Here is my review for Empire Toyota Empire Toyota was our second choice for a dealership. I found what I thought was a great deal at New Country Toyota of Saratoga Springs N.Y. so we my husband and I went there. The salesman was rude, and had this I don't really need this sale kind of vibe. Went for a test drive and put money down $500 that we were told by John Kirkwood our salesman would be returned to us in 48 hours. I went up the next day to finish the paper work, (this is a 2.5 hour trip from our house) and waited almost an hour to meet with the finance manager. My appointment was at 1:30 and he finally met with me at 2:20. Long story short we wanted to cancel the deal by Friday, not happy at all with this dealership. I had to go through Toyota's customer complaint department to have them talk to the dealership on my behalf. We will not get our $627.00 until next week which will be about 3 weeks from the cancellation day! Unacceptable!!!! Yesterday I met with Travis a salesman for Empire Toyota who was very friendly, and not the least bit pushy. I had been in touch with his finance manager Steve Martin during the last 2 weeks to try and get out of my contract with New Country Toyota. By purchasing my new car at Empire I saved almost $2500.00 !!!! for a similar car minus the moon/sun roof. Very happy with this dealership!!!! I hopeful that during the lifetime of our car we will continue to have a great rapport with Empire Toyota of Oneonta, NY. read more

I will never bring my car to Empire Toyota for servicing again. I bought a new car from them and it was due for its first service. I needed to change the time due to an unexpected scheduling conflict. I was told to come in 8:30 am and the place had very few customers ahead of me. An hour plus later the waiting area had filled with people and they still hadn't started servicing my car. I was already running late. I took my car elsewhere and will not return. read more

My 70 year old mother scheduled repairs done on her car that THEY suggested she needed done and told her she needed to be there at 7AM. She went in to get the work done as they promised and all they did was charge her $100 for an oil change! When I called to ask them why they didn't fix her car they said she only scheduled a 'service'. That's not what she said however. She said she talked to them extensively on what needed to be done to fix her car and make sure it was in good working condition for her trip. They made up excuse after excuse on why they didn't complete the task like 'our system doesn't show the repairs that are needed.' It was on the invoice they gave us. They even said it was in their files! LOOK IN THE DAMN FILES THEN??!? The man on the phone was very interruptive and wouldn't give me a fair chance to speak so it became an argument. 'All you want to do is argue.' No, dude... I want my mother's car fixed. Like they said they'd do. Hopefully we can get the car looked at somewhere else before our trip but most likely not. We scheduled this maintenance well in advance for them to complete the task and it seems they don't actually fix cars there. They have no right to claim they are mechanics. read more

My husband and I have purchased 11 cars as of today from Empire since 2010. Obviously they are a buisness and are there to make money. But they are really fair with their deals. That's why we just picked up our 11th vehicle today. Austin in sales is great. A real personable guy. Service team has always been a hoot when we go in for routine maintenance. So I gotta give a 5 star because we've always got what we wanted and the prices have been good. read more

I had a negative experience with this dealership submitting a credit application without my permission or knowledge, despite me telling them numerous times I'm only looking to put a deposit down so that i could hold the car and see the car (it did not arrive at the dealership yet). I also told them I did not want to do a credit application because I didn't even see the car yet! What sense does it make to submit a credit application for a car you haven't seen or test driven yet? I never gave them the okay or permission to do a credit report. I was told by the salesman that they would not do this. Please see my screenshots. You will have to zoom in for the screenshot from the assistant sales manager, Stephen Martin. His excuse for the dealership running my credit without my permission was that "as soon as someone gives us a deposit and a credit app we submit the information to the banks to get an approval" The thing is I NEVER submitted a credit application. This dealership requested certain information from me in order to move forward with a DEPOSIT then used that same information to do a credit application without my permission or knowledge! They didn't even help me with removing the unauthorized hard inquiries from my credit report. It is 9 months later and I'm still trying to remove 3+ banks from my credit reports. Needless to say, I ended up getting a brand new RAV4 with a higher trim at a more responsible and respectful dealership 5 days later and requested my deposit back. To submit a credit application without my permission or knowledge was a shady, greedy, and unprofessional thing to do and I would not want to do business with a dealership like this. The assistant sales manager didn't even offer an apology. read more

