Toyota Garages

[Thomaspaul]

Have a 16 year oid Toyota Pick up that I have been using for 18 months moving

Blocks Sand etc for house building and it developed back suspention problems

and fearing the worst and thinking that the local sdmall garages would not be

able to handle it took it Toyota in Thoeng and asked them to tell me what was wrong

BIG MISTAKE

When I arrived I asked for english speaking person and got no answer

My wife then asked in Thai for some one to drive the car and hear the obvious noise

it was making

Ten Minute later someone drove it round the yard and said he could not hear anything

to my wife

Ten minues later someone else got in it and drove it up the road and back then drove it in to the

workshop and put on the lift ramp

After making a list of 8 things wrong he walked away from the car and back to wjere he was working

leaving the list by car

After waiting for about 5 minutes walked in to the office to ask what was going on

Then one of the girls who I met when I walked in said Just a Minute please and it

transpired that she spoke english quite well and understood what I was saying

She said that someone else when they came back would work out the estimate

As I had been there now for over a hour said I would come back tomorrow

The same afternoon my wife who obviously goven them her number

recieved a call saying the cost would be over 54,000 Baht plus 3.000 for Labour

and they would want the car for 1 week

Thinking that something fishy was going on I went back the next day and asked this same girl

if we could go through the estimate and tell me what wanted replacing

After waiting some 10 minutes whist she took a phone call she then spent some 15 minutes

looking for the estimate making 2 phone calls asking where it was

I said to her as you cannot find please give me back the keys which she was eager to do.

No one told me where the car was I had to find it myself

After stopping at the Wednesday weekly market for 15 minutes went in to the small local garage

that I have used quite succesfully for small things

He drove it up the road and back jacked it up took off one of the back wheels

by the time I had walked back from the Bank 5 minutes away they had taken off the suspension arm

replaced it with a new one had put the wheel back on

Total Cost including labour 500 Baht

The problem is not 100 percent solved but good enough to drive around for 5/6 weeks whist i look for

a newer one

A friend from Chaingrai said he has had the same treatment in Chaingrai ane ended up buying a Mazda

where the service was vastly Superior

Toyota would not touch them with a Barge Pole

[svenivan]

I have been to Toyota garage here in CR two times, first time and last time. Never been back again. I have found two very reliable garage where I go for service and repairs of my 2 Toyotas. Both of them knows what they are doing, both of them are making a living on happy customers and both of them are very experienced and knows how to repair something that is broken. (if an o-ring is bad in your carb Toyota probably replace the carb with another carb). One of them even speak very good english!

I love my Toyotas, will not change them for another brand but I do not love Toyota Garage!

[jubby]

Sven,

Where are the garages ? I'm quite reluctant to Visit Toyota CR too, but my wife's VIOS Needs a 24K service.

[rmacdon61]

Bought a new Toyota 2 months ago, went back for the 1000K check and was quite surprised by my wife's reaction to the staff. She doesn't ask questions or press for information. There is a rattle while backing up at idle. Goes away if you apply some gas, which to me means just something loose or touching that is effected by the low harmonics at idle. Easy to check. No safety issue, but a new car. I could see the service tech just right her off when she went to get the car, I asked her she said "never mind" they say OK. As we backed out, the noise was there. Had the tech listen as I held it in reverse, wife could hear it, the tech could not. Now I would have thot he would get help, some one to also listen, but there was no way that was going to happen. When he walked away, I waited and the wife asked, why you no go? End of service check.

I went under the rear, pushed the exhaust over to the passenger side, haven't heard it since, repaired, maybe should bill toyota? It is no big deal, but as far as service, back home I would not attend that garage again. Maybe due to the flood, when I went to buy, no hondas/Isuzu/toyota trucks, bought the last Vios toyota had and they offered "nothing" with the purchase. Wife said "last car" they no help, can sell easy......

