Toyota Care "less" Servicing

So I'm taking my Taco in for first oil change under new owner two yr care package on monday. Heard rumors of not trusting the service from the dealer. Is it that bad or should I find the time to do it myself? Any experience good or bad you can share?

Part of me says go buy Mobil 1 and just switch to full synthetic. I have 2015 v6 4x4.

 

Well you already paid for toyota to take care of it. But it's a hell of a lot quicker to do it yourself. Takes them at least an hour not including the trip to and from dealership, takes me less than 20 mins including the trip to the store for oil and filter

 

Just talk to the people at the dealer. I had a year with mine and I would bring in my oil and they would change it. So I got labor and filter and the other checks for free just the cost of the oil I wanted. And I bought mine used. Never hurts to ask.

I went mobil1 from the first change.

 

Its the Internet. Every dealership is ran by idiots who hire only bottom of the barrel doughnut shop flunkies to install new motors and frame swap.

I would do a free oil change at the dealer first and see if they mess something up. If they do, you should be covered. If they don't, no harm done.

My dealership is great. If they weren't a 30 minute drive, they'd do all of my work.

 

Just remember to open the hood and check everything before you drive away when they are finished. Look for tools left behind and make sure they returned your dipstick. And most importantly ....make sure there is oil in your engine.

 

My service department seemed pretty decent. Once they over inflated the tires which wasnt that big a deal ( 39 when they should be at 29). Another time had a slight scratch on my hood from them ( though I couldnt actually prove it).

The biggest disadvantage is the time like another poster said. I would usually drop my truck off in the AM and pickup in the PM. Service place is 15 minutes from my house. Just had my last free oil change so Ill start doing them on my own again.

 

Can't tell you if they are good or not - but I never brought mine back to the dealership for service since new

 

Whether you choose to use them or not, grease your u joints now that it's time for service. That's not part of Toyotacare - so dumb. I let them do it for the two years without any known problems. I also paid for the 30k service (did my own plugs though), which still doesn't include greasing u joints. The tech overtightened my trans fill plug (man trans) to the point that it caused problems at the 60k service. I ended up paying for another trans service plus shop time for them to fix their eff up. The service manager said there was no way to prove it was his guy who did it. I also took it in for an alignment after my lift. They wouldn't try for the numbers I wanted (0 toe, 0 camber), just made sure it was "in spec". I drove away with the truck feeling worse than when I brought it in. They lost my business. I do my own services and take the truck to an independent mechanic for the things I can't do.

 

Every dealer is different, most people wont post if they never have a problem but if they do they are more likely to post about it which is why you read those stories and not good ones. Running semi synthetic and switching later wont hurt anything. I would just run the dealer stuff since you paid for it and then switch to synthetic when your Toyota care is done, that's my plan. I bought my 11 used and switched to mobil 1 at 30k no problems and my 08 I switched at 60k no problems.

 

I will use them until the free shit is done if I keep it that long. But I mark my rims on the inside, and mark the oil filter to ensure they actually did something. And I use a dye to put a spot on the air filter as well. And before I pull away I check it all, and remove the dip stick to check the oil.

 

I used it when it was free. DIY now that I'm paying out of pocket. If you want to verify the job - just check the dipstick before you get in the truck.

 

Mobil one and do it yourself.

 

if you are already questioning it.... dont even bother.

Grab a 5qt jug of your favorite oil, grab a 10 pack of oem filters on ebay for 45 bucks and do the oil changes yourself.

Drain the oil and while your waiting for it to drain grease the driveline (something that the dealer WILL NOT do).

The whole process will be less time than the drive time to get to the dealer.



OH btw.... first hand experience with them almost starting my truck with no oil in it.... just saying.

 

I'm not a flunkie! I choose not to go to school

 

that is what I did. I figured I paid for it and if anything went engine wise under warranty then they had the oil change records. Now that said my dealer is a simple exit off the IH one light and an on ramp right after. Depending on traffic at the light it might be 2 - 3 minutes diff on the way home from work. Not including the time I spend there of course. I would have spent time at Discount for tire rotations anyway. Now that I am paying for oil changes I do them myself.

 

Regarding the oil changes, one poster mentioned they took in their own synthetic and had the dealer use that oil....I would never do that, how can you trust them to actually use the oil you brought in? Dealers are screwy enough already, unless I was watching them change the oil personally, I would never trust them to use what I brought in....

Just a thought....

 

Take advantage of it for the time being.If they make any mistakes it's on them.Your Tacoma is under warranty.Then you can do your own service after the complimentary 2yr service has expired.Good luck!

 

If you are that close then I would definitely use the dealer. Just mark the tires and oil filter, double check the oil before you leave and you are good to go.

 

Thanks for all the words of wisdom. Long live our Tacos!

 

I've never had any issues with my dealership for "Toyota care" service appointments, other than stupidly long wait times.