Buy a new car and relax. In Thailand anger and rage will get you (as a foreigner) nowhere!

Do you buy a new bicycle, when you got a flat tire? I don't want a new car, my truck's a nice and a classic one.

Few things happened to me:

- Bought brand new pickup and asked if the wheels were balanced and aligned. They said they did already. Brand service station. Later felt that not everything was 100% and when taking it to XXXXX km service asked them to do the check again. They answered they don't have the wheel alignment machine (<deleted>?). Took it to another garage that did with the result that one wheel had been so badly worn out on one side that I had to buy a new one. Dangerous and unforgivable service that I paid for. Took the wheel to the boss of that brand shop as a gift. Slammed it direct to his desk with compliments.

How does that work..

If it was brand new you would have purchased it from a dealership and it would have been balanced and aligned at the factory.

What does "Brand service station" have to do with it ?.

Few things happened to me:

- Bought brand new pickup and asked if the wheels were balanced and aligned. They said they did already. Brand service station. Later felt that not everything was 100% and when taking it to XXXXX km service asked them to do the check again. They answered they don't have the wheel alignment machine (<deleted>?). Took it to another garage that did with the result that one wheel had been so badly worn out on one side that I had to buy a new one. Dangerous and unforgivable service that I paid for. Took the wheel to the boss of that brand shop as a gift. Slammed it direct to his desk with compliments.

How does that work..

If it was brand new you would have purchased it from a dealership and it would have been balanced and aligned at the factory.

What does "Brand service station" have to do with it ?.

Ok, see how this sounds.

Brand service station, I would assume is the Dealer service Department.

Factory balance & alignment is very basic. From leaving the factory most vehicles pass through many hands. In & out of storage. On & off transport, possibly several times before reaching the delivering dealer.

All dealers are required to perform a pre-delivery inspection & service. Unfortunately this is part of the "on road costs" passed onto the customer, in most instances. So, if the delivering dealer didn't have the appropriate equipment to perform the prescribed per-delivery service, it is quite possible that the vehicle was out of specs, alignment & balance wise, at time of delivery.

Would suggest that this poster didn't have to replace the wheel, but may have had to replace the tire.

Cheers..... Mal.

Better off leaving your car in a jungle clearing for the primates to have a crack off, than a bunch of local 'mechanics'.

Better off leaving your car in a jungle clearing for the primates to have a crack off, than a bunch of local 'mechanics'.

I just came back from a road trip and I'm really happy that all 105 horses put their power on the rear wheels. 170 km/h wasn't difficult.

There're some brilliant mechanics out there and to make a statement that all of them would be incapable of doing a good job is insane and not fair.

Isn't it the same bullshit in other "more civilized" countries, that there're also quite a lot unqualified guys?

I've seen a guy leaving a garage in Germany and after only 50 meters his left rear wheel fell off.

What happened to me was bad luck. Shit can happen and shit happens freaking everywhere.

Please no negative generalization about Thais.It's not true and quite unfair. Thank you very much in advance for your kindest consideration..

Better off leaving your car in a jungle clearing for the primates to have a crack off, than a bunch of local 'mechanics'.

I just came back from a road trip and I'm really happy that all 105 horses put their power on the rear wheels. 170 km/h wasn't difficult.

There're some brilliant mechanics out there and to make a statement that all of them would be incapable of doing a good job is insane and not fair.

Isn't it the same bullshit in other "more civilized" countries, that there're also quite a lot unqualified guys?

I've seen a guy leaving a garage in Germany and after only 50 meters his left rear wheel fell off.

What happened to me was bad luck. Shit can happen and shit happens freaking everywhere.

Please no negative generalization about Thais.It's not true and quite unfair. Thank you very much in advance for your kindest consideration..

The next job looks like a recalibration of the speedo

Better off leaving your car in a jungle clearing for the primates to have a crack off, than a bunch of local 'mechanics'.

