5 months into Fortuner ownership - are all dealers like this?

[Woof999]

Had the Fortuner a little over 5 months now. I've already mentioned my dislikes about the car (well under spec'd for a car at this price point) so I wont go there again. Thoughts to date:

 

1.) Beautiful looking car. Haven't seen another SUV that beats it in that department, probably why the wife wanted it so much.

2.) Drives OK. Nothing special. I've no complaints in this department at all, but I'm also not blown away with thoughts of "I can't believe it drives so well".

3.) Penny pinching dealer:

4.) If I had to buy now, it would be a toss up between the same car and a Nissan Terra (cheaper and better spec'd but probably a little too big).

 

To expand on point 3:

 

Paid full list price and got the car, tank of fuel, wind deflectors, small plastic boot protector, window tinting and a front/rear Toyota branded camera system for recording (which doesn't interface at all with anything else in the car) and a period (can't remember how long) of "free" servicing. No complaints here again, I accepted the deal.

 

The car interior had to be stripped quite a lot to fit the camera recording system and the relays in the doors to fold the mirrors on locking the car. (which I paid extra for) I didn't question the cost of the folding mirrors but was disappointed that they weren't standard as I didn't want the car interior to be taken apart to fit them.

 

Around a month after the cameras were fitted, they stopped working. We informed the dealer about this and they said they would look at it when the car was in for its 5000km oil change. At said service, they took the interior apart again to check the wiring and said it wasn't at fault, the system was broken. I'd have to pay for a new one as it wasn't under any kind of guarantee as it was "free". My first comment was, if you'd told me that at the beginning I wouldn't have had it fitted (I'd have paid for a much better one myself that did have a guarantee).

 

I also mentioned 2 things about the kick-plates. 3 of them state "Fortuner", but the passenger side rear one states "Legender". I questioned this and was insta-told that this was normal. Really? They told me they would show me another GR Sport the same but this didn't happen.

 

 

The front driver's side kick plate has already started losing its rubber surround and looks naff:

 

 

"Someone has stepped on it" was the instant reply. "A kick plate that you can't step on?" was mine.

 

After around 20 minutes of haggling over the cameras, they said they would "speak to the man in Bangkok" and see what happens. 2 months later and they have fitted a new one and also said it does have a guarantee. Thanks, but why not just agree to this in the first place? 3 of the 4 months of car ownership were without recording. Not pleasant.

 

My free service cost me ~3000 baht. No big deal but I did ask why they call it free servicing. "The labor is free sir" they said... "so call it free servicing labor then" was my reply.

 

While the camera was being replaced (and the interior taken apart for the 3rd time in 5 months), my wife agreed to buy 4 new kick plates. Apparently they only come as a pack of 4. This is to replace the driver's one with the broken rubber surround. She didn't want to argue the toss. I can't wait for them to arrive. If the rear passenger kick plate says "Fortuner" I will ask them to buy another set of 4 to replace the "Legender" one, which is normal apparently. They will have to buy 4 of course, or they can just buy the one that came in my pack of 4

 

If it says "Legender" I will offer them my full apologies and be on my way ????

 

 

[transam]

It seems the ride is as normal for a Toyota, reliable.

Your weeee probs are dealer stuff, the cameras have been fitted by a third party, they should sort it via your dealer at no charge.

 

Kick plates, I don't think anyone reads what's on them, but if your Mrs does, then OK.

The Service is free, you pay for the parts.

 

If you want gizmo's, then buy anything, but you bought reliability......????

[kwak250]

I really like the Fortuner and will end up buying one in the future but i can see why you are annoyed.

 

I am sure thats not right about the kick plates with the Passenger rear one saying Legender?

I reckon they should all say Legender if yours is a Legender or all Fortuner if its the standard Fortuner model.

 

My bet is another fortuner has all Legender plates apart from one being a Fortuner . (they probably said the same to that owner)

 

One thing i love about Toyota is that it may not have some of the latest tech in it but i am sure Transam also agrees it will not let you down i have had 2 hilux in 14 years and only had an aircon motor(blower in the cabin ) go wrong in one of them. 

 

All dealers are the same Honda used to try to add bottles of fuel cleaner and some other engine cleaner on the bill when i first got my Civic and i never noticed but got them to take off some of the bs they try to add on after that.

