1999 Toyota Soluna

[emilymat]

I realise it is difficult for any reader to comment too much. However, I would welcome a view - particularly on quoted prices.

 

I have a Toyota that is 17 years old and has done 240,000 km. In most respects it runs great and the engine, gearbox etc are as smooth as a nut,. I have changed oils regularly etc etc but recently I developed a knocking noise on the steering, mainly on R/H full lock.  Apart from that I have no problems with the steering and no 'wander' or anything like that. (p.s. no power steering).  I know a bit about cars and have had it up on axle stands and checked around the transmission drive shafts and steering arms etc. No slack and everything seems 'firmly' in place. No movement of the wheels when I try to rock them. I've also seen quite a few video's on U Tube about this broad subject and realise there could be a variety of causes and solutions.

 

Anyway, here's the rub.  I decided to take it to the Toyota main dealer in Pattaya for an assessment and quote. They said I needed new drive shafts and a new rack and pinion assembly. This was after a pretty cursory inspection which I observed.   The quote they gave me was 30,000 baht and 26,000 for the drive shafts and 35,000 for a new rack and pinion assembly. That's 91,000 for starters without labour etc.

 

I also detected a reluctance to even consider doing the job as they would have to take some time to order the parts, and also being quietly advised to buy a new car - Toyota presumably.!!

 

I really would welcome a view on these parts prices. Am I being misled?.  I would really want a second opinion and I will try and get it looked at somewhere else.

 

With many thanks if you are able to give me steer on those part replacements prices in particular.

[steve187]

if the knocking is as you turn a tight right hand curve,i would think it is a cv joint, if so a local street corner repair shop would be better than a main dealer.

[JoeW]

Please do not let Toyota repair it. Go to a decent local shop and have them do it. Probably cost around 25,000 to 30,000 maximum (that's what it would cost at our shop) exclusive of labor.

[ktm jeff]

Sounds like the right side CV joint.. Parts will need to be ordered. Can a local garage / tire shop do it .

[steve187]

[emilymat]

Thank you very much for those replies. I'll follow the advice.

[jay1980]

as others have said, don't go to Toyota main dealer to fix an older car, best go with a recommended independent place

 

In pattaya I have found this guy is OK:

 

Adithep, 094479407

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adithep-Motor-Access-S-Car-Care/243219922705169?rf=1062729003798172

 

note the location on the facebook page is wrong, he is now located here:

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@12.8962606,100.9088017,127a,35y,87.22h,45t/data=!3m1!1e3

 

Maybe just the CV boot has leaked and no grease inside, so to start with I would get the CV boot's replaced and re greased.

 

hope that helps

 

 

[jay1980]

just to add, if it turns out you do need more expensive parts like drive shafts/steering rack, can source them here:

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/ซอย+เซียงกงบางนา+4+ตำบล+บางพลีใหญ่+บางพลี+สมุทรปราการ+10540/@13.6304803,100.7029679,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x30e2a00bb218f43d:0x30100b25de25070!2z4LmB4LiC4Lin4LiHIOC4muC4suC4h-C4meC4siDguYDguILguJUg4Lia4Liy4LiH4LiZ4LiyIOC4geC4o-C4uOC4h-C5gOC4l-C4nuC4oeC4q-C4suC4meC4hOC4ow!3b1!8m2!3d13.6682174!4d100.614025!3m4!1s0x311d5e815b93cb55:0xafb97f393cf62068!8m2!3d13.6304751!4d100.7051566

 

at the 'Chiang Kong' used car spares village Bangna for a tiny fraction of what the Toyota main dealer are asking to supply the parts

 

 

 

[emilymat]

Thanks Jay - really helpful. I'm not sure I can figure out the second Google map in your first post, giving the new location, but I'll work on it.

 

It's the old dilemma. Two years ago I was planning to re-locate to Spain and sold my 4 year old Vios. All my plans fell through with Brexit and the drop in the pound, so I came back here last December, needed a car, and so bought this Soluna for 80,000 baht. I've looked after it and it runs really well and has one or two marks etc on the body but what the hell. New battery, radiator, oils changed in engine and gearbox etc etc.  'Buy a new car' my mates say  - but that's not easy for me as I would have to go into 3/4 years finance etc and I might not be here that long!  Another second hand car might just throw up a host of other problems, so I would rather stick with the devil I know. What Thais ask for seond hand vehicles is often ridiculous and they never seem to put prices on them.

 

Although I've been in Pattaya dark side for years I have not really looked for repair shops of the more sophisticated type that can do the bigger jobs. That's why your posts have been helpful. The car drives OK as long as I don't engage in violent turns, which sets off the noise.

