A documented account, Wappingers Falls, NY

Buyer beware at DCH Toyota Wappingers

Hidden optional items, omitted cheaper warranty options, improper car inspections, and repairs done by sales staff instead of technicians.

In May 2026 I bought a Toyota Gold Certified 2022 Toyota Tundra from DCH Toyota in Wappingers Falls. It has been my worst car buying experience ever. I have spent dozens of hours and countless awkward conversations trying to get what I paid for.

The sales manager, Daryl Callahan, has been particularly nasty. He has been dishonest and condescending at every step. But the issues run deeper than one person. There is a built in culture of taking advantage of the customer. Hundreds of dollars of useless "optional" items that are not identified until signing, a warranty switched from what I asked for, and a disregard for the procedures Toyota lays out, like the Gold Certified inspection.

It turns out the truck I bought was actually Daryl's own trade in. He knew about many of the issues with it, and it still made it past the 160 point Gold Certified inspection.

I reached out to Toyota corporate. They told me that all decisions are up to the dealership, and if I do not agree with the decision I can look for solutions outside the company. Cool. So here we are.

I am not sure why this dealership did not do the right thing. If they had fixed these issues without hesitation I would have been a customer for life, because I would know I would be taken care of. Instead I am spending my time building this site. The cost to fix my issues was so small compared to the cost of just one or two people seeing this site.

What other customers say, last three years

Public reviews quoted from the platforms shown, 1 to 3 star ratings posted in the last three years. Each links to its source.

ISSUE 01

Make sure you ask for the third-party warranty options. They are longer, cheaper, and exactly the same level of care. I saved $500 and got 24 more months.

They will not tell you about the cheaper one unless you ask.

I have gotten a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty on my last six cars, and I expected the same here. When I paid the deposit, I wrote the 10 year warranty on the sheet and circled it. Unfortunately I did not receive a copy. That was before I realized I had to keep every little thing from them to use as evidence.

When I showed up at signing, there was a 7 year warranty on the list. I would never have agreed to that. I was about to walk out on the deal, because it is simply not what I agreed to. Only then did they reveal that there is a 9 year warranty that is exactly the same, and it is $500 cheaper. It is just from a third party. I saved $500 and got 24 more months, and I only got it because I pushed back.

Later they tried to convince me that the circled 10 year item on the deposit sheet was my offer, which they had countered. That is simply not true. At first I gave them the benefit of the doubt that the whole thing was a misunderstanding. After everything else I have been through with them, I do not think it was.

ISSUE 02

Watch out for last-minute "optional" charges folded into signing. Cost me $800 more.

Ask if the sticker price includes any optional items.

When I look back at the documents I was encouraged to quickly sign at closing, I realized I was charged $798 plus tax, about $863, for two separate items, PULSE and NITRO. The total price of the truck was the same as the sticker, but these items were left off the sticker. Essentially the sticker is inflated so they can tack these on at the end. You are allowed to refuse them. I wish I had caught it at the time. In my case they added the charge when the item was not even installed. Their own WE OWE slip, written the same day, says so.

The two "optional" items on my bill were PULSE and NITRO.

E-1 The two $399 lines on my contract
Retail purchase agreement, optional equipment section: PULSE 399.00 and NITRO 399.00 boxed in red
Retail Purchase Agreement, May 15, 2026, "Optional Equipment (Dealer Installed)". Full pages (PDF, personal details redacted)
E-1 Paid for, not delivered: the WE OWE slip
WE OWE slip listing PULSE, valid for only thirty days, appointment with the service department required
Written the same day as the contract. "Valid for only (30) THIRTY DAYS." Full pages (PDF, personal details redacted)
E-14 Graded D for fees and add-ons
CarEdge dealer rating for DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota: grade D, 67 out of 100, below average
CarEdge, an independent site that grades dealerships on hidden fees and forced add-ons, captured August 5, 2026: "Add-ons are baked into almost every deal. 100% of quotes include dealer add-ons, averaging $1,231. This is their business model." Regraded B, 86/100, by September 18, 2026, with add-ons on 64% of quotes. See the D rating (our capture of the full page, August 5, 2026) · CarEdge page today

I am not the only one. Here are reviews from other customers who had trouble with the same issues. In some cases they felt pressured to take the add-ons and say they were told the add-ons were mandatory. Each links to the original review.

