The Toyota Jemca Saga.. Update!

philster_d · April 13, 2006, 10:32

Failure to read the notes.

Failure to actualy check the things they said they had... etc.

Anonymous · April 13, 2006, 18:48

In an inevitable twist to the tale, it turns out they never cleaned my MAF like they said they had. I come home, clean it with some carb spray, the car is perfect again.

£1600 for a new cat and manifold or £4.99 for some carb spray... hmm..

Anonymous · April 13, 2006, 18:55

slight difference in price then :-) :-) :-)

philster_d · April 13, 2006, 18:56

hehe Slurps 1 Toyota 0

loadswine · April 13, 2006, 20:33

So Slurpy, how did you deal with Mr T re payment etc? Did they actually have the front to charge?

Anonymous · April 14, 2006, 08:46

Well, I already paid for the new MAF by the time I'd got home, because I was assured they had cleaned it and that didn't work, so I've got a refund on that, and I'll be going back on Tuesday to get a refund for the diagnosis fee which has now been wrong no less than 3 times.

Anonymous · May 23, 2006, 16:06

I never received my refund. I wrote to Jemca's head office and had no reply. I then sent an email to the Director of Customer Relations at the Toyota GB Head Office. Within an hour the manager of Jemca Kingston was on the phone explaining that he would issue me with a refund and a goodwill gesture, and I would have something in writing within two working days. Two weeks past and still nothing.

Here is the email trail thus far:

1st email to Toyota, following unanswered letter to Jemca

Dear Ms Fisher,

I'm hoping you are the right person to speak with concerning the ongoing problems I have been having with one of Toyota's official dealers, Jemca in Kingston.

I booked my car in to the service department on Tuesday 11th April for a diagnosis and repair. It is a 2000, X Reg Toyota MR2. I left a detailed note with the keys to my car explaining that I had recently replaced the manifold on the vehicle with a performance manifold which had no "pre-cats" within the manifold shell. Since then the car had been slightly boggy on full acceleration and over 5,000 rpm the car lost power. I stated in the note that I thought it may be a possible air leak at either end of the manifold, a dirty or faulty O2 sensor or a dirty/faulty MAF sensor. I asked them to investigate the issue for me and suggest what needed to be done to rectify the issue.

After several phone calls later in the day, having been promised I would receive a phone call back, I was finally able to speak with Demelza, who works in the service department at Kingston. She advised me that my manifold needed replacing and the main cat also needed replacing as the catalytic material had broken up internally. I was very surprised by this diagnosis and explained that I found it highly unlikely that the manifold should need replacing as I had, only a few days earlier, fitted a new one to the vehicle. Demelza explained that I "...had not fitted a new manifold to the car, I had simply added an accessory." Somewhat bemused, I asked to speak with one of the main technicians. Demelza explained they had all left for the evening but I she would ring me back first thing in the morning. I asked her to fax me over a copy of the diagnosis sheet, which I have enclosed for your reference. It clearly states that a diagnostic check was carried out and they found the catalyst converter to be broken up internally.

The following morning, having received no call from Demelza, I rang the service department again and managed to speak to one of the technicians onsite, Adam. I asked Adam to explain why both the manifold and the main cat needed replacing. Adam explained that my Pre-Catalytic converters in the manifold had broken up and fallen into the main cat, thus rendering both the manifold and main cat useless. I explained to Adam that this simply could not be the case as the manifold on the vehicle did not have any pre-cats fitted to it, and that there aren't even any chambers on the new manifold for pre cats to be located. Adam explained he wasn't aware of this and would go and have a look and call me back. He rang me back within 5 minutes and confirmed that there were no "pre-cats" and that I was right, the manifold did not need replacing. When I asked why he had not seen this in the first place he explained that he hadn't been looking at my car and had merely rang me to explain the situation. He went on to suggest that just the main cat needed to be replaced and that I didn't have to pay for the manifold as well. I again explained that this would be highly unlikely as if there were no pre-cats to break up and fall into the main cat, the main catalytic converter should not need replacing? Adam explained that he would do a full assessment of the vehicle and get back to me later that afternoon.

At this point I was shocked that Jemca would have lied about carrying out a full diagnostic, when evidently, they hadn't even looked at the manifold to see whether it had pre-cats fitted. It also showed that they obviously hadn't read any of the notes that I had written and left along with my key. I was also being asked for £1600 for parts that did not need replacing.

