How long would you expect to have to wait for spares?

[Twigman 93]

I think if you're this unhappy all you can do is complain to Toyota. We can't really offer anything here. It may well be you are the first person in Europe to end up in what is a pretty unusual situation, i.e. your car was stolen with the key, then it was returned but you don't have that key. The probability of that situation occurring is very low I would say and therein lies your problem. 

Oh I've already complained to Toyota.

 

I wish that were true - I must be VERY unlucky as the same thing happened to me with a Mazda in 2007...I really don't think the odds are all that low at all.

Isn't that what happens with most cars that is stolen with a tracker on it?

[Lauren 2259]

To be fair, cars that are stolen have a high likelihood of being damaged or trashed and then they are not returned to the owner so they won't be worried about keys. Your situation is a lot less likely. 

[Twigman 93]

Do you lot all think this is acceptable?

 

This is indicative of what's wrong with this country, too ready to accept mediocrity.

 

Unless people complain then nothing will change.

[Special K 442]

Ian - I don't think it's acceptable.. but I had the same situation 18 months ago with a chassis part, which they had to source from the production line as I was the first, allegedly, to need it in the  whole world...

 

I suggest that, if you have not done so already, you speak with Toyota Customer Services. Quite often they can 'expedite matters'.. let's face it, an unhappy GT86DC member is not their ideal pr client... and one would expect at least a half decent courtesy car whilst the matter is resolved.

 

Spec K

[nikndel 509]

I complained to Toyota UK about time taken for parts after saying they where looking into it no contact was made by themselves again

[Twigman 93]

Keith - I have been in touch with Toyota Customer Services already. While being sympathetic with my plight they seem unable to expedite the parts required any quicker. They have not been able to offer an explanation as to why their computer should say one date on 4th Feb and another a few days later. They haven't offered an explanation as to why it takes so long.

I'm not interested in a courtesy car, I just want my car back with the work done.

I'm just frustrated and feel that the "That's the way it is, hard cheese" attitude is not the way anyone should be treated.

I do not believe that I am the first person in Europe to have required these parts and I find it shocking that Toyota have not made provision for this situation- it does happen.

[Special K 442]

Sympathy - as you deserve it.

 

Alas, all 'direct' UK spares come from Belgium and essentially it is down to them what they stock for Europe... if they don't perceive the demand they won't stock it..

 

... can I also add that it is because of this 'intermediary profit centre'  (1) between Japan and UK that we (Europe) pay such an exorbitant price for our cars and spares. You don't get the same situation with USA or Australia, which is why their purchases are inherently cheaper..

 

 

(1) a.k.a. pencil-pushing, box-ticking, money-grabbing, greed-driven, jobsworth bar stewards.. allegedly...

 

 

 

Spec K

[Steeps 294]

I'd be fuming too, especially when it's for a service you are paying them for that requires doing to satisfy the safety of the car, your insurer's requirements and your own sanity.

 

It's not like you can respond "sorry there's a delay in my payment to you, on my system the funds were there but now it's going to take 2 months for me to pay you, I hope that's ok. Sorry the computer lied." They'd take you to court for that!

 

I'd be insisting on a hefty discount and a courtesy car (not so hefty if the courtesy car is like for like) for the delay.

[sparx99 10]

I think the problem is that in a giant global company like Toyota nobody is able to make things happen outside of the accepted way. Some dealerships orders a part on the system and it arrives when the computer say's so.

 

What you need is somebody ringing up the factory, the store room etc and asking a real person to circumvent that. They could easily select part and UPS/Fedex it and it be here tomorrow.

 

Unfortunately, it just doesn't happen often enough in big companies.

[Twigman 93]

dealerships orders a part on the system and it arrives when the computer say's so.

That's the point - it does not!!

[Pitman 188]

Ian,

 

Not wanting to get embroiled in an argument by any means, but unfortunately, our cars are assembled in a Subaru plant, and Toyota have to rely on the Subaru supply chain for any parts.  Having said that, I have some suggestions:

 

1} Give Richard (riceburner) a call at RRG, and see if he can help.  When I worked for Toyota, they had a VOR status for parts (vehicle off road), and if this was the case, very often parts were 'robbed' from the production line to supply the dealer with.  I don't know if this system exists with the Toyota / Subaru tie up.

