150K mile service, did I get ripped off?

[rpearlberg]

2001 4Runner with 151K miles...

Change Oil and replace filter, inspect and top off all fluids
Check Tires, Brakes, Plugs
$59.95

Check Engine Light Diagnostic
P0171

Mass Air Flow Sensor Installed=$199.95

Fuel Filter Installed=$79.95

Fuel Injection Cleaning
Induction Cleaning
$199.95

Flush and replace Rear Differential Fluid=$129.95

Flush and replace power steering fluid=$119.95

Total=$839.35

 

[snow junky]

Yes you did

 

[Qyota]

Wow. Just...wow.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Not scam level rip off just overpaid for uneccessary stuff.

It would have been nicer if they had at least done some of the things you really need at 150k ...

OEM plugs and wires
OEM radiator
OEM LBJs

 

[shadow247]

Now you know why they call it a stealership! Learn to turn your own wrenches and save yourself a bunch of cash. Its the only thing that makes sense when owning an older vehicle.

 

[WrexHAmm]

2001 4Runner with 151K miles...

Change Oil and replace filter, inspect and top off all fluids
Check Tires, Brakes, Plugs
$59.95
About double what I usually pay or way more than if you did it yourself. Rip off.

Check Engine Light Diagnostic
P0171
Free answer with the purchase of a Ultra Gauge or a trip to a local Auto Zone to ask to use the code reader.

Mass Air Flow Sensor Installed=$199.95
Parts about $80. Labor to be done yourself for about 20-25 min of work. Rip off.

Fuel Filter Installed=$79.95
$15 part. 20-25 min of work. Rip off.

Fuel Injection Cleaning
Induction Cleaning
$199.95
Bottle of Seam Foam. $8. Work time. 45 sec. Rip off.

Flush and replace Rear Differential Fluid=$129.95
New washers, fluids and time. Not such a rip off but also something you could have done very easily on a Sunday afternoon.

Flush and replace power steering fluid=$119.95
Was this needed? I am guessing no. Rarely do you need to flush your power steering lines.

Total=$839.35

All in all I would say you got ripped off pretty bad. I guess the lesson learned here is take more advantage of this bad arse forum. Get a quote from them before you allow them to do any of the work. Find out what they suggest for maintenance and then see what you can do yourself. Chances are even if you don't know much about being a mechanic you can find a "How To" in this forum. It's a haven of knowledge here.

 

[Kung]

 

[kingwilliam]

Yikes.... I've owned my '99 for a little over 3 years and haven't had to spend any significant money on it.

But I'm sure I'm due for something soon.

I do my own oil/filter changes, but I'm not much of a mechanic.

Even if I could do some of that work myself, I don't know if I could find the time, you know? (Full-time job, freelance work, playing drums in 2 bands, plus other routine day-to-day stuff, and I don't even have kids.)

And winter's coming... where could I comfortably do the work and not freeze my arse off?

I do have an independent mechanic I trust as much as you can trust any mechanic, I guess. He's normally pretty good at finding less-expensive solutions to problems (and he takes cash under the table, which helps cut costs, too).

Anyway, I admire all the guys on this forum who can wrench themselves. And I value the advice I know I can get when something does go wrong.

All in all... maybe you got "ripped off," but I can sympathize.

 

[LittleCaesar]

It depends whether or not you have the time and/or tools to have done this work on your own. I have seen much worse though concerning costs.

The only area where they may have taken you is the differential flush. I have never seen a flush performed on a rear diff, but there is a first for everything.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I'd have to agree with WrexHAmm on a few of those DIY items such as MAF sensor & seafoam. The oil/ filter/ brake insp, etc should have included REPLACING the plugs for $60 IMO. After a Seafoam it woulda been mandatory at that point anyhow.

My girlfriend takes her Scion XB to the local Toyota dealership and gets a $35 oil & filter change and they check all that other stuff you mentioned too AND give her a free car wash!

I would probably pay $80 to have someone else deal with the fuel filter to be honest. By the time you factor in the cost of the filter and that it's a messy job, I'd say totally worth it to me. Diff drain & fill sounds close to going rate.

All in all, coulda done the easier items and saved quite a bit.

 

[rpearlberg]

Thanks for the replies...
The problem is I don't really have the time or the tools...
Maybe I could fit some of this into a weekend, but it's easier to just bring it to the mechanic. The plugs and radiator were done about a year ago that's why they weren't done this time...

I agree, I should have checked on here before I said go ahead and do it, but the car was already there and I just wanted it done...

 

[nissanh]

There is no such thing called rear differential flush like in Automatic transmission. Open the drain plug and all the oil inside it will come out under gravity. Then fill it with about $8 worth of oil. You paid $120 EXTRA! You can buy good set of tools for this money.

 

[blizz86]

There is no such thing called rear differential flush like in Automatic transmission. Open the drain plug and all the oil inside it will come out under gravity. Then fill it with about $8 worth of oil. You paid $120 EXTRA! You can buy good set of tools for this money.

Wait really? 8 bucks of gear oil? What type are you using? I recently did mine, and i paid nearly 15 for conventional..

 

[GMZ]

You could have done all that yourself for around $200 and about 3-4 hours. Get a quote and post it here for critique next time. Sometimes there are maintenance get togethers too that would benefit you if you aren't savvy on 4 Runners.