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The people that work there should know how their cars work and be able to show that to a new owner. My bZ4X electric vehicle doesn't accept a charge from a commercial charging station. All the dealership says is that none of their other RV customers have reported the problem. read more

I planned on buying a 2023 Toyota Sienna through this dealership and had placed a deposit down. When the vehicle came in, we started going through the paperwork and they notified me that their aftermarket add-ons (warranty on cloth, corrosion protection, etc.) which amounted to $1,500 was mandatory and they would not remove it from the sale. This is absolutely unacceptable and is a predatory practice in today's car buying environment. Aftermarket add-ons should NOT be mandatory. I want to buy a car, not your crappy, overpriced aftermarket add-ons. Don't buy from this dealership and take your business elsewhere. read more

This dealership is the worst! Unfortunately there is not another one anywhere near me so I'm stuck going to them on occasion. My husband got a Tacoma from them, when it arrived it did not have any of the options he had already agreed on with the salesmen. Basically they tricked him and knew he needed a car so he was stuck taking it. The girl answering the phone is rude and very unfriendly, almost as if you're annoying her when you call. If you have the option to go somewhere else take it!!! read more

I took my car here 1/1418 trd gt86 wanting tires replaced and These techs crossthreaded and broke 4 studs and put my wheels back on THE BROKEN STUDS read more

Excellent service. Empire Toyota offers expert service that goes above and beyond. I have found each person to be friendly and helpful. They give their advice based on experience and it has never been wrong. I trust and respect their work ethic as well as their understanding of each person's problems. I love sitting in the waiting area and watching Mrs Tripp's daughter playing and the nice dog who likes to share your lunch. Very homey atmosphere. Caririe and Eddie have always been able to find time for my car when something unexpected happens and give me peace of mind. Michelle has been fantastic as well. Couldn't ask for a better group of folks read more

I stopped in this dealership this week to shop for a new Tacoma. After standing inside waiting several minutes for somebody to greet me-which never happened, even though I was plainly insight of 4 different employees - I had to ask for a salesperson. Then a young woman spun around from her desk and asked me what I want. I had to practically pry her from the desk to get her to help me. She had a very poor attitude and couldn't care less about a sale. I don't understand how they can stay in business with such a lack of interest in making a sale. Figured, she must be the owners daughter or something, I promptly left. read more

Had my Lexus a/c compressor replaced 4 years ago, it just went again. My new shop flushed the system and replaced other needed parts which weren't done by Empire Toyota. I also consulted a Lexus mechanic who confirmed what they should have done. Also, Empire did my brakes, gave me a quote and tried to charge my wife more when she picked up the car. I won't be returning to Empire and certainly won't recommend them to anyone. read more

I went in today with my mom just looking around and Alanna helped us out, she was very friendly and honest. Didn't end up buying a car today but appreciated her customer service regardless! read more

I honestly don't know how they stay in business. They don't seem to want to sell anything. We went in Saturday to look at the Tacoma fleet trucks that were in the paper for around $30,995. They had under 2000 miles. While we were waiting for the salesman to find the keys, we spotted a new one we liked. Went for a test drive then went in the office. We told him we also liked one of the new Tacomas. I told the salesman I don't want to play the back and forth game. How much is the used truck, bottom line? He came back and said $31,995. Umm, ok. We got up and left. He didn't even bat an eye! He didn't even try to talk about the new one we liked! Nothing! So, we went down to Country Club and bought a NEW Colorado! I pick it up Monday! read more

Empire Toyota - Car Dealers Near Me - Oneonta, New York

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High prices in a time of scarcity and a bullying 'take it or leave it' attitude. Customers don't like being ripped off -- we have long memories, and we're not coming back! read more

3 Visits to fix a power steering leak. $2000.00 later it was still not fixed and then failed the NYS inspection saying i had a leak and NOW it was the power steering rack and was told it was $1500.00 to have it pass. I did not need a power steering rack and it was a leak coming from one of the lines of which they said they had fixed previously from my $2000.00 visit. I went to a mechanic and it was a leak in the line you said you replaced. The mechanic confirmed the hose was not new. So what was i charged for? I did not need new steering rack either. And the 3rd time i brought it in for the same leak you blew me off and kept my car the whole weekend and left me stranded and i missed work. I want to buy a new Toyota but how can i ever trust this place again? read more

