The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[fcook22]

Here's a problem I have. A highly rated supplier is being less than communicative with a complaint I have with work he has done, and which I have paid in full for.
So far the excuse seems to be 'busy'.
Well - not my problem.
So - do I name and shame - and get a lot of flack from the forum - or say F It?

frank

[Google]

[Bigchaser]

I would say yes.
_________________
Charlie
1997 HDJ80 VX - Sold
2007 VDJ78 GLX - with a few toys
2017 Honda Jazz - wife's car
2017 Toyota Fortuner - company truck

[HairyWookie]

Always name and shame; performance of places can go down as well as up.
You may save somebody else the same issues you have had...  
_________________
Regards, Chris.

1997 KZJ95 3.0TD GX Manual (Jess)
Weekend Warrior with 18 years of mechanical experience; still learning...
Occasional use on SVO...

[J66P]

no harm as long as its true and accounts for your own personal experience
_________________
1998 Toyota Landcruiser Colorado 3.4 V6 (sold)
2001 VW 2.8 V6 Caravelle Surf Bus (sold)
2010 Passat Bluemotion Highline Plus (gone)
VW Amarok BiTdi

[PETER1]

dont keep us in the dark , let us all know  

[fcook22]

Silence is not deliberate.
Away in Pyrenees at the moment - so not much internet.
Update is received an e mail about ten days ago asking for my bank details so a credit could be sent - replied immediately (as you would) nothing since then.

The details.
Spent over £4k having work done on a 1993 80 series ( Japanes import) that I had just bought; this was abck in March.
I wanted to get all the mecahnics bomb proof.
Three full days in the garage - with me as grease monkey.
It was recommended that an additional AT fluid cooler be fitted - OK, take advice when it sounds right.
Just so happened to be last job on last (late day).
Had small drips almost from day one - locking nuts into unit not tightened properley - no real issue there.
On a Friday afternoon, mid-July, drove up to Yorkshire ready for a weekend green laning on north york moors - noticed ATF leaking form one of the pipes tp the front mounted cooler. Into local garage for a quick repair - one of the two link hoses had been rubbing against the frame and abraded - cut and splice in some pipe - OK for the weekend - mechanic tutted a bit at the type of hose used to the cooler...but what did he know....
Sunday afternoon - last run of the day - steepish loose rocky climb - complete loss of power and strange smell - handbrake on - engine off -bonnet catch - jump out - look and see ATF fluid eveywhere. Eventualy see that the second hose has somehow been sliced by the fan blade and hence loss of ATF.
Tow of shame off the hill by LR90 - I have the photos to prove it.
Bypassed the cooler with the help of my travelling colleagues - one drives of and buys all the ATF fluid he can - this is late Sunday afternoon.
Got home ok - but not impressed.
Re-repaired by another 4x4 garage - they resited the cooler more central - it had been under the right hand side headlight - behind bumper: this gave a much shorter run of hose, used heavy duty hose/doubled wrapped - so no rubbing on main hose - all OK.
Several phone messages and e mails later eventually got a response......reason for no reply....busy......I have to say I was surprisd at the defensive tone taken. I had given a full account of what had occured - just wanted a sorry and some refund for the additional work/ATF costs. It was more along the lines of "well that's how we always do it and it's never happened before".
So there we are. To be fair the rest of the work-no problem.
When I had the work done I paid the bill on-line that evening - even though I was "busy".
Still waiting for a bit of a refund from Overland Cruisers.

[PETER1]

well well well , he aint as good as people think , had  a few jobs done myself and wasnt too happy either , people with 80 series and too much money and no know how.

Will prob get my bottom kicked for this but true  

[fcook22]

Copy of two e mails, to which I replied to immediately. Bank details now sent twice.

15 JULY 2013
Obviously can’t compensate you for the time and embarrassment of being towed by an LR, but more than happy to compensate for the oil and repairs.