I just came back from a road trip and I'm really happy that all 105 horses put their power on the rear wheels. 170 km/h wasn't difficult.

There're some brilliant mechanics out there and to make a statement that all of them would be incapable of doing a good job is insane and not fair.

Isn't it the same bullshit in other "more civilized" countries, that there're also quite a lot unqualified guys?

I've seen a guy leaving a garage in Germany and after only 50 meters his left rear wheel fell off.

What happened to me was bad luck. Shit can happen and shit happens freaking everywhere.

Please no negative generalization about Thais.It's not true and quite unfair. Thank you very much in advance for your kindest consideration..

The next job looks like a recalibration of the speedo

A 2.8 liter engine with full compression on all cylinders and a functioning Diesel system does make the truck 170 km/h fast. But that's way too fast, not just because the speed limits here.A buffalo, cow,"good Thai driver", etc..cold easily end my car's and my life.

It was only a test drive, I'm usually not driving that fast.

Better off leaving your car in a jungle clearing for the primates to have a crack off, than a bunch of local 'mechanics'.

I just came back from a road trip and I'm really happy that all 105 horses put their power on the rear wheels. 170 km/h wasn't difficult.

There're some brilliant mechanics out there and to make a statement that all of them would be incapable of doing a good job is insane and not fair.

Isn't it the same bullshit in other "more civilized" countries, that there're also quite a lot unqualified guys?

I've seen a guy leaving a garage in Germany and after only 50 meters his left rear wheel fell off.

What happened to me was bad luck. Shit can happen and shit happens freaking everywhere.

Please no negative generalization about Thais.It's not true and quite unfair. Thank you very much in advance for your kindest consideration..

The next job looks like a recalibration of the speedo

A 2.8 liter engine with full compression on all cylinders and a functioning Diesel system does make the truck 170 km/h fast. But that's way too fast, not just because the speed limits here.A buffalo, cow,"good Thai driver", etc..cold easily end my car's and my life.

It was only a test drive, I'm usually not driving that fast.

Please drive safely LOST, we have far too much carnage on the roads in Thailand already.

Well, why not go to an authorized dealer of the car maker? Will probably cost a bit more but surely the mechanics there are "properly educated" and can deal with your car...

Few things happened to me:

- Bought brand new pickup and asked if the wheels were balanced and aligned. They said they did already. Brand service station. Later felt that not everything was 100% and when taking it to XXXXX km service asked them to do the check again. They answered they don't have the wheel alignment machine (<deleted>?). Took it to another garage that did with the result that one wheel had been so badly worn out on one side that I had to buy a new one. Dangerous and unforgivable service that I paid for. Took the wheel to the boss of that brand shop as a gift. Slammed it direct to his desk with compliments.

How does that work..

If it was brand new you would have purchased it from a dealership and it would have been balanced and aligned at the factory.

What does "Brand service station" have to do with it ?.

Ok, see how this sounds.

Brand service station, I would assume is the Dealer service Department.

Factory balance & alignment is very basic. From leaving the factory most vehicles pass through many hands. In & out of storage. On & off transport, possibly several times before reaching the delivering dealer.

All dealers are required to perform a pre-delivery inspection & service. Unfortunately this is part of the "on road costs" passed onto the customer, in most instances. So, if the delivering dealer didn't have the appropriate equipment to perform the prescribed per-delivery service, it is quite possible that the vehicle was out of specs, alignment & balance wise, at time of delivery.

Would suggest that this poster didn't have to replace the wheel, but may have had to replace the tire.

Cheers..... Mal.

According to you a new car is delivered with hundreds of Km' on the clock... The most I ever encountered was about 20, and that used to be when/if they sent the car for for "gan sanim" treatment tears ago... Nowadays they do the fittings of such things as windows stickers at the dealer's place (Every time I put my car in for service I seat on the balcony just above the place where they do these fittings).

