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  1. #1
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    Mr Lick's Avatar
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    Are Toyota franchises operating a service scam?

    It turned out to be a wee bit of an eventful morning. My wife phoned Toyota service dept at 08.30 am to enquire when her lovely husband (yours truly ) could bring his Vigo truck in for a 40,000 kms service.

    The reply she received was ok to bring today, what time you want?

    Ok, as the service dept closes at 12 o'clock for lunch my wife asked how long to complete the service. Reply - 1 hour
    Ok, Can we have an appointment for 10.30 am? Reply - 10.30 am ok, what are your vehicle details, number plate etc? Duly passed to service desk operator.

    I travel 30 kms without my wife and arrive at 10.20 am. At 10.30 am i speak to a service manager and explain that an appointment had been arranged to have my truck serviced. His grasp of the english language is limited as is my Thai.
    He appears flustered and makes a few phone calls. He then points to his computor monitor and types a message in Thai and translates the message into english and says 'Please sir'. I look at the monitor screen which reads 'Can you charge a ring?'
    An amused look appears on my face.
    A female who speaks some english appears and asks me if i can come back this afternoon.I inform her that an appointment had been made for 10.30 am and that i had further appointments to meet throughout the day.
    'Can i speak with your wife?' My reply was that speaking with my wife is not going to alter the appointment time but go ahead. My wife confirms the conversation between herself and Toyota and that i had other committments during the day.

    The female then writes down 12 o'clock finish on a piece of paper and i say ok. She then writes out an invoice for the servicing costs and attaches a figure of 7,500. I ask what this figure relates to and she replies 40,000 kms service - 7,500 baht
    Not wishing to leave my mouth agape for an extended period i enquire how they arrived at that figure. The male service manager steps in and explains that the labour charge is 1,200 baht, ok i say, what is the other 6,300 baht for? He replies oil. My mouth falls open once more. He then explains that the cost includes gear oil, automatic transmission oil. My expression remains fixed.
    I reply that my truck is still under warranty and that my friend was charged 3,500 baht for the same service last year. Not possible was there reply. I phone my friend to confirm. I then ask the manager to reconsider. He writes 4000 baht on the invoice. Ok, we have deal.

    Whilst keeping an eye on the 4 'mechanics' carrying out the said service i phone my wife and ask her to contact Toyota Khon Kaen to enquire the servicing costs at 40,000 kms. She phones me back a few minutes later to confirm that Toyota KK are quoting 10,000 baht for the same service. At 4000 baht it would seem to the layman that i had got a good deal but why the huge difference in price for exactly the same end product?

    Has anyone else had a similar experience? Do you feel that your vehicle servicing costs are reasonable?

    I have owned 2 top of the range Vigo's from new for the past 5 years and can't recall a servcing problem before so in order to get to the heart of the matter i may e-mail Toyota, Thailand, to enquire if servicing prices are fixed or at the discretion of the franchise.

  2. #2
    Have you got any cheese Thetyim's Avatar
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    40k kms seems very early to be changing auto transmission oil

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat lom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thetyim View Post
    40k kms seems very early to be changing auto transmission oil
    They probably did the change while MrLick was busy phoning his wife for the 2nd time

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thetyim View Post
    40k kms seems very early to be changing auto transmission oil

    I'll check that one out Thetyim, unfortunately i haven't got my service manual to hand and again it's a thai version.

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat Jesus Jones's Avatar
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    My Mits was changed with all you have mentioned at 3,500bht.

  6. #6
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    I went to Mazda for a 10,000 kms service, was sold the thing under the pretence of 'free service', the green book has vouchers etc, but the fine print says 'not including parts and fluids'. They showed the bill at about 5800 thb before the service, and I asked why it wasn't free, they showed the fine print, and the only part that is free is the labour which is 200bht normally! wow thanks Mazda. I then enquired about the inflated price for oil and lube and they iugnored me so I told them to fuck off. Book the car in Udon Thani during a road trip instead at 11,000 and it cost 3500 and a free trip to the bus station.

    They also sold the car on a free bull bar, what I got was a piece of tin that covered the number plate and looked aweful. Complained to Mazda but they don't give a fuck. Ah well, happy with the vehicle.

  7. #7
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Lick
    unfortunately i haven't got my service manual to hand and again it's a thai version.
    This might help.

    Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd - After Sales Service

  8. #8
    Thaiguy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thetyim View Post
    40k kms seems very early to be changing auto transmission oil
    I think it's a sealed box?

  9. #9
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    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    All dealer service centers are HUGE rip offs. The Honda dealership here charges 5-10 times the price for which I can get work done by a really good mechanic on the outside. Plus, if you don't know much about cars, they will sell you everything possible and tell you 'you need it', 'it's overdue', and the like. Fuck the warranty - they are never going to honor it anyway. Find a good local mechanic, pay him well, and he will do the work better, and at a tenth of the price. I have a Honda CRV and, if it needs a part which I simply can't get, or get manufactured, my local mechanic has always been able to find it among the wrecked CRV's in the junkyards. Dealers will rip you off every time - don't care what country it's in.

