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KakerMix
Apr 8, 2004

8.2 M.P.G.
:byetankie:

everdave posted:

1993 Toyota Hilux Surf SSR-X

Just got here, seconds after taking this pic a torrential downpour came and me and my driver got soaked. Had to pull it in the driveway with the Lite Ace.

But look at it, it is absolutely pristine. Yes, the miles are verified on the auction sheet. Are they real? Auction house says they are. But how could it be possible? Timing belt sticker from 2015 but very smudged looks like 10277 km on the sticker. but very faint.



(imgur and the awful app are taking forever, i will keep editing and add a pic or two at a time)















What's the steering wheel and driver's seat look like? It certainly looks like it might only have that little of mileage. Then again, if it had 100,000 km on it that's only 63,000 miles which is still insanely low. If you wanna post a picture of the faded timing belt sticker we might be able to read it too.

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TheLarson
Oct 14, 2004

PREPARE FOR THE WOODSHED!
BOW BEFORE KING JIGGLES!
Do you all have any carfax type report recommendations for Japanese market cars? Is CarVX (https://carvx.jp/) worth it? Any other English language services viable here?

I'd like to dip my toes in this process, but I've heard horror stories of sketchy cars getting their histories scrubbed up by shady importers. Also gauge cluster swaps seem to be really common on performance cars due to the 180kph business?

KakerMix
Apr 8, 2004

8.2 M.P.G.
:byetankie:

TheLarson posted:

Do you all have any carfax type report recommendations for Japanese market cars? Is CarVX (https://carvx.jp/) worth it? Any other English language services viable here?

I'd like to dip my toes in this process, but I've heard horror stories of sketchy cars getting their histories scrubbed up by shady importers. Also gauge cluster swaps seem to be really common on performance cars due to the 180kph business?

Don't work with shady importers and instead import it yourself and save yourself of all that hassle.

TheLarson
Oct 14, 2004

PREPARE FOR THE WOODSHED!
BOW BEFORE KING JIGGLES!

KakerMix posted:

Don't work with shady importers and instead import it yourself and save yourself of all that hassle.

I hear you, but for the general history of any given car are there any report services of value? A way to see how many owners a car has and record of when it was last registered or road legal?

KakerMix
Apr 8, 2004

8.2 M.P.G.
:byetankie:

TheLarson posted:

I hear you, but for the general history of any given car are there any report services of value? A way to see how many owners a car has and record of when it was last registered or road legal?

Not that I'm aware of. Your best bet is getting it inspected by a third party, they'll tell you about the seats and the steering wheel, the floor mats, stuff like that for indications of wear. They'll also look for maintenance stickers that give away mileage. Generally the auction house itself is quite thorough about keeping tabs on odometer discrepancies too, most of the shady works come from the people that import the vehicles. Like that tropical blue MR2 from a while back that was being sold on Japanese Classics that was all sorts of hosed at auction.

Basically you can count on the Japan auctions to be more open and honest about the true condition of a car but you MUST get it inspected by a third party and absolutely do not go by the auction sheet. Even then things seep through. The auction sheet is an indicator if you should bother sending out a third party inspector, nothing more. I've got so many stories of cars that look great on the auction sheet that are true garbage in actual real life.

tetrapyloctomy
Feb 18, 2003

Okay -- you talk WAY too fast.
Nap Ghost
I have a friend with a Midget 2 (1997? Registered through some loophole in another state) who's having some issues finding replacement parts. I guess he's been going through third parties who scour some Yahoo Japanese version of eBay or something? Anyway, I was wondering if you had any advice on easier routes.

(I've tried to get him to register since I think folks might be interested in some of his projects, like completely tearing down said Midget 2 to do serious rust mitigation, fabricating pieces for that car and his Fleetwood, etc., but nope.)

KakerMix
Apr 8, 2004

8.2 M.P.G.
:byetankie:

tetrapyloctomy posted:

I have a friend with a Midget 2 (1997? Registered through some loophole in another state) who's having some issues finding replacement parts. I guess he's been going through third parties who scour some Yahoo Japanese version of eBay or something? Anyway, I was wondering if you had any advice on easier routes.

