G
Guest
·I think Toyota are about to lose me as a customer. Sorry if this saga is long…..
I have had Toyotas for more than 15 years. I had a couple of Nissans before, but bought a Yaris when I moved to the UK from the Irish Republic in 2001. Since then I have had 3 RAV4s and now the CHR.
I bought the Yaris in south Wales and when I moved to north east Scotland a 4 wheel drive SUV seemed a good plan. The dealer I used in Elgin was good. I stuck with them for many years. They were a relatively small family business which expanded but were authorised Toyota dealers. They were in competition with large dealers in Inverness but I saw no reason to change.
My CHR, bought in south west Scotland 14 months after we moved down here, was listed on the Toyota website for a fuel tank recall. As I wrote in another thread, I phoned Toyota HQ to check out this was the case and how long the work would take. I was told I would definitely need a replacement fuel tank and that the parts were immediately available. It would take 5 hours.
I phoned the dealer from where I bought the car and made the appointment to take it in. They told me the same as Toyota HQ. The dealer is a 75+ minute drive from home- so I asked for a courtesy car.
When I arrived at the dealer yesterday I asked what Toyota might do to compensate me for the nearly 6 hours of my time and cost of fuel to have a car repaired when it was their "fault". I was told I should consider myself lucky because many manufacturers left such recalls until the next required service.
I was given a bright yellow Skoda Citigo 1 litre as a "courtesy car". When I objected I was told that this was all they had. It was also nearly out of fuel so I put in £5 worth on the drive home. This is about as "courteous" as giving me the middle finger or V sign.
After a rather longer journey home than the time it took from home to the garage (the Citigo could hardly get above 50 mph at times) I phoned Toyota HQ. I spoke to Josh in Customer Relations and vented. I asked why Toyota couldn't at least ensure I had a full tank of petrol when I picked up the car. I was told that the DVSA wouldn't allow it. They could not in effect give compensation as part of the recall process. I asked Josh to send me the website link where they said this. I am still waiting. He said he would pass on my comments to the supervisor and I'd get an email or phone call. I am still waiting.
I then phoned the dealer and spoke to the sales person with whom I dealt when buying the CHR. "I can see where you're coming from but there's nothing more to do. You phoned Toyota and that's the best thing."
I had dropped the car off at 8.15. At about 11.30 the dealer phoned me to say they'd finished. When I expressed surprise they told me the car was OK and needed nothing doing. This is not what they, nor Toyota HQ, had previously told me.
As I had made arrangements for the rest of my life (!) I told the service agent I would be picking up the car the following day, as previously agreed. He then told me he had a driver handy and they could deliver my CHR to my home and pick up the Citigo if I could arrange to be at home mid afternoon. The thought of driving back in the heap of sh**t was not great so I agreed. I also gave them a plus point for customer service. However…..
This morning, after driving the car for the first time since it was delivered back to me, I found that the automatic headlights had been turned off, the auto wipers turned off, there was 20 miles range of fuel left in the car (I live in rural Scotland so this is not great) and the dashcam had been unplugged. There may be other stuff I have yet to discover.
This is no way to treat people you want to keep as a customer.
I have read several stories on this Forum about windscreens and other items where Toyota could show good will to us customers who spend thousands of pounds with them. I know some of it is down to the individual dealer. However, I am mightily pi**ed off with Toyota right now. I like the car and I shan't be changing it for another 2 years or so. But when the time comes the chances of me ever buying a Toyota again are tiny. Sad!
I have had Toyotas for more than 15 years. I had a couple of Nissans before, but bought a Yaris when I moved to the UK from the Irish Republic in 2001. Since then I have had 3 RAV4s and now the CHR.
I bought the Yaris in south Wales and when I moved to north east Scotland a 4 wheel drive SUV seemed a good plan. The dealer I used in Elgin was good. I stuck with them for many years. They were a relatively small family business which expanded but were authorised Toyota dealers. They were in competition with large dealers in Inverness but I saw no reason to change.
My CHR, bought in south west Scotland 14 months after we moved down here, was listed on the Toyota website for a fuel tank recall. As I wrote in another thread, I phoned Toyota HQ to check out this was the case and how long the work would take. I was told I would definitely need a replacement fuel tank and that the parts were immediately available. It would take 5 hours.
I phoned the dealer from where I bought the car and made the appointment to take it in. They told me the same as Toyota HQ. The dealer is a 75+ minute drive from home- so I asked for a courtesy car.
When I arrived at the dealer yesterday I asked what Toyota might do to compensate me for the nearly 6 hours of my time and cost of fuel to have a car repaired when it was their "fault". I was told I should consider myself lucky because many manufacturers left such recalls until the next required service.
I was given a bright yellow Skoda Citigo 1 litre as a "courtesy car". When I objected I was told that this was all they had. It was also nearly out of fuel so I put in £5 worth on the drive home. This is about as "courteous" as giving me the middle finger or V sign.
After a rather longer journey home than the time it took from home to the garage (the Citigo could hardly get above 50 mph at times) I phoned Toyota HQ. I spoke to Josh in Customer Relations and vented. I asked why Toyota couldn't at least ensure I had a full tank of petrol when I picked up the car. I was told that the DVSA wouldn't allow it. They could not in effect give compensation as part of the recall process. I asked Josh to send me the website link where they said this. I am still waiting. He said he would pass on my comments to the supervisor and I'd get an email or phone call. I am still waiting.
I then phoned the dealer and spoke to the sales person with whom I dealt when buying the CHR. "I can see where you're coming from but there's nothing more to do. You phoned Toyota and that's the best thing."
I had dropped the car off at 8.15. At about 11.30 the dealer phoned me to say they'd finished. When I expressed surprise they told me the car was OK and needed nothing doing. This is not what they, nor Toyota HQ, had previously told me.
As I had made arrangements for the rest of my life (!) I told the service agent I would be picking up the car the following day, as previously agreed. He then told me he had a driver handy and they could deliver my CHR to my home and pick up the Citigo if I could arrange to be at home mid afternoon. The thought of driving back in the heap of sh**t was not great so I agreed. I also gave them a plus point for customer service. However…..
This morning, after driving the car for the first time since it was delivered back to me, I found that the automatic headlights had been turned off, the auto wipers turned off, there was 20 miles range of fuel left in the car (I live in rural Scotland so this is not great) and the dashcam had been unplugged. There may be other stuff I have yet to discover.
This is no way to treat people you want to keep as a customer.
I have read several stories on this Forum about windscreens and other items where Toyota could show good will to us customers who spend thousands of pounds with them. I know some of it is down to the individual dealer. However, I am mightily pi**ed off with Toyota right now. I like the car and I shan't be changing it for another 2 years or so. But when the time comes the chances of me ever buying a Toyota again are tiny. Sad!