  10. #10
    Have you got any cheese Thetyim's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thaiguy
    I think it's a sealed box?
    Yes it is on my car.
    Have to drop the bottom pan to get the transmission fluid out.
    Needs changing every 100k kms on my car

  11. #11
    FarangRed
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    You should come to Phuket it's like we are in a different country even the cost of buying the vehicle is more expensive than Bangkok, they say no same price everywhere in Thailand

  12. #12
    FarangRed
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton View Post
    All dealer service centers are HUGE rip offs. The Honda dealership here charges 5-10 times the price for which I can get work done by a really good mechanic on the outside. Plus, if you don't know much about cars, they will sell you everything possible and tell you 'you need it', 'it's overdue', and the like. Fuck the warranty - they are never going to honor it anyway. Find a good local mechanic, pay him well, and he will do the work better, and at a tenth of the price. I have a Honda CRV and, if it needs a part which I simply can't get, or get manufactured, my local mechanic has always been able to find it among the wrecked CRV's in the junkyards. Dealers will rip you off every time - don't care what country it's in.
    I do the same now I have the D-MAX truck I have a local garage and he even comes out to you, after a good service it comes out like brand new.

  13. #13
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    40 000km Is the first main sevice Think we paid 4400 baht an I think we go to the same garage Mr lick?

  14. #14
    Thailand Expat superman's Avatar
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    I get free oils included in my service, as long as I own the car. An offer, on offer, when I bought the motor.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by corned dog View Post
    40 000km Is the first main sevice Think we paid 4400 baht an I think we go to the same garage Mr lick?



    Yes, same garage CD. Oddly enough when i first started servicing (routine) my frist Vigo there, they were charging 800 baht (less than £14 taking into account the exchange rate at the time). Think it's doubled in the last 2/3 years.

    I believe that the dealership is family owned incorporating other Toyota outlets in Khon Kaen. They very much have the monopoly on Toyota in KK province hence the differential in servicing costs.

    I am currently awaiting a response from Toyota, to my enquiry regarding the events of today and will post here.

    Thanks for the info. BTW Great result last night
    Last edited by Mr Lick; 18-10-2010 at 05:30 PM.

  16. #16
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    Toyota are a Ripp in Oz, 40,000 service, the Invoice is the first thing completed,wheel Bearings dont get A Look in! 2 many cars booked in on the Day.

    I have a D-Max here, pay for Oil and Filter only, wife got a Deal at Bkk Motor Show last year. My Ford Ute in Oz was $400.00 for a 20,000km service! What did they Do!! changed Oil and Filter!

  17. #17
    better looking than Ned
    Rigger's Avatar
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    Yes Khon kaen Toyota are shit to deal with and have been for last 7 years that I know of, as well the wife took our pick up in as it had a leaking gasket on the water pump. They sold the wife a whole water pump for 15,000 baht when all it needed was a 200 baht gasket, I now a great second hand water pump spare, CNUTS.
    Toyota in Nongbualamphu seem to be a lot better.

  18. #18
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    jaiyenyen's Avatar
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    I've just had the Vigo 40,000km service. It cost me 6,800bht. They spent 2hrs messin with the truck but I don't know what they did, but I ended up with a load of empty plastic containers in the back. looks like they also changed the brake and clutch fluid.
    Do not walk beside me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me for I may not follow. Just pretty much leave me the fuck alone!

  19. #19
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    Motor Oil Yes

    Brake Fluid Yes

    Engine Oil Filter Yes

    Drain Gasket Yes

    Air Filter No

    Gasket for Differential Oil Yes

    Differential Gear Oil Rear Yes

    Above is the manufacturers recommended changes for a 3 ltre Vigo at 40,000 kms (thanks Norton)

  20. #20
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    ^ All of the above was completed during the servicing of the Vigo plus a change of auto transmission fluid.

    Toyota have yet to respond to my enquiry regarding unpredictable servicing costs so my give them a nudge in the next few days.

  21. #21
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    Sorry. Disregard my post.
    It wasn't a 40,000km service, it was a 70,000km service.

    I'll get me coat...........

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat Fondles's Avatar
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    Doing the tranny oil early at 40k will have no detrimental effect to the transmission, infact I would change it at even lessor intervals if it was mine, even more so if you are using the thing to carry any weight.
    A little bit of early regular loving will keep the vehicle happy and in return will last a while longer.

    The Meth One's Fuck The Best !!


  23. #23
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    40 K for the 2.5L Vigo manual was 4000 baht with lots of fluid change.
    50K will have labour charged.
    No go Toyota anymore, do myself.

  24. #24
    Thailand Expat Fondles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by the dogcatcher View Post
    40 K for the 2.5L Vigo manual was 4000 baht with lots of fluid change.
    50K will have labour charged.
    No go Toyota anymore, do myself.
    I heard when you do it yourself Toyota (or was it honda ??) like to void the remaining warranty.

  25. #25
    Thailand Expat
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fondles View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by the dogcatcher View Post
    40 K for the 2.5L Vigo manual was 4000 baht with lots of fluid change.
    50K will have labour charged.
    No go Toyota anymore, do myself.
    I heard when you do it yourself Toyota (or was it honda ??) like to void the remaining warranty.
    Probably, but I only have a year to go anyway.
    Actually just looked at the bottles Toyota gave me back.
    1 small brake fluid, so top up not change.
    1 litre auto transmission fluid, mine is manual?
    1 oil additive can?
    3x1 litre super gear oil.
    Falling asleep and waking up is not the same as passing out and coming to.

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