(I've tried to get him to register since I think folks might be interested in some of his projects, like completely tearing down said Midget 2 to do serious rust mitigation, fabricating pieces for that car and his Fleetwood, etc., but nope.)

What parts does he need specifically? Body panels and things or smaller, meant-to-be-replaced parts? Midget IIs are too new to be imported so I've not bothered to look into them BUT they are unique enough to have a following on that alone.

If he's got his chassis ID/VIN that should be on a plate somewhere in the cab, punch that into https://partsouq.com/ and see if they have the parts. At least he'll have the part numbers. Likewise there is https://www.megazip.net/ for more, but slower-to-be-delivered parts. I'd recommend https://www.amayama.com/en normally but thanks to us being in the joke of the goddamned world, the USA, EMS is no longer shipping to the United States and thus amayama is now cut off from shipments.

For very specific or used parts there is http://yokohamamotors.com/index-4.html which I would trust far more than some ebay-like system that shops yahoo auctions on my behalf. Don't know what their shipping situation is like but they are set up specifically to provide service to English-speaking countries from Japan.

EDIT
Looks like they have a Midget-specific page now, neat!
https://yokohamamotors.net/store/page71.html

tetrapyloctomy
Feb 18, 2003

Okay -- you talk WAY too fast.
Nap Ghost

KakerMix posted:

What parts does he need specifically? Body panels and things or smaller, meant-to-be-replaced parts? Midget IIs are too new to be imported so I've not bothered to look into them BUT they are unique enough to have a following on that alone.

If he's got his chassis ID/VIN that should be on a plate somewhere in the cab, punch that into https://partsouq.com/ and see if they have the parts. At least he'll have the part numbers. Likewise there is https://www.megazip.net/ for more, but slower-to-be-delivered parts. I'd recommend https://www.amayama.com/en normally but thanks to us being in the joke of the goddamned world, the USA, EMS is no longer shipping to the United States and thus amayama is now cut off from shipments.

For very specific or used parts there is http://yokohamamotors.com/index-4.html which I would trust far more than some ebay-like system that shops yahoo auctions on my behalf. Don't know what their shipping situation is like but they are set up specifically to provide service to English-speaking countries from Japan.

EDIT
Looks like they have a Midget-specific page now, neat!
https://yokohamamotors.net/store/page71.html

I'd have to ask him, but he definitely has part numbers. Thanks for the info, I'll pass it along.

everdave
Nov 14, 2005
Yo I posted on slack but things move too fast there. Replaced 100 amp fuse on Surf, not a bad job at all, and everything is back to life EXCEPT it won’t fire. Cranks and cranks.



cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

Checked you've got fuel in all the right places?

everdave
Nov 14, 2005

cakesmith handyman posted:

Checked you've got fuel in all the right places?

Nope, got 5 gallons in the tank. Going to try some things when I cool down in a bit if the storms hold off.

Should I replace fuel filter first or wait and try to get running with the one on there?

madeintaipei
Jul 13, 2012

everdave posted:

Nope, got 5 gallons in the tank. Going to try some things when I cool down in a bit if the storms hold off.

Should I replace fuel filter first or wait and try to get running with the one on there?

Is the fuel system primed? Got water in there? Pissing diesel out from anywhere?

Anyways. I posted the following in the Stupid Questions thread to try and rope in anyone who knows and sticks to bookmarks:

madeintaipei posted:

I have a question for the Aussies, Kiwis, and South Africans here. I've been reading the Importing Japanese cars (into the US) thread and have noticed many of the vehicles there were either officially sold in your countries or are common private imports, especially Hi-lux/Surfs and the smaller vans. Much valuable advice about these cars and specifically their diesel engines in that thread comes from Australians and New Zealanders. Are there any local online resources that y'all would recommend for troubleshooting these vehicles and their engines?

everdave
Nov 14, 2005
I’ve pushed the plunger on fuel filter til hard, no leaks, No idea about water

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan

everdave posted:

I’ve pushed the plunger on fuel filter til hard, no leaks, No idea about water

can you smell diesel at the exhaust? if there was a water separator it would be at the bottom of the fuel filter, my 3L hilux doesn’t have one tho. it sure sounds like you’re not getting fuel

angryrobots
Mar 31, 2005

everdave posted:

I’ve pushed the plunger on fuel filter til hard, no leaks, No idea about water

There should be a bleeder screw there to crack open while you're priming it to let the air out.