Regards,

Julian Voelcker
OVERLAND CRUISERS


19 August 2012
If you could let me have your bank details I can arrange to get some funds put in to your account.

Regards,

Julian Voelcker

7 September.......... nothing.
I wonder how he would feel if customers took so long to settle up?
Don't think it is too much to ask for a little customer service.
When I am able to post a link to phots will show you the 'tow of shame' - thanks fully I was to only one with a camera or I am sure it would have been on all LR sites by now.

frank

[Bigchaser]

I too have an 80 Series, over the past 3 years Julian and his team have baselined the truck and modified it for overland travel. Since the work has been completed the truck has been to Morocco twice / Western Sahara and the Pyrenees, apart from general vehicle checks and serving I have had no issues and I have no hesitation in recommending Julian’s work.

To be fair if the transmission oil cooler was leaking from day 1, the truck should have been returned to Julian for him to repair under warranty.  Also during daily checks a visual inspection of all hoses should be done. Is it not possible when the mechanic was looking for the oil leak he may have removed cable ties / clips holding the hoses in place while looking for the leak, which later in the weekend allowed the second hose now unsecured to get cut by the fan?
_________________
Charlie
1997 HDJ80 VX - Sold
2007 VDJ78 GLX - with a few toys
2017 Honda Jazz - wife's car
2017 Toyota Fortuner - company truck

[fcook22]

I was there when the work was done on the Friday, as I wanted to understand what had happened and to make sure if there was an issue with the repair I would be able to fix it - I checked everything was put back as OC did it.

The other work Dave at OC did has performed perfectly.

The isssue now is how my report of the issue has been (or not been) dealt with.
It could all have been resolved in ten minutes - eg ' fair' enough - here's £x to cover the lost ATF fluied - very sorry'. I would have been  a happy customer.

If you had been dealing with a garage over a 'minor' issue as this and it had taken so long to resolve - what would you think?

frank

ps remember the vehicle was off road at the time - no ATF - no movement - what if I had beed in the middle of the desert ?
_________________
Drove and sold.
1993 Japanese import 80 series 12v VX.
Allisport intercooler.
Patriot roofrack.
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tyres, 285/75/16.
CURRENTLY
UK 1995 80 24v VX

[PETER1]

living off a reputation and not as hungry as once was , thats how i sum him up  

[fcook22]

Doing the vehicle check for the next days drive.
Front diff breather - piping abraded/spilit and connector broken - so really not that good.
Not done that many miles since it was fitted !
Ah well.
JV said he was dealing with my 'issue;.
I notice that there are lots of Facebook messages for OC work and how busy they are/he is - even got two emails for the expedition show later this month.
Too busy to deal with my complaint - which would would take all of ten minutes.
Small claims court calling ????
I am actually quite a patient man - but this is now getting beyond a joke.

frank
_________________
Drove and sold.
1993 Japanese import 80 series 12v VX.
Allisport intercooler.
Patriot roofrack.
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tyres, 285/75/16.
CURRENTLY
UK 1995 80 24v VX

[fcook22]

Another couple of e mails - no reply.

Customer service - none.

Time for the small claims court.

frank
_________________
Drove and sold.
1993 Japanese import 80 series 12v VX.
Allisport intercooler.
Patriot roofrack.
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tyres, 285/75/16.
CURRENTLY
UK 1995 80 24v VX

[jvoelcker]

I'm sorry Frank, as I had explained we have had a lot of changes here and have been struggling to keep up and had assumed that because you were away on holiday there was no rush.

You have been emailed.  If you can supply some better photos of what has happened to the diff breather we can then try to ascertain the cause of the problem and sort out a fix and how to avoid it in the future.
_________________
Cheers,

Julian
1994 HDJ80, with loads of mods without looking too obscene
1997 KZJ95 - Gilly's - plain black and muddy on BFG ATs.

[Bigchaser]

After a couple of trips to the Sahara and a trip to Europe, I can report the diff breathers fitted by Overland Cruisers are fine on my truck.
_________________
Charlie
1997 HDJ80 VX - Sold
2007 VDJ78 GLX - with a few toys
2017 Honda Jazz - wife's car
2017 Toyota Fortuner - company truck