Dealing with main dealers...

[Karma Supra]

Well that's utterly ########! we should have a name and shame thread (and a praise thread, because we are not all always negative... always...)

Also the "they know nothing about imports" excuse is (should be) utter rubbish...

They are still a Toyota Franchise, with proper access to all the Toyota TSRM's and Toyota specific tools.

I'm a bloke from IT that works in a shed with cheap and sometimes homemade tools and I do a pretty good job of looking after what is left of a Toyota surf!

I love Toyotas, but Toyota as a company infuriates me... where you get companies like Porsche that actively open up new factories to churn out parts for their 80s and 90s cars, Toyota actively discontinue parts, and worse still their dealerships BIN old car parts! I only know this as I've been knocking around the scene for a while and a friendly dealership gave me a call one day to say "Charlie we are binning a load of MKIII supra stuff, we can't give it to you, but turn up by our skip at this time and it's yours"

The mantra of "its old, lets kill it off" is very much inline with the "its not natively sold, lets play dumb"

[Triv]

This what I like about Toyota. Had I been dealing with Mercedes the story would be very different.

On Thursday I rang Toyota UK customer relations. What a bunch of nice people!
On Friday morning I dropped off the surf at a different dealership and had a chat with the chief technician.
On Friday afternoon I collected the surf from them with a report and estimate for repair. The service manager had a chat with me and made it perfectly clear that he was there to help and that nothing would be too much trouble.
Tomorrow morning (Monday), Toyota will be speaking with the dealer principal at Bristol.
I'd like to be a fly on the wall for the morning in his office!

Somebody will be contacting me soon with a solution to this whole sorry story.

The diagnostic report couldn't be fully completed because it would have meant leaving the truck immobile due to a fractured brake drum. Basically, the workshop took the wheel off but couldn't get the drum off without breaking it because the handbrake was jammed on so hard!
There is a 'major leak of differential oil', so that's enough really but the report mentions a few things in it's entirety.
How the previous service manager could repeatedly tell me that there is no oil leak defies belief, even if he's relying on his technician. I've been outside with him and shown him!

Anyway, £75 on a diagnostic inspection is well worth it I reckon. Mustn't speak too soon though I guess, better wait for the outcome of tomorrow's discussions.

[shokenore]

Shame that you have had to resort to Toyo GB to get anywhere.
Time to name and shame, if only to warn other Toyo drivers of potential issues when using that dealer.


My local one, Fish Brothers Toyota had some very questionable prices for work that I HAD to get done ie they said it was dangerous to drive unless repaired, following my recall work on the steering relay rod.
Namely
£1300 to change the gearbox mount!!!!!!!!
among others

[Triv]

Update coming soon on this!

It's taken a while for me to do anything about it as I severed a tendon in my hand and couldn't drive for a couple of months. Great isn't it, I use chainsaws and sharp tools all day long but put myself out of action with a fridge!

Anyway, the main dealer has the truck again and...
Well, we'll see.