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan

angryrobots posted:

There should be a bleeder screw there to crack open while you're priming it to let the air out.

at least on mine, there isn’t; the filter is the highest point, so presumably the air goes thru the pressure relief valve on the IP and back to the tank via the return line. you just feel the plunger get REALLY firm as the air is gone, and you’re forcing open the spring

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


everdave posted:

I’ve pushed the plunger on fuel filter til hard, no leaks, No idea about water

Might be worth cracking a fuel injector or the connection to the injector lose and see if you're getting fuel there.

everdave
Nov 14, 2005
There is a water sensor at the bottom. Now the plunger feels like it’s not hardening up and getting any pressure whatsoever. No diesel smell or any smell at all from cranking. What I’d like to do is just put the new filter on full of diesel but I ha e these problems (remember I’m a single dad home with the kids so I can’t run and get these things)

I have no diesel to fill new filter with

I have no atf to fill it with which some Australian forums suggested doing

I don’t think the old filter will come off without destroying it because the black goo they have around the top, and since I want this to look own I kind of just want to buy a new housing with the plunger part

And lastly I have no idea yet where to open injectors. My suspicion is the filter is empty or full of air


I highly suspect fuel but it couldn’t be an immobilizer could it? I have the original key with the remote on the fob but the battery is dead or it doesn’t work but it locks and unlocks and cranks truck fine

Some pics of sticker I found and gas pedal just in the quest of wondering if miles could be real








everdave fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Aug 1, 2020

Midjack
Dec 24, 2007



everdave posted:

I highly suspect fuel but it couldn’t be an immobilizer could it? I have the original key with the remote on the fob but the battery is dead or it doesn’t work but it locks and unlocks and cranks truck fine

If it’s on there, an immobilizer shouldn’t need a battery for the transponder. If the key doesn’t have a big plastic head but is just an unadorned piece of metal like what your house key probably looks like it doesn’t have one. That it cranks is also indicative that it’s not a transponder problem, though I could envision someone cutting corners by only having an immobilizer affect the fuel pump I’m not aware of a manufacturer that did that. In any event, RKE and transponders are two independent systems.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

NitroSpazzz posted:

Might be worth cracking a fuel injector or the connection to the injector lose and see if you're getting fuel there.
ED, have you tried this?

everdave
Nov 14, 2005

InitialDave posted:

ED, have you tried this?

Not yet will have to look up how waiting on a storm to pass. Pouring down rain I am online now to look up where to bleed injectors. Hopefully the rain passes soon while i am still covered in bug spray before I get shower the mosquitos are insane this year.

The key has a big plastic head and buttons and the Toyota logo

EDIT:

I cracked open all 4 injectors. Nothing comes out when I use the plunger. When I crank the engine clean, good smelling clear diesel comes out all injectors and got onto my spotless engine bay. Closed one at a time and cranked and not even a hint of firing. Cranks like a monster.

Since I have diesel flowing to injectors when I open them and crank that means the fuel pump is working right? When I opened them before cranking they were dry and no diesel like poured out or anything.

It started pouring again I closed them all (I own 15+ JDM vehicles but don't own but small size metric wrenches, I had to use a 11/16). Few last tries at cranking. Glow plug light comes on and goes off. Glow fuse looks good. Cranks and cranks no fire. All gauges, all lights work.

And I just took a shower and realized that I undid the fuel lines going to injectors like I didn’t actually loosen injectors in the head. But fuel was flowing

everdave fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Aug 1, 2020

Ferremit
Sep 14, 2007
if I haven't posted about MY LANDCRUISER yet, check my bullbars for kangaroo prints

Well there’s only three things you need for a diesel to light off- fuel, air and compression.

You’ve verified that there’s fuel getting to the injectors- on the 1KZ motor if you’ve got a spill control valve issue that will kill them dead in the water, but the fact your getting fuel flow suggests otherwise to that.

Airflow is easy enough- when it’s cranking make sure that it’s not doing something like sucking in the rubber elbows on the intake system from a totally blocked intake

Compression is a bitch to measure, but if you can hear it bumping up against it at each rotation, you should be good.

