My family all drive Toyota's but Toyota Durban North - NEVER AGAIN

NEVER AGAIN!!!!

This is the second time I have taken my car for a service at Toyota Durban North, only for it to be returned to me with faults / rattles that weren't there before. But there's more…

I took my car to have it's yearly service for that reason only - its yearly service. There was NOTHING wrong with my car. I did however ask them to install a new battery and only because I was previously told (by Toyota Durban North) that my battery needs replacing after x amount of years.

1) I arrived and was asked to recite my contact number, which I did, also mentioning that all my information had remained the same. I was then asked to sign on a tablet. All good so far, because I was signing for my details(?) Then I was told to go ahead to the front, complete the form for the driver to give me a lift home and take a seat. Which I did. 2) The driver later picked me up again to fetch my car & here's where it gets interesting. When asked to make a payment for the new battery, I did that and received the invoice. Then I was asked to sign for the service parts, which I did. However, I noticed a copy of my signature on another page, when I queried it, I was told “you signed for that when dropping your car off” (this was for “dents” etc on my car. I rep**** that “I didn't sign for that” but considering it was getting late, decided to look at my car when I got in. 3) Immediately I noticed that my car wasn't even cleaned inside, as a matter of a fact, there was dirt/marks that weren't there before. So I drove ± 200m, stopped the car and started taking photos. 4) I took photos of all the dirt, as well as my kilometers (proof that I didn't drive anywhere else). 5) I then decided to check the new battery “just in case”. Well, the battery installed and the one on my invoice were 2 different batteries! 6) Now after 5pm, I returned to Toyota to enquire what happened. I told them about the battery difference but when they denied it & because of the time, I didn't have much of a choice but to take it up the next day. 7) Driving home, I was in for another surprise, there was a rattling coming from the dashboard area which WASN'T there before. I immediately took my cellphone and recorded a video, once again for proof of time and kilometers, as well as the irritating rattling noise. (By pure luck, I took a video the previous day to send to my sister about something I drove past and had further proof of date and kilometers with NO rattling.) 8) The following morning I went to Tiger Wheel and Tyre to confirm the size of battery that should be in my car. I also contacted “First Battery” to confirm the prices of the battery that Toyota Durban North installed versus the one I was invoiced for - I was invoiced for a more expensive battery (R100+) AND paid the amount that I would have paid if I kept my old battery (discount is app**** when handing old battery in). FYI, Toyota kept my old battery. 9) Back to Toyota Durban North I went with all my proof and info. 10) I arrived asking for the branch manager. Glenda (Austin?) came out of her office & when I asked for a few minutes of her time, she rep**** that she was busy with a call. I said, “I don't mind waiting”. But she basically “refused” saying the service manager could help me - Mr Naidoo. 11) I spoke to him and (a) He said I received the battery that my car required. When I explained that that was still no reason for charging me the the more expensive battery, he said (b) I could receive a refund of “R7” which was apparently the price difference. I requested to know where they received the battery from and when I was told “First Battery”, I informed him that I had contacted them earlier and the price difference was much more, as well as the fact that I was charged for “not handing in the old battery”. He insisted that (c) the price I paid was “Toyota's price” (±R500 MORE) and they could give me a new invoice with the R7 refund. 12) Regarding the dirt inside my car, the service manager said (d) they could re-wash / clean my car. 13) Regarding the NEW rattling sound, the service manager rep**** that (e) they “didn't know where I drove my car or what happened after the service”. This even after I played the videos as proof. 14) Well, I told him to keep his “R7 refund” and refused a new invoice that was being printed. I took my original invoice (proof of different battery installed) and left vowing to NEVER TAKE MY CAR THERE AGAIN!

So, this goes out to everyone needing to have their Toyotas serviced. DO NOT GO TO TOYOTA DURBAN NORTH, YOUR CAR WILL BE RETURNED WITH PROBLEMS THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE TAKING YOUR CAR THERE AND YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE.

Also, let's not forget that they basically forge your signature for details about your car that you DID NOT sign for (I'm almost sure they have a camera in that area that can also prove that!)