http://www.toyotafans.net/style_images/toy.../icon7.gif'I've been in Central America for 7 years now, 6 or them in Panama. The Toyota franchise here has several locations but is owned by one man.
Customer Service in general, in Panama, is abysmal in most areas. You can wait two hours to make a change to your cable TV service - and you must go there in person to do i it.
I have owned 5 Toyota Hilux pickups since 2001 - all with an incredible 3 liter turbodiesel engine that makes > 300 foot pounds of torgue deom 1400 rpm up. Vehicel gets at least 25 miles per gallon around town and its a 4 door, wih electric windows etc. I haveone for myself and one for my project manager
The Toyota dealer here RICARDO PERAZ S.A., is infamous for not honoring Toyota's warranty. They charge $145 for yor oil changes, and tell you that if youtake it anywahere else, "forget about your warranty". Extortion
Last year (about 18 months ago), I toolk my 2007 Hilux in for its 20,000 kilometer service. The service manager told me that "my frame was bent", and het it would cost $2700 to "fix it".
My truck had never been used for rough service, NEVER been in an accident of any kind, and the service manager acknowledged that these points may well be true, as there were NO signs of impact or damage anywhere on he new vehicle.
They marled the truck's service records as "defective due to unrepaired structural damage" and would NOT bend on charging me $2700 to repair the truck. I griiteed my teetha nd old my employee to SELL IT.
I spent many, many hours trying to connect with anyone in Latin America or North America who could help me with these crooks. It turns out that the dealership Ricardo Perz deals directly with Japan I think & he has them hoodwinked.
I just ordered a new fortuner (same as a hilux buy an SUV, and wa assured by the sales manager that I would not get "screwed" this time. He also assured me that if I can "demosnrate full servicing" at a local, reputable repair ship" that my warranty will be honored. In the case of the "Best Frame" I HAD serviced the truck atthe Toyoya Dealership 100%
Does anyone have a contact name in Japan for the chief of International QC ?? I have sinve been tild by several sources that a lot of defective trucks were made in Argentine....my newest vehicle, which I will take delivery on next week, is from Thailand. Great trucks and vehicles - they NEED A NEW DEALER in PANAMA !!!