I’d start by checking around the fuel pump very carefully and make sure every single connector is plugged in there- my half cut surf had the spill valve unplugged for some reason when I got it and it wouldn’t do poo poo when cranking.

1KZ’s are also really unhappy starting without glow plugs. When ours killed it’s glow plugs it would not start without a minute of cranking on a 30 degree c day. You can check them easily enough with a multi meter to see if they’re getting voltage when they start and then check to make sure each plug has resistance and isn’t open circuit

everdave
Nov 14, 2005

Ferremit posted:

Well there’s only three things you need for a diesel to light off- fuel, air and compression.

You’ve verified that there’s fuel getting to the injectors- on the 1KZ motor if you’ve got a spill control valve issue that will kill them dead in the water, but the fact your getting fuel flow suggests otherwise to that.

Airflow is easy enough- when it’s cranking make sure that it’s not doing something like sucking in the rubber elbows on the intake system from a totally blocked intake

Compression is a bitch to measure, but if you can hear it bumping up against it at each rotation, you should be good.

I’d start by checking around the fuel pump very carefully and make sure every single connector is plugged in there- my half cut surf had the spill valve unplugged for some reason when I got it and it wouldn’t do poo poo when cranking.

1KZ’s are also really unhappy starting without glow plugs. When ours killed it’s glow plugs it would not start without a minute of cranking on a 30 degree c day. You can check them easily enough with a multi meter to see if they’re getting voltage when they start and then check to make sure each plug has resistance and isn’t open circuit

Thank you,this Surf is a 2LTE. I know what the spill valve is because an Aussie was talking about having to hear his up on freezing days. But it’s 90 degrees out. There is nothing unplugged anywhere. I would have to research how to check glow plugs but the fuse is not blown and the light comes on and goes off quickly in this heat just like the rest of my diesels.

If diesel is coming out when I crank the engine can I rule out fuel filter? Fuel pump? I do have a new filter can install. I have never had to check or replace glow plugs.

The injectors would t be bad or all bad at once on such a clean truck? From forums I’ve read even if it was trying to fire on 2 cylinders something would be happening.

I’m at a loss right now...have family coming to visit tomorrow and kids start school it could be Tuesday night before I can tackle anything big again unfortunately.

Ethics_Gradient
May 5, 2015

Common misconception that; that fun is relaxing. If it is, you're not doing it right.

madeintaipei posted:

Anyways. I posted the following in the Stupid Questions thread to try and rope in anyone who knows and sticks to bookmarks:

I have a question for the Aussies, Kiwis, and South Africans here. I've been reading the Importing Japanese cars (into the US) thread and have noticed many of the vehicles there were either officially sold in your countries or are common private imports, especially Hi-lux/Surfs and the smaller vans. Much valuable advice about these cars and specifically their diesel engines in that thread comes from Australians and New Zealanders. Are there any local online resources that y'all would recommend for troubleshooting these vehicles and their engines?


The online community is largely Facebook groups these days - that and Marketplace are pretty much the only reason I still have it.

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan

everdave posted:

There is a water sensor at the bottom. Now the plunger feels like it’s not hardening up and getting any pressure whatsoever. No diesel smell or any smell at all from cranking. What I’d like to do is just put the new filter on full of diesel but I ha e these problems (remember I’m a single dad home with the kids so I can’t run and get these things)

I have no diesel to fill new filter with

I don’t think the old filter will come off without destroying it because the black goo they have around the top, and since I want this to look own I kind of just want to buy a new housing with the plunger part

“black goo”? like RTV? can you shoot a pic of the filter? it should only seal to the filter housing with the gasket on the filter; might be some fuckery afoot.

if there’s fuel coming out at the line to the injector, you definitely have fuel to that point; I’ve never worked on an LTE but since the E is for “electronic” the injectors aren’t popped by the IP but from a computer somewhere. check connections and fuses again would be first step.

I have an engine manual for that motor if you want a PDF. I can send you a link when I’m next on my computer (phone posting now)


everdave posted:

If diesel is coming out when I crank the engine can I rule out fuel filter? Fuel pump? I do have a new filter can install. I have never had to check or replace glow plugs.

