Gulf States Toyota - ripoff?

[HardShellTaco]

It’s nothing short of infuriating. Add to this that they do zero for you when you have an actual issue with your truck or when you want to do meaningful maintenance but try to replace your air filter for $60 every time you even drive by their service department.

I just want to be clear I'm talking about Gulf States Toyota, the regional distributor, not a specific dealership. On the sticker, Gulf States add-ons will be listed as PIO (port-installed options) and the dealers add-ons will be under DIO (dealer-installed options).

Sponsored

 

[Frog Mack]

…you signed all documents, loan papers and drove off the lot…
...and im thinking you were so overwhelmed, perhaps the dealership “got you financed ,when others coludnt ?
....or this is a big “ pitty party “ of buyers remorse and youll default on loan

Well, I do not feel like any of this is on point to be honest.

I needed a truck for business, got in a bit of a tight, searched dealers within 150 miles of my house, found one that most closely matched my needs, bought it, as in wrote them a check, left in it, and haven't had any remorse really.

As for the "Tacoma trend" I'm not sure how to address that one. I began working out of a Toyota pickup in 1995, and have worked solely from Toyota pickups (mostly Tacomas) ever since, so I don't see that as 'latching on to a trend'... though possibly contributing to a trend I suppose.

I wish we had a different President, and I wish we had better options to buy Toyotas, which is where this began. "I think it's a ripoff that a 5-state distributor dictates which options get attached to dealer's inventory." You do not. That is fine.

I own 6 Toyotas currently, mostly business vehicles, So I suppose I am a loyal customer to the brand.

 

[Frog Mack]

I just want to be clear I'm talking about Gulf States Toyota, the regional distributor, not a specific dealership. On the sticker, Gulf States add-ons will be listed as PIO (port-installed options) and the dealers add-ons will be under DIO (dealer-installed options).

Yeah, I don't think some folks get what the discussion is about. I think you do.

 

[MT-Taco]

Most dealers are loading them up with garbage! Mine had OU, SDM, and 1 PIO black badge overlays $175. SDM is difficult to find and at the time most had MT, and the few were loaded 2K plus PIO garbage. Picked it up at about 3250 under SRP but saved an additional 2-3k of add on garbage. Let Jim know what you want and let him do the leg work for you! Looks like discounts are getting much better!

https://www.tacoma4g.com/forum/thre...-2024-tacomas-💵-purchase-leasing.2039/page-15

 

[Deleted member 5766]

I had a local dealer mark up the truck, undercut my trade and then add a $2000 “appearance package” so I found another dealer that pulled the same truck and dropped the msrp by $2500. They lowered the trade value but at least they were honest. The truck has most Toyota add ons I want (bed scene lighting, spray in liner, rock rails

 

[trailhunger]

GST is a ripoff, I have limited options on getting a bed step / on order coming through that cartel, they seem to be the only ones who can get it before 2025, trying for a dealership in Mass but they’re back ordered…But everyone is trying to get their pound of flesh too. One of the brokers on here wanted $3500 fee to secure a TH in August, wouldn’t disclosure shit except for bed length and color. Wouldn’t tell me what state it was in. So from the bottom of my heart that d bag can fk off along with GST.

If you don’t know how to search Toyota’s inventory tool & call inventory managers, yea torch money unnecessarily on a broker.

 

[tacorancher]

Yes you’re right - sorry to mix the two - I’m very aware of the difference between the distributor and the dealers - I was kind of complaining about both at the same time

 

[Frog Mack]

Yes you’re right - sorry to mix the two - I’m very aware of the difference between the distributor and the dealers - I was kind of complaining about both at the same time

And re-reading my original post, I sort of blended the GST frustration with a dealer gripe that I flat out missed until I got home... unrelated, except in the frustration sense.

 

[Tungstenisw]

says the man from Idaho.

all dealers in the midsouth can only buy from Gulf States Toyota, the only distributor for the midsouth. So yes, we can go 3 states away, but not as simple as “find another dealer”.

Every dealer in 7 states is the same. This is the right side of the sticker that didn’t used to be there.

I have traveled across the country to buy from a dealer that I felt I could trust. I simply WILL NOT buy from a dealer that does this.

 

[TygerTaco]

I will not ever speak highly of GST. I basically got screwed when I bought my first Taco in 2001 because of their shenanigans, and it turned me off from buying a Toyota for 23 years. Now I'm older, wiser, fatter, balder, and slightly more well-off. I wanted a truck with all the features this time. So - with that being said, I had a pretty decent experience with Cedar Park Toyota, and I got the truck $5K off MSRP, and I did not pay a dime for their crap add-ons that weren't on the Toyota sticker.

I did overpay for their extra maintenance and service deals, but that was my choice. I did it knowingly.

Plus, I now have a dealer I can go scream at who's local if the truck ever does give me issues. Maybe this doesn't matter in today's age, but I like to think that it does.

Also - keep in mind that anyone in Central Texas has to drive at least 6 hours to even get out of the state, and at least 14-18 to get out of the reach of GST. I don't know about you, but I don't really enjoy driving that much.

I do hope that GST gets called out for their BS, but I just wanted to state that good deals can still be had, and that it's really not easy to escape the grasp of GST when you live in Texas.

 

[WKTJR1]

The reality of all of this is that it will never change. Both of these distributors have been doing if for decades and as long as they are not doing anything illegal, Toyota will do nothing. The pandemic proved that people will pay to get a vehicle (unfortunate for those who had to get a vehicle) and the days of lots full of plenty of inventory are behind us.

 

[CrispyTacoLover]

The reality of all of this is that it will never change. Both of these distributors have been doing if for decades and as long as they are not doing anything illegal, Toyota will do nothing. The pandemic proved that people will pay to get a vehicle (unfortunate for those who had to get a vehicle) and the days of lots full of plenty of inventory are behind us.

This is incorrect. GST has not been doing this for decades.

 

[tacorancher]

I will not ever speak highly of GST. I basically got screwed when I bought my first Taco in 2001 because of their shenanigans, and it turned me off from buying a Toyota for 23 years. Now I'm older, wiser, fatter, balder, and slightly more well-off. I wanted a truck with all the features this time. So - with that being said, I had a pretty decent experience with Cedar Park Toyota, and I got the truck $5K off MSRP, and I did not pay a dime for their crap add-ons that weren't on the Toyota sticker.

I did overpay for their extra maintenance and service deals, but that was my choice. I did it knowingly.

Plus, I now have a dealer I can go scream at who's local if the truck ever does give me issues. Maybe this doesn't matter in today's age, but I like to think that it does.

Also - keep in mind that anyone in Central Texas has to drive at least 6 hours to even get out of the state, and at least 14-18 to get out of the reach of GST. I don't know about you, but I don't really enjoy driving that much.

I do hope that GST gets called out for their BS, but I just wanted to state that good deals can still be had, and that it's really not easy to escape the grasp of GST when you live in Texas.

CEDAR PARK IS THE BEST! I had a deposit down with them for a halo model, then my truck was stolen and I had very little time so had to pay a mark up but insurance covered the mark up. Next purchase will be Cedar Park if possible. Belinda over there is amazing !

Sponsored