2) Try these guys here https://partsouq.com/en/catalog/toyota to see if they can use their contacts to expedite your parts for you (I have used them, and their service is fantastic)

3) Have a chat with Nige (Nigelr32).  His car is currently in bits, and has done virtually no mileage.  He may be open to letting you have the bits from his car, which you can replace when your order comes through from TGB

 

Dave

[rob275 1817]

That's the point - it does not!!

 

In order for you to understand the grand scheme of things, I will attempt to explain how Toyota's parts ordering process works, despite me not even working for them... As for most large scale companies, it is essentially the same.

 

You require a part, we will name it "X" for arguments sake, this will be your ECU

 

Part X is a part which in Toyota's eyes is deemed to be a part which isn't something an end user would order. And quite rightly so.

 

So we have Warehouse "A" - Japan and Warehouse "B" Belgium

 

Warehouse "A" has a MinMax Stock requirement on part X

 

This means that when the stock levels drop below a certain quantity, more supply is ordered in, (probably from another of Toyota's warehouses which holds a buffer stock, before you ask, no your part cannot come from here) to bring the stock levels up to the Max level.

 

Warehouse "B" doesn't hold the part but can order it in upon Requirement, so part X is set up as a requirement item.

 

Toyotas system will have a list of their parts and a general lead time, lets say 4 weeks for part X as you were told in the first instance. This lead time, is providing stock levels are good. (Toyota shouldn't of told you this date as a confirmation, this is the dealerships misunderstanding of their own system, not the system itself. AKA, user error)

 

Toyota order part X from you, they then get a confirmation from the factory it will be 6 weeks, they tell you this. You get mad (understandably), but there isn't a lot they can do.

 

In an ideal world, this shouldn't happen, levels should be kept at max, but if there are supply issues from the ECU supplier it can create a snowball effect down the line.

[Twigman 93]

ets say 4 weeks for part X as you were told in the first instance.

9 days, not 4 weeks - those 9 days became closer to 6 weeks in a matter of days

Irrespective of what Toyota should/should not have told me the fact remains that they stipulated 13 Feb and should be able to honour that.

The fact that they can't demonstrates that their system is broken and that they are not committed to the customer.

My business would cease to function if we did not meet the customer's expectations for delivery.

Defend them all you like Rob, it's not the way to treat customers.

It took me all of 5 days to get stuff from Japan and cleared customs - if I can do that in that time then Toyota certainly could if they wanted to.

They obviously don't want to.

the customer is obviously not important.

[speedy 32]

It's not good service at all. FWIW, I have ordered unusual parts from Toyota garages in the past - having a good parts department makes a world of difference in setting and meeting expectations. In my case I was ordering parts which had to come from Japan, and even within the same dealer chain (two branches of the same owner) one was much, much better than the other.

 

I hope you get some joy with Toyota UK and get it resolved ASAP. Your dealers giving you duff information seems just like rubbing salt in the wound.

[Twigman 93]

Another email from Toyota Customer Relations..

Date now moved to 11th march.....I'll believe that if/when it happens.

They offered me a free first service as compensation.

I don't want ANY compensation - I find that insulting - I've already paid for a service plan anyway...and an oil change? WOW! Pathetic

I DON'T WANT ANYTHING FROM TOYOTA OTHER THAN MY CAR BACK SORTED IN A TIMELY MANNER

Why don't they get this?

Telephone

Jiffy Bag

Fedex

IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE

I'm just a customer therefore not important enough

[Mike 458]

Who are you contacting at customer relations? Just the general enquiry people?

 

I would try finding the details of someone higher up who would be annoyed at having to deal with a customer.

[Twigman 93]

I've been dealing with Scott Brownlee. Claire Rowley and Richard Seymour whoever they are

[Mike 458]

A quick google says Scott / Richard are PR people so probably not much help.

 

Apparently there is a Steve Settle who is the director of customer services and based on other TGB email address, his email may be steve.settle@tgb.toyota.co.uk - worth a wild stab in the dark?

[rob275 1817]

A quick google says Scott / Richard are PR people so probably not much help.