The injectors would t be bad or all bad at once on such a clean truck? From forums I’ve read even if it was trying to fire on 2 cylinders something would be happening.

yes to the first two questions; but since the plunger isn’t getting hard again, you may be taking in air somewhere (most likely place is from the filter housing). unlikely that all 4 injectors are bad but possible. the black goo is a big question mark; if anything got through the filter to clog the injectors, that’s bad. even 5 microns of poo poo will clog an injector.

sounds like electrics but hard to know without ripping more apart.

e: more info

snugglz fucked around with this message at 10:37 on Aug 2, 2020

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


So you're getting fuel to the injectors but not into the engine. I'm not familiar enough with that engine or diesels in general but two things I can think of might be happening. Fuel pump not putting out enough pressure or injectors not cycling/firing. I can't think of a way to test either very easily on your own. Seeing if the injectors are firing is easy enough, stethoscope/screwdriver on the injector and listed for clicking, but you need a second person to crank it over while you do this.

everdave
Nov 14, 2005
Yes it now seems not enough pressure. When I can first I will remedy this fuel filter since I have a new one.



No one to help me. Have family coming in and kids start school tomorrow could be Tuesday evening before I’m free to work on it more. All fuses are good now. Glow plug 80 amp looks good. Glow plug light comes on and goes off normally like rest of my diesels quickly in this heat.

Took housing off





Cut sealant with razor. Beat on it like hell with rubber mallet nothing. Went to a big rear end hammer. It has moved maybe 2 inches after a solid 15-20 minutes of beating the housing.

everdave fucked around with this message at 20:54 on Aug 2, 2020

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan
gross

throw all that poo poo away

that housing is some knock-off bullshit too

Ferremit
Sep 14, 2007
if I haven't posted about MY LANDCRUISER yet, check my bullbars for kangaroo prints

snugglz posted:

gross

throw all that poo poo away

that housing is some knock-off bullshit too

Nah thats a genuine toyota part.

everdave
Nov 14, 2005

Ferremit posted:

Nah thats a genuine toyota part.

Yeah it’s oem, long story short it took half the day to get that crap off. Everything g cleaned and new filter full of diesel and same story. Cranks and cranks no fire. Beyond frustrated.



Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

Find a good diesel mechanic, no shame in saving your sanity by having it properly diagnosed and fixed.

everdave
Nov 14, 2005

Applebees Appetizer posted:

Find a good diesel mechanic, no shame in saving your sanity by having it properly diagnosed and fixed.

That is my plan! Not worth me spending a week chasing things. I do have a new battery for the key fob to check tonight but after that I'll be looking for a diesel shop locally.

snugglz
Nov 12, 2004
moist sod for your hogan

Ferremit posted:

Nah thats a genuine toyota part.

really? my bad then, the one on my 3L doesn’t have that profile at all (though the plunger looks the same)

hope you get it worked out in any case, Everdave.

everdave
Nov 14, 2005


Degreasing has commenced these have less than 100 miles on them and the tpms sensors could i actually sell those and these be free? I only paid $100 for the set. Goi g to start with a green pad and then etch prime. Then gunmetal metallic over the next day or two. Then clear the F out of them.

Edit: trigger warning for Kaker they aren’t bfgs

everdave fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Aug 7, 2020

azzurro
Oct 13, 2012
Chuck some low pro tyres on those rims and put em on the Homy. Maybe check the sliding door still opens before comitting. :)

everdave
Nov 14, 2005

azzurro posted:

Chuck some low pro tyres on those rims and put em on the Homy. Maybe check the sliding door still opens before comitting. :)

The FB groups said I should be good without going to 8” wide and if you did you can add washer to the door. These are 16x7 very hard to track down. We will see I don’t take anything for granted. I got a whole new set of rims and tires for my bucket truck that would t work without it sitting still. But I also made a fortune selling it stock.

Edit: I sold the LiteAce FieldTourer today for a good price

Edit again: sold the Caravan Homy for an even better price 8 hours after getting the new tires and rims mounted

everdave fucked around with this message at 02:05 on Aug 15, 2020

KakerMix
Apr 8, 2004

8.2 M.P.G.
:byetankie:
"Hi, sorry but an accident happened with the Toyota."
the beginning of the text read, from our transporters, Valfam Logistics out of Jacksonville.

