T4R Dealershp work

[Aquabear]

Well, I sent my 4R to a different dealer (not dealer where 4R purchased)but was really close to college. I went in because my brakes occasionally took a really long time to stop- accident prone-, a little wavy on the highway, oil change(back muscle sore no do myself) AND our famous 4R BANG/THUMP thing at stop. I wanted to have her check b4 the long drive on to my sisters house from NY to Boston on Thanksgiving.

Well oil changed used mobil one $60.86.

Rotate and balance $82.95- no need for a 4wd alignment saved $89.95 thanks dealer.

Clean, inspect and adjust brakes $32.36- Calipers working, 8mm thick front disc and 5mm thick rear disc so no need for full brake change- would done that myself back hurt n all

They said (hmmmm) they found some debris n air in brake lines that they could flush it out and put new fluid in and maybe that would also help with the braking. $132!!!! ****! But brakes=safety and I do not have experience with bleeding brake lines so I gave the go ahead. Do not want any accidents on Turkey day.

I hate this next part
The slip Yoke (Stop/brake/Thump/BANG thing)- to usually fix this the dealer said requires a major lube 39.99 and usually solves this many customers have said. Toyota knows of this but havent said or put in a fix for it so its a charge. Was hoping it would be covered under warranty.

So far the last few days truck drives great, better pickup, not noticed the brakestopthump and brakes are functioning well better than when it went it.

Thanks

 

[TC4Rnr]

Well oil changed used mobil one $60.86.

I bought the 6pack M1 oil at Costco this month with coupon $24, OEM oil filter $4(case price), oil disposal Free, so you are out $32

Rotate and balance $82.95- no need for a 4wd alignment saved $89.95 thanks dealer.

got my tires at DT, lifetime free rotate and balance, I can do it every week if I wanted. so you are out another $82.

there's no such thing called 4-Wheel alignment on 4Runner's, it has solid rear axle, only the front wheels are adjustable. sorry, you didn't save anything.

Clean, inspect and adjust brakes $32.36- Calipers working, 8mm thick front disc and 5mm thick rear disc so no need for full brake change- would done that myself back hurt n all

there's nothing to clean on the brakes, maybe couple squirt of compressed air. you can see the brake pads when taking off the wheels, my tires shop does it for free. another $32

They said (hmmmm) they found some debris n air in brake lines that they could flush it out and put new fluid in and maybe that would also help with the braking. $132!!!! ****! But brakes=safety and I do not have experience with bleeding brake lines so I gave the go ahead. Do not want any accidents on Turkey day.

I bleed my brakes every other year, 30 minutes on a bad day with my wife in the driver's seat pushing pedals and $3 worth of brake fluid. ouch....


I hate this next part
The slip Yoke (Stop/brake/Thump/BANG thing)- to usually fix this the dealer said requires a major lube 39.99 and usually solves this many customers have said. Toyota knows of this but havent said or put in a fix for it so its a charge. Was hoping it would be covered under warranty.

driveline has to be lubed every year, with the rear wheels off the floor, maximum 10 minutes under the truck, 2 grease guns 1 lithium, 1 moly. for $40 you can buy everything good for 10 years. it's even listed in your owner's manual

You, have been sucked in by the stealers.

 

[S p a r k y]

You, have been sucked in by the stealers.

Why you gotta be an A hole about it? Sounds like a college kid trying to enjoy his 4runner and come to an online community where people can chat and talk about their rides.

 

[eskimochaos]

Im still trying to find the point to the original post. What is it?

 

[TC4Rnr]

Why you gotta be an A hole about it? Sounds like a college kid trying to enjoy his 4runner and come to an online community where people can chat and talk about their rides.

look like you are an ahole who works for dealers. don't you see I'm helping the OP to save some money next time around.

stop *****ing and start reading.

 

[S p a r k y]

look like you are an ahole who works for dealers. don't you see I'm helping the OP to save some money next time around.

stop *****ing and start reading.

haha I def don't work for a dealer. I appologize, from reading, it just seemed you were pointing out what he did and how you did it better. I agree completely the dealer is not the way to go on all that stuff. However we dont know his knowledge, may not even have a screwdriver or even how to turn it. My bad.

