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

[MaeJoMTB]

"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?

Car is 20 years old, fuse box cover not all that good a fit.

Labels look summit like this ........

Your car doesn't have one?

[shaggy851]

Should have been checking curcuits if fuses are keeping on blowing. They may have indeed changed a fuse but had shorted again. Not really sure what they did for your money. But id reckon dash lights arent a priority to them. Electrical gremlins can ve shockers escpecially in newer dashes with tntegrated command centres. Som wont start if the radio is disconnected from its pins!

[IMHO]

I bet if you had of just laughed with them when discovering the blown fuse, the sequence of events thereafter would have been a lot different.

[sammygood]

do you know one honest garage shop ?

not even in my home country

but overthere, they just might be a little bit more competent, just like to overcharge you - 75 euro per hour

[bazza40]

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.

Can't always judge a book by its cover. There's a garage in CM where you could eat your dinner off the floor, so clean. Problem is, the owner and his mechanics are very competent at keeping everything in its place, not so competent at servicing. On the other hand, a garage I use ( word of mouth recommendation ) looks like a dog's breakfast. However, the owner/manager is on top of every job that comes in. I've never had a problem with servicing there, and I'm somewhat picky about proper maintenance..

[MaeJoMTB]

I bet if you had of just laughed with them when discovering the blown fuse, the sequence of events thereafter would have been a lot different.

And some people wonder why foreigners are seen as easy targets.

Laugh with some arse that is not only incompetent but lying to me and stealing from me, hope that works out for you!

PS

The sequence of events after finding the blown fuse, I watched them put a new one in, then drove off.

[IMHO]

I bet if you had of just laughed with them when discovering the blown fuse, the sequence of events thereafter would have been a lot different.

And some people wonder why foreigners are seen as easy targets.

Laugh with some arse that is not only incompetent but lying to me and stealing from me, hope that works out for you!

PS

The sequence of events after finding the blown fuse, I watched them put a new one in, then drove off.

And there's the cultural gap....

If you ever want to confront a Thai about a mistake, you have two options

1) Do it in a jovial manner, recognizing that to err is human, and laugh it off.

2) Make them 100% understand you have no respect, whatsoever for them.

up2u. #1 works in all cultures though..

[cumgranosalum]

There is no single problem or any particular Thai problem with mechanics here - what is needed really is not loads of anecdotes about what went wrong, it is practical ways to avoid or mitigate problems in the future.....

[MaeJoMTB]

And there's the cultural gap....

If you ever want to confront a Thai about a mistake, you have two options

1) Do it in a jovial manner, recognizing that to err is human, and laugh it off.

2) Make them 100% understand you have no respect, whatsoever for them.

up2u. #1 works in all cultures though..

You are confusing social interactions and employer/employee (master/servant) interactions.

Thai employers have absolutely no cultural behaviors to stop them shouting or chastising employees/servants.

I don't want a garage mechanic to be my friend, I want him to do his job.

However if you were taught Thai culture by the lowest farm girl/hooker/servant then I can understand your mistake.

You only were shown Thai interactions from the servant side of things.

Watch a Thai soap, see how the masters treat the servants.

Very little jovial corrections of mistakes, a lot of shouting and hitting.

[IMHO]

And there's the cultural gap....

If you ever want to confront a Thai about a mistake, you have two options

1) Do it in a jovial manner, recognizing that to err is human, and laugh it off.

2) Make them 100% understand you have no respect, whatsoever for them.

up2u. #1 works in all cultures though..

You are confusing social interactions and employer/employee (master/servant) interactions.

Thai employers have absolutely no cultural behaviors to stop them shouting or chastising employees/servants.

I don't want a garage mechanic to be my friend, I want him to do his job.

However if you were taught Thai culture by the lowest farm girl/hooker/servant then I can understand your mistake.

You only were shown Thai interactions from the servant side of things.

Watch a Thai soap, see how the masters treat the servants.

Very little jovial corrections of mistakes, a lot of shouting and hitting.

Oh yeah, Thai soaps - now there's reality.

Thanks for the afternoon laugh

[steven100]

If you all had of bought a Chevrolet none of these problem would have occurred .....

don't need to go to the garage because nothing ever goes wrong ..

[IMHO]

If you all had of bought a Chevrolet none of these problem would have occurred .....

don't need to go to the garage because nothing ever goes wrong ..

555

I see this is now the jokes thread

[BigBadGeordie]

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.

Easy to recognise his cap, it had "710" on the top whilst the other had "OIL" written on.