Was there April 26 for a lube, oil and tire rotation, the oil was changed and also had to replace the battery. On May 26 I was having my car detailed that included the tires and painting the rims which are heavy in corrosion. The shop called me and informed me that they couldn't remove the tires. I told them that I just had them rotated last month, they said no way. Were my tires rotated ? Did I pay for something I didn't get? read more

I would never recommend going to this dealership to buy a car. I was in the market for a new lease and I had a salesperson that didn't know much. I was essentially selling myself a car. When I found my dream car at an ideal price elsewhere I received an email from the owner, Geoffrey Harris explaining his higher price and talking badly about the other Toyota dealership that I am working with. At the end of the letter the owner has the audacity to close the letter with "Please enjoy the 100 mile drive to Sayre for all of your Rav4 service needs. Thank you ~ Geoffrey Harris" I contacted Toyota and shared my story. They said that they would have the Customer Relations representative would be contact me within 2 days. It's been one week and still waiting........ read more

When another dealer in Utica would not even consider fixing my Prius and its dead instrument panel, Empire stepped up in all ways. They did the research needed about dealing with an out-of-state car in changing out the dead digital odometer, got the part ordered, kept me informed of the backorder status from the supplier, and now have installed in it a timely way. I am totally pleased with their service -- understanding, helpful, friendly, caring, professional. read more

My saga began with my love a white Yaris. It was time to purchase a new vehicle and the Yaris was the apple of my eye. My boyfriend and I had just had a good experience purchasing a used Carolla at Empire Toyota so we figured it would be a no brainer to go back for the new car. Well, was I ever wrong. I went to the dealer and told them what I wanted: A WHITE YARIS. I preferred a standard, but was willing to bend on some of the details as long as it was a WHITE YARIS. There were none on the lot, but they assured me that they could find one at a neighboring dealer. "You'll just need to make a deposit for us to acquire the car....are you sure you don't want a white Scion?" Days passed. No car. Weeks passed. No car. A month passed. No car. "There are no "White Yaris' in the tri-state area," I was told. I thought, "Holy Cow, just my luck!?" They asked...."Are you sure you don't want a white Scion?" "I DON'T want a white Scion." I really wanted to keep my money local but..... After VERY little research online, I discovered a WHITE YARIS in Schenectady. I called a nice man who held the car for me WITHOUT A CREDIT CARD OR ANYTHING and met me the following day. Two hours later, I drove off the lot with my brand new WHITE YARIS. I promptly drove up to the Empire Toyota, shared my story, and asked for my deposit back. I waited nearly a month for that check. But in a more timely fashion, I received a phone call from an employee at Empire Toyota asking for the VIN number of my car because he felt something was fishy about the Schenectady dealership having a WHITE YARIS when they couldn't find one anywhere. I did not provide the number and wanted the saga to end...not to mention, I thought the whole thing was SO weird... I mean, I'm just a lay person and was able to go on a public website and find a WHITE YARIS almost immediately. Oh, I also got the car $1200 cheaper than what Empire quoted. I never went back and I don't think I ever will. read more

if you wana get your car serviced, make sure to ask for the old oil filter. they recommend changing oil every 10k, I change mine every 5k. after the supposed service, 5k miles later . the same dam oil filter I put in was still there not the Toyota brand .....also make sure to check your mpI from last visit... #s never match read more

My leasing experience at empire was in easy and convenient , sales manager hurried delivery got me and expedited registration paperwork. I will return. read more

Classic Bait and Switch Dealer. This is one Dealer to avoid . Went in to purchase a new Truck ( cash) . Ya YaYa we have one at another dealer . Ok fine . Deposit 12 days later no truck .Ok order one ! NOT FOR THAT PRICE ? Never go back .SCAM ARTIST . read more

