Bernardi Toyota
Reviews and Complaints

It was on May 24. My client number is 9190. I went to do service as scheduled on my RAV4 2015, which I signed for rent for three years. It was around 15, 000 miles service.
I told the staff from the front desk that in addition to routine service, I also want my car vacuumed and washed. Both service should be free of charge. according to the contract.
However, after I paid and drove my car for 2-3 minutes, I noticed that my car was not vacuumed and washed at all. I pulled over my car and called back. The staff promised that I could go back to get the work done any time.
I went back immediately. The staff in the front said "sorry" very sincerely.
10 more minutes. I got my car back again. The vacuum and wash was done extremely poorly. The seats and floors were still filled with pollen and sands.
I have been very careful trying to maintain my car clean. The flower season and my son make it necessary to vacuum frequently. I am very disappointed and upset about the so called "professional" service from the Bernardi Toyota Services Framingham MA.

What can be done to resolve this problem, I am not sure... One, instill a standard of procedure whereby a staffer never starts a manual car without being comfortable with a manual transmission; two, always ensure that no individual could be harmed if the car moved when started; three, ensure that a service manager actually contacts a customer when requested; four, always provide a receipt when requested, and five, provide rationales for work needed, especially when that work is not actually needed to fix a problem.
Oh, and reimburse me for my time spent going back twice for follow-up repairs that should never have been needed.
My tale: Two visits for repairs to their original repair, an estimate of $3, 100 for further work, and I saw my truck clutch-jumped into the vehicle in front of it.
First, positives: Pleasant service people. Okay waiting area. Free coffee/water; snack tray. That’s the good side.
I know cars enough to diagnose some things, and to admit when I don’t know. So, ID’ing the break in my 2004 Tacoma exhaust (that noise!) wasn’t hard. My normal mechanic was on vacation; Bernardi Toyota (Framingham) was closer than Acton Toyota (where I’ve been very satisfied). So I made an appointment at Bernardi, explaining that I wanted an exhaust replacement from the catalytic converter back, and I wanted to be sure they’d have the part in stock when I came in, to avoid two vistis. The next day, 6 hours and $1000 later, I left Bernardi with new front brakes (which I agreed to), and a new aftermarket cat-back exhaust from a local parts store. I had wanted OEM, but Bernardi didn’t have/couldn’t find one, and had to work to even find the aftermarket one. Why they didn’t have any exhaust ready for my truck was explained in as nice a way as possible by Jason (they don’t keep all parts in stock, and won’t get one based simply on what a customer says…).
I drove off, to…different. 5 days later a friend and I found the new exhaust pipe rubbing against the leaf spring. So, visit #2 to Bernardi. No charge; this should clearly have been picked up by the techs. But another hour or so (plus drive time) out of another day. Looks like they cut a support weld and re-bent the pipe.
About a week later, my check engine light (CEL) came on. Auto Zone diagnosed the codes (for free) and I looked up possible causes, which ran from exhaust leak, to bad sensor, up to a bad catalytic converter. Started with simple: found water condensate dripping from the flange where the catalytic converter (old) connected to the (new) exhaust work. Missing a gasket maybe, and needed to be tightened up.
So, visit #3 to Bernardi, to document the continuing saga. After ~an hour, the service tech told me they’d replaced the gasket and tightened up the flange, but that I needed both catalytic converters replaced, for ~ $3100. I was too stunned to ask questions. I had told them not to bother with diagnostics or clearing the CEL (I’d be going back to my local mechanic), so how would they know I needed over $3K additional work? The tech went to see if they cleared the check engine light. I said not to bother as I would be going elsewhere, but the tech started up the truck, and… Boom! It surged forward, bumping into the vehicle in front if it. Had I not moved to the side of the truck from the front where I had been standing, I would have a crushed knee right now. The tech’s response: “It was in neutral. Does it always do that?” Uhhh…No. The tech apologized, and several other people came over to ask if the tech was alright. One looked at my front bumper (which, admittedly, has seen better days) and the newer, more expensive one it bumped, declared both to be okay, and went about his business. I know the hit wasn’t huge (but it did crack a bent part of my license plate), and that not much else can be done, but a minimal apology and tech-directed concern, while I stand there wide-eyed, hand over mouth in disbelief, somehow just isn’t enough. I asked for a receipt, which I did not get, and drove out of the garage to sit and think.
Considered my entire Bernardi experience… I went back in and asked to speak with an owner or site manager. A nice young man at the sales desk went to get the service manager. I was told that he was “busy with several other customers, ” and he would call me…Still waiting.
Follow-up note: 2.5 weeks and 1, 000 miles later, my truck passed inspection, and the CEL never came back on (my mechanic cleared it later in the visit#3 day). No catalytic converters were replaced. No $3100 spent. Oh, and I never heard from anyone at Bernardi.