[janpharma]

Idiot service on a new car at "Toyota Vision, Rayong"...Had to come back 4 times because the pasengers window of a brand new car didn't close properly...About 6 staff members each pushed it up and down about 50 times!!! Only a rubber had to be replaced...this took weeks...and visits at " Toyota Vision" were between 1 and 6 hours....

After More than 3 months we got the "blue book"...: Wrong name, wrong address...had to go back...Looking all the idiots with their phone in one hand playing Line or Facebook...Have to go back in maybe 1 or 2 months more...

Thainess???

[cumgranosalum]

When buying a 4wd in a showroom in Thailand a few years back

Has it got a heater? "Yes"

Has it got a locking front diff? "yes"

Does it have a jacuzzi in the back? "yes"

will you sleep with me if I buy it? "Yes"

1 out of 4....not bad

[cumgranosalum]

Mind you , you want to see the Nissan showroom in Savannakhet; full of new pickups and cars - it was explained to me by the beautiful girl there that they have no service or parts department

when asked where I went for my first service she explained "cannot"

[williet98248]

Took my 86 Yamaha 750 cc bike into a shop that 'specialized' in big bikes. Running poorly and I suspected carb problem. Went to pick it up and "Hey, you haven't installed the side cover." "Um, err, what side cover?" So then I took good look and "Gee, there are a lot of nuts, bolts and rubber grommets missing too!" So we had bit of a discussion and I started looking around the shop, discovered a tin pan full of small parts that they hadn't bothered to replace. They couldn't find the side cover and I made them pay a thousand for it. (Finally found one on eBay for $60 plus shipping.) I gathered up all my 'extra' parts and drove the bike home. Barely made it home as the bike would barely run. Of course I never went back and the bike has been sitting for 18 months waiting for me to get around to repairing it myself with my motor repair manual as guide.

Took my VW Vento to a local shop with tranny problems. Pointed out oil on the trans oil cooler. "Oh, just a bit low on trans oil." filled it for a cost of 800 baht. A week later the same problem. Took it to another shop telling the guy i I thought it was the trans oil cooler leaking. He plugged it into a computer, said "Yup, bad seals in the oil cooler." charged me 350 baht for the computer diagnosis and replaced the oil cooler for 1600 baht. I have been back to him but when he goes for his computer I tell him I am not paying for that. I can see the problem just by looking at it! The VW uses a lot of oil. The VW guy said I had to rebuild the engine. I went to the VW forums on the internet and discovered that this particular engine is famous for using oil. Just the way they are engineered. You would think he would know that.

Took my older Honda Accord to a shop for AC service. On the way home the engine suddenly revved to red line. Couldn't get it to idle. A mechanic found a nut that had been dropped into the carb and jammed it wide open. Never gone back there either. Now, if possible, I stand over the mechanics and watch their every move. When I have a problem I do a lot of research on the internet and in my repair manuals and if I can't or don't want to repair it myself I point at the problem and say "repair this, replace that".

But telling them what to do can be a problem too. I told the MC people I thought it was a carb problem and so they spent a lot of time and my money on the carbs and didn't consider anything else. The problem turned out to be low compression due to bad piston rings which I discovered myself by doing a compression check.

[sometimewoodworker]

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!!!!!!!

With our Toyota the parts boxes have the used parts in them

[jerome2]

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.

[jerome2]

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.

Where do you think we go ....for not losing the garanty we go to the brand and this is what we get...but sometime its very good...i tried altternative garage... had 2 bolt on the undermotor plate after a change on the stearing mechanism ...they just forgot them there and scew the plate back with the bolts on it...that's a world record

[Happy Grumpy]

This surprises you?

And you can't change a fuse yourself?

He did.

Read the OP.

[Don Mega]

Took my 86 Yamaha 750 cc bike into a shop that 'specialized' in big bikes. Running poorly and I suspected carb problem. Went to pick it up and "Hey, you haven't installed the side cover." "Um, err, what side cover?" So then I took good look and "Gee, there are a lot of nuts, bolts and rubber grommets missing too!" So we had bit of a discussion and I started looking around the shop, discovered a tin pan full of small parts that they hadn't bothered to replace. They couldn't find the side cover and I made them pay a thousand for it. (Finally found one on eBay for $60 plus shipping.) I gathered up all my 'extra' parts and drove the bike home. Barely made it home as the bike would barely run. Of course I never went back and the bike has been sitting for 18 months waiting for me to get around to repairing it myself with my motor repair manual as guide.

