Dealership work? nah, don't think so rant

[lambohaha]

I've only had my 4R for a couple months now. I bought it used at a reputable Nissan dealership. I'm the 2nd owner, truck is clean as a whistle. I've put a few miles on it, mileage is doable, not bad for what it is, 4.7 2wd, I'll take 19 mpg any day with that. Well, came time to change the oil as the maint. light started blinking and since I had no idea when the oil change had taken place, yet anyway, I figured why not. Nice day out, lets change the oil. When I went to remove the skids there were only 4 bolts holding both sections, total, and they didn't even match lol. I was like WTH!!! As simple a task as that is and it gets jacked up. As it turns out it was the og dealership that the og owners took it too, Legacy Toyota in Tallahassee, Fl. When I went looking through my papers I found the maintenance paper work that had ever been done to it and these idiots couldn't even put the skids back on correctly, my oh my. As long as I own this truck they will never ever see it in their bays, ever.

ok, rant over

 

[NuclearN8]

sounds like you'll fit in around here. most of us do our own maintenance and really don't fund the stealership unless we absolutely have to for maintenance items...

while you have the skids off might wanna think about replacing with SS bolts and washers, the factory ones are pretty crappy. cheap $15 mod which makes maintenance easier in the future....

 

[lambohaha]

sounds like you'll fit in around here. most of us do our own maintenance and really don't fund the stealership unless we absolutely have to for maintenance items...

while you have the skids off might wanna think about replacing with SS bolts and washers, the factory ones are pretty crappy. cheap $15 mod which makes maintenance easier in the future....

Well, I've always done my own maintenance on any car/truck I've ever owned. I don't mind getting my fingernails dirty lol, I've done my share of shade tree drag racing bitd so I'm not afraid of getting in there and figuring it out lol.
And yes, the skids are staying off until I can get replacement bolts.
I noticed that the timing belt has been changed at 82k but now I'm worried lol. If they can't seem to get the skid bolts back where they belong then how the hell am I supposed to trust their work internally? scarrrrrrrryyyyy lol

 

[NuclearN8]

if you're timing belt maintenance was screwed up, you'd likely know by now... especially living down in the FL where coolant is vital for engine longevity, just sayin... don't sweat what isn't broken.

the skid bolts you'll need are M8 x 1.25 x 25mm
[MENTION=15785]J.A.[/MENTION] did a great writeup on his personal page here Toyota 4Runner Skid Plate Bolts if you don't strip any heads off you won't need the tap and die set as the stock bolts are also M8 x1.25. Chasing the threads is never a bad idea but its not needed if all are in good shape. I found lowe's has these size bolts but not home depot near me for some reason... could be different in your area but I'd try lowe's first if you had a choice...

might as grab some spray paint and freshin up the skids as well ... it never ends...

 

[lambohaha]

Wow, thanks, The skids actually look pretty good. This truck had only seen city duty til now lol. I have, or should have, an M8x 1.25 chaser in my set, I'll run it through ahead of the new bolts. Thanks man

 

[hearno]

I'm all for doing my own maintenance for several reasons but blanket statements bashing dealerships based on one experience irk me. One of the most helpful members on this board is [MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION] when it comes to offering insight, he's a Toyota dealer tech. I can see both sides of this argument but paying an independent shop less money for a repair doesn't make me feel any better if they screw something up while doing the job. I understand dealers charge more and are held to a higher standard for that reason among others but they're still staffed by human beings and I know I've made a few mistakes while working on my truck and no one cares more about my vehicle than I do so.

 

[lambohaha]

I'm all for doing my own maintenance for several reasons but blanket statements bashing dealerships based on one experience irk me. One of the most helpful members on this board is [MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION] when it comes to offering insight, he's a Toyota dealer tech. I can see both sides of this argument but paying an independent shop less money for a repair doesn't make me feel any better if they screw something up while doing the job. I understand dealers charge more and are held to a higher standard for that reason among others but they're still staffed by human beings and I know I've made a few mistakes while working on my truck and no one cares more about my vehicle than I do so.

Not meaning to "bash" dealership"s", I'm just irked at 1 in perticuler sir. I'm sorry I failed to mention how they watched me drive off of their lot when they had an appointment with me when I was shopping for a new "to me" car/truck. While I was looking and talking to the sales person "on the phone" while I was in their lot they never came out. Instead they watched me from the a/c drive off the lot. I waved lol.
I can't speak for other "ships" but this one will NEVER see my truck there unless someone stole it! If they cannot correctly put the skid back in place, as simple a job as that, they got no business touching anything else.
I'm sure [MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION] is good, really good, especially if he has the forum backing him (I trust you guys word before anyone elses), I just hope he doesn't work at the afore mentioned spot.

