What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Version 1 of "Adventure Taco" sticker

 

That seens like a crazy labor charge for a spark plug change. If it were me I'd check with a local independant mechanic or do it yourself. I personall get doing less mechanical work as you get older. I used to do my own brake work and even did a head gasket and timing belt job on a car I had when I was half my age with some help. Now I let the mechanic do brakes and suspension work. I stick to oil, filters and other fluids I can do in my driveway. I am on the fence about doing the spark plugs in mine when the time comes in 20,000 miles. I just had a brief discussion about maintance with my mechanic when I was there for state inspection last week. 60,000 is the next major service for me, nothing but oil changes and tire rotations till then. He even looked up the maintance schedule and read off the 60k stuff. I said I can do all that except I'm not sure how comfortable I'll be with the spark plugs. His response was that's fine I've got other customers that like to do some of their own work and we're here when you need us.

Finding an indepentant shop that's honest and isn't looking to over charge and upsell customers is valuable.
I had a friend that went to a Mienikee shop and they pull all kinds of tactics on customers. They upsell on maintance items like fluid changes or flushes, over charge for simple things like engine air and cabin air filters. They also have a finance company running an inhouse credit card they use to get people sign up for to pay for all that. it's all trapping less informed drivers in to extra cost and now debt too.

 

Here is another reason, as emissions and fuel mileage standards going up and up and up over the years, vehicles are getting more and more complicated, with HV, PHEV and EV's becoming the standard (hopefully that will ease up some now) and just plain ole ICE becoming a thing of the past, more and more mechanically inclined people are staying out of it as it is no longer an "mechanical" field to get into, now ya got to know computer stuff...

Funny, the whole reason I got into mechanics is because I am VERY mechanically inclined and sucked at the normal everyday school work lol, I have an associate degree in Automotive Technology and used to be the guy that would tow vehicles from other shops cause I could find and repair the issue with the vehicle, my downfall is I worked on about anything that came to the shop, from Corollas to 2.5 ton bucket trucks and even did a couple years working on all terrain Big forklifts (Case, Lull etc)... I also have well over $50K in tools, but I'd rather build an automatic transmission, or whatever than to mess with this can buss crap... lol

Yeah, $600 to $700 sounds about right, but no way over $1000 just for spark plugs, I would almost think she clicked on the 60 service or something... I would call and ask for a quote...

 

@James2406
@RichochetRabbit
@thomasburk

Thanks fellas, I’ll give those tips a try soon when I get some time. For now, I’ll continue to roll down the windows and crank the radio

 

Sounds like a great visit. We spent a few days in Portland, a day at Acadia, and a few days outside of Owl's Head Beach.

 

Damn. I was able to get mine done for $200 OOP. Dealer charged $500 for it and then used $300 from my credit card's cash back rewards. Was ready to do it myself until I realized I could get it done for less than the actual plugs.

 

The pain is real, and no, the price is not the same anywhere in the USA. Lancaster Toyota in California quoted me $212 for the 6 plugs alone ($35 a piece) I told him that's twice the price I can get the OEM's for from toyotapartsdeal.com and he said "I know, that's crazy".

I left and ordered from Toyota parts deal for $114 delivered.

 

Dealer pricing is wild; I just ordered 6 plugs for mine a few weeks back for $77.16.

 

Can I get one?

 

+1

 

I ended up setting it at the 5th perch and installed a 1" rear block for the time being until I put an AAL

 

You should not have used that cash-back for something overpriced. Too many worthy causes, too many TW members who could have helped with the plugs. Dealer should have never charged you that much. Just my opinion.

 

Several shops and some dealers around where I am have loaner cars, it's worth shopping for that just as much as shopping for price. One place three miles from where I live will give me a ride home when I drop off the car, and pick me up when they finish. I just might have to wait 20 minutes until someone's not busy.
For a not-so-big job, there's a place with a coffee shop across the street and WiFi.

 

Goor lord those things were toast!!

 

My wife made it on her Cricut cutting machine using some extra vinyl we had. They are an absolute pain to pull apart so I don't really want to do a production run.
I can share the file if you want.

 

I dig, but Fred Anderson stopped shuttle service in 2020 citing COVID. And decided it was enough of a cost saving measure they've never brought it back....

 

That is satisfying I will add. I do hope your next oil change you get zero drops on the ground.

 

I will probably get some hate but "it's not a PRO it's a SEMI PRO."

 

Extra "like" for being a BillieBars customer.
What T slot nuts are you using?

 

Just M8 hardware off Amazon