 

[theizzardking]

2001 4Runner with 151K miles...

Change Oil and replace filter, inspect and top off all fluids
Check Tires, Brakes, Plugs
$59.95

Check Engine Light Diagnostic
P0171

Mass Air Flow Sensor Installed=$199.95

Fuel Filter Installed=$79.95

Fuel Injection Cleaning
Induction Cleaning
$199.95

Flush and replace Rear Differential Fluid=$129.95

Flush and replace power steering fluid=$119.95

Total=$839.35

you know alot of that stuff is about right, i mean yeah it's dealership prices but that's what you get without doing the work yourself, everything above is legit, they charged you dealership price for labor and parts, you guys could go to the book and double check this stuff, but i would think this is right in line with it.....it's a xx year old vehicle and lot of these things probably needed to be done at one point or another....people to flush diffs, just uses extra fluid...just like with the trans...just no pump....and i think, if you check the owners manual that's listed in the 150k service recommendations.....



now...with that said, it just seems like he was ripped off to use because we know how to do the work,where to find the parts cheaper and all of the rest, and really if you know all of that stuff it is a rip off, but there are alot of people out there who don't know, care, or have the time to invest in such things and also don't trust indy shops after a few bad experiences , and who can blame them? i don't trust a vast majority of shops after speaking with them for 30 seconds ...if you're one of these people and have a good job, the dealership is a great option.....


so really the way i see it is " did this dealership rip you off? " No, not really.....



Are dealerships a rip off i general...hell ya they are, but you do get something for that if it's a reputable one....


really guys not everyone is like us....he could have gotten teh work done cheaper at a grease monkey but when they fubar'd his truck we all would have been giving him crap about that as well.....

 

[T4R_MTL]

Let's face it not everybody's a handyman or knows how to work cars. Obviously dealerships know this and are charging a fee that they will bank/profit on.

That's one of the reasons I'm on this board to see if I can fix little things on my own.

I invite the op to browse around and see if there are simple things that can be done at home without spending too much money :fro:

 

[blizz86]

you know alot of that stuff is about right, i mean yeah it's dealership prices but that's what you get without doing the work yourself, everything above is legit, they charged you dealership price for labor and parts, you guys could go to the book and double check this stuff, but i would think this is right in line with it.....it's a xx year old vehicle and lot of these things probably needed to be done at one point or another....people to flush diffs, just uses extra fluid...just like with the trans...just no pump....and i think, if you check the owners manual that's listed in the 150k service recommendations.....



now...with that said, it just seems like he was ripped off to use because we know how to do the work,where to find the parts cheaper and all of the rest, and really if you know all of that stuff it is a rip off, but there are alot of people out there who don't know, care, or have the time to invest in such things and also don't trust indy shops after a few bad experiences , and who can blame them? i don't trust a vast majority of shops after speaking with them for 30 seconds ...if you're one of these people and have a good job, the dealership is a great option.....


so really the way i see it is " did this dealership rip you off? " No, not really.....



Are dealerships a rip off i general...hell ya they are, but you do get something for that if it's a reputable one....


really guys not everyone is like us....he could have gotten teh work done cheaper at a grease monkey but when they fubar'd his truck we all would have been giving him crap about that as well.....

I was thinking along the same lines. I just didnt have the effort to type it all out haha.

My dad had the family sienna suspension replaced a few years ago (just the struts and shocks). Granted i didnt want to mess with the windshield cowel and whatnot up front so the price including labor was reasonable. The shop owner then started looking for more stuff to fix, and recommended we change the front pads (I know how to do this 150%, with blindfolds and a horse's ass in my face) but my dad decided to let him do it anyway (was about 80 for oem pads and labor). I remember being super pissed about it because I knew how this mechanic was thinking: customers = fish. Anywho it was near thanksgiving, so my dad was like "whatever, its 40 bucks for labor and you won't have to do it"...

flash forward a few years

I recently bought the OME full suspension that is at home waiting for me to install after I'm finished with finals, and my pop was looking at his paperwork and commenting on how he got ripped. lol
~ essentially the same price

Its all about perspective: if you're used to doing the work yourself and you have the tools needed its completely different from a person that has no tools, or relative knowledge about parts/procedure/etc.

 

[ICD]

You could have done all that yourself for around $200 and about 3-4 hours. Get a quote and post it here for critique next time. Sometimes there are maintenance get togethers too that would benefit you if you aren't savvy on 4 Runners.

When and where are this things posted I need to get in on one or a few of them here in AZ.

I am new to Toyota (Honda guy) and really have no knowledge on anything except for what I've read on here and want to get some maintenance done and only place I'd really trust is the Dealer. Gotten a few quotes on things and all have been 600+ :violin:

 

[blizz86]

When and where are this things posted I need to get in on one or a few of them here in AZ.

I am new to Toyota (Honda guy) and really have no knowledge on anything except for what I've read on here and want to get some maintenance done and only place I'd really trust is the Dealer. Gotten a few quotes on things and all have been 600+ :violin:

Its mostly just small get togethers people arrange with people on here that live close to them. Just PM a few people you find when browsing on here that are closeby

 

[rpearlberg]

Oh great, the check engine light came back on last night!!!