I havent really been on here since last year when I had a problem. Some may remember I bought a Rav4 T-180 exdemo last year. Well we basically drove to spain, via france for our Hols (from Brum) and basically the car decided to only do about 10 miles an hour around the mountains of zaragoza. We finally found a hotel after being honked at for hours by annoyed drivers. (there were road works so only one lane and no hard shoulder)
It was very embarressing........so after four days we were taken the hour journey to our car which had been fixed by Toyota and the fifth piston had gone or something.
Well we decided to risk the same holiday this year as there hadnt been a problem with the car since. (well apart from the sat nav/cd player being replaced due to crackling)
We were returning home to catch a ferry last week in France and decided to stop off in Barcelona one night. In Barcelona we had a flat tyre which was a big split in the side. So we pulled up to a hotel and phoned our RAC number (we are in the Toyota club) This was last saturday, so they said they couldnt do anything until monday morning and to phone back then,(also they dont pay for accomodation or anything for a flat tyre) after they had told me off for not having a spare tyre!!!!! I was fed up of explaining this special run flat/no spare system.
Anyway 2 days later, on Monday morning I phoned RAC again and about midday they gave me the address of someone who could replace the tyre. We drove the approx 2 miles there and basically they were about to try and remove the tyre on a normal machine which worried me as I thought you need a special machine for this Bridgestone Runflat. After I stopped them they told me that They cant get that type of tyre in spain but would put a normal one on to get me going. They actually told me I need 2 of them to keep the balance of the car right at a cost of 630 euros. I then thought if I had a puncture with either of these two tyres I would be stuck and I still had to drive through France to get my ferry, which was tomorrow morning (tuesday)
I politely, then not so politely told them to put my flat wheel back on and I'll sort it my self.
I drove back to the Hotel and phoned Toyota Customer services UK, who then said I would have to take it to a Toyota Garage to repair it. They told me that not all toyata dealers on my satnav could but had a list of ones in Barcalona who could.
After about four calls I finally found a Toyota Dealer who could just about understand English and hurrah he new what a runflat was and could repair it today,well in 3 hours time after their siesta finished so I arrived there at 4.00
I was put in the showroom and watched the bloke there looking at my tyre whilst speaking on the phone. This took about 45 mins and he kept coming out of his office on the phone and lookin at the tyre and going back to his office. Finally he came up to me telling me it would cost 650 euros as it was a special kit.
650 EUROS FOR A FLAT TYRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I phoned the uk customer services who said there is not a lot they could do but could look at something when I get back (after I pushed them a little)
So what else could I do, luckily my wife had a credit card. I went upstairs to watch them as they needed the wheel nut lock kit. There was a big dusty box on the floor which when opened inside was "the kit" a new wheel including alloy, which was just put on my car in place of the flat tyre. (this took 10 mins, but another hour whilst 7 of them tried to get rid of the light on the dashboard saying the wheel was still flat.)
I DEMANDED in the end that I wanted the old tyre and alloy to take home to england to get some sort of refund, which reluctunlty they put on the back seat (good job we aint got any kids yet!! as the boot was full of all our luggage.
Just got home a few hours ago and I'm still livid. What would happen if I had 2 punctures, they only had one kit and I certainly aint got £600 to spare for every flat tyre.
What do you think????????
Ben
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