While being transported to us our white Toyota Sera that was picked up from port didn't have its hood down and at some point it flew back, hard, and smashed the windshield, hosed up the hood hinges, completely snapped the left/passenger side hinge, and hosed up the hood in all the ways that you gently caress up a hood by hyper-extending it back so far. Ripples, paint damage, that sort of thing. When we first got the news I assumed it was the door glass, but it was just the very typical and traditional windshield, thankfully. Still bespoke to the Sera, but a lot different than the doors or even the rear hatch. The car is essentially a write-off if that glass dies.





ValFam admits their mistake* (note the *) and offered to pay for everything right away. We ask for their insurance information as we gear up to make a claim. They beg us not to contact insurance and they'll pay for it all. Wife and I talk a bit then decide we'll forgo going for insurance as we've been using them for a long while now and they've always been good, inexpensive and punctual. We tuck the information for their insurance away, just in case. They then say they already have a windshield at their typical place that deals with glass in Jacksonville they use. We inform them that we very much doubt that as it's a JDM-specific car, but perhaps we'll be surprised.
The next day we call the company that supposedly has the glass directly ourselves, and he (of course) informs us that no, they don't have the glass. Wife and I assume that ValFam simply see 'Tercel' and 'Paseo' when looking up the Sera and ignorantly assumed it's all the same. It isn't, but we all know that. My wife then dives into Sera groups online to see how to remedy this situation, very quickly taking over from our transporters. Wife finds a windshield in Texas (one of 10), oem and brand new. ValFam are having zero luck finding a windshield anywhere else, realizing that being from Japan for Japan that glass isn't in the country in the typical places. We secure the Texas glass my wife found, the transport company pays it even though the price is $800, $250 for the windshield and $550 for transport. Windshield is crated and delivered to our warehouse, important because it had to be a commercial address.




That's right, THAT DeLorean Motor Company, of Humble, Texas, has OEM windshields for the JDM-only Toyota Sera. I guess if 'cool doors' is a thing, DeLorean is on board. James, the vice president of DMC, worked with my wife and got us the windshield very quickly and was very excellent to work with. The story about why they happen to have 10 (now 9) of these windshields is because they did a group-buy with some other Sera owners to make sure they had them incase something happened. Then Corona happened, people dropped out and they ended up having extra ones. He also sent along a bonus which was completely unexpected and very sweet of him.


Pictured: the bonus

Loaded directly off the truck into OUR truck we set off. While securing the hood to the absolutely-fine and works-perfectly-without-issue hood latch, I drive slowly and carefully to our body shop in the Sera, the same one where the Rugger is currently being healed with my wife driving the Hilux with the windshield in the bed.




B&B Body knows the drill as we've been talking to them this whole time. They are cool as hell, un-crate the windshield for us while we're there (just to make absolute sure it's all good) and of course it is. We tell DMC James it arrived perfectly, he's happy and says he's glad because even when crated sometimes glass doesn't make it. All good, we call our transporters and let them know it's at the body shop. So far they've paid for the windshield, but nothing else.

Because we've gotten it smooth-ish considering the circumstances, and finding good transporters you can trust and rely on is kinda difficult and takes effort to find new ones we assume it's all good and will continue to use them. Good thing too because it just so happens that we have another vehicle that needs to be delivered to us, our 95 Prado. I email ValFam like I always do, expecting it all to be good and this is all behind us. They quote us a price of $300, $75 bucks over normal. I ask why it's now $75 more, when not two weeks ago (and all the weeks before, but I digress) it was not, and how it feels this is a direct reaction to the Sera incident. They say, and it's a quote:
"That price not increased in two weeks that is the price that we get with other loads for long time ago but to you we charged less than the rest of loads."

I guess they charged us less for...reasons, and now they are no longer fond of those reasons. I was right, a direct reaction to the Sera incident. Wife and I immediately no longer trust them. We contact a transport broker we use for transport emergencies (Brenden from Goliath Auto transport I've mentioned in this thread before) and where we send buyers that need transport. He finds us transport for the next day for $250 bucks. We agree, I inform ValFam we've secured other means for our Prado.

