Legally, what are my options

[tbud333]

What is the name of your state? California
I leased a 2006 Toyota Tacoma truck (new) from a large local dealership. It has been 3 months and I have not gotten the plates or any other paperwork to show that I am the legal registered owner. I called the DMV to see where the plates were and they told me that the vin number I supplied was not coming back to me or the dealership where it was purchased and that I need to contact Toyota. I was told by the Asst. General Manager of Toyota that the truck had been pre-sold to a customer in Riverside and that the deal fell through but the paperwork for the truck had been send to DMV and that is why his name is showing up on the records as owner. Toyota wants me to come in and sign some more papers now or said if I was not comfortable with that, they would give me another truck. They would give me a free tank of gas and 2 oil changes as compensation if I keep it. My son was pulled over in the truck for not having plates once already and was detained for 45 minutes because the vin was coming back to someone else. Has anyone ever heard of this happening before?

 

[divgradcurl]

What is the name of your state? California
I leased a 2006 Toyota Tacoma truck (new) from a large local dealership. It has been 3 months and I have not gotten the plates or any other paperwork to show that I am the legal registered owner. I called the DMV to see where the plates were and they told me that the vin number I supplied was not coming back to me or the dealership where it was purchased and that I need to contact Toyota. I was told by the Asst. General Manager of Toyota that the truck had been pre-sold to a customer in Riverside and that the deal fell through but the paperwork for the truck had been send to DMV and that is why his name is showing up on the records as owner. Toyota wants me to come in and sign some more papers now or said if I was not comfortable with that, they would give me another truck. They would give me a free tank of gas and 2 oil changes as compensation if I keep it. My son was pulled over in the truck for not having plates once already and was detained for 45 minutes because the vin was coming back to someone else. Has anyone ever heard of this happening before?

I assume your question is the one in the title -- what are your options? Toyota has already told you what to do to resolve the situation, so do it.

 

[tbud333]

I assume your question is the one in the title -- what are your options? Toyota has already told you what to do to resolve the situation, so do it.

Actually, I would like to get out of the lease and want to know if this is a valid reason to do so.

 

[shortbus]

No, this will not get you out of the lease. But to the extent you are incurring costs due to the dealer's mistake, they need to reimburse you.

 

[Dandy Don]

Read your lease to see what it says about early withdrawal--there will probably be a financial penalty for doing so. However, it wouldn't hurt you to ask just to see what the dealer says--they may be inclined to give you preferential treatment in view of the problem you face with this vehicle.

 

[tbud333]

Just wanted to post an update. Toyota let me turn in the truck and put me into another vehicle of my choice, which they let me purchase instead of holding me to the lease contract. My payments are more but at least I own it.