Impressed with Toyoda dealer shock!

[juansolo]

Up to this point the dealer really had not done anything to enamor me to them.  They were just a dealer, no better and no worse than any other.  Just a neccessary evil.  However I have to say that they've been complete stars with my car at this service.

First a bit of history so you know where I'm coming from:  The car I owned before the Mr2 (not a Toyota) developed a fault causing to engine management light to come on and the car's turbo to fail to generate any boost.  It took 3 dealers over 6 months, my car was in at the dealers over 10 times being seen too (cumulitively over a month without transport or curtosy car) and finally me getting in touch with the manufacturer directly to get it sorted.  Needless to say I will never own this particular manufacturers, or any of it's sister companies cars ever again.  Such was the incompetance of the dealers.

This left me with a less than low opinion of the type of people working in these establishments.  Indeed, other than a little family run Seat dealership in Meltham (who consequently our family and friends have bought several cars from), I have never liked dealing with car dealers.

This particular MrT had got off to a bad start with me.  They were going through a change of ownership and, sure the sales guy was ok, but he was new and the utter wanker that was teaching him really, really pissed me off (over a tax disc they ensured I'd never buy another car from them).  Really, you wouldn't believe I'd just handed them a cheque for £17,000 considering just how rude he was.  Especially considering I'd driven down there in the morning to pick my car up and it wasn't ready so I ended up wasting an entire day while they 'valeted' it (they showed it a wet sponge and weren't even arsed to dry it properly).  Needless to say I lost it on the dealer feedback form.

I then tried to get it serviced at my local Wakefield MrT.  As I was so ticked off with the place I bought it.  They were already in my bad books also for completely ignoring me when I went to buy the thing.  Again their loss, they must really have no trouble selling them to turn away another £17,000 sale.  Their service desk were no better.  After eventually getting their attention they totally forgot to call me back.  So I didn't bother.  

Being the next closest dealer I booked it back in where I bought it.  Only for them to f**k up my curtosy car.  So I sat on my arse and wasted another 2+ hours while they serviced it.  So how have they managed to redeem themselves I hear you ask after being so consistently shit with all my other encounters?

My Mr2s engine managment light came on...  I was not happy to say the least.  Predicting some muppet plugging it into a diagnostic box and waiting for it to tell him whats wrong with the car and when it failed to find a problem simply resetting the ecu and giving it back to me I prepared myself for the worst and potentially a quick sale of the car as there was no way in this world I was going to go through all that bullshit again.

So while they took it in to look at the light I also mentioned that the alloys were bubbling.  I said no more at this point to see what they'd say.  Again a curtosy car was not available (what a shock) so my old man kindly volenteered to take it down for me and wait (whattaguy).  They diagnosed the problem as a faulty sensor on the exhaust and ordered a new one.  As my dad was waiting they didn't look at the other stuff it was in for.

Cut to a week or so ago and I get a call to say that the sensor and new alloys are in and would I like to book it in to have them and the other issues sorted.  They even had a car available for me.  Now that came as more than a little shock, but I wasn't going to count my chickens.  I booked the car in and arranged for them to give it a 20,000 mile service while they were at it.

I dropped it off with them on Tuesday night and picked up the Yaris they had for me...  The guy I spoke to on the service desk was a complete star; curtious, helpful and knowledgeable.  I get a call from him the next morning as they're working on the car to tell me it needed new pads and disks on the front.  I mentioned that I knew this but they had a few thousand miles yet in them and that I'd swap them later.  As a rule I don't like paying stupid amounts of labour for what is a 10 minute job.  It's bad enough that I have to pay what I do just to get the book stamped.

I got a call back 10 minutes later to say that the disks were rusted (they all are TBH) and therefore covered by warranty and that he could replace them and the pads for £60 inclusive.  Not something I could particularly say no to, so I let him get on with it.  In fact I was most impressed with the level of communication from this guy and his entire attitude was superb.

When I went to pick it up it was serviced, they'd fixed my squeaky clutch, fixed the dodgy sensor, fitted brand new alloys, new front brakes and even given it a good wash.  All for £230.  My brother can't even get an A service done on his Elise for that price never mind all that lot!

Needless to say I'm very pleased and Benfield Toyota in Leeds have redeemed themselves no end purely by the experience I've had at this service.  I might even consider, if I do go for an IS200, getting it from them.

Now why can't all dealers be like that all the time?







I thank you for bearing with me during my spleen ventilation.    s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

Solo,

I got a "little" confused with which dealer you "vented your spleen" about on the customer service report. Was it the one that you eventually say turned out alright? Cos if it was, the fact that you really had a go at them might have something to do with the good service you have had. I have known from Honda experience that when you really go off on one and take a car back to the same dealer you have complained about, the service will improve as there is usally some indication on their computer systems next to you your name to say that you should get extra special treatment. Well, thats how my cousin said it was when he worked at a Honda dealer on work expeience for 6 months.

If it wasn't them, then fair play to the dealer then really..........

[juansolo]

They're the one that I went off on one when I picked up the car but that was a long time ago and I've had nothing to write home about service between then and now.  I think it's mostly down to the service guy who was genuinely helpful.  Top marks to him.

[Anonymous]

Fair enough. fair play to him. Makes a change then and puts me in my overly cynical place!!!  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[juansolo]

Oh I'm still cynical.  I'll just make sure I mention the rear rusty brakes when the rear pads need swapping in about 6 months time next time I speak to him and see what happens.  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

Yeah, that will show the mettle of the guy...........will be interesting and you should keep us all posted...........