 

Apparently there is a Steve Settle who is the director of customer services and based on other TGB email address, his email may be steve.settle@tgb.toyota.co.uk - worth a wild stab in the dark?

 

Likely to fall on deaf ears unless Ian's e-mail gets forwarded by a Toyota employee

[Twigman 93]

Now contacted this chap:

http://media.toyota.co.uk/2013/08/matt-harrison-appointed-president-and-managing-director-toyota-gb-plc/

straight to the top

Matt Harrison, President and Managing Director, Toyota (GB) PLC

[Mike 458]

Likely to fall on deaf ears unless Ian's e-mail gets forwarded by a Toyota employee

 

That's the point, getting someone higher up to forward an email isn't that difficult. A phone call would work a lot better but it's a lot harder to get a phone number for someone high up.

[Twigman 93]

Never been the best at writing complaint letters but

 

Mr Harrison

It seems that if one isn’t getting satisfaction then one must go straight to the top.

I bought a GT86 last March. (that experience itself was not without multiple delays)

Let me outline my experiences to date that might help you understand why I am contacting you.

When I took delivery I requested that the Toyota Europe after market arm rest be fitted (which I supplied). It was fitted but 2 of the fixing screws had been omitted. The dealer had omitted 2 of the screws and then denied that he had done so despite me showing him that they were missing. After some argument I received the 2 missing screws in the post taped to a compliments slip with no apology/explanation whatsoever.

A couple of months later I was at a TSS meeting as a spectator and another attendee showed me that he had DAB installed on his T&G. I wanted this but was told it was impossible by my dealer. I contacted Scott Brownlee (as he was high profile on twitter) to see what could be done. The issue with the DAB was resolved with Scott’s help. I eventually got it fitted but not without having to contact Toyota HQ.

These 2 experiences have left me with little faith in my dealer…and then this…..

On Jan 23rd this year I was burgled and my GT86 was stolen with the spare key. It was a targeted theft and at the time I thought that was the last I would see of it. After publicising the theft on Facebook, a member of the public spotted the car parked up 7 miles from my house and it was recovered by the police. As there was a key still in the wild, I gave the car to my dealer (*****name removed*****) and asked that it be made secure. They quoted me for the work (see attached) and informed me at that time that the parts would be available on Feb 13th. Feb 13th came and went and on Feb 16th I contacted the dealer for an update. I was then told the parts would not be available until March 14th! If that’s the case then why was I told Feb 13th in the first place? This delay is really not acceptable.

I feel like I have been lied to.

I contacted Toyota Customer Relations: CASE******* and have now been told that there is nothing they can do to expedite the parts any quicker.

Have they not heard of a telephone, a jiffy bag and Fedex? They offered me a free service as compensation. I find that insulting. I have already paid for a 3 year service plan so this means nothing. I’m not after ANY compensation I am just after my car back, secure with the work done, in a timely manner. My dealer originally quoted Feb13th. To me that should form part of my contract with the dealer and they should be able to honour that. Why can they not? In my business if our delivery times are wrong, by even a couple of hours, we would not be in business for long.

Do you think this is an appropriate way to treat customers? I don’t

Do you think it’s OK to lie to customers about dates? I don’t

Do you think it’s reasonable to be left without the car for 6 weeks+? I don’t

Do you think it’s reasonable that a 9 day lead time change to 6 weeks in a matter of days? I don’t

Your company was famous for its just in time practices. Shouldn’t that be ‘just too late’ ?

I feel I would have been better off if my car had not been recovered and I had gone through the pain of a total loss.

I would probably have been back on the road more quickly.

There must be something YOU can do to expedite the required parts more quickly.

Please take a hard look at your supply chain and improve the customer experience.

We already pay significantly more for our vehicles than for example the Australians and the Americans, perhaps this has something to do with the Belgians?

Cut out the middle man.

Here’s hoping the man at the top isn’t as impotent as his minions

Sincerely

Me

[nikndel 509]

I take it sending this to anyone in Japan is not possible?

[Twigman 93]

Nick - Let's see what the top man in UK has to say for himself first

[Twigman 93]

Hmmm MD/CEO passed it back down the chain of command to the manager of Customer Relations.

He ain't got time for the likes of me.