Garage incompetence .... can't change a fuse!

[MaeJoMTB]

So my old pickup is a bit run down, lights gone at the back, misses has smashed a taillight cluster.

Window winder off and too worn to fit back on.

This morning all the sidelights and dash light failed.

I replaced the rear brake light bulbs, 20bht each.

Too lazy to fix the rest of this little lot myself.

Garage agrees 850bht to fix everything.

So I go back, all done they say, needed new bulbs in the back so extra 50bht.

(hang on, I just replaced all the bulbs for 40bht)

New tail light cluster ..... check.

New window winder ....... check.

No sidelights or dash light.

Did you check the fuse, I asked?

Oh yes, they says.

So I pull the fuse box cover off, find the sidelight fuse (covered in dust and dirt, never been touched, but labels all English).

Pull the fuse ....... blown.

New fuse please, put it in, everything works.

We definitely changed it, they claim ......... so why's it all covered in dirt? (I think to myself)

Dynamo might be damaged and blowing fuses, they claim ........ thanks a new fuse will do for now (as I drive off).

Oh well, cheap enough, but still, you'd think they would have checked the fuse!

Or did they really think I would have driven off at night and not noticed the lights didn't work?

[cumgranosalum]

well this sort of thing is certainly not the preserve of Thailand......

Although my Nissan garage were servicing my pickup for a few years before they realised it was 4WD.

I think when getting a vehicle worked on in any country, on needs to expect an inexplicable fault or glitch in the logical process at some point.

[Jim walker]

You cant blame the Thai mechanic for that after all he served his two week apprenticeship and only gets 5000 baht a month what do you expect dedication and total customer satisfaction. When the garage send you in the satisfaction questioner via your e-mail or on your phone dont give them any 10 out of 10 scores, I never do so they try harder on your next visit.

[Anthony5]

I own a Nissan Navara D40, that is the model that has just changed.

Went to the local Nissan dealer and asked for an oil filter for a D40 engine. Answer was that they didn't sell Toyota parts.

On another occasion I called the Nissan dealer in Laem Chabang to ask if they had an engine air filter in stock for a Navara D40. They didn't speak English so they managed to have the owner of the garage call me back, which speaks reasonable English.

Couldn't figure out what an engine air filter was.

After she had called me 5 times trying to figure out what part I actually had in mind, I was informed that the D40 was the previous model and Nissan didn't make that filter any more.

[WarpSpeed]

I had an incredible time trying to locate a distributor cap for my BMW coupe when I first arrived there. Went to a BMW performance shop had my wife show them the part and ask them for one or where to get one and they said "no need, just dust cover". I guess that explains why the cap contacts were nearly in half as no one figured the cap was required for anything important . Finally found one only a short distance from my house ironically in a small street shop after running all over Bangkok and as I suspected it was the same as a VW cap from the same era, I bought 2 just in case.

[jacko45k]

This surprises you?

And you can't change a fuse yourself?

[Johnsy]

I've been doing my own mechanical work on bikes and cars for 40 years and still don't consider myself a mechanic but the level of mechanical skill and aptitude in this country from dealership to garage workshop is truly appalling. Almost none of them have any training, qualifications or understanding of the most basic mechanical skills, if they can short cut they will, if it doesn't fit just MacGyver it or blacksmith it to fit, they won't change filters, fuses or spark plugs but they will charge you for them, it truly is pathetic. And if you try to advise them of an easier or better way to do something mechanical they're insulted and just get the shits with you, quite the opposite when I'm trying to learn something!

[cumgranosalum]

I've been doing my own mechanical work on bikes and cars for 40 years and still don't consider myself a mechanic but the level of mechanical skill and aptitude in this country from dealership to garage workshop is truly appalling. Almost none of them have any training, qualifications or understanding of the most basic mechanical skills, if they can short cut they will, if it doesn't fit just MacGyver it or blacksmith it to fit, they won't change filters, fuses or spark plugs but they will charge you for them, it truly is pathetic. And if you try to advise them of an easier or better way to do something mechanical they're insulted and just get the shits with you, quite the opposite when I'm trying to learn something!