 

[TC4Rnr]

matter of fact I didn't say anything about I did it better. it's just way cheaper. i.e. changing the oil on a 4.0V6 is the easiest as it can be of any car. you don't even need to have all 10 fingers to squeeze a grease gun to lube the propeller shaft, it only needs couple pumps anyway and if that, is ok to you for 40 bucks, then you are probably with the wrong group of people.

plus, before I leaned how to bleed brakes, I paid no more than $45 to have a shop to do it for me. holy jeepers crapers, $132????

 

[Conspearasea]

truck drives great, better pickup, not noticed the brakestopthump

I'm not going to get into what you could have saved DIY, it's not for everyone.....

I would like to know what the better pickup can be attributed to? I could understand if your brakes were binding or something like that, but I don't see anything listed that should have led to better pickup. ( Unless the lighter wallet somehow helped it....You----> :frisky: <-----Dealer Sorry couldn't help it. )

While I agree that some of those services are overpriced, we all know thats what the dealerships are infamous for doing. I suggest spending a little time on the forum asking and reading, prior to being talked into some of the crap the dealer will sell you. Lot's of help around here, it can save you a ton of money while learning about your vehicle at the same time.

Glad you are pleased w/ the truck, as that's what this is all about anyways!

 

[Aquabear]

I am a hands on guy when it comes to cars but at this time being a disabled vet going to college it’s to find the extra time and energy or should /I say a day with less pain – and as it gets colder the nerve pain from the over 200 stitches and 40 staples not to mention the artificial skin gets really bad.
Earlier in the summer using this site I did some work on my T4R which felt great to do, new spark plugs, cleaned MAF, installed cold air intake, oil change, changed fluids in front & rear diffs and xfer case. But right now as I said this cold weather makes it hard for me to work on her.
The oil change simply made the truck drive smoother- no not like she had a turbo on but I feel when new oil is in my engine.
I bought my Nitto’s from a tire shop which gave free unlimited lifetime balancing and rotation BUT the owner of 30 years sold and the new owner and crew SUCKS so even free it’s not worth the effort of constant balancing errors, hours wasted and blood pressure up.
Yes the dealerships are overpriced – guy sitting next to me got charged 100+bill for 6 new spark plugs OUCH - I bought and put on my own for 20%of that cost- with my previous knowledge and your help here. But as I said physically my body was saying NO to working on the T4R out on the driveway so dealership it was.
PS:
I would have but have never ever bled my brakes on any cars I’ve owned.
Never had to lube a driveline ever but would have if warmer and back was better.
Brakes- thru my own visual inspection pads appeared to have girth but still had slippage so need to look to do something else I nromaly haven’t done- ie bleed brakes and clean n inspect or whatever with their brakes but I will say they are operating better.
So yes I had to pay but with the other work that I did on my own I would say I am ahead of the game.
Thank you for all your comments positive, negative and indifferent.

 

[TC4Rnr]

4Runners.org covers lots of the basic stuff.

for lube the slip yoke, it shouldn't take more than 5 seconds. it only takes couple pumps of grease, actually, too much grease is worse than dry.

I currently going to school, too. with so many people I know are entry level dealer mechanics and lube/tire changers(from all makes), the story they tell every day about how they work at dealers are just plain scary.

mind me ask a question, how do you know it's M1 oil they put in there? they put a Mobile1 sticker on your window doesn't mean it's the oil in your engine. first, , as far as I know, at least here in Indy, all the GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Honda dealers have the same bulk oil supplier. they don't used bottled oil. their oil coming from the same tanker, either regular or synthetic blend 5-30wt. your car need 0-20w oil, you will get the 5-30w, for synthetic, you will get the blend. that's all the lube techs have. but, everybody has their own window stickers, Chevron, Valvoline, Pennzoil, Mobile you name it.

 

[THEROK]

i like my dealership. bellevue toyota.

