Pat Hinde Toyota SPrings - 14 Months Without My Vehicle

<p>I dropped off my vehicle @ Pat Hinde Toyota Springs on the 16th November 2015. A valve had come loose on my cylinder head, but did not drop into the block. I thought that is was straight forward job. I enquired about my vehicle on the 15th December, the workshop manager at the time Patrick Austin tells me that my cylinder head did not go in as all the engineers that specialized in the Run X RSI head were closed for the holidays. I ask him why hadn't contacted me telling me this as I had plans for December, he did not have an answer. I however was given a courtesy vehicle. I picked the vehicle up late January thinking the car was okay. When I test drove the vehicle, there was definitely something wrong, as it had no power. When we got back to the workshop, they plugged into their computer & it gave a VVT error. Why would you tell a customer their vehicle is ready if you never perform all the necessary checks? I then picked the vehicle up in February & it sounded like a tractor & not a performance vehicle. The engine made a ticking noise when idling & a whining noise when accelerated. The vehicle went back & forth to them. Towards the end of April, I went to PMB, when I got there on the 30th of April the car didn't drive okay, every time I released the clutch the vehicle battled to take off & when I was on an incline the whole car shook and lost power. I did send Patrick an email straight away telling him this. His reply was, can I take it to a dealership? It was Easter weekend, no Toyota workshop was open. My holiday was messed up as the car had to be towed up to JHB. The diagnosis was the crank pulley was not tightened. When the car was picked up again I heard a noise from my suspension. I took it back to Pat Hinde Toyota Springs & the mechanic, Collin said it was my ball joints. New ***** joints were fitted & the noise was still there. I took it to several other places, HI Q, Supa Quick, Oranja Brand, Central Prophaft etc, they couldn't diagnose the problem. I was referred to a suspension specialist in New Era Springs. He diagnosed that the engine mounting bolt was missing and hitting against the cars body in the engine bay, he further diagnosed that pirate bolts were used on the engine mounting that didn't have the correct tension for that engine mounting.</p> <p> </p> <p>I took the car back to Patrick explaining him that his wrong diagnosis cost me unnecessarily and that I'm leaving the car with him to sort out the engine mounting, the ticking & the whining noises. Pat Hinde Toyota Springs insisted that this was normal. They then said it was the alternator making the whining noise. After waiting over a month, the alternator replaced but the noise was still there. According to the now workshop manager Frank & his so called specialist, the alternator will always make that whining noise. I then asked if the alternator is always going to make that noise, why did you charge me for a new one. Frank had to answer. In August I had to go for my cousins funeral, I did not make it as I had to turn back by the De Hoek toll as the car was still shaking and losing power on an incline. Apparently the crank or something wasn't balanced. The head had to be done for the 2nd time. It was done by Dave Repsold Racing. When I picked the car up over a month later the ticking noise was gone, but the whining noise was still there. They still insisted that the car was okay. Every time I was told the car was ok by Pat Hinde Toyota Springs, I proved them wrong. I then got a hold of Dave Repsold & explained to him what the vehicle was doing. He knew exactly why the engine was whining. He says the cam is not getting enough oil as either my sump or oil pick up were damaged. Frank tried to blame me saying had damaged the sump. I got quiet angry saying to Frank that I haven't drove my vehicle properly for almost a year now. I arranged that the vehicle be sent to Dave Repsold. After this the vehicle still wasn't right, it had to go back to Frank for some other issues.</p> <p> </p> <p>On the 2nd of December I picked up the vehicle for the umpteenth time to leave for a weekend away. Before I left it noticed my cubby was jammed, I took it back to Pat Hinde Toyota Springs & Jurgen managed to open it. I also asked Jurgen if my fender liner and splash covers were tightened as I noticed they were loose on my previous visit. He assured me it was tightened. On my was the splash cover came loose & the fender liner flew out the vehicle almost hitting into the car behind me. My centre console also popped open and didn't want to close and the vehicle still shook and lost power on an incline. I called Pat Hinde Toyota and asked for Jurgen, he wasn't available, so left a message to please call me, I got no reply. I took the vehicle to Pat Hinde Toyota Springs on the 5th December explaining to Frank & Jurgen the series of events. I left the car with them and did not hear from them for the whole of the festive period. I was without a vehicle for Christmas & New year . When I went to Frank on the 9th January 2017, he tells me your Vehicle is ready. I asked him what had he done from the 5th December 2016 to the 9th January 2017. His reply, he only replaced the two plastic covers that flew out the vehicle. My cubby hole, centre console & the vehicle losing power on an incline were NOT sorted. Frank said he kept my vehicle for over a month as he tried to get authorisation from his dealer principle to replace my centre console. So I asked him was it repaired, Frank said no. So I was without a vehicle for over a month because Frank THOUGHT he could get authorisation. Does it take over a month to get either a Yes or No? He says his dealer principal will not sign off any more on my vehicle. It's not my fault that they have *********** mechanics, furthermore their mechanics did not diagnose the problem with my vehicle, Dave Repsold did. I think that I was more that understanding with Pat Hinde Toyota Springs. I don't have peace of mind of getting into my once reliable vehicle and going for a holiday as my vehicle didn't make it to its destination on several occasions in 2016 thanks to Pat Hinde Toyota Springs. I have also complained to Toyota S.A, Amanda has a record of this. To date it's been over 14 months that I do not have a vehicle. My company car is a Chevrolet Spark panel van. We are a family of 6, which makes it impossible to get around in a 2 seater Chevy Spark. Personally speaking, I think back door mechanics do a better job than so called approved dealerships such as Pat Hinde Toyota Springs. I am in total disgusting in the way my vehicle & I were treated.</p> <p> </p> <p>On the 9th January 2017, Frank insisted that I take the vehicle away, as he had no space to park my vehicle. I refused totally, as I know Frank had the vehicle picked up anymore issues, he would have blamed me.</p> <p> </p>