Edited August 7, 2022 by kwak250

[Woof999]

24 minutes ago, transam said:

If you want gizmo's, then buy anything, but you bought reliability......????

 

11 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

One thing i love about Toyota is that it may not have some of the latest tech in it but i am sure Transam also agrees it will not let you down i have had 2 hilux in 14 years and only had an aircon motor(blower in the cabin ) go wrong in one of them. 

Yep. Time will tell but most Toyota owners seems to share the opinion.

 

 

12 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

I am sure thats not right about the kick plates with the Passenger rear one saying Legender?

I reckon they should all say Legender if yours is a Legender or all Fortuner if its the standard Fortuner model.

It's the GR Sport. They've stopped the Legender now. The base models are "Fortuner Leader" with the GR Sport being the highest spec and listed separately.

[Kwasaki]

51 minutes ago, transam said:

It seems the ride is as normal for a Toyota, reliable.

Your weeee probs are dealer stuff, the cameras have been fitted by a third party, they should sort it via your dealer at no charge.

 

Kick plates, I don't think anyone reads what's on them, but if your Mrs does, then OK.

The Service is free, you pay for the parts.

 

If you want gizmo's, then buy anything, but you bought reliability......????

And 5000k service intervals. ????????

[BangkokReady]

1 hour ago, Woof999 said:

My free service cost me ~3000 baht. No big deal but I did ask why they call it free servicing. "The labor is free sir" they said... "so call it free servicing labor then" was my reply.

Ah.  Thai diplomacy at work!

[userabcd]

9 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

And 5000k service intervals. ????????

Thought that was common. When I owned cars the initial service intervals were at 5000 km and then extended to 10000 km or so many hours.

[transam]

4 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Thought that was common. When I owned cars the initial service intervals were at 5000 km and then extended to 10000 km or so many hours.

That was when Duckhams Oil was king......????

[Kwasaki]

7 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Thought that was common. When I owned cars the initial service intervals were at 5000 km and then extended to 10000 km or so many hours.

Yeah it's a Toyota dealers thing, Isuzu and others are the same I guess.

[RAZZELL]

As has been mentioned the Service is "free" - but you pay for the parts - eg oil, air filter etc.

 

Mrs has a Yaris - I don't think the build quality is all that great and the paint certainly chips pretty easily.

 

However, i will definitely look at the new 2023 Fortuner which will be built on a new platform. Hopefully, Toyota will improve the overall tech.

 

RAZZ

[EVENKEEL]

2022 Isuzu MUX 3.0L  oil change is first 10K km.

[recom273]

On 8/7/2022 at 9:18 AM, Woof999 said:

My first comment was, if you'd told me that at the beginning I wouldn't have had it fitted (I'd have paid for a much better one myself that did have a guarantee).

The camera thing takes the pee .. 

 

I too bought a Toyota recently, a pickup, the final incentive that was offered after no more discount was the camera. I had already looked at the spec of the best xiaomi model and tbf the rep offered us 1500B or a camera - which would have paid most of the xioami camera.

 

The camera arrived a month after the car, I asked to take the camera away to check the image, "oh, cannot" if you take away we won't fit for free for you. "Oh really?" I took the camera and then went to see a local fitter who has a good reputation.

 

The fitter, although agreed, squirmed with the thought of the job, apparently if anything breaks during fitting then its not covered by warrantee and he couldn't afford to replace anything, then he told us a story of a new truck he fitted a camera to, it got to under 2 years and the lights stopped working, under investigation Isuzu blamed fitting an aftermarket camera by a non-approved fitter.

 

We went back to Toyota and told them to fit it, the sales rep agreed with the story from my guy and their fitter installed it for free. They made a decent job with the wiring but the fitting kit was a bit big, I was distracted by these plastic bars in and around my rear view mirror and on the back screen, I pulled the cameras off, cut them back and remounted myself and made them more discreet.

 

The quality of the camera is pretty poor compared to the Xioami.