I often feel sorry for thais as they try so hard to be polite that a business can walk all over them. It's almost like my wife fears them and doesn't want me confronting them and insisting on proper service. In defence, there are service places that pride themselves on quality work and if you ask around, everyone seems to know who those people are.

Still, I love this place, love the people.

[pomchop]

I have had only good professional experience with CR toyota service dept. Language is a bit of a struggle but as for repair work they have always done good job at what i consider to be very fair prices. Maybe i have just been lucky but i will continue to go there unless/until they screw up.

[sceadugenga]

I'm more than happy with the service I've received over the last 6 years at Isuzu.

One of the things I took into consideration rather than buy the very similar Toyota model was that their service area looked a lot more efficient... more hoists, more mechanics, anyone thinking of buying a light truck/ute or an SUV would be well advised to check out their place near the airport.

Edited December 23, 2011 by sceadugenga

[jubby]

Toyota service is very professional and very thorough, its just they have 'charged' me in the past above and beyond whats required. the last service I received about 5 empty bottles of 'additives' which they had put in every conceivable place . the additives where more than the cost of the Oil & service . and double the cost of a similar service at isuzu and were definately not asked for or required.

Isuzu service is second to none, my Pickup is ten years old but they only have ever charged me for essentials and usually no labour charge within reason. its a shame they don't have a few saloon Cars to chose from also.

[mumbojumbo]

They are building a new Toyota center N of the Ratchabat light, maybe this will help.

[klikster]

In 1996 I took my RAV 4 (purchased in BKK) to the CR dealer for a service. I have a Toyota / Bangkok Bank credit card which is supposed to give a 10% discount. Not only would the dealer in CR not honor the 10% discount, they "don't accept credit cards".

Dealers in other provinces have honored the 10% discount.

[David2up]

We've had nothing but Great service from them and they've always been very friendly and polite. With 135,000km on the Fortuner, and all serviced by them, we would not go anywhere else.

Having said that - I trust Sven and he said much different from what I'm saying. So there you have two very different answers to your question.

Cheers

[villagefarang]

Never had a problem at Toyota.

[ginooooo]

We bought our Toyota pickup truck in Phayao a couple of years ago at Phayao Toyota. The only guy there that speaks/understands good English ans is the owner but seems never to be around when I go there every year for service. Any folks here bought anything there? The service seems to be high and wondering if repairs are considered excessively high to others. (still wondering why have to use facebook acount to sign in-the old way was better).

[villagefarang]

Getting a vehicle serviced…another example of why learning to speak Thai might not be a bad idea if one is going to live here.

[pomchop]

I went to CR toyota service dept yesterday. No appointment arrived at 10 am. Gal came out before i even got out of the car. Within five minutes she brought out another gal who spoke reasonable english and a mechanic..took a quick test drive to let him hear the noise coming from underneath...then back where they put in on the lift and showed me exactly what the problem was. Said they have to order parts from BKK and would be here by Tuesday. Gave me the quote which i thought was very reasonable and will call me when parts come in. Entire thing was done in about 30 minutes, i paid deposit on coming parts and away i went. Frankly i don't know how much better service i could have gotten there? I don't know maybe i could have gone to another garage and gotten cheaper price or something but all things considered i sorta prefer going to the dealer and knowing as best as is possible to know that the parts they will use are genuine toyota etc etc.

I asked the gal who speaks english if she handles all farangs and she said yes that is her job.

I shudder to think what i would have gone through and the price that would have been quoted at a toyota dealer in usa.. it would not have been a pleasant experience.

Again, maybe i have just been lucky but so far so good for me with the CR toyota service dept.

[Big Gary]

I have bought 3 New Mazdas from Sintanee in Chiangrai over the past 6 years and at present have another on order(New BT50)

I have NEVER had a problem with any of my Mazdas and never a problem with the Dealership. Mazda for me.

[Limbo]

I have bought 3 New Mazdas from Sintanee in Chiangrai over the past 6 years and at present have another on order(New BT50)

I have NEVER had a problem with any of my Mazdas and never a problem with the Dealership. Mazda for me.