As the son of an automotive engineer, I had a pretty good training in my youth which then followed on into racing and other aspects of motor vehicles......I have taught myself not to watch when I get things repaired...especially in Thailand or other emerging nations as the national training schemes are just not effective and the people they turn out don't appear even to have the most basic grounding in principles of mechanics or physics or anything connected with a motor car. Having said that I have about 4 mechanics in garages local to me who I ca communicate with effectively and have an intelligent and methodical approach to their work.

I think it behove any foreigner who owns a motor vehicle in Thailand to make sure they develop a relationship with a local garage...or better still 2 or 3 local establishments....that way you will get things done and in reasonable time at a reasonble price andsd with the least amount of bother....never expect 100% though.

[cumgranosalum]

You cant blame the Thai mechanic for that after all he served his two week apprenticeship and only gets 5000 baht a month what do you expect dedication and total customer satisfaction. When the garage send you in the satisfaction questioner via your e-mail or on your phone dont give them any 10 out of 10 scores, I never do so they try harder on your next visit.

Apparently you aren't aware of the training courses available at Tech Colleges in Thailand....they last a lot longer than 2 weeks...however the effectiveness or the teachers and the content is undoubtedly open to question.

[RigPig]

The problem is there is no ability to ask "why". Which of course goes back to the education system and culture.

Once shown something that is the only way...

[overherebc]

A lot of it comes from the fact that many so called mechanics everywhere are now really 'part changers' and are not if fact mechanics.

[SOTIRIOS]

100% employment rate though

[Sydebolle]

Ford Pattaya managed to "forget" to screw the oil lid back onto the engine top which resulted in helluva mess. Had the pick-up towed back and asked for the duty manager and the check-sheet of my car which just had left the garage an hour earlier. Everything ticked, signed, approved and counter-approved. Asked to see the mechanic who ticked the boxes as well as on which bay the car was serviced.
It turned out that the mechanic told his boss, that I had arrived without the lid to start with. I then took the stairs down into the bay's cavity and did not only find mine but two other oil lids.
Got them to clean the entire engine room, replace the oil as well as some seared hoses; bill clocked was almost ten grand they expected me to pay. As I have a dash camera I told them to stuff that bill where it belongs ..... and never went back to avoid loose bolts or leaking brake fluid hoses.
Never bought a Ford again as after three cars and simply non-existent after sales had to change from this otherwise fantastic car.

[maximillian]

Had my Mazda BT50 in three different Mazda garages. So far i was highly satisfied with their service.

Same with my vintage motorbikes fixed in a small workshop. The owner is a mechanical genius and very fair priced.

Honda BigWing mechanics in Chiangmai, Suratthani and Phuket deserve my highest praise.

Now i own a Yamaha. The young mechanic who dealt with it, also did a great job. But when i asked him to check the tire pressure he checked by pressing the tires with thumbs instead of using a gauge. There was no gauge at the compressor. The shop owner's fault, not the mechanic's.

Look around at "Motorbike week", you find many selfmade items and complete selfmade bikes that prove some Thais are great mechanics.

[vogie]

A lot of it comes from the fact that many so called mechanics everywhere are now really 'part changers' and are not if fact mechanics.

Yes the mechanic name in general is dead, they are called fitters now, and quite rightly so. Why repair something for £50 when you can buy new for £20.

[maximillian]

Ford Pattaya managed to "forget" to screw the oil lid back onto the engine top which resulted in helluva mess. Had the pick-up towed back and asked for the duty manager and the check-sheet of my car which just had left the garage an hour earlier. Everything ticked, signed, approved and counter-approved. Asked to see the mechanic who ticked the boxes as well as on which bay the car was serviced.

It turned out that the mechanic told his boss, that I had arrived without the lid to start with. I then took the stairs down into the bay's cavity and did not only find mine but two other oil lids.

Got them to clean the entire engine room, replace the oil as well as some seared hoses; bill clocked was almost ten grand they expected me to pay. As I have a dash camera I told them to stuff that bill where it belongs ..... and never went back to avoid loose bolts or leaking brake fluid hoses.

Never bought a Ford again as after three cars and simply non-existent after sales had to change from this otherwise fantastic car.

Similar thing happened to me but had been solved to my full satisfaction.

Drove back home after the service, approx. 90 km, noticed oil dripping. Engine oil cover missing. Called Mazda garage. They apologized, sent a service car to my home, they cleaned up the mess, changed oil again, found the cap in the engine. All had been done within three hours after my call to Mazda.

