Toyotas fixed price servicing ????

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

For every horror story there should be a good one to keep things in balance. Just got the Prado back from the 40,000 service. My servicing dealer booked the vehicle in without trying to sell extra items and told me it would be done under fixed price servicing (I knew it was but it is nice when they do all the talking and they are saying the right things). When we picked the vehicle up they had a couple of invoices ready. $210 for us and $740 for Toyota Australia. This then is the way it works. Now I need to decide if I still want to be the owner when the 80,000 is due.

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Does anyone pay the extra for the "magnatec fully synthetic special blend? Extra $70 I did on first service and have stuck with it but not sure I will next service.

[LostDingo2 Find all posts View Profile Close LostDingo2]

Does anyone pay the extra for the "magnatec fully synthetic special blend? Extra $70 I did on first service and have stuck with it but not sure I will next service.

I would just buy the Penrite and take with me. Tell them you are providing your own oil

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

I know my Toyota dealer uses Caltex oils so I just let it be and do a 5000km change with delo in between.

[Kev7762 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kev7762]

I know my Toyota dealer uses Caltex oils so I just let it be and do a 5000km change with delo in between.

Same with me, local dealer in Rockingham uses castrol magnatec diesel and I use the same for the 5k in between service, at the end of the day if that is what they use ( and apparently have been doing so for 20 years) then I am happy to let it be to make sure there are no issues for warranty. Have now had it serviced at Maroochydore, Mackay QLD and Rockingham WA and have never been offered the $75 special oil deal. In fact have never been charged over $210 for any services as far as I know and that is with a lease plan, so they just ring up for approval to do the service.
I think some dealers just like to take the piss.

[whiteman Member Find all posts View Profile Close whiteman]

Just booked mine in for the 10k and was asked to add a wheel balance. I said "have you noticed a problem with the 150 holding balance?" and the operator backed away fast.

This must be a real short service as I drop it in at 8am and get it back at 9.30am. $210 sounds expensive but I'll trust them this time.

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Gee, some of these stories, most of these dealerships are worse than loan sharks. I don't know how they live with themselves. Tell them the gravy train is over and go else where I reckon. If you are going to do a lot of touring or/and 4wding, you are better off learning how to do this stuff yourselves anyway. Truely know your vehicle and it's limits as per the engineering make up of the components used in the manufacture of your vehicle.
The Roo.

During the three year warranty ($210 fixed price period) I don't think they ever do more than an oil and air filter change anyway which I could do myself but want the pretty stamped owners manual for resale lol.

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Gee Daz, expensive stamps there buddy. Just keep an eye on them and just say no to the buggers.
The Roo.

I certainly am going to explore other avenues next service. I'm not sure where I stand warranty wise if I do my own oil and filter next time? I also have a local mechanic I could use that would be cheaper than yota....just not sure if it's best to keep it with Toyota for the warranty period. I agree though it makes for expensive stamps.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

Just booked mine in for the 10k and was asked to add a wheel balance. I said "have you noticed a problem with the 150 holding balance?" and the operator backed away fast.

This must be a real short service as I drop it in at 8am and get it back at 9.30am. $210 sounds expensive but I'll trust them this time.

Please remember that this fixed price service is for 6 services up to 60,000km. You will get at least one major service in there which would cost a lot more than $210.00 if you didn't have capped pricing.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

I personally don't think the capped price servicing is too bad value...

60,000km = 6 oil filters, 3 fuel filters, 2 air filters, 42L of oil, and labour (which includes greasing prop shafts etc.)

6 oil filters @ $15 = 90
3 fuel filters @ $75 = 225
2 air filters @ $60 = 120
42L oil @ $10/L = 420
10hr labour @ $120/hr = 1200

which comes out to $2055

and you pay $1260...

I couldn't be bothered getting service book out of car but there may even be more they do during this time. So really, It's not bad value.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

I personally don't think the capped price servicing is too bad value...

