Maintenance Schedules

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Don't necessarily follow the dealers recommended service intervals. My dealer pads the scheduled maintenance items with un-necessary 'maintenance' items. example: They just drain the tranny fluid, when they should be flushing it. Or, they just check your spark plugs instaed of replacing them with new.

My advice, determine what you want done. If the dealer has a packaged bundle that addresses all the service you want performed at the right price, jump on it. Otherwise, just have the service done in 'a la cart' fashion.

Check your owners manual or the Toyota website for factory recommended maintenance. The dealer wants your car to break or fail early, so you will buy a new one.

With new car pricing near invoice, the dealers only make money by gouging maintenance items.
 
Fluff charges

I found this in the auto section of the Sucramento Bee.

Q: I recently purchased a 2002 Mazda MPV LX minivan with an automatic transmission. It has 29,000 miles on it, and because it is still under warranty, I want to take it in for its 30,000-mile service. I contacted two Mazda dealerships in the area, and one of them wants to change the transmission fluid and replace the spark plugs. According to the owner's manual, those items are not required as part of the 30,000-mile service. I also called the Mazda customer assistance line, and the representative said that they do not even recommend changing the transmission fluid unless there appears to be a problem. My question is: How often should the transmission fluid and the spark plugs be changed?

- Ken Decio, Carmichael




A: I really should have been a trial judge because at this point I would have yelled out, "Asked and answered!" Your Mazda customer service rep was totally right. Do you really need me to point out what's happening here? The real truth is that some Mazda service department is looking to add a little extra "ching" to their cash register. When it comes to scheduled maintenance intervals such as a 30,000-mile service, all the information you need is in that wonderful little book known as the owner's manual. Inside, you will find out what exactly what the car needs and, more importantly, when it needs it. But the best part is that these recommendations are from the most credible people involved - the folks who built the car.
Always trust the printed word in the owner's manual. I think it's a shame that some service departments pad these recommendations with their own list of fluff services. I actually saw a receipt from a service department that included a charge for "hood cable lubrication" as part of a 30,000-mile service. Ridiculous! My best advice is to shop around and get prices for only the services recommended in the back of your manual. And also consider the fact that your warranty remains in effect even if you choose an independent shop to perform this service. You may find independent garages that can offer a favorable deal - and less fluff -- in their offers.

source: Sacto Bee car Czar
 
Do you guy think this is an OK deal & service for 5K miles?

I'm planning to buy the Mobil 1 oil myself so they can subtract $10 from that. It will be $50.

Thanks!
 

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Thanks ToyotaDoodz. I will go costco to get a box of Mobil1 oil. Then have the stealer do the oil change for $18.
 
Franklin, I will have my oil change only at Billpagetoyota this saturday. A friend of my girlfriend is gonna do it for me so I guess he will do the good service on mine. I already bought a 6 bottles of Mobil1 at Costco $23.

No, I did not follow everything in the 5k miles services recomended by Toyota. I only did the oil change. I should have my tire rotating but I am planning to buy a 5 new BridgeStone Dueler A/T Revo before the winter come. That's why I didn't need this service. Also, I will wait for 15k miles services then I will do it according to the recomended services.


FYI, mine is now 4700 miles.
 
My dealer pads the scheduled maintenance items with un-necessary 'maintenance' items. example: They just drain the tranny fluid, when they should be flushing it. Or, they just check your spark plugs instaed of replacing them with new.
That's sounds more like a case of "less-than-necessary" maintenance, rather than "un-necessary" maintenance.

With new car pricing near invoice, the dealers only make money by gouging maintenance items.
I've actually had worse experiences with gouging and unnecessary work at Jiffy Lube and Meineke than at my local Toyota Dealer...

--Dan
 

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