Toyota Parts Counter - erroneous excuses

[AndyLala]

I have just finished having a rant on the phone to some gormless twit on the Toyota Parts Counter. I apologise if I offend anyone with my personal views on this.

Having placed an order for some bits (which Milners don't do)... I have been told that they are on the slow boat from Belgium. This boat won't leave until its full and its expected due date is the 9th of June. Some of the bits I have asked for... 20mm rear fog light switch [with the raised edges, like the hard/soft suspension switch] (UK spec, landcruiser... probably), Torque bolts and nuts for the torsion bars (again UK Spec IFS Landcruiser - identical probably?)...

OK maybe the oil filler tube for the auto trans didn't come on any other UK spec vehicle (I find that a little difficult to believe - wasn't the 93-95 UK 4Runner a 2nd Gen?), I'll give him that one.

But, please, don't bullsh1t a bullsh1ter.

"Japanese spec vehicles must be different, they're Japanese"

"Japanese vehicles run a different ampage (?), they have smaller batteries"

"There is a different part number for Import vehicles, it can't be the same part"

"AAaaaaaaarrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh !"

[Guest]

I have just finished having a rant on the phone to some gormless twit on the Toyota Parts Counter. I apologise if I offend anyone with my personal views on this.

Having placed an order for some bits (which Milners don't do)... I have been told that they are on the slow boat from Belgium. This boat won't leave until its full and its expected due date is the 9th of June. Some of the bits I have asked for... 20mm rear fog light switch [with the raised edges, like the hard/soft suspension switch] (UK spec, landcruiser... probably), Torque bolts and nuts for the torsion bars (again UK Spec IFS Landcruiser - identical probably?)...

OK maybe the oil filler tube for the auto trans didn't come on any other UK spec vehicle (I find that a little difficult to believe - wasn't the 93-95 UK 4Runner a 2nd Gen?), I'll give him that one.

But, please, don't bullsh1t a bullsh1ter.

"Japanese spec vehicles must be different, they're Japanese"

"Japanese vehicles run a different ampage (?), they have smaller batteries"

"There is a different part number for Import vehicles, it can't be the same part"

"AAaaaaaaarrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh !"

Aren't they great. If you can find a good Toyota dealer then they are great, most aren't though.

Transmission dipstick tube would be different on a 4Runner as they are 3.0 and have a different position for the dipstick.

What you need to make it easier for other non engine related parts is a 4 runner chassis number. The Fog lamp switch is the same as fitted to the 4Runner, Landcruiser and more importantly the Hilux pickup.

The Torque bolts again would be the same on an IFS Pickup.

I got my foglamp switch from Octagon in Slough and just took the risk and ordered one for a pickup.

If you find a nice parts man they will look up and let you order parts for a vehicle you don't have a chassis number for, however you pay first and if they are wrong then you can't get your money back. If you have the chassis number then they will refund if the parts are wrong.

Cheers

[Shish]

better still is to have Euro and JDM disks for the EPC... you can lookup parts and crossreference them yourself. Many parts are the same. I then visit my dealership with a handfull of part numbers, they punch that it and tell me how much it is and thats it... no asking for chassis/model codes.

Parts stocked in the UK should return within 24 hours, other more obscure and 'non-inventory' (parts not for Euro cars) from Belgium should be 3-10 days and parts from Japan anything upto about 6 weeks.

I ordered several obscure parts for my MR2 SC that where only used on the JDM cars a while back... they where actually in stock in Belgium. Toyota monitor all parts orders and will keep stocks in europe if those parts are ordered enough.

An alternative to using the UK dealerships is getting them from the USA. Champion Toyota Gulf Freeway (http://www.toyotaworld.com) located in Texas can ship parts to the UK without any problems (i have used them many times). They even have online ordering (http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...?siteid=213747) I have a $300 order shipping from there at the moment.

[AndyLala]

Agreed...


Got the part numbers from a japanese disk on European EPC program.
Ok, apologies I did rant to the guy a bit much about the dipstick tube... but didn't the 2.4td landcruiser have the same gearbox and layout?

Still, escalated it to Toyota 'customer services'... lo and behold, the parts aren't even in Belgium yet... another 'untruth'... but promised me they'll be at the dealers by tuesday afternoon... another weekend of work gone...

Still, let the Toyota UK guy have it... Global Brand Awareness pitch. thousands of Surf's being imported from far east, untapped market, etc...

Oh, and please tell your dealers to be honest. If they don't know, say so, please? Don't give duff excuses that some customers may see through.

Still steamed about the whole thing...

AndyL

[Guest]

Agreed...


Got the part numbers from a japanese disk on European EPC program.
Ok, apologies I did rant to the guy a bit much about the dipstick tube... but didn't the 2.4td landcruiser have the same gearbox and layout?

