Another dealer to avoid

[Peter Howe]

Bunch of muppets.

 

Had an A service done last Friday. Reset the peak hold on the DSBC, it read -52 when I'd parked the car. Returned to the car after the service, keys in the ignition, lo and behold, it suddenly reads 1.37

 

Interesting... Seeing as my peak warn is 1.2, I've never seen more than 1.29, and what part of the service required 1.37 boost? Wtf is that about? Didn't have much petrol left either. Wonder why?

 

They also failed to stamp the service book, and I now get a major kangaroo effect sometimes in 2nd and 3rd. Cheers for that. Oh, and they must have messed with the DSBC settings too, cos the reduction thing was set to -5, so it would never retard boost enough to fall below peak warn. It just kept going up and up.

 

They had the balls to tell me I needed a grommet for the gearbox and one of my shocks was weeping. No, it's TWO of them actually. I laughed in the guy's face when he asked if I wanted them to order the parts. They can die before they get another penny out of me.

 

P.

[Flipfinger]

That's so shocking, that these people you trust with your car take them out to thrash them around.  That makes me more angry in ways than them ripping people off for things they don't need.

 

Fitting a tacho would be the answer, and making the mechanic who took it in sign a chitty showing when and where they took delivery of it, and the correct ODO settings....

[Doughie]

Yep what i would do going forward is to take the mileage reading *exactly* and write that down on the instructions to them and say "DO NOT ROAD-TEST THE CAR", and agree that with them in advance.     They may try to say "it's part of the service" but tell them you specifically do not want the car roadtested and you have recorded the mileage too.

 

Second, I would instruct them that the DSBC is NOT to be touched at all, and agree that up front.   Since it's an aftermarket device, there is no reason for them to touch it.   take a note of all DSBC readings before leaving the car, (do not tell them the readings that you have taken).

 

Sounds like they've adjusted your clutch badly too, which explains the kangaroo hopping.    I know that Eric Kasir who had the car before you thought that TW Hawkins were quite good.    Somewhere South of where Eric lives.    I'm sure he can help here and maybe give you their number.

 

I too have had a bad experience with Toyota.    they did NOT tighten the sumplug and it almost fell out.    it was so loose i could unscrew it with 2 fingers.    Also they lost a wheel-nut of my left-rear wheel.   I only found that out months later when i checked the wheels.    Basically my take is that they give the "simple" stuff to some 18yr opld apprentice who doesn't care or doesn't know how to do the basics.   really really pathetic.

[Peter Howe]

My mate has an MR2T and already had bad experience with Guildford, so I was intending to reset Trip B, reset the peak etc and turn the DSBC to minimum. Only problem was I forgot to do most of it as I was too stressed about work and in a hurry.

 

I'm going back later in the week for a major kick-off. I didn't have time last week and the DSBC "proof" is long gone, but I feel a good shouting session (if not maiming) is in order.

 

Chances of me maintaing the FTSH from now on? I'd rather juggle some bear cubs in front of their mother.

 

P.

 

PS When I dropped the car off, I explained I wanted my oil used, not theirs. The guy asked where it was, so I said sitting on the passenger seat, you can't miss it.

 

He replied "I'd better not put 'Use oil on passenger seat' or they'll get the wrong idea and pour it all over the seat". And he wasn't joking. I should have walked out there and then.

[Flipfinger]

Maybe leaving them a letter saying "Detach penis from forehead" would have been useful....

[Guest Martin F]

 

Pete that is pretty disgusting and not something you would expect from a main dealer.

 

After your experience and my previous one at Elite, i can't see me feeling happy leaving my car with any garage.

 

The problem is that because our cars are so rare, and probably gaining something of a cult status that as soon as you drive them in a garage  they attract attention.

 

 

 

 

[Phil Wall]

Ok anther one of Phil’s stories, sad but true.

 

Quite a few years ago, a colleague'a brother had an early  Golf GTI quite nicely moded. Took it to his local garage for a service. When he collected the car it had an additional 85 miles on the clock. He went straight to the manager to complain, the manager insisted that been necessary to do several “significant road tests”.  The guy would not back down, so  he reluctantly took his car back. As he turn left out of the garage the offside front wheel fell off, the nuts were nowhere to be seen, still in the garage, loads of damage to brakes and drive shaft.

 

He hit the roof but had little option other than to let them fix, it after he got them to write off the original bill. He rightly, insisted on a loan car so they gave him a reasonable spec golf.  

 

He absolute shagged the car, he drove everywhere in the first three gears over-revving it all the time, valves bouncing out of their guides. When he went back to pickup his car, over a week later there was smoke pouring out of the little golf and the clutch was knackered. I did not think it was possible to drive a car to destruction in a week, but he did it.  He had to free wheel the thing into their forecourt with the engine off, so as not to give the game away. Needless to say he never did go back to the garage.  About two years later the garage ceased trading and was taken over by Ford.

 

 

I think we need a competition.

 

Ok alternatives for FTSH = Full Toyota Service History

 

And the winner gets..................., you’ve got it a Toyota Service, at their own expense of course.

 

[Brian Jackett]

Most of us can do the servicing ourself. It is not difficult, I never, never take any of my cars to garages. DIY, at least if something changes you know what you did so you can sort it out.

 

All garages are crap.

 

 

 

regards

[Adam W]

I am SO lucky that my uncle owns a garage - he has done all the work on all of my cars and I can trust him to never, ever rip me off, or do a second-rate job, or use crap parts, or put some 17 year old school leaver on the case.

The best thing is, he treats ALL of his customers like that.  He's not the cheapest mechanic around, and he's not a supra expert, but the peace of mind that comes with *knowing* that he's straight down the line is priceless.

[Phil Wall]

Reading post like these reminds me of the reasons I have not use a main dealer for a vehicle service for about 17 years. I have a feeling I not about  to change my mind. I just keep my cars, no need for FMDSH!

[dil]

I used City gate in slough, about 2 months ago to get a new battery fitted, i left it with them all afternoon, when i drove it home the car kept stalling on me, the next morning it was idling at 3-4000 rpm from startup, and since has had floaty idling anywhere between 200-1000 rpm, i've read alot in the other threads about ecu 1,2 can pulling this out & popping them back in cure my idling

 

 

cheers

[Guest Martin F]

 

It may cure it as it resets the ECU.

 

You have nothing to loose by trying it, so give it a go.

 

 

[Ring Master]

 

I am amazed at how you have been treated by Toyota;

if it was me I would phone that BBC complaints programme

Watchdog, honestly, if you did, YOU WOULD GET COMPENSATION !

 

Otherwise, how about writing to Toyota ?

 

Personally, I dont trust any garage to work on my car, unless

they are dedicated mechanics for that particular model.

 

Leon in Watford is ideal for supra servicing, half Toyotas hourly

rates, and he knows the mechanical side of supras inside out

(Leon 07956 285219); Stuart Sandy is another I hear only good

things about and goes without saying, Chris Wilson if your in the

Midlands is completely trustworthy and highly skilled.

 

Those are the only 3 people other than Ash that I would ever

let loose on my supra without me being there to supervise.