Dear Fellow Thaivisa.com Posters,

 

Ref.

CUV*_MAZDA_TRIBUTE_BENZENE_V-6_MANUAL_YR 2003

 

*CUV rather than SUV ; Because,- NO Chassis with this Utility Vehicle

 

It is more elegant to start a new thread for to tie together 2 immediately previous threads of mine ;

Not least because I now am in a situation where negative scenarios of each obtain ;

viz.

1st NEGATIVE SCENARIO STILL OBTAINING

"Respectable" larger general service & repair garage in a major Thailand town / city tasked with fitting a Gasket which I pre-paid them to purchase, following the proprietor's highlighting to me that the tiniest Stain on underside of Engine from Coolant penetrating existing Gasket-Interface which his garage detected, even though Temp Gauge & pre-drive inspections -- by me -- of Coolant-Level did not indicate a Leak, meant it urgent that I commit to stopping the leak ;

He said that the Labor would cost no more than THB 3,500, & that they would need 2 days to complete the job given their working style ;

Their style appears to be to move from doing some work on a vehicle & return to complete in 1 or more extra phases.

 

Yet when I eventually returned, & put the vehicle in with them,- they requested 7 days ;

Some 2 days later when knowingly to them I based some 250 km away in countryside,- they told my Missus that they uncovered major work to be done to Compartment of Engine that was not part of our agreement to work on ;

viz.

Valve-Timing Chain System ;

As far as I know,- they dismantled only 1 of the 2 Valve-Timing Chain Systems

Upon my translated request they sent to me, by Line, a Detailed Estimate [ Thai language ONLY ] for each Element of their proposed work

The Total for that Valve-Timing Chain System, & some Engine Mounts with severe depletion of their Rubber amounts to some THB 53,000 ;

The Proprietor, & some other of their Staff / Family both have similar model of vehicle ;

And,- the Proprietor already knows how much I paid [ OVER-paid ] for this used-vehicle ;

THB 120,000

IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT THEY DISMANTLE THIS PART OF THE ENGINE WHEN IT DID NOT INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS TO ME, OR MY MISSUS, OR SPECIALIST GARAGE IN BANGKOK, OR THEM, & THAT IT WAS NOT AGREED TO DO SO, & THAT SURELY KNOWING TO THEM WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY INVOLVE REPLACEMENT OF GASKETS ;

AND,- THEY KNOW THAT MY MONIES SITUATION IS SUCH THAT I CAN BE ONLY A BUDGET CUSTOMER.

Amazingly,- they uncovered Chain-Guide with Plastic Contact Surface having complete Breakage across it ;

How that Breakage had not being offering up audible & vibrating symptoms is intriguing ;

Also,- this Breakage had no residue on either of its mating surfaces.

 

Some 4 days later,- I visit them with my family ;

The situation is even worse ;

They had removed the Inlet Manifold ;

And,- they had left the Head of Engine exposed to likely entry of foreign matter.

I asked the Manager-in-Charge why the Engine Mount was so depleted of its rubber contact surface with Engine ;

He said that it is normal wear ;I begged to differ ;

 

Thanks to fellow Poster "transom",- I had an authoritative cause to proffer ;

Contamination by Oil / Grease had CORRODED the Mount ;

I ASKED,- "SURELY WE SHOULD INVESTIGATE WHERE THE OIL & / or GREASE IS COMING FROM ?"  

 

They said that they could re-assemble what they had done for some THB 10,000 ;

AND,- I WOULD HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR THE GASKET WHICH I ORIGINALLY WAS TOLD WOULD COST AROUND THB 1,000 & WHICH I PAID FOR IN ADVANCE ON MY INITIATIVE SO AS TO PROTECT THEM & ASSURE THEM OF MY INTENTION TO RETURN TO THEM FROM AFAR IN THAILAND WHEN I SAVED UP SOME THB 10,000 TO DO THAT JOB & OTHER JOBS TO IMPROVE THE VEHICLE ;

OH, ... AND THEY SAID,- I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THEM FOR THEIR LABOR IN DISMANTLING MY ENGINE AS THEY HAD DONE ;

BY THE WAY ;

THEY NEVER FITTED THE GASKET.

THE TOTAL FOR THE GASKET NOW, PLUS THE LABOR FOR DISMANTLING MY ENGINE WAS THB 10,000 ;

AND, OF COURSE,- THEY HAD NOW GIFTED ME WITH A SITUATION WHERE HERETOFORE SYMPTOMLESS VALVE-TIMING CHAIN SYSTEM 1 of 2 WOULD REQUIRE 10s of 1,000s in THB EXPENDITURE ;

WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY UN-DELEGATED WOULD DISCOVER IN DISMANTLING THE OTHER VALVE-TIMING CHAIN SYSTEM, & OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE !

 

I was under pressure by my Missus not to disagree with the garage ;

She said that she picked up the vibe that they would charge me for the days the vehicle was on their premises beyond the 2 days of their phone-call bearing "bad news" but which at this time were still within their requested 7 days upon depositing the vehicle, & THAT THEY VERY LIKELY WOULD GET VIOLENT.

 

I HAD TO THINK FAST & DECISIVELY ;

I DECLARED THAT GIVEN THE VEHICLE'S RE-SALE WORTH & THAT I-HAVE-NO-ABSOLUTELY-NO-MONIES FOR TO UNDUE WHAT THEY HAD DONE,- I AM GOING TO SELL IT NOW FOR SCRAP ;

SO,- I NEED TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FORTHWITH ;

 

THEY QUICKLY RETURNED TO SAY THAT THEY CAN ARRANGE A TRUCK TO CARRY THE VEHICLE TO BANGKOK FOR ME AT COST OF THB 12,000 TO ME.

I TOLD THEM THAT I HAVE NO MONIES FOR THAT.

 

2nd NEGATIVE SCENARIO STILL OBTAINING TO FOLLOW

 

OUR MAN IN THE TROPICS

Edited May 24, 20197 yr by Our Man in the Tropics

Towing an auto it's recommended best with back wheels up.

 

You say a "Respectable" larger general service & repair garage in a major Thailand town / city, sound like there incompetent. 

 

Anyone not knowing mechanical knowledge I recommend should go to a 'Cockpit' first and they would of pointed you in the right direction of a competent workshop to carry out work they do not want to. 

 

Sorry for your loss.

 

Hi Kwasaki,

 

Thanks for what feels to be reliable sound advice about going to Cockpit initially for to get their recommendations ;

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

 

My "Respectable" Thai Auto Garage Resistance was futile ;

I was assimilated go to ATM immediately for to be allowed to retrieve my now vandalised vehicle from their premises.

Yes I do sympathize with the treatment you received, there are many car repairers good & bad unfortunately, and people are not aware of the bad inexperienced workshops until there told of mess that has happened to you.

 

I've worked cars & motorbikes all my life our local Cockpit is excellent I no doubt there ones that are not so good because there franchised set-ups so depends on how good the owner is. 

I would expect the same of B.Quik franchises too.

 

We are lucky too having a excellent mechanic locally that will do private work like engine rebuilds at a reasonable price.

For transport of a vehicle of this type, & size, & condition, some 300 km with all 4 wheels resting on the deck of a hauling truck,- is THB 12,000 too much a fee ?