Still, escalated it to Toyota 'customer services'... lo and behold, the parts aren't even in Belgium yet... another 'untruth'... but promised me they'll be at the dealers by tuesday afternoon... another weekend of work gone...

Still, let the Toyota UK guy have it... Global Brand Awareness pitch. thousands of Surf's being imported from far east, untapped market, etc...

Oh, and please tell your dealers to be honest. If they don't know, say so, please? Don't give duff excuses that some customers may see through.

Still steamed about the whole thing...

AndyL

Yep don't blame you, it's amazing the lack of customer service that they blame on the fact that the cars are imported - I suppose they don't want to give good customer service cos they are worried that all the customers will buy imported japanese motors with a far higher spec and then Toyota GB won't make any money.

Cheers

[TonyN]

Its all down to the dumbass behind the counter, Linda rang the Basingstoke Toy dealer yesterday, ordered a Head gasket and head set. Guy asked for the frame No and not the VIN and rang back 5 mins later asking what thickness head gasket we wanted, as they get 3 thicknesses, advised on the thickest cos we run higher octane deisel in the UK, which is why the gasket probebly failed anyway (she didn't mention we run an octane booster as well on top of that!!! )

Anyway, ordered it all, can swap the gasket if we don't like it, he ordered it from somewhere abroad Wednesday, in the dealers on Friday for us. Great service all round, was helpfull and didn't give Linda any bull$hite as she was a girl etc. By the time you add Milners postage, cost was only £30 more than Milners patent parts for genuine Toy bits.

Very happy.

The fog light switch and torsion bar bolts are all standard 4Runner parts anyway, they may be right that the dipstick isn't standard to a UK car, but they sghouldn't have any trouble getting one.

[Guest]

The fog light switch and torsion bar bolts are all standard 4Runner parts anyway, they may be right that the dipstick isn't standard to a UK car, but they sghouldn't have any trouble getting one.

I think the dipstick on the 3.0 is also different on an import than a UK 4Runner - the normal oil one certainly is. The UK 4Runner uses the 1KZT and the Surf 3.0 uses the 1KZTE.

I agree with Tony, service varies depending on the person behind the counter. Octagon Toyota in Slough have been very helpful every time I have been in, even when ordering a new centre console armrest (arm and a leg time though) which listed 3 different types depending on the options in the car (mine has the Winter Pack option with twin heaters).

On the other hand my local one was generally useless - and now they are a Renault dealer anyway.

Cheers

[Elvz]

It doesn't really matter whether the dealer is good or bad or whether the car is Uk market or an import. Simple reason why nothing to do with Toyota dealerships ever works properly is that Toyota GB doesn't keep reasonable stocks of anything. They don't even hold the stock themselves they use a wannabe logistics company which has only one depot in the whole of the UK

[TonyN]

It doesn't really matter whether the dealer is good or bad or whether the car is Uk market or an import. Simple reason why nothing to do with Toyota dealerships ever works properly is that Toyota GB doesn't keep reasonable stocks of anything. They don't even hold the stock themselves they use a wannabe logistics company which has only one depot in the whole of the UK

Our bits turned up on time, as promised, got them this morning after ordering them on Wednesday afternoon. Fair play to them.

[AndyLala]

So what you are saying is that they simply don't love me...AndyL

[Linda]

So what you are saying is that they simply don't love me...AndyL

Nope - he's just saying you gotta move to Basingstoke!!!

[AndyLala]

Oh, thats alright.Phew...

Still got it then...

[got something, don't tell anyone ........ ]

andyL

[Koi]

Oh, thats alright.Phew...

Still got it then...

[got something, don't tell anyone ........ ]

andyL

I have used the Toyota dealers in St Albans a few times, gave them details over the phone, parts ordered & a phone call to say your parts are in.

[Rob]

Tried to order some brake drums from Toy dealer yesterday. He said sorry but it's a non-GB part and will have to come from Europe. Oh, and the price is £166 each inc VAT!!!
So I went to Milners and ordered some drums for £54 quid each which fit 2nd and 3rd gens.
They have been good on previous visits though.

[Smeg]

The guy who owned my Surf before me had fun with a Toyota dealer when trying to get some part - parts guy had never heard of a Surf! So, he told him it was just like a 4Runner ..... "a 4 what?" was the reply! Parts guy had never heard of that either, so he asked the servicing guy - nope, he'd not heard of one either.... Doh!

I found when calling a couple (trying to source bolts for my bullbar) that one (Denton) was extremely useless - "It's an import, it may look the same but underneath it's completely different", and the other (Northwich) was fairly helpful (at least tried to find the info). Maybe we should start a rogues gallery of the good and bad ones!

Geoff.