Worst dealership my husband and I have ever been to in attempts to try to purchase a vehicle. Found 2 2019 Hybrid Highlander for $38,995 on CarGurus at this location. My husband called on a Friday and spoke to sale rep about it and sales rep said they would sell to us for $37,995. My husband said we would be in to test drive on Monday if it didn't sell over the weekend. Monday we drive 90 min to Oneonta to test drive the black Highlander and decided we wanted the silver Highlander as there were less miles and no dings on body, even though the battery was dead and wouldn't start so it had to be jumped. My husband negotiated down to $37,000 and we bought the $1200 waranty, paid deposit, signed the paperwork, met with the finance manager and were given our purchase order copy with agreement to pick up vehicle the following Monday. The next morning, the Sales Manager, Mr West, called my husband and told him the sale was null and void because the owner refused to sell it for the $37,000 price. They offered to sell it at $37,995 and would not even consider the fact that we had a signed agreement. Sales Manager said the owner of the dealership could do whatever he wanted and he was choosing not to sell at negotiated price. My husband then argued that they had run both of our credits, which dings your credit score, in order to approve financing, at which point the Sales Manager hung up on him. I have owned a Toyota Corolla, Tacoma, Venza and we currently own a Tundra and we cannot say enough about Toyota's but please stay far away from this unprofessional dealership. They will waste your time and you will wind up going to another Toyota dealership, which is what we have chosen to do. The owner sounds irrational & unprofessional and we have filed a complaint with Toyota Corporate, to which we received a phone call from one of the Executive VPs to get details of our experience. read more

Sometimes people only write bad reviews.....I'm happy to write a good one this time. I've leased two cars from Empire Toyota. This year I leased a brand new rav4 limited which I love. The buying experience with Stephen Martin was great, very honest and straight forward. This week I had an unfortunate deer strike. The RAV4 was outstanding. Took an impact and still got me home drove straight as an arrow. Had it towed to Empire, and my insurance paid for a rental. They got me a nice Highlander, and treated me very well. Thanks, Stephen for your assistance with this and your great customer service. Once I get my Rav back, I'll write a review for the collision center.......thanks again! read more

Empire Toyota - Car Dealers Near Me - Oneonta, New York

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After buying 4 vehicles previously from this dealership, my most recent vehicle was not purchased from here because we could not come to an agreement on the price. We originally agreed they would sell me the vehicle for $300 over invoice, but when the vehicle was located the price they gave me was $500 over invoice and they said they couldn't honor the agreement so I purchased my vehicle elsewhere. After this they cancelled my service appointment I made a week before because they said they were overbooked and had to take care of their customers who purchased their vehicle there. A couple days ago I received a postcard from them saying they haven't seen me in a while and it was a "lets get re-acquainted special offer." Only the postcard was addressed to "Briannotallowedhere Clark." And when I tried to call the general manager (Justin Harris) to ask him about the postcard, he refused to speak to me and will not return my calls. You would think after buying 4 vehicles from this dealership I could count on a little better service than this. I'm surprised the Toyota Corporation would allow one of their dealerships to do business like this. read more

My 2005 Tundra started running poorly interstate 88. I searched and found a Toyota dealer close in Oneonta NY. Where the did get my truck in and fixed the problem, they charged me for 5 hours work. I got there at 8am, they got my truck in at 9, found the problem by 9:30 and I was on the road before noon.They charged me for 5 hours...$ 467.23 to fix worn wires. Place is a rip off, never going back. Better off taking my chances with a local garage. read more

They're extremely old school, devious, not to be trusted, and outright lie. Amazing they're still in business. They should change their ways, be more honest (I know--they're car dealers--but come on), and please change the jump down your throat way of trying to sell a car. read more

Awesome service and staff in general. Always looking out for the customer. Very honest. I am an experienced buyer. Former business owner and fleet owner. read more

I went to look at a 2017 Tacoma I knew was overpriced. I arrived at the low-end, ma and pa type, outdated dealership and found that the dealer not only lacked specific knowledge about that truck, he was not educated on the 2019 models or that they were being allocated. He was unaware they were even being manufactured, the costs, the features offered or that his truck was thousands overpriced. He refused to haggle, as that's not how they do business. Apparently, they don't do any business as it's been 4 months and the truck remains rotting on their lot. It appears I had done more research than the dealership. read more