DealerRater
I realized that almost $1,000 worth of "dealer added accessories" had been added on without ever being explicitly disclosed to me. If I had known, I would have never opted for nitrofill in my tires and a clear coat over the car. They refused to remove the charges.
A.S.Dec 5, 2021
Read on DealerRater →
Carfax
Dealer added in mandatory add-ons like the pulse blinking third brake light, saying its a safety requirement.
2021 Ram Laramie shopperOct 11, 2022
Read on Carfax →
Yelp
The tires were not inflated with nitrogen. We also realized the pulse brakes weren't installed. We took a video, sent it to Jaime and he said they would issue us a refund. That was in October 2022. I have reached out several times and keep getting the run around.
Kathleen Q.Sep 20, 2023
Read on Yelp →
Carfax
That said, I was forced to buy $1400 in unnecessary dealer installed accessories (clearcoat, nitrogen filled tires, and a likely illegal modification to the rear brake light) as they were "mandatory" to place an order here.
2024 Grand Highlander shopperFeb 28, 2024
Read on Carfax →
Carfax
horrible experience! perma plate and nitro charge 1400 usd
2024 Corolla LE shopperJan 3, 2025
Read on Carfax →
DealerRater
Over three separate visits, I was misled about optional add-ons like Pulse and NitroFill, which I made clear I did not want or need. Despite stating multiple times (in person and on the phone) that I wanted to stick to the advertised price and stay within my budget, I was pressured and told these extras were "mandatory."
JAJA1205Jul 4, 2025sales visit - used
Read on DealerRater →

Sources for the product facts: Pulse FAQ ("not sold on the Internet and is not sold directly to the consumer"), Consumer Reports on nitrogen, Consumer Reports on dealer extras, Wrangler forum, Maverick forum.

ISSUE 03

Toyota's 160-point inspection not done by a technician, many issues missed

Summary

Part of the Gold Certified process is a detailed inspection of every car, signed off by several people, to make sure it is up to Toyota's standards. Toyota's official 160-Point Quality Assurance Inspection Check Sheet requires three signatures: a "Required Technician Signature" on a line labeled "Toyota Trained Technician," a "Required Manager Signature," and a Used Car Manager. The dealership's own website says "A rigorous 160-point inspection is completed on every gold certified Toyota" (their program page).

The checklist I was provided shows all three lines signed by the same person. The dealership's own staff page lists that person as a Sales Manager, not a technician. Even though the form requires the signee to confirm they are a technician.

According to this document, a technician never looked at my truck before it was Gold Certified. This is particularly troubling considering every box was marked as passing, even though I had many issues with the vehicle, including one that was unsafe. I have seen this pattern of neglecting advertised protocols when they are inconvenient throughout my dealings with this dealership.

Evidence
E-6 Improper signatures on the certification
Checklist signature page: Technician, Service Manager, and Used Car Manager lines, each with the same name and the date 05/08/2026
Three roles, one name, one date. Open the full checklist (PDF)
E-20 Salesperson who signed as the Technician
Screenshot of the DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota staff page listing Joshua Johns as Sales Manager
Sales Manager, per the dealership's staff page. Captured 2026-09-17.
ISSUE 04

Details on all items missed in Toyota's inspection

Toyota Gold Certified vehicles are marketed as having passed a 160-point Quality Assurance Inspection by factory-trained technicians, with anything below standard fixed before the sale. Here is what I found on this certified truck, starting on the test drive. Click a problem to open it. For each one, the checklist line that was signed off as good is shown beside the evidence. Keep in mind that every item was marked as passing on the checklist (see the full checklist). Although they have agreed to fix some of these issues, the bigger issue is that they were not caught in the initial inspection, especially since the inspection does not appear to have been done by a technician. What else could be wrong? Make sure you look at this sheet and go through everything with a fine-tooth comb before giving this dealership any money.

ISSUE 05

The hands-free tailgate drop does not work from the key fob or the side button. Manager misleading about function.

Summary

I told Daryl Callahan, the General Sales Manager at DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota, that the rear tailgate does not drop with the Toyota brand tonneau cover installed. Rather than investigate, he told me the button only unlocks the latch, so it is working correctly.