 

When I saw "free servicing" on my Honda CBR, the first vehicle I had bought new I was shocked to find that I had to pay for oil and whatever, its just the way it is. The labour is free, trouble is, there is no expertise,

Edited August 14, 2022 by Rimmer
derogatory comment edited

[BangkokAlan]

I have owned a Camry hybrid for 11 years and serviced it at the same dealers garage that I bought it and I have only had one negative issue in all that time when my hybrid batteries needed replacing still within 10 years. I got a message on the dash about the battery fault and was in Pattaya so took it to a local dealer who for 300 baht did an inspection and said the batteries need replacing but I would have to wait 3 weeks but Toyota would pay as they have a 10 year guarantee. The inspection was required to show Toyota that the claim was real.

 

I was told I could drive to Bangkok on petrol only with no problem and my dealer could replace the batteries the next day. When I got to my dealer they asked me to do he same inspection but wanted 1000 baht even though the Pattaya dealer had shared the report online and I have also given them a hard copy. The Toyota dealer wouldn't accept the report so my wife called Toyota and they intercepted and all of a sudden the batteries were replaced without the inspection and I was given another 2 years guarantee which I though was exceptional.

 

My point is that you should contact Toyota direct as they own the brand and if cars are going out with wrong kick plates or with a poor add on they would be concerned about that dealers operation and impact on their brand and would intervene if what they have done is wrong.

 

The servicing is same for all dealers 3 years but pay for oil but any parts not associated with iol change should be free as they are most if not all are under warranty.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

2022 Isuzu MUX 3.0L  oil change is first 10K km.

It was funny the only time I took my Isuzu in for first service was because I was told it was free. ????

When they gave me a pre-pay bill to sign of what there was to pay they were charging not only for engine oil but wanted to charge for changing gearbox oil, backaxle oil, brake & clutch fluid.

I of course refused and they telephoned my wife telling her it would affect warranty then gave the phone to me, I told my wife to tell em to bring the truck back around which they did eventually after some manager guy was trying to tell the truck will be danger. ????

 

5 years on still taking it to Cockpit the engineer franchise owner is a knowledgable guy and I am  lucky he knows what I do and prefers to look after the truck as I want. ????

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by Kwasaki

[EVENKEEL]

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

It was funny the only time I took my Isuzu in for first service was because I was told it was free. ????

When they gave me a pre-pay bill to sign of what there was to pay they were charging not only for engine oil but wanted to charge for changing gearbox oil, backaxle oil, brake & clutch fluid.

I of course refushed and they telephoned my wife telling her it would affect warranty then gave the phone me, I told my to tell em to bring the truck back around which they eventually did after some manager Dick trying tell the truck will not last. 

 

5 years on still taking it to Cockpit the engineer franchise ower is a knowledgable guy and I am  lucky he knows what I do and prefer to do.  

I'll let dealership do their thing till warranty ends. 30K km is when mine is scheduled for trans and diff oil change.

[Kwasaki]

3 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'll let dealership do their thing till warranty ends. 30K km is when mine is scheduled for trans and diff oil change.

Yeah understandable a fair call. ????

[fredob43]

No: 1 They are not kick plates. They are scuff plates to protect the paint not designed to stand on. My ones light up when you open the doors so they must have some sort of Bulb in them. They are hollow and made of Alley not S/Steel. 

Snap of my drivers one. N/B they all say the same thing. TRD. My ones are over 5 years old so will stand the test of time if they are used correctly. 

 

2 The cost of your 5k service cant in my opinion be labor free. My one cost me at a Toyota dealer less than 2.300BHT including labor, parts and VAT. More if I change anything like A/C filters. But after 5k nothing should have required changing.

 

If you want auto closing mirrors when locking the car they have to take the drivers door panel off. That's simple just a few screws and a bit of wiring and it lifts off. 

 

Cant comment on the camera, except wherever you got it should have had a 1 year guarantee. They fitted for free, on my tuna a rear bumper scuff plate that also lights up in red when the lights are on. That went tits up around 7 months after it was fitted. Changed for free. But I did have to wait around 3 weeks for them to get a new one. Snap of that as well. 

 

I don't think your problems are with the Toyota Tuna. More than likely with your dealer. Or operator error. Hope like me you get to enjoy it anyway.    

 

[vinny41]

According to Toyota website 1st service 6months or 10,000km which ever comes 1st for the 2.8 GR Sport 2WD or 4WD should be 1528.28 Baht

https://aftersales.toyota.co.th/

[Woof999]

3 hours ago, vinny41 said:

According to Toyota website 1st service 6months or 10,000km which ever comes 1st for the 2.8 GR Sport 2WD or 4WD should be 1528.28 Baht

https://aftersales.toyota.co.th/

In that case, for double the price I got even more for free ????

