Thoughts on the dealership protection package

I ordered my 2020 TRD OR on Monday and expect to take delivery either this week or next. I have until I take delivery to decide if I want to add any protection plans or extended warranties.

I have no intention of adding an extended warranty (unless someone can provide me with a strong argument for why I should get it). However, I am toying with the idea of grabbing the protection package.

The protection package offered includes:
- Undercoating/Sound Shield (they make a mess of your undercarriage by spraying tar everywhere) that has a lifetime warranty against chipping, flaking or rusting of the undercarriage
- Rust proofing (petroleum gel application inside/outside of all panels) with lifetime warranty of any rust
- Paint Protection (teflon-glaze) protecting against fading, chalking, oxidation, or environmental damage (what does environmental damage even mean?)
- Interior Protection (silicone gel) protects against stains, fading, cracking, or discoloration of the fabric

Each item is $699 or I can get all for $1,496. I'm not terribly interested in the undercoating, but the rust proofing could be useful (I live in Maryland, so not a ton of salt, but it's there). I am fairly interested in the paint protection and the interior protection (I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old). At $1,496 for all four, it seems fairly reasonably priced.

I'm sure I could do the interior protection for much less on my own. The rust proofing can get pricey when doing something like Krown every year (is the petroleum even any good) so it could be worth it. And I'm not sure if the paint protection is even worth it. My truck is white, so I'm interested in keeping it shiny and pretty.

Would it be worth it to just do the interior protection on my own and getting Krown application for rust and doing a third party paint protection?

 

I wouldn’t waste the $ on that stuff with the savings have leather interior installed looks better & easier to clean see photos of what I had done & what it was before cloth here is a link of what the dealers use to have it done FYi https://katzkin.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8P2T8eDS6wIVpBx9Ch3NGw42EAAYASAAEgK5CPD_BwE

 

No.

As a very general paint-with-a-broad-brush rule, dealer add-ons are the cheapest off-brand junk they can find, upsell, and charge a premium for. You are better off doing all of that stuff on your own.

 

Yeah I wouldn't waste $$$ on either selection.

I'm sure you can go to an auto detailer and have them do ceramic coating to protect the vehicle exterior.

 

That's what I assumed. I just like to get a couple extra opinions for peace of mind since I have some time.

 

I agree with others and would take a pass on the stealer’s add ons.

 

I purchased an extended warranty only because of all the electronics that could fail. Mechanically the truck should be sold but the lane departure, collision avoidance, etc... are probably really expensive to repair. I live in NC so occasionally she might see salt but if so I run it through a car wash that sprays the undercarriage.

 

I'm old with some medical issues when the dealer offered me the interior/exterior simonize glass coat plan i took it. They told me i'd never have to wax my truck again...same with the interior...said they'd fix any rip or defect inside the truck. So far haven't washed or cleaned the truck since the first week of march. Only have left it outside in the rain. Truck still appears the same as i took delivery. Only complaint i wish they offered this back in the day when i bought my gen1 tundra.

 

MD and VA will destroy cars with rust. what are you talking about.

 

As a general rule, tell them to pound sand when they start talking about add-ons. There's a three-way cut going on there, and you're going to be the victim of the price-gouging. I can promise you that if you're interested in any of these services, a reputable installer can be found to do the work for around half of what the dealer wants. I won't say that the dealership won't use a reputable installer, but if you have issues, the dealer is just a middle-man.

 

I got the undercoating, 3M, Ceramic coating and rust proofing done by the dealership. Interior protection I did myself. I did not not pay their initial price and had them give me a much better deal on these add ones. I even spoke to some 3M guys and would be paying more for them to do it than the dealer. I liked it as it was on them if something went wrong.

 

No.

 

No way I would take any of those dealer add-ons. They push the upsell hard, rim protection, lost key coverage, protections, extended warranties blah blah blah. I finally told the finance guy when I was buying mine that "if its that much of a hunk of shit, that I need all those extras, I'm going walk away from the deal and go buy a Nissan instead" lol. Transaction went much faster after that

 

If you want all that stuff pay a little more and have it done by a professional that uses top quality products, not some minimum wage lot boy using cheap crap.

 

Hard pass sir, you could do most of those things yourself for fraction of the price.

 

Only problem i fear if its one of those lifetime warranties....is it theirs or mine?

 

This one is interesting. I wonder how long they warranty it for?

- Paint Protection (teflon-glaze) protecting against fading, chalking, oxidation, or environmental damage (what does environmental damage even mean?)

 

I'm gonna buck the trend here and say, if you bought a white Tacoma and are literally going to keep it for life - go for it.

Otherwise definite hard pass and keep your truck out of the dealers hands, including Toyotacare

 

Where in Va? I have relatives all over the state and not one has had any problems with vehicle rust.

My '96 with 414,000 miles doesn't have any rust topside or underside. Not much snow/road treatment in VA.

 

They basically have one purpose and that's extra profit to for the dealer.