%#$&# salesman

I agree that the salesman should not have sold them the trailer, but it'll be useless demanding to get their money back. The trailer is now used, and no one would take it back. But, at the end of the day, the guy with the Tacoma should have done his homework and is now responsible for his set up. Probably an expensive lesson to learn.

des04004 wrote:
I agree that the salesman should not have sold them the trailer, but it'll be useless demanding to get their money back. The trailer is now used, and no one would take it back. But, at the end of the day, the guy with the Tacoma should have done his homework and is now responsible for his set up. Probably an expensive lesson to learn.

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There's always the threat of a lawsuit.
Happy trails,

Know your limits. This is not the salesman fault. A quick call to a Toyota dealer (also the owners manual) could have confirmed the tow rating.

I agree that the couple should have done more research before heading to a dealer. A decent salesman would have just looked at the bumper and advised them to look at a smaller unit that could be towed safely with their tow vehicle. Years ago when we purchased a trailer as our 1st venture into RV'ing, the first question the salesman asked was what was I going to use to tow the unit and also the weight rating to make sure I was heading down the right path....some decent salesman DO exist.

This happens all the time, and every time it does I'm flabbergasted. WHO would ask a trailer salesman to make a judgement about a tow vehicle, and then accept whatever he says without even looking at their own manual????

Somewhat off-topic -

Wallowa Lake/Joseph Oregon is the hidden jewel of the Northwest if you ask me. Anyone in the PNW who hasn't been out there needs to add it to your "To Visit" list.

I was blown away.

For the OP - people beleive what they want to believe. The guy really wanted to be able to tow that trailer, so when the salesman told him he was OK he believed it without checking.

I see both parties being at fault.

yep, same issue with my Highlander. with towing package it is good for 5,000 lbs. without 2,000 lbs. my responsibility, not the salesmans.
bumpy

If I go into a camera shop, and ask the salesperson for a wide angle lens that will work with my Nikon camera... and he sells me something that doesn't... I can and will return that lens. I asked for something that will fit my camera, they sold me something that is not compatible.

I always hear that the consumer is responsible for what they buy... I agree, but the seller SHOULD also be responsible for what they sell the consumer. I'm tired of hearing that it's a business and they're there to make profit, etc... Of course they are... but for companies to hide behind that curtain and knowingly sell the customer something that they misrepresented, should be fraud.

Customer goes in, is this piece of merchandise compatible with my tow vehicle? This is my tow vehicle. Seller looks at tow vehicle. Yes, this trailer will work with your tow vehicle nicely. That is a lie, and should be treated as fraud. If the seller doesn't know or doesn't want to put themselves in that position, then they should inform the customer that they can't make that judgement and for the customer to verify with their tow vehicle manufacturer to obtain the specs, rather than fraudulently sell the customer something that is not what the customer asked for.

Yes, people should be responsible, but so should the dealers... especially with something as important as a trailer... a lens is one thing... but the wrong trailer can kill the customer and others. It's time business stop hiding behind the "they're there to make a profit" so we're not responsible if the customer kills himself when we knowingly sold him something that's not what he asked for.

Both are to blame here. But the customer was new and did not know... the dealer knows and has experience. They could've had the best interest of the customer's safety and made an appropriate sale, instead they hid behind the "make a profit" curtain again and put people in danger.

The way I read it, the OP was talking about the truck salesman instead of the trailer salesman. Same difference regarding blame, I guess. I think both were at fault because if either of them had done their part right, then the problem wouldn't have occurred.

Now, however, it is a big problem. Regardless of who's at fault, I think the truck dealer would be wise to follow up and come up with some sort of compromise. A lot of lost sales can come a dealer's way with a problem like that being talked about.

Usually auto dealers have separate dept.--new car, used car, truck dept, etc. If you are buying a truck normally you would head to that dept. and ask for a truck salesperson. Than you should be able to get the correct info. Like if you go to Home Depot and want to build a storage building--you don't go to the flower dept or the lawn sprinkler dept. I have a hard time feeling sorry for folks that are going to spend a large amount of $$$'s and plead ignorance when there are so many research tools available(internet, books, magazine's, car dlr's brochures, etc.) to research. I sold cars, trucks, used cars--Chevrolet--for 20 years and found that particularly in the truck dept folks were pretty well educated in truck specs. because the vehicle was being purchased for a particular reason and generally would be used for a particular purpose. Lars