The next day we call B&B Body and tell them that we'd like them to draw up an estimate so we can get ValFam to pay for it right away, and we'll eat any overages. Since we no longer trust them we don't want the Sera sitting in limbo and have to try to get ValFam to pay for it then, potentially a couple months in the future. Rather, we'd like them to pay it now and we can be done with it. It's clear we no longer are going to use them to transport anything for us as the jump in price because of their mistake leaves a very bad taste in our mouths. They agree, we contact ValFam and inform them what we'd like to do.
Weirdly they don't want to pay for it until the work is done, like it's their car. I tell them they can just pay the estimate to B&B Auto directly, and we can both be done with this and we'll eat whatever other costs might come up. I also remind them that if we simply went to our insurance we'd make a claim and this would all be taken care of without us having to pull teeth, and that it's only as a favor to them that we didn't bring the insurance into it. Wife and I have already spent a gently caress-ton of time simply dealing with this and it isn't worth it. Once I show my finger hovering over the M.A.D. button they relent and agree to pay the estimate and be done with it. They tell us they will call the body shop on Monday and pay the estimate.

This morning (it is currently Monday night) my wife calls B&B Body to make sure it's all good and yes, ValFam called and paid the invoice in full. B&B has their money, they email us the reciept. All told they have paid $2900 for this, including the windshield. Luidi, the driver we interact with at ValFam, then suddenly says this (my wife says the 'hardly call this a win' part):


I then say this:


He didn't reply.

Motherfucking dumb rear end. Wife and I have been mocking him all day, saying 'JUNK!' really sarcastically to each other any chance we get. We have no idea why they paid then got lovely, you'd think they'd get lovely before they paid like we expected, but they were so quick to pay for the windshield right away so we felt good enough about trusting them. The links I sent him in response to the Kelly Blue Book thing are various Seras for sale in the USA, ranging from 8k to 13k. In closing, ValFam Logistics out of Jacksonville, Florida, are not to be trusted. I also found a set of hinges from another Sera in the U.K. due to the Sera Facebook group. $72 bucks with shipping.

* Right away Luidi started to shift blame as to why the hood wasn't latched at the beginning of all this and I quickly pushed that out of the way and didn't even bother trying to assign blame. It was their fault as it was under their care and it didn't need to be discussed. He never admitted fault directly, but as I said the latch works juuuuust fine, I don't know why he didn't just check the goddamn hood but whatever, he doesn't seem like he's very intelligent about these things based on his actions.

While at the body shop we took a gander at the Rugger:

Those are all repaired panels by the way, turns out the fender was junk ("didn't fit worth a drat so we fixed this one") or simply wrong. That front fascia under where the grill would be was junk too, so that's the repaired one. Magic!

Our Prado was delivered by a different company safe and sound and we too have found our new transport company at the same time:






Already have a set of BF Goodrich K02s waiting for install, and have already freshened up the wheels and the center caps.
The Suzuki Wagon R that was delivered at the same time as the Sera, fortunately, had it's hood stay shut and arrived perfectly safe.



Unfortunately the headgasket is definitely blown :negative:
Idles all day and holds temperature, but as soon as you put throttle into it the needle climbs. Milkshake under the oil filler cap, but no other indication. Already have a headgasket, timing belt, water pump, thermostat and a bunch of other 'while we are here' items on the way from Japan.

We also sold our Suzuki Alto Works and our SW20 MR2 :toot:

KakerMix fucked around with this message at 05:44 on Aug 18, 2020

Kia Soul Enthusias
May 9, 2004

zoom-zoom
Toilet Rascal
I read all that and have a hard time understanding his text messages. After begging not to contact insurance he made a claim anyway?

And what's the $1400 about a jetski or whatever?

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

You'd think there would be some sort of checklist before loading the car, like making sure the hood is secure. Should have been pretty obvious too that it wasn't latched, the guy either has very poor observational skills or he just doesn't give a poo poo. I'd guess the later.

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Nidhg00670000
Mar 26, 2010

We're in the pipe, five by five.
Grimey Drawer

Luidi posted:

in Jacksonville with 1400 I paint my boat, my motorcycle and my jetski

If it wasn't for the circumstances, this would be a good thread title.

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