Toyotas fixed price servicing ????

[Chewbacca Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chewbacca]

Had my 20k service done today and they adjusted the hand brake without me asking and I still got charged the fixed price. Mind you I wish they hadn't as it is fricken tight now.
Cheers Matt

[mickmac_42 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mickmac_42]

Never had injector clean done in this car. Done over 70k and they've never said it needed to be done. If it needs to be done every 20k, as he suggests, why is it not on the service schedule?

I got caught on this scam with lube mobile on my last car. Mechanic said injectors needed cleaning and would cost $400. I expected some high tech wizardry involving ultrasonic resonance (I don't know what I'm talking about), but when I got the bill I saw no mention of it other than a bottle of injector clean.

It was naive of me not to blindly accept the mechanics recommendation without understanding it. He was subsequently encouraged to revise his bill.

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

I've used the Toyota injector clean... I figured it couldn't hurt.

At least when you put it in yourself you can put it in on an empty tank so that it actually mixes through the fuel when you fill up.

Where as they'd just chuck it in at what ever fuel level and not bother putting more fuel in to mix it up.

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

Kakadaz you fell victim to the common practice of selling "adds"(added services) The important thing to learn is that in any business dealing it is essential to be very clear regarding what you want. I always tell the service consultant that I want exactly what Toyota specify in their service schedule and absolutely nothing more. The capped price servicing is of course an attempt by Toyota to regulate the service charges made by dealers. Before the capped price service deals there was great variation in servicing pricing. For a number of years I had a 90 series serviced at a dealership at which the service manager was a personal friend. He always wrote on my sheets "no adds". I now always specify a "handbook service only" very clearly and definitely. At the 10K service an injector clean was recommended. Sure Wooley it wouldn't have hurt BUT it wasn't necessary!!!!!! As for paying for extra for a handbrake adjustment. Salesmen refer to such customers as wood ducks!!! I laughed out loud and told them I had sold my previous 120 series at 250,000 and had never had an injector clean and it was running beautifully when sold.
So to all of you who are complaining about being ripped off, remember you are the owner of the car. You are paying for the service and nothing can be added to the service without your authority. Toughen up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mickmac_42 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mickmac_42]

So to all of you who are complaining about being ripped off, remember you are the owner of the car. You are paying for the service and nothing can be added to the service without your authority. Toughen up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think "toughen up" is the right attitude. I only have limited knowledge of vehicle mechanics and rely on the advice of my mechanic. Would you go to a doctor for a checkup and then completely disregard the advice you were given?

How about instead of telling the customer to toughen up, you tell your service manager friend to seek some integrity.

Mike

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

I don't think "toughen up" is the right attitude. I only have limited knowledge of vehicle mechanics and rely on the advice of my mechanic. Would you go to a doctor for a checkup and then completely disregard the advice you were given?

How about instead of telling the customer to toughen up, you tell your service manager friend to seek some integrity.

Mike

Mike I think you're missing the major point and that is that I want the dealer to follow the procedures laid down by the people who know the vehicle better than anyone else. They are the people who designed and built it. To correct your doctor comparison, I am following the doctor's advice exactly and not following the advice of a bloke in the waiting room who tells me that I need to take half a cup of snake oil in addition to the medication prescribed by the doctor who knows me well and has treated me for years. Get the idea? If a dealer recommends that I spend money on a procedure that Toyota don't specify in their service plan, I will refuse it. This does not apply to repairs of course. I am only referring to regular service items. If for example a damaged tyre was found during a service, I would want it repaired and would expect to pay for it. Now in your case with limited mechanical knowledge I truly recommend that in matters of periodic servicing you be guided by the manufacturer and the procedures they have laid down.

[castlemaine Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close castlemaine]

Just a little of topic but isn't 10K services mandatory not 5K.

Mate took his Prius for a service (because his wife died, it sat in the garage for 2 months). Toyota dealship told him that even though it hadn't done the mileage, it was more than the allocated months and he had to pay full service costs. Even his argument of the new cars in the yard would be in same boat did not sway them. He left in disgust and took it to a private mechanic who signed his log book as well.

Cheers

[castlemaine Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close castlemaine]

Just had mine for a 40K service, was quoted $60 for new wiper blades (genuine).

"No thanks" was the reply.

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

Service really seems to vary hugely depending on the dealer. All have my services been fixed price, except for the 1000k where I paid the price of the oil because I wanted it changed.

The service foreman is a really helpful guy and helped out with a few minor niggles and general questions. The service people are always polite and helpful and follow-up with a call the next day to check that everything was satisfactory. They even give the outside of the car a quick clean.

Everything I've asked for they have done no questions asked and no cost e.g. full 5 wheel rotation, transmission oil check, injector check, park brake adjustment. They've also done all the warranty work without argument including mudflap replacement, tail shaft replacement, ECU flash for hesitation, cracked center console lid replacement (twice), worn drivers floor mat replaced.

So I'm very happy with the service and warranty, as one of the service guys told me, if there is a problem they are happy to fix it as Toyota will pay for it.

I think dealers that haven't figured out the importance of good service are pretty stupid. I've recommended two of my mates to the same dealer because of the service and to top it off I got the car for a pretty good price. Buying another car I'd be happy to pay a bit extra for that same level of service.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Mine goes in for the 60,000K service tomorrow even though it's only done 45,000K. It's my last capped price service as that was due to expire end of this month. Other than the items listed in the service book is there anything specific to the V6 that I should ask about?

I have already mentioned the tailshaft clunk which they have re-greased previously, was told that's what they'll do this time as well.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Would someone with a 150 be so kind as to scan and PM me the page for the 60K service from the service book? Toyota stamped mine but ripped the rest of the page out which they didn't do with any of the previous ones. I just want to compare the invoice with the service schedule and can't decipher the table in the front of the service book. I didn't pick up the car myself or I would have asked Toyota for my page back.

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

Fido, won't be back in the office until Monday, can scan it then if that helps.

Josh

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Thanks JPH, if nothing turns up over the weekend I'll give you a shout.

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

No worries, I presume the book is the same for the diesel gxl compared to the petrol Kakadu?

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

I'm pretty sure they are the same, the pages have some notes relating to specific service items for diesel models