How Long

[benson]

have you waited for something to be fixed.my car has been in the repair shop for over 5 months,several it will be ready by dates later still waiting.iknow thai time is a little different but this is getting out of hand.jai yen yen and mai pen rai are two sayings begining to piss me off.if you lose your temper it takes longer say nothing and it feels like their taking the piss.tit i suppose but it aint easy!!!

[moebius]

I think you have to ask yourself: Would I wait more than two to three weeks for my car to be fixed anywhere?

If they don't know how to fix it and can't convince you that they can then you should find another mechanic or dealership.

(Maybe they lost it...;0)

[honeyen]

5 months!!! Sorry, I'm not trying to put you down, but I think if they couldn't get it fixed within 1 month (I was gonna say 1-2 weeks, but since this is Thailand), I don't think they would ever get it done.

What are the reasons given by them for taking such a long time?

[RamdomChances]

Probably got it all stripped down and now can't get the parts. Just a guess

[bino]

5 months is definitely excessive! I couldn't live without my car for 5 days!

What is the nature of your car's problem? Major engine rebuilding? Collision repair?

What kind of shop is it? Are they a well equipped, clean operation with many staff or a family backyard operation with a dirt floor?

What kind of car is it? Someting exotic that parts and / or competent mechanics are not readily available for?

Is it possible that you went there after 2 or 3 months and got a little "jai lon" with them? (I would have.) If so, they might not ever get it done.

I would say it is time to consider moving the car to another shop. What area of Bangkok / Thailand is the car iin now? Give us some more info and we might be able to recommend a better place.

[benson]

the car was in a accident but repairable according to both garage and insurance.it didnt to me.tit.two months before any parts arrived but that was my fault because i told them i didnt want second hand parts the car was 18 months old and fully insured so why should i have used parts!they said it takes longer to get new parts,who am i to argue.bty were talking about a nissan not a porche.any way they said it would be ready by 15 march and since then its just been one excuse after another.move it to another garage?this is the best one!oh i forgot to mention this is samui!!!!

[Darknight]

moved to car forum

[astral]

Parts can be a problem.

I suggest you visit the repair shop and find out exactly what they are

waiting for.

Then call the main dealer for your vehicle, in Bangkok, and ask what the delay is.

Ask them to fax a firm delivery date.

Then hassle your insurance company and tell them it is far too long and you

want a replacement vehicle in the meantime. Remind them they are working

on your behalf and the delay is simply unacceptable.

I doubt you will get it, but it will encourage them to start kicking some a** as well.

As a general comment.

My experience says that if any repair job takes more than a week,

then the technician does not know what he is doing

and you should move the job to a new shop.

If possible go straight to the Authorised Service Centre for the brand.

[pal78]

Reminds me of that Ford ad on TV here at the moment. The guy goes with his son to collect the Ford truck from some mechanic and is presented with a small box of left over bolts.

Perhaps this place in Samui doesn't need to worry too much about customer satisfaction and stuff like that, since they know they don't have a whole lot of competition.

I know it's probably not possible, and perhaps too late.. but maybe you could tell them that you've been too long without your car now, and you need transport. Since they told you 15th March your plans have been compromised.... so if they could give you the loan of a car for the final week or two while they repair yours it would be nice of them, and you'd consider it fair compensation for having to wait so long. I know you don't really want to have some other car, but the point is that if you manage to get it, it's an incentive they have to get yours going and back to you.

I'd be very pissed having to wait that long for repairs. Another way you could go about it is to ask them for a required parts list and tell them that you'll order them from Nissan yourself.

[ayakiawe]

So where the ###### is this place? I want to make sure I never go there!

[bino]

Parts can be a problem.

I suggest you visit the repair shop and find out exactly what they are

waiting for.

Then call the main dealer for your vehicle, in Bangkok, and ask what the delay is.

Ask them to fax a firm delivery date.

Then hassle your insurance company and tell them it is far too long and you

want a replacement vehicle in the meantime.  Remind them they are working

on your behalf and the delay is simply unacceptable.

I doubt you will get it, but it will encourage them to start kicking some a** as well.

As a general comment. 

My experience says that if any repair job takes more than a week,

then the technician does not know what he is doing

and you should move the job to a new shop.

If possible go straight to the Authorised Service Centre for the brand.

Sorry to say that I don't know Samui very well and can't offer much help. However, Mr. Astral offers some sound advice.

I would suggest to go after the insurance company. Like Astral said, you have paid them to take care of this. If by chance you are the third party, the accident is not your fault then you can really pressure them. You wouldn't have missed your car for a single day if the other person hadn't hit you. You should defintely be entitled to a replacement car in this case. This will motivate the insurance company in a huge way as the car rental bill will be escalating as time gets wasted.

Try asking them for a refund / adjustment on your premium because the car hasn't been drivable for 5 months. You have paid for almost half a year of coverage for nothing. This might motivate them also.

The shop would have prepared a detailed estimate for the insurance company, listing every single part needed to complete the repair. See if you can get a copy of this estimate, then go back to the shop and do an inventory. Check off all the parts received and find out what you are still waiting for. Then- follow up with Nissan in Bangkok to find out if these parts are available and / or when they can be sent to your shop in Samui.

Hope you are on the road again soon.

[pal78]

I just heard some news which might be of interest. My father-in-law's second car was trashed in the Tsunami in Phuket. Actually it wasn't totaled or anything, but the point is that it's been in the garage there ever since. They are telling him that they are waiting for a seal for the window and then it'll be done. I don't know the full extent of the damage or the work needed for the repairs, but I can say that I could probably build a car from scratch myself in 4 months! Seems totally unacceptable to me, but folks here seem happy enough with that sort of service.

[aletta]

Took two months to spray paint the wife's car.

[Thetyim]

I had an accident earlier this year .

Parts arrived from Bangers in about 20 hours.

Job done in 48 hours.

AIG Insurance