60,000km = 6 oil filters, 3 fuel filters, 2 air filters, 42L of oil, and labour (which includes greasing prop shafts etc.)

6 oil filters @ $15 = 90
3 fuel filters @ $75 = 225
2 air filters @ $60 = 120
42L oil @ $10/L = 420
10hr labour @ $120/hr = 1200

which comes out to $2055

and you pay $1260...

I couldn't be bothered getting service book out of car but there may even be more they do during this time. So really, It's not bad value.

I also don't have my service book in front of me but you can include the in-cabin filter behind the glove box and I wouldn't be surprised if there was diff oil change in there as well.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

I also don't have my service book in front of me but you can include the in-cabin filter behind the glove box and I wouldn't be surprised if there was diff oil change in there as well.

I forgot about those two.

So really the fixed price service costs are pretty good.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I got the 20k, 40k and will get the 60k service done by Toyota under the fixed price servicing. I got the 10k, 30k qnd 50k services done by my regular mechanic as these services work out cheaper than the fixed price from Toyota.

If you do your own servicing during the warranty period then your warranty is void. Even after the warranty is over if its still a low kilometre rig (under 150k) then the stamp in the book from a mechanic is worth a lot, I have passed on a few low mileage cars in the past because of no service history, they would have to be heavily discounted for me to buy one without the service history.

Cheers Andrew

[strombleki Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close strombleki]

Gee, some of these stories, most of these dealerships are worse than loan sharks. I don't know how they live with themselves. Tell them the gravy train is over and go else where I reckon. If you are going to do a lot of touring or/and 4wding, you are better off learning how to do this stuff yourselves anyway. Truely know your vehicle and it's limits as per the engineering make up of the components used in the manufacture of your vehicle.
The Roo.

I trust they sleep VERY WELL at night...

[Geoffury Find all posts View Profile Close Geoffury]

Darren, so you don't feel lonely, boss just had a very similar issue with his 200 last week, from the same dealership!
Put it in for 20K service. Had called them at start of the week, told them he had a fuel filter warning light come on and also had to add 1ltr of oil on the weekend, after a low oil warning came up. They said bring it in for it's service and they would check it out.

He picked it up at the end of the day, $480. Break down from Toyota why;
Replace the fuel filter and labour $70.
Flash the computer to remove the warning lights $140.
Break test $40
Adjust hand break $20
Fixed price servicing charge for 200 series $210

He didn't have time to argue it so paid. Showed me the invoice the next day, I nearly fell over.

Considering we've bought 3 hilux's and the 200 Sahara from them in last 2 years, and supposed to sign up for a 150 next week, we rang the fleet manager and demanded a meeting.

He promptly came over, within 2 hours, and we asked him to explain how a 9 month old car needs a fuel filter and extra oil between services, a hand break adjustment on an auto, $140 to flash the computer, and why we were charged for it all when we have fixed price servicing?

He stumbled over his lip, tried saying we picked up bad fuel. From only BP stores in metro area, not likely. He couldn't explain the oil issue which is concerning. Told us to see if it happens again and bring it back if it does. Ridiculous! ( if anyone knows of issues with 200 v8 diesels burning oil pls let me know)

He tried telling us that by adding mods to the car, it adds weight to corners of the car and disrupts the breaking ability of the car, and by abusing the hand break, hence the break test and hand break adjustment. Told him he could shove that reason somewhere uncomfortable ( like the back seat of a Volkswagen) - some of you will know what that's from:-) -As the car has no mods, and hand break can only be applied when car is stopped! He didn't have an answer.

Boss told him he must have an answer by mid next week, when were supposed to be signing for the 150, or he's happy to talk to some current affairs media people- fairly empty threat but does usually work- and we'll have the car independently tested by another qualified mechanic just to prove them wrong.

Manager went white, and agreed that he would speak to management, and the service technicians as a result and explanation.

I'll keep you informed of progress next week.