[Woof999]

3 hours ago, fredob43 said:

No: 1 They are not kick plates. They are scuff plates

Do a Google image search for "car kick plates" or "car scuff plates" and you pretty much get the same results. I've personally neither kicked or scuffed them and I've probably driven the car 10 times maximum. I'd have expected them to last more than a couple of months.

 

Wife has already paid a deposit to buy new ones so looks like the decision has been taken out of my hands. I just get to pay the bill and smile.

[fredob43]

44 minutes ago, Woof999 said:

Do a Google image search for "car kick plates" or "car scuff plates" and you pretty much get the same results. I've personally neither kicked or scuffed them and I've probably driven the car 10 times maximum. I'd have expected them to last more than a couple of months.

 

Wife has already paid a deposit to buy new ones so looks like the decision has been taken out of my hands. I just get to pay the bill and smile.

Whatever they are called they are not meant for treading on. As said mine are well over 5 years old and they don't have a mark on them, well maybe the odd light scratch. Not on the drivers door one.

 

Just hope you enjoy the model you get. Best of luck with paying, the smiling bit does help a tad, not by a lot once you look at your bank account. 

 

Any idea when you will get it??? I was lucky when I got mine as they had the model I wanted in stock. Just had to wait a few days for them to put all the bit's on. 

[EVENKEEL]

4 hours ago, vinny41 said:

According to Toyota website 1st service 6months or 10,000km which ever comes 1st for the 2.8 GR Sport 2WD or 4WD should be 1528.28 Baht

https://aftersales.toyota.co.th/

Good luck with that, I pay more just for an oil change at BQuick

[fredob43]

15 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Good luck with that, I pay more just for an oil change at BQuick

Sounds about correct to me if it's labor free. My 2.8 Tuna takes 8lt of full Syn: oil with a new eng: filter and a general check over of other filters. Wheels off clean brakes. Cost always less than 2.300BHT INC:

Question. Don't they do a 1k check now. On all 3 of my Toyota lumps they have always done the first 1K check for free. 

[Kwasaki]

15 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Good luck with that, I pay more just for an oil change at BQuick

That's a Thai price. ????????

[pedro01]

My only comment - never pay list price on a car here.

 

You need to bargain hard.

[HauptmannUK]

Kick/scuff plates nowadays are decorative trim.  If you step on them regularly then consider them 'sacrificial' and replace them when they get shabby.  Cheap from Lazada...

Toyota dashcams in Thailand/Malaysia seem to be repackaged and Toyota-branded Chinese units (maybe Toguard). They are adequate and without any 'bells and whistles'. 

My only interaction with a Toyota dealer was Toyota Thonburi in Bangkok - I was pretty impressed but of course an awful lot is down to the particular individual who serves you. AFAIK all new Toyotas get a free 1k km check.

[BostonJoe]

On 8/6/2022 at 11:02 PM, Woof999 said:

 

Yep. Time will tell but most Toyota owners seems to share the opinion.

 

 

It's the GR Sport. They've stopped the Legender now. The base models are "Fortuner Leader" with the GR Sport being the highest spec and listed separately.

I owned a collision center in America  fo 25 years. 

 Toyota  doesn't make mistakes with step plates like that.  Also be glad you bought a Toyota and not a Nissan 

 We are waiting  for our Gr sport to come in  sometime in earlt October 

[WorriedNoodle]

When we got our Fortuner from a Toyota dealer in Bangkok, we ordered it, got it exactly as ordered and never needed to go back to the dealership again.

[Woof999]

3 hours ago, BostonJoe said:

We are waiting  for our Gr sport to come in  sometime in earlt October 

I'd be interested to know if yours comes with 3 Fortuner kick plates and one Legender (as per the "design" according to the dealer). The new set of 4 has apparently arrived now. Not been there yet to see what they all say.

 

Would also be interested to know if you can get Android Auto to work wirelessly. I've found an app that lets me add more features (such as YouTube and pretty much any other Android app) to Android Auto that can be controlled from the Fortuner ICE. Makes it much more powerful than it was as standard.

[Photoguy21]

The Toyota is not bad but overall I think the Honda CRV beats it hands down.