At 5:30pm on the same evening I rang Demelza to ask why I had not been called back. Demelza explained that they had not been able to look at the car again today but they would investigate it thoroughly on Wednesday morning. Although not ideal, as I had now been without the car for three days, I asked that it be looked at first thing and also asked Demelza to get the technician to clean the MAF sensor on the air filter as this can sometimes cause similar symptoms to those the car was suffering. Demelza advised that she would suggest that to the technician and they would ring me back in the morning.

Demelza rang me the following morning to explain that the car had been checked over, and a MAF sensor from another car that was in for servicing, had been fitted to my vehicle. My vehicle ran perfectly after this, so a faulty MAF sensor was diagnosed. She said the part was not in stock but would be available on Wednesday 19th April following the Easter break. I then asked Demelza if the technician had tried cleaning the MAF sensor and she replied "That was one of the first things he did and it made no difference I'm afraid, it definitely needs replacing."

I collected the car that afternoon and paid £180 to Jemca. £100 for the new MAF sensor and £80 for the diagnosis.

I decided, on the way home, to buy some Carb spray so that I could try and clean the MAF sensor myself to see if I could get any negligible improvement for the weekend. Having cleaned the MAF sensor with a few sprays of the carb cleaner, the car was back to normal and ran perfectly. The technicians clearly had not tried to clean the sensor as I had requested, and were just looking to sell me yet another unnecessary part.

I find it sickening that, had I not questioned any of the diagnosis that the Jemca Kingston branch carried out, or had any prior knowledge of the car and its engine, I would have now paid well over £1800 for parts that I did not need. I've since had the car checked by an independent garage who has advised me that the manifold and catalytic converter are in perfect working order and the whole car is mechanically sound.

It does nothing for the increasingly grim reputation that garages and dealerships are receiving, when a company as supposedly reputable, honest and efficient as Toyota can ask for £1800 for a problem that cost me £4.99 to rectify.

I am still without a refund for the £100 I spent for the MAF sensor, despite having cancelled the order and I also feel extremely unhappy at having to pay £80 for a diagnosis that was not only wrong no less than three times, but ended up being a diagnosis I mentioned myself in the detailed note I left for your technicians.

I sent a letter similar to this email to Toyota Jemca's complaints department over two weeks ago and have had not had any reply whatsoever as of yet. I feel thoroughly let down by Toyota and I am seriously considering purchasing a different vehicle after this appalling customer service. I am also considering forwarding all this correspondence to local press and trading standards, should I still not receive any correspondence back from your company.

I have attached both incorrect diagnosis sheets that Jemca sent me, and the original letter I sent to them 2 weeks ago.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Regards

Reply from Toyota

Dear Mr Cohen,

I refer to your e-mail message of today to Sarah Fisher. Ms Fisher is not in the office now until Tuesday 16th May and I have, therefore, passed your message to our Customer Relations Manager, Mrs Emma Toms. I know that Emma will be in touch with you as soon as she is able.

Regards

Jean Soden
Secretary to Sarah Fisher, Director, Customer Relations, HR & Training

After two weeks of hearing nothing back from Jemca

Dear Sarah,

It disappoints me to have to write to you again concerning my email dated 9th May regarding my experiences with Jemca Toyota in Kingston.

I did receive a call, as promised, on the 9th May, from Jason Harrison. He explained he was very sorry for what happened and that I would, without question, receive a full refund and also a gesture of goodwill as recompense for the problems I had suffered. He said he would put something in writing on Thursday 11th May detailing what this gesture would be, and also issue the refund.

I have, now two weeks on, received no letter from Jason, no refund, and heard no mention whatsoever of any gestures of goodwill. I am shocked to discover, considering the severity of the problems I had suffered, which could have led me to be out of pocket to the tune of £1800, that this case has obviously not been looked upon with any degree of priority.

When I spoke with Jason on the 9th, he did his utmost to assure me that I could return to Jemca Kingston, safe in the knowledge nothing like this would happen again and that their customer's satisfaction is vital to them. I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, but now I feel there is little Toyota can do to restore any faith I once had with this company.

I am hugely disappointed with the outcome and feel I have no other choice than to report this matter to trading standards; an avenue I did not want to have to take.

I look forward to hearing your views on this matter.

Regards,

Their reply

Hello Mr Cohen

Thank you for alerting me to the fact that Jemca Kingston have not yet written as promised. I'm extremely disappointed to hear that they have let you down once again. I will contact Jason again this morning to understand why this has not yet happened and will revert to you immediately thereafter.

In the meantime, please accept my apologies for this unsatisfactory service.