As for wheels balance and alignment - this is usually done when you replace your tires or if you hit the sidewalk or something hard, in any case not usually done less than about 40000 Km' apart. So far I never saw any car garage that keeps the equipment for these jobs. for this you go to a tires place. After changing tires on my car at a small tires shop that only had balancing equipment, i went to the official car dealer's garage and asked them to do the alignment. Was told that they send it out to a proper tires' shop.

is there aircon in the workshop? If not then i also would walk slow. And if the customer had problems with that i would even need a break.

And why did you order an overhauled pump? Overhauled in Thailand? Just order a new one if the car is worth it, or buy another car.

The mechanics can't help the fact the pump might not be good and a leaking nozzle doesn't have to be the mechanics fault. If i was them i would have never showed you the leak or even enter the workshop. Cheap fallang orders cheap parts and then blames the mechanics.

But i hope it all will be fixed soon. If the car uses oil then buy another one or just a whole new engine or a used one with low mileage.

This shop overhauls all sorts of Diesel pumps and nozzles.Would you buy a new engine, if you only need new piston rings and a new cylinder head gasket?

The mechanics overhauled the pump and the nozzles, but one nozzle was leaking and the mechanic put the pump in, but with the wrong timing.

BTW, I saw the leaking nozzle and i assume that it's my right as a customer to point that out when they're asking for relatively good money. In this case 7,600 baht.

2,500 for a new water pump, which turned out that it was leaking, after only 20 K. Considering that they had to take a lot of parts off that I could see the leaking water pump, common sense to get it changed.

I'm living off a salary that doesn't allow me to buy a new car and i don't want a new car. All i wanted was to get my Diesel pump fixed.

It got dark and I'll have to be back Monday morning. Glad that I didn't pay yet.

Do you want a new wife when your wife get's sick? Just asking............

You do not seem to live here longer, do you?

No only 15 years here sir, not vely much. And only repairing cars for 30 years, also peanuts.

new waterpump, new clutch, new pistonrings, new dieselpump, nozzles and i even didn't read part1.

Why would the mechanics run for you? Did you bring them something from the 711?

And what does 20.000 km say about a waterpump? 2500 says much more, that it's too cheap. 20.000 km in traffic jam is the same as 100.000 on highways.

Well good luck with it, i guess part3 will come soon but i'm not gonna read it.

See ya....

Please drive safely LOST, we have far too much carnage on the roads in Thailand already.

Thanks, always drive slowly since a speeding and red light doing frucking Kathoey hit my truck with his truck, almost killed me, but really killed my truck. ( tears...)

Of course did nobody X-ray me and it took a few more weeks to find out that I had two parts at my spine broken, plenty of stitches, some broken ribs, etc..

I was unconscious for a while, the Sisaket hospital, where I finally woke up sent me home after only five hours. Very close to a wheelchair and would I've had any inner bleeding, surely not here anymore to type any nonsense.

The truck was completely "rebuilt", including welding of the frame,etc..,but it took two garages and 16 months to get it back to life.

The second garage was Mitsubishi. They gave it back to me with very serious steering problems and four !!! very messed up ball joints.

The crash had pushed the truck quite far, sideways...............

And of course a lot of wasted time and money to check on it by going back and forth to a place 70 km away from my home during the first crappy job at a garage in Kantharalak. A real shit hole, but the insurance has a contract with them. Fits into the whole system.

I'm aware that I have to think for the others as well. If you don't believe me that Sisaket has the worst drivers, please drive through the city around 5 pm for an hour.

If nothing happens, then you're a good driver. Welcome to the jungle. Thanks a lot for your posts, really appreciated in time when you're down.

"some things hurt more much more than cars and girls"

And what does 20.000 km say about a waterpump? 2500 says much more, that it's too cheap.

I actually thought Bt.2500 was a bit expensive considering they can be had in the UK for £29.99.

I've seen Thai "mechanics" reseating valves by repeatedly hitting them into the cylinder head with a lump hammer, it's depressing really.

