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    BACK ON THE ROAD: Emily Friedrichsen, and her children Leyton and Liam, pick up keys to a new car, to replace a stolen one, from Horsham Toyota staff members Joel Kelly, front, Tony Cunningham and Billy Elphinstone. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Praise for problem solvers

A Horsham mother has praised the community-minded essence of a Horsham car dealership after a drawn out and unfortunate car-theft ordeal.

Emily Friedrichsen said when her car keys were stolen in April this year, the dealer where she bought her car, Horsham Toyota, ‘bent over backwards’ for two-and-a-half months to get her and her children back on the road.

“My car keys were stolen and it became clear the thieves would come back for my 12-month- old car,” she said.

“So when I called Horsham Toyota about some replacement keys, they first suggested they tow the car free of charge and keep it locked in their yard, to keep it safe,” she said.



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“When that wasn’t possible, they even suggested bringing me a spare car to use to block the other one in my driveway.”

Unfortunately, such suggestions did not save Mrs Friedrichsen’s car, which was stolen not long after.

She said Horsham Toyota’s kindness did not stop there.

“They then lent me a loan car for free for the next two months, and after it broke down twice, they even serviced it at no charge,” she said.
“They even sent their guys down to jump start the loan car when it wouldn’t start. They just went above and beyond in every way. “

During negotiations with her insurance company, Horsham Toyota sourced Mrs Friedrichsen a same make and model new car, which she picked up last week.

She said her insurance company had a preferred dealership in Melbourne, but she ‘fought hard’ to ensure a deal could be done between Horsham Toyota and her insurance provider.

“I trusted the Toyota guys in Horsham, they looked after me,” she said.

“I wouldn’t get the help they gave me in a big city, and I thought it was important to give our brilliant businesses in Horsham a shake.

“They even put my new car on hold in their lot for a month while I sorted my insurance out.

“I told people I wasn’t going anywhere else for my car. Given how long it can take to get a new car at the moment with supply restraints, and how quickly they could have sold it, it was just amazing what they did.”

– Michael Scalzo

 

The entire June 22, 2022 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!