hand them the check. 5 minute visit. Great.

July 27th
New Owner Car Clinic - We had a great time and appreciated the travel mugs.

August 7th
I called the salesman to check on the iPod stereo, not having heard anything from him. He said that he'd had some problems because they didn't believe that the port hadn't installed it, but it was ordered, and should be there on August 8th.

August 10th
The salesman called to say that the stereo was in, and to arrange an appointment to have it installed, along with the appliqué. He said that Fridays were usually busy, so we settled on Tuesday August 15th.

August 15th
I arrive and within 15 minutes I'm being checked in. The tech asks if we are doing an iPod Stereo. I say yes. He says great. After a moment I say that we are also doing a rear bumper appliqué. He asks what an appliqué is. I tell him it's the rear bumper sticker designed to protect the back bumper. So he adds "Install rear bumper sticker" to the work order.

No big deal. It's on the work order now.

I take my copy of the work order with me. On the work order, it says that the car will be ready at 1800. So, at 5:40, I return to pick up my car, only to be told that the shop closed at 5:00 because of a company party. But if I have a spare set of keys, I can take the car and return tomorrow.

No big deal. Miscommunication. Company parties are a good idea.

So I drive home to pick up a spare key. While there, I check the mail and find that my license plates have arrived and are sitting inside the dealership. It would have been nice if the departments had communicated so that they could have been installed while the car sat in the shop, but I'd have to go back tomorrow anyway, so again,

No big deal.

So I go back and hop in my beautiful new xB, plug in my iPod, and nothing. The stereo doesn't work. So I try the auxiliary jack. Nothing.

No big deal, right?

Wrong.

I had to correct your team on the price. I had to tell them that all the options weren't installed. I had to tell them what should be installed. I had to test the work that was done to see if it was done right. And to top it all off, it took me more than 5 hours to make a purchase that should have taken 1.

Somewhere along the line, all of the little problems became a very big deal. The fact that I spent a couple hundred dollars to have an upgraded stereo, then it wasn't installed, so I have to wait a couple weeks, only to have it installed, and then nobody even tests it to find out if it works?

August 16th
I stopped by and finished paperwork with the service department, picked up my license plates, got my car washed, and stopped by the front desk to talk with your customer care woman (who's name, I must apologize, I can never remember). Unfortunately, she wasn't in. She had left to go clean up from the company party. So I left a message.

She called me back later and arranged for the head of your service department to pick up the car from my place of work, make the repairs, and bring it back.

August 17th
I finally have my car the way it should have been.

I should add at this point that your team really is a great team. They were wonderful people to work with. They each sincerely apologized for the long waits and for the mistakes (after I pointed them out).

Mistakes happen. I know that. But the simple fact is that the only two times something didn't go wrong when I stepped through your doors were when I came bearing money, and when I came for a party. I find it hard to believe that your Scion / Toyota team is incompetent. First, they are all terribly wonderful, nice people, and I'd feel guilty thinking that and, second, to be frank, if everyone who walked into your dealership had the same experience I had, you would not have stayed in business beyond a few months.

Which means that somehow, I have become the unluckiest person I know.

At this point, I am concerned about bringing my xB in for the 3 free oil changes, because with the luck I've been having, the mechanics will forget to add oil.

And to be honest, I don't want to feel this way. I've owned a Toyota pickup, an 85 Camry, and my new xB. My wife owns a 2001 Camry. My brother just picked up a Sequoia. My parents own a Sienna and an Avalon. My wife is jealous, so wants an Avalon as well.

I love Toyotas.

I'm just not sure what to do about this experience that I've had.