 

[hearno]

I can't speak for other "ships" but this one will NEVER see my truck there unless someone stole it!

And that's absolutely the best way to deal with it. I'd go so far as to call them so they are at least made aware of the issue and why they will never see your money again, that way someone can pass the issue on and hopefully lessen the chance it's repeated.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Was I summoned? I swear sometimes I feel like I should get a Bat Signal Emoticon made for the Forum with my Skull Avatar, "Use to to summon the Dark Knight!... erm Toyota Tech?" LoL

Anyways, I don't blame you. Not all technicians are made equally and not all dealerships are made equally. Our own dealership is going through some rough management changes and policy changes that have many techs, including me doubting the direction they are being forced in. That being said, I wouldn't discount all Dealerships off-hand; but I wouldn't embrace them without a lot of research and getting to know their staff a bit.

PS- I'm also not the only Toyota Technician on this forum.

 

[AZ07Runner]

I've had pretty bad luck with dealerships and skid plate bolts.

On my previous truck in 2002, the bolts weren't tightened during a oil change and rattled around, destroying the threads. The dealer helicoiled and retapped. That is when I started changing my own oil. In 2008, I was out of state and needed an oil change, didn't have the ablility to do it myself...same thing happened and didn't find out until I got home. A different local dealer took care of it. Sold that truck and got my current 4R (dealer maintained and I purchased it from them) and changed the oil a couple months ago and guess what...one bolt missing and the hole was unable to be used and one of the remaining three would not go back in. Researched the highest rated dealer in the area and took it in to them and explained the situation and they fixed it. So far, this dealer has been EXCELLENT (Avondale Toyota, in case any locals are reading this).

I think the oil change guys are under pressure for fast changes and don't take enough care to start and tighten bolts properly. Hand starting and turning enough thread in would solve most of these issues, IMO. Obviously double checking the work done, as well.

 

[boostaddict89]

I am also a toyota tech. i have seen my fare share of broken skid pan bolts. most of the time i drill them out and tap them. then replace bolts with stainless bolts we keep in our pars dept. im always ammused as to how fast someone is to bash a dealer but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. just dont give them a hard time for misplacing 5 bolts that do their job no mater where they are put in the skid pan.

 

[LTDSC]

I am also a toyota tech. i have seen my fare share of broken skid pan bolts. most of the time i drill them out and tap them. then replace bolts with stainless bolts we keep in our pars dept. im always ammused as to how fast someone is to bash a dealer but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. just dont give them a hard time for misplacing 5 bolts that do their job no mater where they are put in the skid pan.

very much so this. I just laugh hearing how fast people here and other forums bash dealerships. While i've worked in for for years there is some bad and good. Im sure since it was a Nissan dealership they didnt change out the bolts. Im sure it was the previous owner and they just went with it because its minimal costs to flip the car in their used car PDI.

Not all dealerships are out to screw you. They're a business first, bad rep is not good or business. Think about it.

 

[A/V1]

Just because a dealership may have one or two techs that actually know what the hell they are doing, and CARE about their work and the customers they help, does not make that dealership a good dealership.

You mentioned BlackWorks (sorry BW, your name was mentioned so gotta use you in this example). I think he's a very intelligent, helpful member here, obviously someone who cares about what he does, and is an asset to this forum, and I'm sure, to his employer, the dealership. Does that make the dealership he works at a good one? NO. Not necessarily. The rest of the techs could be total deushbags, the dealership could run bait & switch scams on unsuspecting customers, etc etc. Sure, this is an exaggerated possibility - but a possibility none the less.

I would have no problem taking my vehicle to have a knowledgeable tech, such as BlackWorksInc work on it, but I would have to insist he was the one that worked on it.

Dealerships get the nick name "stealership" not because they are known for their low, low, prices for everything. Have you been to one lately? Parts are generally between 3-10 times more expensive than even online OEM sources. That is absurd! And don't tell me the average tech is more trained than non dealership repair shops. I've had vehicles in many - not one - MANY - dealership service centers where they basically did shotgun troubleshooting. At my expense. My 10 year old nephew can do that.

I guess I should thank the stealerships though. Because of them, I have become much more knowledgeable about my own vehicles (with the help of great forums like this!), and I've also become more reliant on the internet when it comes to my research for parts, working on my vehicles, and looking for a reputable shop to ALLOW to perform work on my vehicles.

Now, everybody has an opinion on things, and if you want to throw your money away at the stealership, go for it. Congrats on being wealthy enough to not have to worry about money.
But some of us DO have to watch where the money goes. And throwing it away at a stealership unnecessarily is not in my future.
Yes, I may have gone off on a tangent, but my rant is finally over!
Rock on!:guitar3:

Ok. I'm bracing for the scathing responses I'll undoubtedly get for this...