 

I'll keep you posted when I've sorted things out this week. 

[kartman]

New aftermarket CV joint approx 800 baht plus fitting total probably 1500 baht if you pay a little over the top on labour.

[jay1980]

8 hours ago, emilymat said:

Thanks Jay - really helpful. I'm not sure I can figure out the second Google map in your first post, giving the new location, but I'll work on it.

Hi

 

If you see the moobaan called central park 4, he is more or less on the opposite side of the road, Google still shows his shop as empty land but now there is a car wash and his workshop behind. He speaks basic English. It's just past a weird half finished fake castle building.

 

Try this map to get you in the general area

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/dir/''/central+park+4+pattaya/@12.896598,100.8401121,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x310294351d6b820f:0x29dbc9e669164c2f!2m2!1d100.9101526!2d12.8966073

 

hope that helps

Edited November 19, 2017 by jay1980

[emilymat]

19 hours ago, kartman said:

New aftermarket CV joint approx 800 baht plus fitting total probably 1500 baht if you pay a little over the top on labour.

Well, would you believe it!. I took the car to a local shop this morning to book it in and he said 'I'll do it today'. Delivered the car back at 4pm and said precisely what you have in this post. He sourced a second hand CV joint and fitted it. Problem solved and the bill was 1700 baht!. 

 

Thanks VM to you and all the other contributors. Just shows you what rob dogs the Toyota main dealers are.  I suppose they are only interested in selling new cars and then the routine services - nothing complicated .

[jay1980]

16 hours ago, emilymat said:

Well, would you believe it!. I took the car to a local shop this morning to book it in and he said 'I'll do it today'. Delivered the car back at 4pm and said precisely what you have in this post. He sourced a second hand CV joint and fitted it. Problem solved and the bill was 1700 baht!. 

 

Thanks VM to you and all the other contributors. Just shows you what rob dogs the Toyota main dealers are.  I suppose they are only interested in selling new cars and then the routine services - nothing complicated .

Where did you get it done? always like to have a few recommendations for decent independent local places that can do a decent job on an older Japanese car as I run a 12 year old Mitsubishi here.

 

cheers

[DavisH]

17 hours ago, emilymat said:

Well, would you believe it!. I took the car to a local shop this morning to book it in and he said 'I'll do it today'. Delivered the car back at 4pm and said precisely what you have in this post. He sourced a second hand CV joint and fitted it. Problem solved and the bill was 1700 baht!. 

 

Thanks VM to you and all the other contributors. Just shows you what rob dogs the Toyota main dealers are.  I suppose they are only interested in selling new cars and then the routine services - nothing complicated .

Yep. Dealers are more interested in selling new cars than fixing old ones. Once out of warranty (unless you really want the book service filled in), there are plenty of independent garages that can fix old cars, especially toyotas. I get my honda civic done at an independent garage now (ex honda dealer mechanic). I just got my auto gearbox dropped out and the seal changed...5000 baht. Not cheap but not easy work and the dealer would charge much more for it. 

[canthai55]

19 hours ago, emilymat said:

Just shows you what rob dogs the Toyota main dealers are.  I suppose they are only interested in selling new cars and then the routine services - nothing complicated .

Nothing to do with it. When you become a dealer - pick a brand - you do not sell backyard, auto wreckers, unknown source parts. CV axle for a Toyota will come in a Toyota box.

[jay1980]

On 11/17/2017 at 7:52 PM, emilymat said:

Anyway, here's the rub.  I decided to take it to the Toyota main dealer in Pattaya for an assessment and quote. They said I needed new drive shafts and a new rack and pinion assembly. This was after a pretty cursory inspection which I observed.   The quote they gave me was 30,000 baht and 26,000 for the drive shafts and 35,000 for a new rack and pinion assembly. That's 91,000 for starters without labour etc.

 

2 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Nothing to do with it. When you become a dealer - pick a brand - you do not sell backyard, auto wreckers, unknown source parts. CV axle for a Toyota will come in a Toyota box.

 Did you not read what the Toyota Main dealer suggested changing to fix the OP's car's problem.

 

All the OP's car needed was to have the CV joint replaced, yet Toyota quoted to replace the drive shafts and the steering rack unnecessarily,  sounds like a rip off to me?

 

Maybe if the Toyota main dealer had done a proper inspection and quoted to replace the CV joint with a new one in a Toyota box for sensible money instead of trying to rip him off by quoting to carry out unnecessarily work at a cost of 91,000 baht + labour they would have got the OP's business.