[Sviss Geez]

"So I pull the fuse box cover off, find the sidelight fuse (covered in dust and dirt, never been touched, but labels all English).
Pull the fuse ....... blown.
New fuse please, put it in, everything works.
We definitely changed it, they claim ......... so why's it all covered in dirt? (I think to myself)"

I was thinking to myself how come the fuse was "covered in dust and dirt",apparently supporting your allegation of incompetence, if it had been protected from the environment by being inside a fuse box with a fitted cover? What labels do the small fuses protecting the sidelight circuit carry?

[Sviss Geez]

Ford Pattaya managed to "forget" to screw the oil lid back onto the engine top which resulted in helluva mess. Had the pick-up towed back and asked for the duty manager and the check-sheet of my car which just had left the garage an hour earlier. Everything ticked, signed, approved and counter-approved. Asked to see the mechanic who ticked the boxes as well as on which bay the car was serviced.

It turned out that the mechanic told his boss, that I had arrived without the lid to start with. I then took the stairs down into the bay's cavity and did not only find mine but two other oil lids.

Got them to clean the entire engine room, replace the oil as well as some seared hoses; bill clocked was almost ten grand they expected me to pay. As I have a dash camera I told them to stuff that bill where it belongs ..... and never went back to avoid loose bolts or leaking brake fluid hoses.

Never bought a Ford again as after three cars and simply non-existent after sales had to change from this otherwise fantastic car.

Very surprised that the manager allowed you to access the service area and rummage around the bay. Even more surprised that you were able to recognise your oil filler cap, was it somehow different to all the others?

Why did you get them to replace the oil, not just top it up, surely you couldn't have lost the entire contents of the sump?

How would the dash cam help your case, working on the engine requires the bonnet to be opened doesn't it? Can the cam see through the steel bonnet that would have been open directly in front of the windscreen?

Which bolts had they left loose, and were they responsible for causing your car to have leaking brake lines? That's a bit serious to be an after thought to your post, surely that's much more complaint worthy than a missing oil filler cap?

[motionbroker]

Normally dont respond to topics here but since I have rebuilt 3 classic sports cars in Bangkok with mechanics of exceptional talent (and exceptionally reasonable rates) I would say that you are just visiting the wrong mechanics. If you dont use a bit of common sense and go to a mechanic whose premises look professional then my guess is you will get lousy service. Same goes for anywhere in the world.

[cumgranosalum]

I had a serious problem with Mitsu in Chonburi - they left my steering faulty and dangerous...they repeatedly told me it was OK......I had an independent guy look at it who immediately rang Mitsu on my behalf.

The end result was that Mitsu HQ sent a team of specialists from head office to repair the vehicle at a garage of my choice.

to this day I can't figure out why the Mitsu dealership went into denial mode over this...they could have fixed it there and then but for some reason chose the confrontational way.......

Lesson - if the dealership Fux up whatever the brand, go to head office - they all have specialist teams who can be called upon to sort out this sort of stuff.

[Anthony5]

Ford Pattaya managed to "forget" to screw the oil lid back onto the engine top which resulted in helluva mess. Had the pick-up towed back and asked for the duty manager and the check-sheet of my car which just had left the garage an hour earlier. Everything ticked, signed, approved and counter-approved. Asked to see the mechanic who ticked the boxes as well as on which bay the car was serviced.

It turned out that the mechanic told his boss, that I had arrived without the lid to start with. I then took the stairs down into the bay's cavity and did not only find mine but two other oil lids.

Got them to clean the entire engine room, replace the oil as well as some seared hoses; bill clocked was almost ten grand they expected me to pay. As I have a dash camera I told them to stuff that bill where it belongs ..... and never went back to avoid loose bolts or leaking brake fluid hoses.

Never bought a Ford again as after three cars and simply non-existent after sales had to change from this otherwise fantastic car.

Very surprised that the manager allowed you to access the service area and rummage around the bay. Even more surprised that you were able to recognise your oil filler cap, was it somehow different to all the others?

Why did you get them to replace the oil, not just top it up, surely you couldn't have lost the entire contents of the sump?

How would the dash cam help your case, working on the engine requires the bonnet to be opened doesn't it? Can the cam see through the steel bonnet that would have been open directly in front of the windscreen?

