Good Service at Toyota in Chiang Rai.

[villagefarang]

I have received nothing but excellent and courteous service from Toyota here in Chiang Rai. If anything they are too nice with their followup calls asking if everything is to our satisfaction. Cleverly they have a very cute voiced young lady call, to whom I can’t imagine anyone speaking harshly.

Yet when I bumped into friends at the mall while waiting for service to be completed, they told stories of dissatisfaction with Toyota. Sadly I have heard the same from several foreigners. I even saw an inactive forum member in the waiting area at Toyota on wednesday and he didn’t look particularly happy. Then again that might have been because he saw me and it may have had nothing to do with Toyota.

For some reason my experiences here don’t seem to be in sync with many of the foreigners I know. I always find that Thai people are so nice and helpful. Anyway, I am happy with service here in Chiang Rai. How do you feel about the service you receive?

[pomchop]

I also have gotten only excellent service from CR Toyota. Always did what they said, when they said and for the amount they said and never had a problem. Who knows maybe a bit more expensive than a local garage but sometimes I think you get what you pay for when it comes to car repairs.

But the "cute voice girl" never calls me. Maybe I should ask for a follow up call.

[villagefarang]

I am guessing she doesn’t speak a word of English but her voice is so young, sweet, innocent and subsequently sexy, I would hate to meet her and spoil the image I have of her.

I got my mobile number bumped up above my wife’s on their computer record so I would get the call when the service is finished. We usually drop off the car together but I’m the one who picks it up most of the time. It does mean I get all the calls now for upcoming service dates and followup but I don’t mind too much.

As for getting what you pay for, I think that holds true for most things. I tried the cheaper shop, recommended on this forum, for eyeglasses but after a couple of tries they couldn’t get it right so I ended up at one of the shops at Central Plaza. They seemed to have better equipment and were more efficient. The price difference was worth it, considering the convenience and that they got it right the first time.

[DonaldBattles]

Toyota Chiang Rai sucks real bad. I took my car in and only wanted the spark plugs changed. They called me later and told me that they needed to change about 6 things that were not broke. I told them no so they made me wait 5 days to change the spark plugs. Super sucks.

[villagefarang]

Why am I not surprised?

[sceadugenga]

Isuzu have always given me first class service.

[Will27]

"For some reason my experiences here don’t seem to be in sync with many of the foreigners I know. I always find that Thai people are so nice and helpful. Anyway, I am happy with service here in Chiang Rai. How do you feel about the service you receive?"

In my experience, I wouldn't say that Thai's are always nice and helpful, but as a whole, I think they're generally pretty good.

So far, we've had really good service here from Mazda, including follow up calls etc.

I would be interested to read any experiences with Ford in CR. They seem to get a bad rap in Thailand

but quite often these things can vary from place to place.

[sceadugenga]

Ford is a hard ask anywhere, the letters in the name do stand for Fix Or Repair Daily.

Edited December 13, 2013 by sceadugenga

[harrry]

Ford is a hard ask anywhere, the letters in the name do stand for Fix Or Repair Daily.

Thought that was Ford Omitted Reliability Design.

[harrry]

Toyota treated me quite reasonably till they dropped me down the stairs.

After that I thought I was safer at B-Quik

[oldrocker]

toyota and ford if thats what you own are the best,if your car ,pickup is over 6 years the annual mot only checks the brakes and lights,the yearly service at toyota ford will find what realy needs doing!!just had new track rod ends fitted to the focus at 450 baht an hour labour,you know you are safe at a main dealer.

[Rotweiler]

We have had only good service from both the main Toyota shop in CR and it's satellite dealer locally. On occasion, their enthusiasm seems to run away with them and they try to up-sell, but a smile and a "I'll think about it" work wonders. As everywhere, they are there to make money - so the customer had better be certain what he wants and how to ask for it.

That is the problem with Ford in the north (and from what I am told - all over Thailand). My neighbor's Focus has been the focus of on-going disputes for over a year:

- warranty work that needs to be done isn't done;

- unrequested and unapproved work work is done;

- long waits for common regular maintenance parts that should be in every dealer's inventories;

- horrendous over-charging on both parts and service labor rates.

My Toyota dealer will tell me exactly (within a couple of hundred Baht) what the price of any service will be - and I get to approve it before he starts anything. If any major repair comes to light during servicing, they will ask first. Trust is earned - and my dealer has mine.

[Garry]

I think its testament to CR dealers in general. I've had excellent service work through Isuzu as well.

[pomchop]

A few years ago I took my Jeep Chrysler wrangler into the Honolulu Chrysler dealer as the "security system" developed a mind of it's own and the horn would start blowing and lights flashing at random times. I never used or wanted the system to begin with and it was an older car anyway so thought I'll just have them unhook the damn thing.

Was told in person and via sign on the wall that "ESTIMATES $150". Tried to talk to them but no advice and no budging without payment of $150....and yes this was the OFFICIAL Chrysler dealer and not some back road rogue mechanic.

So of course told them no thanks and then ultimately figured out which fuse went to it and took it out.

Needless to say I have never heard of any car dealer in Thailand asking for $150 for an ESTIMATE.....sorta makes you wonder how much the actual work/repair would be when it's that much for an estimate.

[villagefarang]

Nothing is cheap in Hawaii, except maybe hiking or going to the beach.

[pomchop]

Nothing is cheap in Hawaii, except maybe hiking or going to the beach.

Generally true but beers are now cheaper in most Hawaii bars than Nana Plaza....and taxis are cheaper per mile than a crappy little tuk tuk on patong beach...doesn't mean Hawaii prices are cheap...just that there are some thai prices that are over the top.

But as you say sitting on the beach, taking beautiful hikes, going for a swim, and just enjoying nature in beautiful Hawaii is still free...and probably among the most enjoyable things in Hawaii.

[sceadugenga]

You're always going to get a rotten apple.

When I was in business a regular customer, a lady in her 70s, came in and told me that the car dealer across the road had run up a $1000 worth of extras when she left the car there for a basic service.

He claimed that she had agreed to any "any extra work" and would not release the car until he was paid.

My father only ever used the car service branch of a chain store... foreigners think WalMart... without complaint even when he bought a new car..

[Garry]

You're always going to get a rotten apple.

When I was in business a regular customer, a lady in her 70s, came in and told me that the car dealer across the road had run up a $1000 worth of extras when she left the car there for a basic service.

He claimed that she had agreed to any "any extra work" and would not release the car until he was paid.

My father only ever used the car service branch of a chain store... foreigners think WalMart... without complaint even when he bought a new car..

Agreed to extras. <deleted> lawyer speak. What a bunch of douche bags.