I'm all for doing my own maintenance for several reasons but blanket statements bashing dealerships based on one experience irk me. One of the most helpful members on this board is @BlackWorksInc when it comes to offering insight, he's a Toyota dealer tech. I can see both sides of this argument but paying an independent shop less money for a repair doesn't make me feel any better if they screw something up while doing the job. I understand dealers charge more and are held to a higher standard for that reason among others but they're still staffed by human beings and I know I've made a few mistakes while working on my truck and no one cares more about my vehicle than I do so.

 

[lambohaha]

I am also a toyota tech. i have seen my fare share of broken skid pan bolts. most of the time i drill them out and tap them. then replace bolts with stainless bolts we keep in our pars dept. im always ammused as to how fast someone is to bash a dealer but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. just dont give them a hard time for misplacing 5 bolts that do their job no mater where they are put in the skid pan.

Excuse me but uh ... in my eyes if they're so eager to be cheap with just the skid plate bolts it just makes me wonder how quick they'd be to cut corners elsewhere. I don't know about your dealership, I don't know you but I do know where I WON'T be taking my vehicle and that is the dealership I mentioned in the 1st post.

very much so this. I just laugh hearing how fast people here and other forums bash dealerships. While i've worked in for for years there is some bad and good. Im sure since it was a Nissan dealership they didnt change out the bolts. Im sure it was the previous owner and they just went with it because its minimal costs to flip the car in their used car PDI.

Not all dealerships are out to screw you. They're a business first, bad rep is not good or business. Think about it.

Thats why I said "dealership", singular, not plural. And I put it that way simply because I don't know how others are ran.
Oh and by the way, I only bought it at the Nissan dealership, all service records are from the Toyota dealership, like I stated.

 

[hearno]

I'm all for doing my own maintenance for several reasons

Congrats on being wealthy enough to not have to worry about money.
But some of us DO have to watch where the money goes. And throwing it away at a stealership unnecessarily is not in my future.

I guess you didn't read everything. One of my reasons is I can't afford to pay someone else to do work I'm perfectly capable of doing myself. I wish I could but it's not possible. That being said, as I told OP, the best way to show a business you don't appreciate the way they operate is to spend your money elsewhere. I buy some parts at my local dealer because they are close to internet prices and sometimes cheaper believe it or not. No shipping is also nice. The ones that aren't, I buy online. My experiences with local dealers differ from yours greatly so I guess that sucks for you. Also, congrats on not reading entire posts before responding to them.

 

[lambohaha]

Going to a dealership to have work done should be like going to any other shop to have work done, do your homework first. I had my homework done for me with this particular scenario.

I, too, also pretty much do all of my work myself. Things I don't know I search out to find out so that I can at least give myself a go at it. That's one thing I really really love about this forum. There's alot of knowledge within these threads.

I just had one rant about ONE dealership guys, not all of them ...

 

[A/V1]

I just had one rant about ONE dealership guys, not all of them ...

I don't have a rant about all of them either, just MOST of them LOL:lmao:

Some folks are just luckier I guess, and live in an area where the dealerships actually aren't tricksters & con-artists. The last three cities I've lived had no such dealerships!

 

[gshadow325]

Well the stealer ship half mile from my house will never get my work for anything or my mother in laws Toyota. Why? I bought my 4 runner from a previous owner that religiously used connicelli Toyota, yes that place you call to mail order your parts. They miss diagnosed a low freon for a quote for a new evaporation system for $2000. Turned out to be a relay for the compressor put back into the wrong spot. So no dealer for me either.

 

[hades]

I just has my timing belt replaced.

They under booked the hours. They didn't charge me extra, but I couldn't leave on time and got stuck waiting for an ice storm to pass.

Got to my parents and added more wiper fluid - stuff that doesn't freeze at 31 degrees.

Noticed coolant is very low. So off to another dealer to get toyota coolant in the morning. I hope it had a small air pocket and nothing internal is leaking. Should have gone with my gut and taken into another shop. Even though it's a pain to get too.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I just has my timing belt replaced.

They under booked the hours. They didn't charge me extra, but I couldn't leave on time and got stuck waiting for an ice storm to pass.

Got to my parents and added more wiper fluid - stuff that doesn't freeze at 31 degrees.

Noticed coolant is very low. So off to another dealer to get toyota coolant in the morning. I hope it had a small air pocket and nothing internal is leaking. Should have gone with my gut and taken into another shop. Even though it's a pain to get too.

After I do a T-belt I personally over fill the customer's coolant a little to compensate for some air bubbles that may not have been bled out.