Took my VW Vento to a local shop with tranny problems. Pointed out oil on the trans oil cooler. "Oh, just a bit low on trans oil." filled it for a cost of 800 baht. A week later the same problem. Took it to another shop telling the guy i I thought it was the trans oil cooler leaking. He plugged it into a computer, said "Yup, bad seals in the oil cooler." charged me 350 baht for the computer diagnosis and replaced the oil cooler for 1600 baht. I have been back to him but when he goes for his computer I tell him I am not paying for that. I can see the problem just by looking at it! The VW uses a lot of oil. The VW guy said I had to rebuild the engine. I went to the VW forums on the internet and discovered that this particular engine is famous for using oil. Just the way they are engineered. You would think he would know that.

Took my older Honda Accord to a shop for AC service. On the way home the engine suddenly revved to red line. Couldn't get it to idle. A mechanic found a nut that had been dropped into the carb and jammed it wide open. Never gone back there either. Now, if possible, I stand over the mechanics and watch their every move. When I have a problem I do a lot of research on the internet and in my repair manuals and if I can't or don't want to repair it myself I point at the problem and say "repair this, replace that".

But telling them what to do can be a problem too. I told the MC people I thought it was a carb problem and so they spent a lot of time and my money on the carbs and didn't consider anything else. The problem turned out to be low compression due to bad piston rings which I discovered myself by doing a compression check.

Iam impressed the diagnostic computer was able to detect leaking oil seals.

What model Yamaha is it ?....

[jacko45k]

This surprises you?

And you can't change a fuse yourself?

He did.

Read the OP.

But strangely drove it to the workshop to do it!

[williet98248]

Took my 86 Yamaha 750 cc bike into a shop that 'specialized' in big bikes. Running poorly and I suspected carb problem. Went to pick it up and "Hey, you haven't installed the side cover." "Um, err, what side cover?" So then I took good look and "Gee, there are a lot of nuts, bolts and rubber grommets missing too!" So we had bit of a discussion and I started looking around the shop, discovered a tin pan full of small parts that they hadn't bothered to replace. They couldn't find the side cover and I made them pay a thousand for it. (Finally found one on eBay for $60 plus shipping.) I gathered up all my 'extra' parts and drove the bike home. Barely made it home as the bike would barely run. Of course I never went back and the bike has been sitting for 18 months waiting for me to get around to repairing it myself with my motor repair manual as guide.

Took my VW Vento to a local shop with tranny problems. Pointed out oil on the trans oil cooler. "Oh, just a bit low on trans oil." filled it for a cost of 800 baht. A week later the same problem. Took it to another shop telling the guy i I thought it was the trans oil cooler leaking. He plugged it into a computer, said "Yup, bad seals in the oil cooler." charged me 350 baht for the computer diagnosis and replaced the oil cooler for 1600 baht. I have been back to him but when he goes for his computer I tell him I am not paying for that. I can see the problem just by looking at it! The VW uses a lot of oil. The VW guy said I had to rebuild the engine. I went to the VW forums on the internet and discovered that this particular engine is famous for using oil. Just the way they are engineered. You would think he would know that.

Took my older Honda Accord to a shop for AC service. On the way home the engine suddenly revved to red line. Couldn't get it to idle. A mechanic found a nut that had been dropped into the carb and jammed it wide open. Never gone back there either. Now, if possible, I stand over the mechanics and watch their every move. When I have a problem I do a lot of research on the internet and in my repair manuals and if I can't or don't want to repair it myself I point at the problem and say "repair this, replace that".

But telling them what to do can be a problem too. I told the MC people I thought it was a carb problem and so they spent a lot of time and my money on the carbs and didn't consider anything else. The problem turned out to be low compression due to bad piston rings which I discovered myself by doing a compression check.

Iam impressed the diagnostic computer was able to detect leaking oil seals.

What model Yamaha is it ?....

The computer confirmed the problem was the oil cooler and he diagnosed bad seals by the pools of transmission oil on the oil cooler.

The bike is a 1986 Yamaha FZ 750, known as a Fazer in the US and a Genesis in the UK. It was imported into Thailand as parts and assembled here. I discovered this when I noticed many parts seemed to be missing. I bought used, second hand and new parts to restore the bike. Needs piston rings. Be happy to sell you the project including all the new and second hand parts I have imported from the US and UK. Have an assembly and parts manual and repair manual. Has a legal green book. I quit riding bikes a year ago and sold my Kawasaki Boss. I am happy with my 93 Honda Accord with the 200 hp double overhead cam iVitec Prelude Engine. Yow!

[Don Mega]

Ohh ok, well that is changing your story.

Still not sure why a computer was needed when it seems infact the leaking seals was confirmed visually.