Am I obligated to take new truck to dealer for service

In three years I never took it to them. All they wanted to do is get me to sign a liability release and turn off my front crash sensor due to my aftermarket grille. I wanted to do neither, so no free service. Who cares! My '93 4Runner never had to go in for anything but two free head gasket jobs. I mean, that's why you buy a Toyota, right?

 

WRONG!! You can take your vehicle anywhere you want for service or you can do it yourself.
As mentioned keep good records of ALL work/service performed.
You should have received a maintenance guide/log book with your owners manuals you can use it to log your service and store all of your receipts.

 

Always did my own vehicle service. Bought a Corolla in 2000 and they had a free two routine service promotion at the time. Ironically, it was the only vehicle I ever had major engine trouble with.

 

Oil burner? My 2000 Celica had the same motor. Bad rings.

 

I was joking

 

You don't really think it's free do you? If so, rest assured you paid at the door.

Truth

Folks pay for it here in the states too. They just like to hear that it's 'free'.

Simple fix. Don't trade. It's a game where the house always wins.

This ^^^^

You mean if they find warranty stuff while 'servicing' you. If you have a warranty issue you take it to them for, you still get the loaner if needed, regardless of being 'serviced'.

 

Toyota is the only place with the certified technicians, certified parts, helpful advisors, and clean customer service area that your vehicle should be taken to.

 

Soon as the 2 year toyotacare was over i took our prius to an independently owned NAPA dealer that was certified to service the car. They did the same maintenance work at a little over half the cost. Car just turned over 100k mile, and runs perfect. I can't find any problem with our dealers quality of work, but their labor rates are out of sight.

 

My brothers 2001 highlander with the 3.0 v6 was going through oil faster than the gas. Toyota knew they had a sludge engine at the time as the cause, but wouldn't do anything for him.

 

No you can get your service anywhere as long as you get it serviced

 

Yes you are, and you have to buy an extended warranty or they will void the factory warranty for negligence.

 

no, just dont be like the chick on here who traded in her sr with 30k miles without ever servicing it once.

 

I think a lot of that has to do with the dealer/service center.
I've read a gazillion horror stories here about the drooling retards at such-n-such Toyota in Anytown, USA.
The dealer I go to, even though it's a bit of a drive, I'm more than happy with. They've done me a few solids, that they really didn't have to.
Replacing cabin/engine air filters before The Book says, because it was needed and it was on the house.
And ... Just maybe ... The fact that the smoking-hot receptionist chick keeps the doughnut tray full, helps too.

 

You can absolutely have a good experience too, to be fair.

Dealerships have large service departments though, and you never know who it’s gonna be working on your vehicle on any given day, that would be part of the turn off for me.

Personally though I don’t do my own maintenance because I can’t trust anyone else, I just find it to be pretty relaxing and rewarding. My career is fast paced and often stressful, and a simple task like changing my oil is remarkably soothing. Plus it keeps my in tune with the truck and gives me the opportunity to spot problems before they become more serious.

I’m just going to offer myself donuts at the next oil change to approximate your experience. There’s a Dunkin’ right down the road. Maybe my wife will dress up like a receptionist?

 

The dealer here really is as good as I have seen in five decades. The general manager doesn't stay in his office. He is out and about, visiting with customers. I took a battery in for replacement one time. He sat down with me and we talked almost ten minutes. Another, sat down for more than five minutes and we chewed the fat when I went in to get a factory part for my '93 4Runner.
Even then, 95% of the Toyota owners in this area take their car to one of their techs who quit there more than fifteen years ago and started his own Toyota repair business. He works from his house, starts drinking at nine in the morning and is never drunk. But it doesn't matter: He is the undisputed best Toyota mechanic for hundreds of miles. He once correctly diagnosed a problem on my then 385,000 mile '93 4Runner from thirty-five miles away by just listening to it run on my speaker phone.

 

Be sure to post pics of wife if she dresses up.

 

Toyota-Care for free. Toyota care amounts to nothing more than a couple of oil changes and tire rotations. Total value equaling the cost of damaged rims due to clueless and rushed lot attendants, a stripped drain plug, low oil and missing screws from the skid plate. Ask me how I know

Total cost to the dealership over $900 for damaged parts

 

This!