Why not to buy ex-mining & service at Toyota Dealership

[Unruly Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Unruly]

Whats wrong with the rangers Unruly ?? Is this based on just been used in the mines ?? .....Cheers Steve

My opinion is purely based on my comparison between Hilux's and Ranger's on Iron Ore mine sites.

Rangers are light duty, components are constantly failing. We have a car park out the back of our workshop with about 5-10 rangers parked up, out of service due to faults that require considerable work and parts that are not available quickly. We have had a lot of trouble with drive shafts, timing chains, drive belts and tensioners, and generally being very unfriendly to work on.

On the other hand, the Toyotas are our friend and were very sad when the company decided to switch. Hilux's are easier to service, parts are easy to get, failures are less common.

hope this answers your question.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Cheers mate appreciated. I thought they were going ok the rangers and Toyotas over priced and behind in there engineering eg 4 speed auto, older D4D engine etc, maybe why Toyota has left it alone and just done cosmetic stuff since the current shape hilux come out..... I was becoming a ranger fan but that reply certainly has turned me away from them...If any thing is going to prove their reliability or faults it would be your type of workplace .....Cheers Steve

[Unruly Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Unruly]

Its only to do with the 5 star ANCAP rating. Ranger's have it and Toyotas dont

[chappy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chappy]

Rio Tinto at least in Tom Price site still retain and have over the last few months received new Hiluxs and 79 series LC and they cop a fair hiding.
Plant production supervisors were issued with a ranger as a trial vehicle and as far as reliability goes it's been pretty good, mainly because the operators aren't allowed anywhere near it!.Lol.

Pretty much all our Prados are driven by management or spend their day sun bathing in the car park.

cheers,
Chappy.

[Unruly Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Unruly]

all of our Hiluxs are gone, bar a couple of stragglers. The workers on the coal face (so to speak) have the Rangers and the V8 cruisers. By far the best is the cruiser. I want to buy one now. Tough as nails, and simple.

[chappy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chappy]

Years ago our general manager would have been issued a rangie or LC Sahara (or equivalent) as an work/personel mount, but the last two have been issued Prados instead unsure which model most likely above GXL as that is what the MRU mangers are issued and the superintendents get the GX ( Mmmm spares.lol).

cheers,
Chappy.

[shodown Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shodown]

OK - reviving this thread as I was out on a 4 day escape to Fernhook Falls, Broke Inlet, Fish Creek, Moores track, Coodamurrup Beach when my clutch failed.

Get underneath to find the dealership who rebuilt the engine had left the backing plate off......



Ring said dealership and they are debating about whether leaving it off would cause premature failure, they think 150k it pretty normal for a clutch (which I cannot really argue that point as a clutch is a variable consumable......

(I did 2x creek crossings (500mm) and fair amount of sandy track / beach work on the trip , there had never been ANY signs of clutch wear prior - and we towed the horse float only the weekend prior.

Dealership is prepared to strip it down at a reduced rate and inspect, then depending on what they find perhaps cover the lot or charge a lower rate.

#thiscariscursed

[shodown Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shodown]

My clutch....

[shodown Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shodown]

Missing part


Missing part

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

There is a fair bit of dirt/mud/rust in that clutch assembly. Good luck on getting them to commit to anything by leaving that part out, it wouldn't of helped the situation but I doubt it would of prevented it all. There is a good amount of hot spots on that flywheel too. Don't get your hopes up on them fixing for free, it is a clutch after all.

[clarkie383 Member Find all posts View Profile Close clarkie383]

Ok having just read the thread i have a few things to add.
After the initial problem with dealership i would of had it tilt trayed to the place of purchase to rectify their end.
This would eliminate them blaming each other if something else went wrong.
Also after all issues i would of had an independent workshop give it the once over,this would of found the missing inspection cover.

Lastly bloody detailers who pressure clean inside new cars shit me.
Had a commodore done and when i got it back it had 23 fault codes up!
Lazy pricks.

Anyway im glad your enjoying the prado.

[shodown Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shodown]

After the initial problem with dealership i would of had it tilt trayed to the place of purchase to rectify their end.
This would eliminate them blaming each other if something else went wrong.

Also after all issues i would of had an independent workshop give it the once over,this would of found the missing inspection cover.

Hindsights a wonderful thing huh......

It was tilt trayed to the dealership I bought it from (Carbox) as soon as the knock was discovered. They sent it off to their preferred workshop for motor tear-down and commissioned the report by an expert that stated it was run without oil. (At that point they could have told me to f*ck off and ask for their loan car back as well as charge me for the motor tear down / report).

With the Toyota Dealership denying fault, the car then sat at that workshop (where consumer affairs inspected it) until eventually consumer affairs found it my favour.

Once Toyota Delearship rebuilt the engine, I should have taken it straight back to Carbox instead of driving it that weekend..... oh well. Carbox gave it back to their preferred workshop who then dropped it to City Toyota for the electrics. City Toyota were given the instruction "make sure we dont see this car again" - they sorted the BCM harness and even replaced an engine mount - when I asked them about the lights being on they didnt know they were to remove that and had it done in 15 minutes.

It had been to Robsons Bros once and City Toyota 4 times since......both of which stuffed up in some way shape or form......

In regards to the clutch failure - everyone I spoke too (including ####) doubted that this was the actual cause of clutch failure. Once I got underneath the car on the hoist it would have been rather difficult for sand to get in their with the sump in the way.....

The part missing is actually catalogued as a noise dampener - it can actually be removed without pulling the gearbox or motor..... nor does it actually seal the clutch from the elements. So where I was hoping I could force the dealership to absorb the labour costs completely I was wrong.....

The dealership reduced their labour rate to $100ph, and gave me the clutch kit for around $925, down from $1525 RRP.

FYI - for those in WA - Supreme Motor Spares Import Toyota parts and can do the clutch kit for around $600 (trade). It was only half a day after I gave the Toyota Dealership the nod to proceed I discovered this of course !!

[leethal1 Member Find all posts View Profile Close leethal1]

FYI - for those in WA - Supreme Motor Spares Import Toyota parts and can do the clutch kit for around $600 (trade). It was only half a day after I gave the Toyota Dealership the nod to proceed I discovered this of course !!

I always buy genuine filters through these guys, $60 for fuel filters...

[clarkie383 Member Find all posts View Profile Close clarkie383]

So true Shogun,hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Glad it has worked out for you and I was not having a dig.
Happy motoring.