Which bolts had they left loose, and were they responsible for causing your car to have leaking brake lines? That's a bit serious to be an after thought to your post, surely that's much more complaint worthy than a missing oil filler cap?

It's not the case of how he was able to recognize HIS filler cap, there are no filler caps supposed to be in the bay.

[cumgranosalum]

Normally dont respond to topics here but since I have rebuilt 3 classic sports cars in Bangkok with mechanics of exceptional talent (and exceptionally reasonable rates) I would say that you are just visiting the wrong mechanics. If you dont use a bit of common sense and go to a mechanic whose premises look professional then my guess is you will get lousy service. Same goes for anywhere in the world.

whereas I agree that you need to find a good mechanic for your needs this is not always easy to the layperson.

Secondly some of the posts above - including my own are concerning MAIN DEALERSHIPS on cars that may even still be under guarantee.

I think the ing here to remember is that the Brands themselves do not want to get a bad reputation and will usually step in to put dealer/customer conflict straight. Different companies of course have varying degrees of cooperation on this level.

[Don Mega]

Ford Pattaya managed to "forget" to screw the oil lid back onto the engine top which resulted in helluva mess. Had the pick-up towed back and asked for the duty manager and the check-sheet of my car which just had left the garage an hour earlier. Everything ticked, signed, approved and counter-approved. Asked to see the mechanic who ticked the boxes as well as on which bay the car was serviced.

It turned out that the mechanic told his boss, that I had arrived without the lid to start with. I then took the stairs down into the bay's cavity and did not only find mine but two other oil lids.

Got them to clean the entire engine room, replace the oil as well as some seared hoses; bill clocked was almost ten grand they expected me to pay. As I have a dash camera I told them to stuff that bill where it belongs ..... and never went back to avoid loose bolts or leaking brake fluid hoses.

Never bought a Ford again as after three cars and simply non-existent after sales had to change from this otherwise fantastic car.

wow. 10k to clean up the engine bay and top up the oil.

Does seem a tad expensive.

[The Deerhunter]

A lot of it comes from the fact that many so called mechanics everywhere are now really 'part changers' and are not if fact mechanics.

A long as they know a part can be changed, or can be charged-for as changed. We have our Toyota serviced at a Toyota agency in a big city. I still keep my fingers crossed. Nice to see the empty parts boxes left in the passenger foot-well. I hope that really means what I think I was meant to think it means!!!!!!!

[cumgranosalum]

In every country there is a false hierarchy in the motor industry......mechanics call themselves engineers, fitter call themselves mechanics and waterboys call themselves fitters.....but it is common on this site too.

[cumgranosalum]

Ford Pattaya managed to "forget" to screw the oil lid back onto the engine top which resulted in helluva mess. Had the pick-up towed back and asked for the duty manager and the check-sheet of my car which just had left the garage an hour earlier. Everything ticked, signed, approved and counter-approved. Asked to see the mechanic who ticked the boxes as well as on which bay the car was serviced.

It turned out that the mechanic told his boss, that I had arrived without the lid to start with. I then took the stairs down into the bay's cavity and did not only find mine but two other oil lids.

Got them to clean the entire engine room, replace the oil as well as some seared hoses; bill clocked was almost ten grand they expected me to pay. As I have a dash camera I told them to stuff that bill where it belongs ..... and never went back to avoid loose bolts or leaking brake fluid hoses.

Never bought a Ford again as after three cars and simply non-existent after sales had to change from this otherwise fantastic car.

Very surprised that the manager allowed you to access the service area and rummage around the bay. Even more surprised that you were able to recognise your oil filler cap, was it somehow different to all the others?

Why did you get them to replace the oil, not just top it up, surely you couldn't have lost the entire contents of the sump?

How would the dash cam help your case, working on the engine requires the bonnet to be opened doesn't it? Can the cam see through the steel bonnet that would have been open directly in front of the windscreen?

Which bolts had they left loose, and were they responsible for causing your car to have leaking brake lines? That's a bit serious to be an after thought to your post, surely that's much more complaint worthy than a missing oil filler cap?

It doesn't sound like you can get under your bonnet/hood very often.......if I put my car into a repair shop, I'd soon be able to ID most of the parts they'd changed as mine or other vehicles.....do you think they'd be hundreds of caps lying around?