Almost had an accident on my way home after work. What happened is unbelievable.

There's a piece of metal at the Diesel pump,which pulls the accelerator to higher RPM when you switch the aircon on. Unfortunately was it not really tightened up and the car started racing, no chance to stop...

Gossh, the only way was to hit the clutch, turn the ignition off. I'm just wondering if they'd find that out, if I'd be in Nirvana now, with Kurt?

Really a very serious situation and only my experience driving cars and my fast reaction time did help me to avoid an accident.

Happened five more times, until I found the solution.

Be careful when you see a speeding blue Mitsu L 200 heading very fast right to your lane.

Just wondering what's next?

I've seen Thai "mechanics" reseating valves by repeatedly hitting them into the cylinder head with a lump hammer, it's depressing really.

That's normal. Their daddies did that with them too, when they're little.

And what does 20.000 km say about a waterpump? 2500 says much more, that it's too cheap.

I actually thought Bt.2500 was a bit expensive considering they can be had in the UK for £29.99.

2,500 baht is the Mitsushitty price.

When I first moved here I bought a lot of new toys including a Harley and a supermotard.

I had a mechanic at the shop where I bought the harley change the spark plugs.

When I rode it home there was a knocking noise in the engine.

Back at home I removed the plugs to find that the mechanic had replaced the originals with new ones that were at least .5 cm longer inside the cylinder.

The plugs were tapping on the top of the pistons. Luckily nothing shattered or broke.

Then I took my brand new motard into the service centre at the dealer where I bought it. I just wanted the mono shock tweaked up a few turns to stiffen up the suspension.

I went for noodles and upon my return found the head mechanic smashing a flat blade srewdriver with a hammer to move the slotted aluminium suspension adjustment nut. The nut had a massive ugly gouge/burr on each and every lug. This is something you would expect at a tin shed mechanic, not at a dealer.

When I got back to my moobarn I was furious and started moaning to one of my expat neighbours, a Singaporean who had lived here for 12 years. He just laughed and me and advised to sell every one of my bikes and just buy a honda wave because that is the ONLY motorcycle that a Thai knows how to work on.

I took his advice...and life has been a lot less stressful.

The fact that someone has a shop here in Thailand with a sign hanging out the front that reads MECHANIC does not mean that the people inside that shop know anything thing at all about working on a car or a bike. The ONLY thing it means is that someone, sometime back, had enough money to buy a sign.

I highly recommend you to take a few cloves of Raw garlic onces for around 2-3 days if you dare , after that you will never have the Flu again I can guarantee you .

Final conclusion.

I had a rough time and spent quite a lot of money to get some things fixed. Unfortunately, did the Diesel pump almost cause a very serious accident, just because one part of the Diesel pump wasn't built in properly.

I took the damn part out and will have to visit the Diesel shop again tomorrow. Would any other inexperienced driver come into such a situation, where the throttle's full open and the car's accelerating like hell, it could end up very badly. ( Please remember the accident at Khon Khaen zoo)

When it happened to me, I had no time to think and did the right thing to step on the clutch, then turned the ignition off. How many people have such a fast reaction time to do the right thing when something like that occurs?

Especially when driving an automatic. No idea why, I'm not pissed off, just annoyed. Might buy a present from S & M for the mechanic.

I'm very happy that my wife wasn't driving. Wish all of you a safe trip on Thailand';s roads.

My local garage couldn't change the side lights fuse.

Told me it was fixed, and hoped I didn't notice the lights not working, even though it was after dark when I collected.

And I got a load of shit on the thread I started about it.

Apparently we are expecting too much from the local garages .........

or I should have done it myself ......

or I'm a troll and the fuse was never broken, I don't have a car, and I don't really live in Thailand.

Good luck anyway.

Sounds about normal for sure on TV these days

I found a solution and fixed the dangerous part at the Diesel pump by myself. Thanks a lot for the few positive posts, like Jessi's.