Sales people are -well- sales people. Prices are "fair"- better advertised elsewhere, but in the Toyota ballpark. Do not expect any extras- they will not include them. Also when asked, the sales person told me that the price was firm and that "Someone had come in yesterday, looked at the same truck, and offered $100 less than the price, IN CASH--- and they did not take it". Which is ridiculous to say the least. I'm not quite sure if he actually thought I'd believe that really. Service center is generally good- however every new Toyota comes with free service. After that it seems there is less interest in being helpful or fixing issues. I had a few defects (EGR- replaced twice) on my Tundra. Service was great. I later hit a deer- Body shop service was shoddy. There were installation errors for the bumper ( gap on one side and missing hardware- it needed an alignment not long after the first. (I waited too long before noticing the wear- however it was mentioned that I buy new tires a regular service appointment- only when I check the tire wear closely was when I really looked at the bumper and noticed the gap). Then when they did fix their mistake- I was charged for a rental. I dropped my truck off for tire replacement and body shop work. I mentioned the rental cost and I guess I was expected to wait a couple of hours for the repair of THEIR mistake- including when they took a lunch break in the middle of the repair. Corporate did reimbursed for the rental when I called. They could care less although I spent a sizable chunk of money on new tires and another alignment and go regularly for service. They're local- that's what people use them. I paid for Toyota Care so I'm pretty much stuck. I do not wish to double check the work of technicians, nor do I feel as though I need to return to the dealership/body shop and question if they completed they work they were paid to do and said they completed. I need a reliable vehicle for work- I was NOT expecting to have to the amount of problems I have had with a NEW TRUCK- not to mention having to call corporate for a resolution over the cost of a rental. (Which cost less then the amount of lost wages from work!) This is not what I anticipated at all. I'm not entirely sure what happened to decent people who are fair and trustworthy- but this is not an example of that. Perhaps I expected more. I suppose I should be glad they actually fixed their mistake and corporate is willing to reimburse. Other than that- next time I think I may travel a bit to find a better dealer. My advice: don't expect too much, double check the work, check the work AGAIN when you get home, call corporate if needed, and good luck. read more

Its like going back in time where dealerships would throw you trade in keys on top of the dealership so you wouldn't leave or the ole bait and switch. Total bunch of crooks. Lie about promotions much? Stay away. read more

Terrible. The staff is unkind even audibly Whiny when they have work to do. Tire rotation alone took over an hour. No one was there who could actually sell me my car one day. How does a dealership have no one in house to actually sell you a car? Had to go there 5 times in 4 days to have my needs met and felt like an annoyance and burden every time. Are you serious? I spent over 28000 dollars on a car worth 15000, had to come there 5 times to actually compete the deal and I'm the burden?? I will never!!! Deal with these people once my Toyota care runs out read more

I found the 2012 Toyota Sienna XLE on their web site stating 30245$ + doc fee of 100$. Drove all the way down from where I live in Toronto On Canada to this small and rusty town to make an offer. Sales rep told me they will be able to do 29 plus "change" for non certified car, since USA certification is not valid in Canada. Later he went to a manager Steve's office and came back saying that vehicle price is 30845, basically I don't know how it went up instead of at least staying the same as advertised. Steve would not even come out of his office to talk to us. They looked so unwilling to sell the vehicle to us which is weird since we were ready to buy the vehicle cash right away. Everybody around seemed they did not want us there so we left. Maybe somehow it's connected to our race and ethnicity. Don't know, but this guys are crazy, dishonest and rude. Would never recommend shopping from them. read more

The service experience was terrible . The tone was immediately set when the check in started with a wisecrack when I was mistakenly entering the wrong door "If you go there, I'll have to put you to work." Unlike other Toyota dealerships, no one went over the issues before, or the exact work before or afterwards. The waiting area is a horrible little corner. I got conflicting information about whether my car would pass inspection. They didn't bother to remove the old inspection labeling my dashboard. The car sat in the lot for 30 minutes before I finally went to the desk. A technician crabbily said "The car isn't washed yet!" When it came to paying for a $350 repair on a car with 43,000 miles, I didn't trust them. Going to buy a Honda next time! Steet Toyota in Johnstown is a long trip, but the service there is worth it! read more