 

[810moto]

@ auqabear. I will say this loud and proud. You are a Vet as am I. Thank You for your service. What branch did you serve?
BTW...if the dealer is what you had to do becuase of conditions out of your control, then so be it. You do what you have to do sometimes.

 

[Aquabear]

Thanks alot 810moto. Navy. What about you?

I didn't come to the decision on using the dealership lightly as I would rather DIY.

TC4Rnr that same statement about the oil in bulk could be said for ANY mechanic shop not just dealerships or toyota dlrshps as not every shop that does oil changes actually opens up individual oil quarts so thats kinda paranoid. Yes it could be true but I don't believe everything nor everyone is a conspiracy theory.

I'm glad you can do the work on your own but at this time I can't because as I previously said I served my country and becasue of the cold weather it's hard for me to do the work on the truck. You already stated your point once and thank you but now your just being rude, disrespectful and full of yourself.

Scuba diving, got hit with a rogue wave, crushed on the rocks was barely and dam lucky to be alive, medevac to the states, trauma unit for weeks, I was diving, over 200 stitches, 40 staples, artifical skin- so please don't go over your theories of oil- I don't give a **** really!

This site was meant as a medium to pass along knowledge which I have used successfully many times and let's keep it that way and have gained great knwoledge of my vehicle to my financial and personal satisfaction.

Think and read fully before you respond to a message if someone says they can't do the work don't disrespesct them not once but twice?

If that was not your intent then you really need to rethink about what your intent truly was to begin with.

But we are goning to leave this on a positive note Thanks alot for your service 810moto. Right on :fro:

 

[Aquabear]

i like my dealership. bellevue toyota.

Sunrise Toyota. First time using them - for service that is- I like mine too.

 

[S p a r k y]

You already stated your point once and thank you but now your just being rude, disrespectful and full of yourself. QUOTE]

Isn't that kinda what I said? :welcome: lol.

Aquabear and 810moto, thank you for what you do. Without guys like you we wouldnt be on this forum or modding cars.

 

[Aquabear]

You already stated your point once and thank you but now your just being rude, disrespectful and full of yourself. QUOTE]

Isn't that kinda what I said? :welcome: lol.

Aquabear and 810moto, thank you for what you do. Without guys like you we wouldnt be on this forum or modding cars.

Thanks SPARKY. And yes you said it, it was his next mesge about oil was just adding salt to a wound got to me but yes thank you!

And you forgot -Without guys like you answering our questions we'd be like the Teacher asking Buehler? Buehler? Buelher? ................

 

[TC4Rnr]

You already stated your point once and thank you but now your just being rude, disrespectful and full of yourself.

at least I wasn't the one jumping out calling people A'hole.

like I said in the previous post, I was trying to save you some money next time around, as I'm a fulltime college student as you are. some jobs are better done at independent shops, ie tires and bleeding brakes.

for sure, there are good dealership and bad ones. the simple fact that they even mentioned "4-wheel alignment", you should think about it before you go there next time.

 

[TC4Rnr]

it was his next mesge about oil was just adding salt to a wound got to me but yes thank you!

I'm sorry, for sure it wasn't meant for an insult. I used to go to independent shops which I can see they opened bottles of M1 and dump in my engine right in front of my eyes. dealership works behind walls, I couldn't. I did say dealership lube tech's here don't even have M1(which customer paid for) to put in customer's cars.

 

[subst4nce]

Sunrise Toyota. First time using them - for service that is- I like mine too.

I bought my T4R from them too. So far, I've had great experiences with them. I'm not a DIY type person when it comes to cars, at all (I'm a computer guy, though).

 

[810moto]

@ auqabear. DC2(SW) here. I was on the USS FLETCHER DD992 for 3 years and on AFDM6 for about 8 months both stationed in Pearl Harbor. I worked my butt off on that ship and had a blast going around the globe and being able to watch 47 cruise missles go off to the horizon. Here's a funny one from boot camp even though a bit off topic. We had a guy with the last name of Sample. remember, in bootcamp we were all taged as seaman so his name fit perfectly.

Back to topic, hope you are better soon. I know the weather in NY can be pretty crappy during this time of year but if a dealer is what you have to do, then you do what you have to.