Surat Thani Toyota Dealership

[seajae]

If any of you want your toyota serviced I suggest you dont go to this place. My wife took her twin cab there a few weeks ago for a service, when she came home I asked her if they had adjusted the handbrake(usaully done in a full service) and she saids no. She showed me a big box full of empty bottles etc that they had told her went into the car so I decided to check the oil, they had replaced the filter but had simply topped up the oil and not drained it(oil was black and smelled burnt), also the sump plug was covered in grease so no spanners had even touched it. They also charged her for cleaning the motor, it was covered in dirt and oil etc, it was obvious they had just made up things to get more money. IIn the box of bottles was 6 litres(empty) bottles of oil(too much just for a top up), an empty bottle of engine drain/cleaning oil(sump not drained so it couldnt have been used, a large empty bottle of brake fluid, a large empty bottle of gear box oil, same with diff oil etc. I went ballistic and asked her to take me to the service centre to talk to them about their obvious rip off but she wouldnt, it wasnt thai to do so. She went back yetsrday to have more work done and told them about the oil being black etc and they told her it would have happened on the way home, thes people are a joke and I intend to take this matter up with Toyota, just wonder if they will say the same thing, this is Thailand, we always rip off the customers.

[jamhar]

Thanks for the heads up.

Unfortunately, mechanic ripoffs are common everywhere.

maybe just a little more subtle back stateside.

Note to self

Be exact when i want car work done.

[evadgib]

Where is their waiting room in relation to their workshop?

What data/service history shows up on your cars ID card?

[h90]

This is not Thailand......

almost worldwide same. There is the word that a women comes into the shop is something like a lottery win in Germany language....

I knew a dealer who charged the most expensive oil but had the drums of cheap oil from Poland (years ago, these days oil from Poland might be neither that cheap nor that bad).

They charged a friend for the "anti-freeze" on the service of his trabant (air cooled)

[huahinjoe]

it seems to be a good idea to stay there and see every step what they are doing... Spending 7 years in thailand, specially in the south having to know a little thai is always an advantage, with a few smiles and funny things to start a simple conversation always help to be friendly, and then they do their best for you as they feeling simphatized.

I know for the topic poster it doesnt help, its just the way of life here. When i take my bike to shop to change oil, i always stay there, wait for it, be friendly, talk a little, give tip to the guy, and he always perfect. Same thing apply when i had car in Samui, even u restricted from the service area at toyota, i still walked in, look everything what they does, gave them a bit advice and in advance they even wash the car for free at the end.

However, good advice for anybody, take the car by yourself as a man and look for everything, be friendly, even if its hard, this is thailand...