This is incorrect. The fob button itself shows the tailgate down, and Toyota's Owner's Manual says: "Press and hold the switch. Tailgate opens by gravity."

I told him that if he could show me documentation that the Toyota cover is supposed to stop the gate from dropping, I would drop the issue. He could not point me to anything, so I did the research myself. Toyota's build sheet shows this cover is a genuine Toyota part, sold new on this truck by DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota itself. Toyota's own installation instructions for it end with a check the installer must complete: "Tailgate should open and close without interference." Mine does not. The dealership still will not acknowledge this as an issue and maintains it works as intended.

This is one example. I have been intentionally misled many times, to the point where I no longer feel comfortable working with this man.

What the dealer said
"So I called and said it's not working correctly and they called me because it wasn't even offered on that model."
Daryl Callahan, General Sales Manager, recorded call 2 [09:43]
0:00 Full recording at 09:43
"All that does is electronically release the latch. If the ... tonneau cover is closed, there's a seal that goes along there. So that seal can impede the tailgate from lowering. It doesn't have an electric open and closed tailgate. You know that, right? It's just electronic release."
Daryl Callahan, General Sales Manager, recorded call 2 [09:54]
0:00 Full recording at 09:54
"...if you have a tonneau cover on there that has a seal that goes along the top of the rail of the tailgate it's not going to allow the tailgate to drop freely so a Toyota branded tonneau cover is engineered in a way that..."
Daryl Callahan, General Sales Manager, recorded call 2 [10:14]
0:00 Full recording at 10:14
"Does the latch release when you press the button?" "Yes. ... The latch releases when I press the button, but it doesn't come down."
Daryl Callahan and me, recorded call 2 [10:45]
0:00 Full recording at 10:45
Evidence
E-23 The fob button shows the tailgate down
Key fob tailgate button from the owner's manual: the icon shows a truck with the tailgate down
2022 Tundra Owner's Manual. Full manual (PDF)
E-23 "Tailgate opens by gravity"
2022 Tundra Owner's Manual page 119: using the wireless remote control, press and hold the switch, tailgate opens by gravity
Owner's Manual page 119, fob and tail-lamp switch. Full manual (PDF)
E-25 Toyota's own install check for this cover
Toyota tonneau cover installation instructions, page 9 checklist: confirm tailgate operation, tailgate should open and close without interference
"Tailgate should open and close without interference." Part PT954-34220-02, page 9. Full instructions (PDF)
ISSUE 06

Sales manager Daryl Callahan did work himself that I was told a body shop would do. It was not good. Still not resolved

The spray-in bed liner is listed as installed equipment on this truck's Gold Certified window sticker (see the sticker), and the checklist marked it "in good condition and secured" (see the full checklist). It was peeling off the bed in chunks. Here is what Daryl Callahan, the General Sales Manager at DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota, said about it on a recorded call. Press play on each one. He even argued with me about what the checklist wording implies, twisting "bed liner is in good condition and secured" into something that is obviously incorrect. The only offer was to rip out the rest of the liner, not to repair or replace it.

When I finally agreed, plans were made with a body shop to do it in a very specific way. I got the details from the service department and a loaner for a week. I got a call back within 24 hours saying it was done, and that Daryl Callahan himself had taken out the bed liner, even though he is not part of the service department. He did a horrible job. See the pictures below.

When I confronted Daryl about it, he blamed me and stated that it was clear he would be the one to remove the bed liner personally. Listen to the recordings above and decide for yourself. Good thing I have a record. I would advise recording all of your calls with Daryl. In New York you do not even have to tell him.