Speaking of bad experiences, have a look at how the "management" treats prospective customers... ....."a pleasure hearing back from you. Quick question --- are you stupid???" .this is the opening line of the final contact I had with these awful people.....it's a little long, but very telling....apparently I am stupid and should just "go for it"....so be it....if the owners do care, they know how to find out who these employees are and if they need more info they can contact me.....thankfully, I put a deposit on a vehicle elsewhere this afternoon and can put this whole bad experience behind me.....I feel like I need a shower, comical as it was From: (me) Date: FRIDAY April 4, 2014 at 12:13:26 PM EDT To: Xxxxxxx@empiretoyota Subject: Are you kidding me? Great, so it's the same figure you gave me on Monday (and your web site asking price)!!! That sales manager of yours is quite the negotiator! Thank you for your generous offer, but I will have to decline. This is an hour of my life I won't get back. On Apr 4, 2014, at 2:00 PM, "Empire Toyota" wrote: Xxxx--- are you even old enough to buy a car??? The tone and content of your 12:13pm email to Ms.xxxxx is indicative of a child. Or at best an extremely immature adult. Please don't contact us again until you're old enough to wear big boy pants. Or mature enough to act like you can wear them. Xxxxx. Xxxxx Sales Manager Sent: Friday, April 04, 2014 4:47 PM To: Empire Toyota Subject: Over-reaction? I have (had) no intention of prolonging this. I wrote back to Ms (sales person) with an update to let her know I had increased my offer on an identical vehicle and is her dealership in a position to come closer on the price, providing ALL the information necessary to make this decision a quick and easy one. Rather than a simple "No" we have multiple emails over the hour wherein Ms xxxxxx gave the impression this was a strong consideration, at the end of which I am given exactly the same offer I had been given four days earlier and available to the first person to walk in off the street. I consider my email quite justified considering the end result, which was to waste an hour of my time and sanity for exactly naught. What was the purpose of these emails? Telling me that your vehicle is "a very good deal" repeatedly does not make it so. If my directness with your lack of professionalism strikes you as rude, then possibly your thin-skin is not suited to the business. I won't even start on the petulant rant questioning my maturity. Please feel free to forward this email to your Manager, and see if he knows you are having a slow day and are off the chain. If you want to continue this, we can take it up on Yelp or one of the other review sites, otherwise I'll consider our brief and unpleasant interaction at an end. Immaturely Yours, Xxxxx From: "Empire Toyota" Date: April 4, 2014 at 5:42:56 PM EDT To: Subject: 2011 Highlander (My name) ~ a pleasure hearing back from you. Quick question --- are you stupid??? Not interested in your offer (talk about wasting time) on the 2011 Highlander, or any other vehicle for that matter. FYI --- only serious offers are considered. In regards to "Yelp or one of the other review sites" --- by all means, go for it. There, is that direct enough for you??? Have a nice evening ~ - (Sales Manager) Read more: http://priuschat.com/threads/long-bad-history-empire-toyota-oneonta-ny.67506/page-2#ixzz2xyLReOjR Follow us: @PriusChat on Twitter | PriusChat on Facebook read more

I got my first car here, I will never ever go back, and I would not recommend this place to anyone. They sold me a 6 year old car for 12,000 dollars. When I moved out of state not a month later, I was considering selling it instead of taking it with me - I talked to a few dealerships who were only willing to give me $5000 and they all told me they wouldn't be able to sell it for more than 7. Now I realize this is my fault for being inexperienced and not looking at bluebook, etc, but this place had terrible service from the beginning. Their warranty's are crap - make sure you read all the fine print yourself. All places are out to make money, but these people jacked up their prices by the thousands. Not a very ethical dealership. read more

After reading reviews for this location I was extremely hesitant, but I desperately needed an oil change for my Yaris. I called and got an appointment day of. The service was quick and helpful. They answered all of my questions and even gave me a quote on some needed body work. This all to say that I had a wonderful experience and the staff was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. read more

I have a 2010 Tundra 25611 miles on it and at 14376 the brakes needed to be totally replaced. Toyota warranty cover them, But 11,112 miles later they failed again and the service manager told me there was nothing they could do. the warranty was 36 months /36,000 miles. I reminded him of the brake replacement and he basically said brake don't last forever, but for $1000 he could redo them again pads rotors, lines. So much for standing behind the service work. What a shame this place is. I called Toyota myself and they told me to go to another dealer in Kingston and they replaced everything at no cost. Seems they had a recall on the rotors and lines. They even did an oil change for $19.99. I will never ever go to empire again. read more