[biplanebluey]

"So I pull the fuse box cover off, find the sidelight fuse (covered in dust and dirt, never been touched, but labels all English).

Pull the fuse ....... blown.

New fuse please, put it in, everything works.

We definitely changed it, they claim ......... so why's it all covered in dirt? (I think to myself)"

I was thinking to myself how come the fuse was "covered in dust and dirt",apparently supporting your allegation of incompetence, if it had been protected from the environment by being inside a fuse box with a fitted cover? What labels do the small fuses protecting the sidelight circuit carry?

Good one SG---- we do get some strange replies sometimes

[Darren palmer]

I gave up a long go time ago with getting my stuff fixed at dealers or anywhere else, i went out and spent a fair few thousand baht on all my own tools, it was hard for me to watch the mechanics out here as i myself have been a mechanic for 25 years,

i could tell you load's of horror stories from over the years but the best one i think was just last year, my new Isuzu needed a new windscreen, i don't have the tools to do this and the insurance was paying so i took the truck to the big main Isuzu dealer just out side of Pattaya,

When the Guy came out to look at the truck i showed him the gleaming black paint work all the way round the windscreen and said can you see it ? he looked at me and said Mr i don't see anything ? yes i said there is not a single mark on the paint so don't scratch the paint and gave him a 2" roll of masking tape and told him to make sure the fitter used it to protect the paint, he just laughed at me patted me on the shoulder and said Mr this is main dealer no Problem..?... at this point i new i was doomed, the truck also needed a service for the warranty so they were asked to do this as well.

3 days later ( as we all know it takes 3 days to change a screen and the oil ) i went back to the dealers,

as i feared they had taken the paint off along the roof line down to the metal in two place's and the the sides were scratch , the guy came out and asked me to sign the paperwork so i refused and showed him the damage ( the 2" masking tape was still sitting on the passenger side seat ) he went into a little panic and ran into the workshop where one of the painters came out and touched up the all the marks and polished out the rest, he asked me to sign again, i said where is my road tax ? he ran off again came back moments later with my tax broken glass still stuck to it and gave it to me and said sign, i said where is my inside mirror ? this guy looked inside the truck roles his eyes and off he ran again to find the mirror, this is all true I'm not making this up, he came back handed me the mirror ? didn't fit it just gave it to me....,

i then had to go to the service department as i had to pay for the service, on the bill they had charged me for a new oil filter but when i lifted the bonnet it was plain to see it had not been changed as it was still covered in road dirt, i called the mechanic over and when asked he pulled a rag out of his pocked cleaned the filter right in front of me and said.. Mr we change sure 100%..lol.. i was gob smacked, i just left i was to angry to argue with them.

i should write a book with all the things that have happen with so called mechanics here, people should send me there's tails of disappointment then we could sell it at the airport,..lol.. be a good way of getting some of the money back we have all lost,

At the end of the day I'm not thai bashing here, its just down to lack of training, but i just hate it when they look at me as if it my fault they didn't do the job right.

[swerver]

DYNAMO - That says it all.

Dynamos haven't been installed on vehicles since Christ was a Pup.

By the sixties and really in the seventies more and more electrical items were added to vehicles the dynamo didn't hack it anymore.

So the ALTERNATOR made its appearance.

The Alternator produces Alternating current so in the back plate of the alternator you find the Diodes which allow the current only go in one direction and you land up with DC current to charge the battery and the battery supplies all the electrical items which now 2015 are power steering. Drive by wire (that's the accelerator pedal) to name but two of the many elelctrical items on vehicles.

But as Bernard Trink always said; "TIT". In Thailand it is still DYNAMO. You sometimes wonder how they made it this far.

[Doc46]

Well well well,,,My dad always told me ,,,,,If you want something done do it your F,,,n self than you know , (if you have the knowhow) That it will be done properly,,,,So the point is IF you can do some jobs yourself than you can't complain,If you can't do them Be very careful, Workmanship is VERY shoddy in Thailand, keep an eye on everything you let them work on,If you can't you will get screwed .Just got a house built I was there nearly everyday. They still managed to screw me over for a few things .No matter how hard you try,The Thai workers will get you no matter what their boss/Builder says.