The liner is a "wearable item"
"...because the spray-in bed liner is a wearable item. And what you have underneath that is a three sixteenth inch thick sheet molded composite that is weatherproof... So that's why the spray-in bed liner is going to get wear and tear. It's not going to be free from that."
Daryl Callahan, General Sales Manager, recorded call 2 [03:55]
0:00 Full recording at 03:55
"We could have sold the truck without a bed liner"
"...then we could have removed the rest of it and sold the truck without a spray on bed liner completely. You know that, right?" "I don't know that. But honestly, it says it's in good condition when I bought the car. The checklist says it's in good condition."
Daryl Callahan and me, recorded call 2 [05:20]
0:00 Full recording at 05:20
The offer: remove it, not redo it
"There are hand sized pieces that are coming up off of the thing. You can reach underneath it with your hand. It's just peeling out of the truck." "If you want us to remove the rest of the spray on bedliner, I'll do that for you... But it's not something where I can redo the spray on bed liner."
Me and Daryl Callahan, recorded call 2 [05:43]
0:00 Full recording at 05:43
Twisting the checklist wording
"It does say bed liners properly secured, which is referring to a drop-in bedliner, which is kind of outdated and obsolete..." "Well, we could argue that bed liner properly secured means it's also not peeling up out of the thing."
Daryl Callahan and me, recorded call 2 [08:30]
0:00 Full recording at 08:30
"Rip out the rest" at the repair visit
"So let's get the truck here for the chrome piece and to touch up the scratches that are on there. And then at that time we can rip out the rest of the spray on bed liner for you so that's not there anymore."
Daryl Callahan, General Sales Manager, recorded call 2 [16:19]
0:00 Full recording at 16:19
E-16 The wheel hump
Bed liner peeled away at the wheel hump, bare bed showing
Photographed September 16, 2026, after the dealership's work on the bed.
E-16 The rail edge
Edge of the bed rail with the liner cut back and bare surface exposed
Photographed September 16, 2026, after the dealership's work on the bed.
E-16 The bed floor
Truck bed floor ribs after the liner was removed
Photographed September 16, 2026, after the dealership's work on the bed.
E-16 The front wall
Front wall of the truck bed after the liner was removed
Photographed September 16, 2026, after the dealership's work on the bed.
E-16 Close-up of the ribs
Close-up of the bed ribs with liner remnants
Photographed September 16, 2026, after the dealership's work on the bed.
ISSUE 07

Paint repair done at the dealership in an unsatisfactory way Still not resolved Pending

The scrapes along the lower edge of the front bumper and the scratches through the paint were on the truck when the dealership sold it to me as Gold Certified. Daryl Callahan, the General Sales Manager at DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota, drove this truck before it was sold, and on a recorded call he admitted the bumper scratch had been there "since the day that I got the truck." The checklist still marked the paint and bumpers as passing (see the full checklist).

On that same call he said the dealership was "going to touch up" the bumper. It was dropped off with the bed liner work, which I was told was going to a body shop and would take at least a week. It came back in 24 hours. It never went to the body shop. The work was done in house by someone the dealership told me was a certified professional. These pictures were taken the day after I got the truck back. The scratches are still there.

Update, September 2026. I met with the General Manager of the dealership. He took one look at the work and did not try to defend it for a second. He said it was a horrible touch-up job, and he agreed to have the panel professionally repainted.

It is sad that I had to spend four months and go to the top of the food chain to get this fixed. More concerning is that Daryl Callahan tried to pass this off as acceptable. When I questioned him about the quality of the work, he said: "It's a touch-up. Maybe next time you should just buy a new car." I guess he was wrong.

"We're going to touch up" the bumper
"There's also a scratch on the lower front of the bumper that we're going to touch up for you."
Daryl Callahan, General Sales Manager, recorded call 2 [09:22]
0:00 Full recording at 09:22
Scratched "since the day that I got the truck"
"...along the plastic there on the front lower edge of the bumper has been scratched since the day that I got the truck."
Daryl Callahan, General Sales Manager, recorded call 2 [13:22]
0:00 Full recording at 13:22
E-6 Paint and bumpers marked as passing
Checklist items 155 and 158, paint free of scratches and bumpers free of cuts and gouges, checked Meets Standards
Items 155 and 158. Full checklist (PDF)
E-21 The lower edge of the bumper
Scrapes along the lower edge of the front bumper
Photographed September 17, 2026, after the dealership's touch-up.
E-21 Close-up of the scrape
Close-up of a scrape through the paint on the bumper edge
Photographed September 17, 2026, after the dealership's touch-up.
E-21 Scrape and valance
Scrape on the bumper edge with the lower valance below
Photographed September 17, 2026, after the dealership's touch-up.
E-21 Gouges in the valance
Gouges in the lower valance below the bumper
Photographed September 17, 2026, after the dealership's touch-up.
E-21 Gouges in the valance, second angle
Second close-up of gouges in the lower valance
Photographed September 17, 2026, after the dealership's touch-up.