Kind regards
Emma

then...

Hello again Mr Cohen

Please find below the response from Jemca (Kingston) and a copy of the letter which was sent to you directly. It appears that Jason's absence from the office was the reason for the delay in the letter, however I am assured that the reimbursement was requested before then so should now have registered on your account.

Once again, I apologise for the delay and trust that this now meets with your approval.

Kind regards
Emma Toms

(the letter stated I should have had a refund, the letter was sent on the 19th and they would offer me a free service)

My final reply

Dear Emma,

Thanks for your swift reply. There are a couple of things however, with which I am still dissatisfied.

The Word document which you have sent to me, which was supposedly written and sent to me on the 19th May, has a creation date of the 23rd May, today, at 11:03 am. It therefore appears that the letter wasn't sent to me on the 19th, as, by the looks of it, it hadn't even been written then. Given my previous experiences regarding the honesty of Jemca Kingston therefore, I find it highly likely that the letter was rushed out to me today with the date written to reflect the 19th (which would also explain why no hard copy has arrived).

Whether this is the case or not, I'm also unhappy with the goodwill gesture that Jemca Kingston have offered. Having suffered, now on numerous occasions, the incompetence and unsatisfactory customer service that this branch offers, I am in no way inclined to return my car to them to have any work carried out, including the free service they have offered.

I am however, currently trying to source a rear spoiler that Toyota produce for my MR2 (Rear Spoiler: Part number PZ402-W0450-AB, painted in Astral Black). The spoiler should be no more than the price of my 80k service and I would be happy to accept that as recompense for the poor service I have received up until now.

I am sure you can understand my frustrations and I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Kind regards,

That's it for now!

kanujunkie · May 23, 2006, 20:55

jeepers s:shock: :shock: s:shock: and the worlds longest post goes to Chris!

go get em mate, good to see you got em cornered.

Anonymous · May 24, 2006, 09:31

Yet again, I still don't understand why so many people are so worried about a 'service history stamp' being up to date from a garage, when they buy a second hand car.
This post yet again just shows what a waste of money it is to have a 'dealer' (or most garages for that matter) service your car.
(Obviously, during the warranty period you have no choice)
As I would think that the majority of people on this forum are 'enthusiasts', isn't that what it's all about? Servicing and maintaining your pride and joy yourself.
All modern cars generally only require an oil and filter change at the required intervals, with an occasional air and fuel filter with spark plugs.
Isn't it in your own interests to learn how to do this?, it's really not difficult at all.
I have to say that I really feel for Slurpy, as if he hadn't bothered to do his homework, he would have ended up with a monsterous bill for stuff not required, and to make it worse, not knowing that he had been ripped off blind!
As some of you know, I sold my 2 last year and bought a Honda Integra Type R (DC5), and guess what?, Honda dealers are no better! Suffice to say, I do my own servicing and maintainance (what there is of it)
Anyway, I say 'power to the people' and stuff dealers and garages!

GSB · May 24, 2006, 09:55

A nice thought, but the fact remains that weather garages are servicing cars properly or not, a fully stamped service book makes the car both more sellable, and more valuable when the time comes to get rid of it. As long as that remains the case, then my car shall return to the main dealer every 10,000 miles.

I'll also add at this point, that I have never had any problems with my dealer whatsoever.

Anonymous · May 24, 2006, 10:26

I have a 1994 Scorpio which I do all the servicing on myself including new poly bushes, shocks, springs, calipers, disks pads and I just keep all the receipts. I will do this with the 2 once it is out of extended warranty.

The Scorpio goes to Halfrauds once a year for an oil change because they only charge me £30 and it's not worth messing the drive up. Again this is what I will do with the 2 because you get a proper receipt for an oil change which is what most people would be looking for from a service. The added recipts just show that the car has been looked after so shouldn't affect the value of a 5+ year old car.

loadswine · May 24, 2006, 10:28

I totally agree about the value thing, but also have real worries about the validity of the stamps actual meaning when you think how many other incidents like Slurpy's happen and the owners are unaware or not as clued up as him. I really don't trust dealers and am quite happy that my 2 is out of warranty and I'm no longer tied to the dealer.
I wonder if Slurpy's 2 would be worth the £1800 more ,that the dealer was going to charge ,just for the fact that the work had a main dealer's ticket?
My other car is under warranty and that get's full dealer attention, as the cost if that went wrong would be considerable. Not entirely happy with those dealers either. I think having a dealer you can trust is of real value.