Same same here with Ford. Drove six years Ford without the slightest problem and the

service was almost perfect. Their sales department is very professional (hurry if you want

the Focus diesel Ghia, it's down 170,000 Baht).

The sales department of Honda Chiang Rai (at Rajabhat) was of a lesser standard.

The complaint I have heard about more places, also about Toyota before: They completely

neglected the foreigner's presence, avoiding any contact and concentrated fully on the Thai partner.

Good to hear that Toyota, after Ford and Nissan, now also has an English speaking staff member

that isn't shy to address the person that will pay for the car.

In a one way communication the conditions for buying a car at Honda were dictated. Waiting time

for the car my wife wanted would be at least four months. This was before the floods, so that excuse

didn't exist yet. We phoned to Honda Chiang Mai and picked one up nine days later, including a three

day delay for cosmological reasons. Service so far good.

The sales department of the six Mitsubishi dealerships in the north (same company) phoned after

more than a month that the car we ordered finally had arrived. Next morning they phoned again

and told us that somebody else had ordered before us. Same story: we phoned to Chiang Mai one

week ago and will pick upp the car tomorrow (even including four days this time for awaiting the right

spiritual moment). On top of that they show themselves to me more generous concerning freebees.

I hope the service department of Mitsu Chiang Rai is more efficient than their sales department.

Limbo

PS: I can recommend the Motor Forum of Thaivisa. A lot of expertise and good information.

A nice group of regulars, offering good entertainment inbetween the lines.

So, and now the adventure with my first automatic transmission is awaiting me. I have a lot

of mixed feelings on that, but trust the experienced drivers that recommended it to me,

including Big Gary Himself, who was a racing driver before in Australia.

[brizzle]

I have had terrible service from the Toyota dealer here in Samui. Nobody speaks English on an island that is big on expats and tourists,or more likely chooses not to..Not a real problem because my Thai wife does the talking but frustrating none the less when she is continually palmed off and I would like to have my say.

There seems to be no quality control whatsoever. My problem has not been with the price since my insurance covered that but with the workmanship and the state the vehicle has been returned in. After several complaints to Bangkok head office they are finally completing a job that has been around since last March.

I live in hope that the final work will be carried out in February and I will never have to visit their god foresaken garage again.

I like my Toyota but the service sucks big time down here.

[cmjantje]

I have bought 3 New Mazdas from Sintanee in Chiangrai over the past 6 years and at present have another on order(New BT50)

I have NEVER had a problem with any of my Mazdas and never a problem with the Dealership. Mazda for me.

Same same here with Ford. Drove six years Ford without the slightest problem and the

service was almost perfect. Their sales department is very professional (hurry if you want

the Focus diesel Ghia, it's down 170,000 Baht).

I had a different experience about two years ago. They promised a lot and gave nothing when it came to make the final deal, even had to pay (via them) for insurance.

[villagefarang]

Had another great service at Toyota on Wednesday. Did the 70000 km service with no problems. The guy who checked us in and later reviewed what was done was courteous, quick, and efficient. No complains from me.

I did mentioned the brakes were mushier than usual, even for a Vigo. They called me later to say the pads needed replacement and I gave them the okay over the phone. The brakes are much better now.

They also spotted a nail in one of my tires and suggested stopping at a tire repair shop to have it removed and plugged. It turned out to be no more than a short screw that had obviously been there for a while but had not penetrated all the way.

[harrry]

Had another great service at Toyota on Wednesday. ...................................... It turned out to be no more than a short screw that had obviously been there for a while but had not penetrated all the way.

Are you sure that wasn't round the corner.

[villagefarang]

Had another great service at Toyota on Wednesday. ...................................... It turned out to be no more than a short screw that had obviously been there for a while but had not penetrated all the way.

Are you sure that wasn't round the corner.

Isn’t is interesting where our minds travel.

[villagefarang]

I also like the fact that they followup with a call the next day to see if you are happy with your service.