The saying goes that you learn from your mistakes - but maybe we can also learn from other mistakes, please would you use my story to educate your reader so that they do not have to go through this experience themselves.

Please could you use my experience to warn all consumers who are thinking of purchasing a second hand car from Dealers (even respectable ones like Toyota AutoMark)

Here is my story:

I purchased a Toyota Yaris T3 about 1 year ago (From Thekwini Toyota Westville) – I was not given spare car keys but they assured me that they would try and locate them for me. They never did locate them nor did they come back to me. Now my car keys have been stolen Toyota (AutoMark) will not accept any responsibility. My car needed to be towed to a Toyota and the all the locks and starter lock needs to be changed, this is all for my own account (quote cost R8500.00). I called Toyota customer care at their head office (30/08/2010) to complain about the service I receive. The arrogant consultant told me that if I buy a second hand car - they do not have to provide me with a spare set of car keys.
According to him Toyota (Auto Marks’s) promise to their customer is – As is. Therefore I have to accept this bad service / car: as is, and do not have a case nor are they prepared to assist me, with what I am assuming the costs. The reason why I bought a Toyota is because I believed that they would offer a reliable car/ service to their customers. However this does not seem to be the case.

If this is the case then I recommend that you never accept a sale agreement without a spare set of keys. I am sure that if you negotiated this at the time of purchase, the dealer principle will cough up the money to make another set of keys to close a sales deal.
I appeal to all consumers to learn from my mistake, and make sure that you the consumer negotiate the sale agreement that suits you, because after that period Toyota clearly will not assist you. This experience has change the way I now view Toyota and will change the purchasing behavior forever.

I feel alone and disillusioned and ask the following questions:
Who is protecting us the consumer?
Why are second hand Dealers allowed to sell cars with out a spare set of Keys?