Bernardi Toyota is the Modern day sweat Shop equivalent.. It is unethical how they conduct business, not only with customers but with their employees. Let me put in in perspective for you. The owner Jim Carney(once a service advisor) took advantage of a widowed wife after Mr. Bernardi Died and purchased the company for short money. Having been in the car industry himself for many years, had the business knowledge of how lucrative this could be for him. He assembled a cash cow of a business but how, through the promise of wealth and career building to his sales staff. Behind the curtains really the only ones that are making the money are the big wigs of the company that wouldn’t give you the light of day. They sit in their office’s and count there money and crack the whip on the sales staff to do better, work harder as any business is sensationally run. The only problem is the fact they break the law and get away with it. The base of there entire company is through sales, ergo the sales staff are the foundation of operations. They are obligated to work 50 plus sometimes reportedly 60 hours a week with out any hourly compensation. Illegal! They are given a competitive commission plan that focus’s on profit of sales. The company’s prerogative is then to hire as many sale’s consultants as possible, preferably the ones with no experience. .Do you wonder why? because they are ignorant to the fact they are being scammed. They then tell the employees to come in on days off for customers to delivery cars and or sell already existing customers they have been in contact with. They impose an alter-madam of if they don’t they will give their hard earned money to someone who is working that day. Reportedly if a sales person does not have any sales for that week after working 50 hours they then are given draw which is minimum wage. Draw signifies you must pay back this money when you make sales(garnished wages). I will not go in depth at how deviant the corporate ladder is modeled and ran daily for time sake. But I think you all get the jest of it. Basically they have bamboozled the sales force into the promise of wealth. When in actuality they over hire so that it is impossible for the sales force to achieve the annual income promised. So they then fire the sales consultants that get over worked due to hours and stress and repeat the cycle of them making money off over worked and under paid sales force. HENCE sweat shop. THIS IS AMERICA not some third world country we have wage laws you know but they are not enforced due to the contributions of certain individuals in power not named for privacy rights. You be the judge. What happened to America have we all sold each other out due to greed and personal gain. JIM CARNEY if you ever take time out of your money counting day read this and try and remember when you where the guy at the bottom of the totem poll, the foundation of a company especially the automotive industry the guy that lives to work, not works to live . Please do you due diligences by takeng care of your hard working sales force, the BLUE COLLAR WORKERS in your community that you supposedly support! I promise in due course the customers will see this and want to conduct business at a respectable establishment. Your company is based on the customers word of mouth to others, so run it as such and implement an ethical approach of business. Assets exceed over 200 million I wonder why?

.Yours truly the caring community activist supporting community growth assurance and the fight against the unlawful business practices that threaten our peace and prosperity. LJ

I received a phone call from Bernardi Toyota stating they were interested in my 2005 Camry...I had bought it there 4 yrs. ago. They stated they were in need of "used" Camrys that were in good condition and that their service people had noticed mine fit the bill and also had low mileage. I scheduled an appt for Sat at 9:15am..was told to go in thee showroom and ask for a sales manager. I rec'd a confirmation call Fri evening at 6:24pm confirming the appt. I arrived there at 9:02..no one on the floor to assist me; finally at 9:10 there was a young gentleman at the desk. I told him why I was there and that I had an appt w/one of the dsales managers; he advised me there was a meeting (I could see all of them up on the second floor) and he should be down in 5 minutes. The young man then went upstairs to the meeting. 15 mnutes later another sales associate asked me if I needed help.. I told this man the same thing that I had an appt..a 9:15 appt. He stated he was in a meeting and would be down in 5. I waited until 9:32 and left. I went in there this am w/the full intention of purchasing a new Rav4. I now know I will havee to take my business elsewhere. I know everyone is busy...but my time is just as valuable as the next persons! They sought me out and should be mndful of that.