Opinion Required...

[Pasty]

Ok. I am after some condtructive opinions please....

I have a Y reg Gen 7 Celica (6 months outside of Warrenty) but with only 25K miles on the clock. 4 Toyota services including the 4 year service on 11th Jan.

Been have problems with the car: running rough and the clutch was almost unusable....

So I took it to my Toyota dealer (I didn't buy it from the dealer but with such a low mileage car I thought they may be concerned)

After some investigation they said compression was very low in one Cylindar and will probably need a new slave cylinder on the Clutch. 8 hours labour at £68.50 an hour to diagnose the problem before they will give me an estimate on the costs.

Now I'm not happy. I don't think a manufacturer like Toyota should be charging me for a major engine failure like this. I have spoken to customer services and they have kind of agreed to 30% off parts but nothing off labour...

Do you think this is the way I should be treated?

[Fidgits]

yeah, its not fair, but if you dont have a warranty, you dont really have a leg to stand on..

You will find most manufacturers are like this - the only hope you have is if it is a recall or common fault

[daktari]

For a start off i think 8 hours labour for a diagnosis is taking the wee wee. Comp test takes way less than an hour and the clutch fault would be evident to any trained tecnician/mechanic/spanner monkey. (2hours at the very outside start to finish)

I would seriously query that.

Toyota are being reasonable in the 30% off parts thing considering you didn`t buy the car from them

.Even though the car has a service history, it in no way implies that the car is going to be free from fault. Could`ve been thrashed and abused from day one but regularly serviced if you see what i mean.

Labour costs are down to the individual dealer i believe, so MrT doesn`t really have much say in that.

As for cost. I think that you may be looking at possibly new valves and/or piston/rings on one cylinder plus gaskets etc plus stripping the engine or at least the cylinder head down. It`s going to be in the region of £750 - £1000

[Pasty]

yeah, its not fair, but if you dont have a warranty, you dont really have a leg to stand on..

You will find most manufacturers are like this - the only hope you have is if it is a recall or common fault

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The warrenty is 3 years or 60K miles ok it's out of the 3 year warrenty but it is less than half the 60K miles surely Toyota don't want to say this is a common fault... Their top of the range model; breaking after 25K miles.... :ffs:

[T V O R]

£548 just to get a diagnosis and then as you say in their words “an estimate” on the costs

I would be considering a local independent garage for a diagnosis if it’s cheaper, and maybe return to Mr T for the discount on the parts if the job isn’t going to take hours and hours.

Garages usually have a word of mouth reputation, I would be asking around for details

[Pasty]

The compression test has been done. It has little or no compression in the third cylindar. They have checked the spark plug this was black and sooted.... (seems strange only 1 moth after a full service) and checked the coil the problem was neither of these. Hence stripping the engine down to diagnose the problmem!

[GIDDLEPIN]

Always wonder what happens to Fiday night specials. (here's one of my old posts)

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SLAPA

Group: Gold Members

Posts: 1521

Joined: 1-March 03

Member No.: 1627

Car Model:MR2 ROADSTER

Location:East Yorkshire

Snap! I had an X reg Celica VVTI with clutch problems.

1. replaced clutch (faulty pressure plate)

2. replaced clutch, skimmed flywheel (distorted flywheel)

3. fitted "modified" flywheel & clutch.

All this in the space of eight months, had it not been for warranties it would have bankrupted me, as yet another fault devloped (not the clutch) the car and I parted company, at a great loss.

I also had the same attitude problems with the dealer and with Toyota UK, it was as if, how dare you complain! Toyotas are the best cars in the world and they don't have problems. Well I'm afraid they do and hopefully it wont be reflected in my new car.

Yes I baught another Toyota! and so far it is BRILLIANT!!!!

So don't give up, there are the odd crappy cars out there (even Toyotas)

As for the dealers, watch the attitude change when you P.X. your car, It's bliss!!

Les

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This wasn't abusive driving either, it was just an unlucky buy.

Might be worth checking the service history (it might have been like this one)

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[Leeky]

All im gonna say is we never had these kinda problems with the good old 3s engine in the gen6 ;)

Is it just me or are too many people having problems with the Gen7.....