Toyota Ficksburg a disaster

More than six months ago I approached Schalk at Toyota Ficksburg to purchase a left side bonnet bracket for a Toyota Fortuner 2009 model. He said that they do not have the part in stock and that he will place it on back order. He took my name and number and promised to phone me as soon as it arrives. I waited and waited but not a word from Schalk. I then decided to go to Schalk every time that I go to town, which was more or less every two weeks. So every time he checked on his system again and said it was still on back order. What amazed me is that EVERY time he again asked for my name, number and which side bracket I needed, left or right. I was very surprised because it seemed to me as if he did not keep the information on hand. During that period I must have visited him at least 10 times over several months with no luck. All along I told him that it is VERY URGENT because it is only a matter of time then the right side bracket will also break because all the strain is on it. Then around six months after I ordered the part from Schalk I took the vehicle for a service at Toyota Ficksburg on 11 August 2022. The booking was done with Thelma.

On 26 August 2022 the vehicle had to go in for extra work. I also spoke to Schalk and he said they received the bracket but had no answer when I asked him then why on earth did he not phone me. I asked Thelma to let the mechanic fit the bracket as well. But here comes the fun part...... when I went to collect the vehicle Thelma told me that unfortunately they received the RIGHT side bracket!! This after I told Schalk a MINIMUM of 10 times that it is LEFT! So here we go again with a back order.......

So I waited......

On 10 December 2022 my fear became true and the right side bracket also broke because of the strain. On 12 December 2022 I went to Schalk and asked him if the bracket is STILL on back order because the other bracket also broke as I predicted. Here it comes......... he said they did receive the left bracket in the meantime but that he has sold it to someone else because it was just sitting on the shelf!!! Again no answer as to why he did not phone me!! He then checked if their other branches have stock and he said that Ladybrand has a RIGHT bracket but that he must place a back order AGAIN for the left bracket!! He said he will contact Ladybrand NOW to have the right bracket delivered to Ficksburg and he will phone me immediately thereafter to tell me when the bracket will be there. Did he phone me? OF COURSE NOT!!

On 13 December 2022 I contacted Thelma and asked her to tell him to phone me. So he phoned me..... I was very surprised because by that time I was convinced that he has no idea how a phone works! He said Ladybrand did not have stock but that Bloemfontein has stock and it should be at Ficksburg that same afternoon of 13 December 2022..... and that he would PHONE ME. Did he phone me? OF COURSE NOT!!! Today is 18 December 2022 and of course not a word from Schalk.

I have never seen such blatant incompetence and “don’t care a damn” in my entire life!! If that person worked for me he would have been unemployed today!!

So Toyota head office.... can you please ensure that I receive left AND right bonnet brackets for a Toyota Fortuner 2009 D4D 3.0 4x4. The colour is white. Also let someone else deal with me because I am DONE with incompetent Schalk. Also, I don’t know who will pay for the right bracket and installation but it would not be me. I would pay for left only! I suggest you let Schalk or the Ficksburg branch pay for it. Please also take note of the following..... IF ANY FURTHER DAMAGE ARE CAUSED BECAUSE BOTH BRACKETS ARE NOW BROKEN THEN TOYOTA WILL BE HELD LIABLE FOR THE DAMAGE!

Unrelated to the above matter I have another complaint. On Thursday 15 December at 8:35 am I contacted Thelma and told her that I need very urgent help because something is wrong with one of my wheels, it was buckling and the problem could be serious. Thelma said that she is not at work but that she would let Alice know and that Alice would phone me. Did Alice phone me? OF COURSE NOT!!! Not a word from Alice since 15 December. On that same day I took the vehicle to a private mechanic to fix seeing that Toyota Ficksburg is on their own mission.

I really don’t know what is going on at Toyota Ficksburg but it seems that there is ZERO control, ZERO accountability and ZERO responsibility.