Stealership charged $1K for 150,000 mile service -- ripoff?

sounds like 80% in labor....lol

 

I remember an investigation done on this where jiffy lube was charging people for all kinds of stuff that never even got completed. Might have been dateline.

 

Yeah, I was thinking about this. It would be one thing being 100% sure they did the work (and the cost would be bad enough at that), but not even being certain they did the work they said they did makes the bill hurt even more.

I remember I had a service on another vehicle (Pathfinder) once at the stealership and one of the items they said they were going to do was rotate tires. I remember I had a chalk mark on one of the tires and it the same chalked tire was on the same wheel when I picked the car up. I was sure to let them hear about it, and they gave a free service after that.

 

I think you have to start somewhere. Buy a chiltons for the Tacoma. 19.95.
Do one project on the weekend ,say spark plugs. Print out the step by step on Tacomaworld.
Then move to say diff fluids. Employ a local Tacomaworld enthusiast to over-see but not do the work, but visually assist and make sure you are doing it correct.
We all started somewhere, but it's something to know a) you did it and b) it was done right.

The stealership is what it is, but taking ownership of the maintenance is a great feeling.

JMO

Good luck,
Az

I realize time is money , but 1100.00 is tough to swallow .
I've been driving Tacomas for 22 years and they Are pretty straight forward to maintain.

 

My auto transmission flush had small residual oil left where they hooked their machine. That is how I confirmed that to the best of my ability.

 

I don't fall into the conditions for changing the diff oil according to the scheduled maintenance so I don't do it. If Toyota had a tranny flush in the scheduled maintenance I would do it but they don't so I am not going to do something that isn't recommended. Do what you want but if I am not doing maintenance if its not part of the scheduled maintenance plan. I do what applies to my vehicle/useage and skip the things that do not.

From the 30K Scheduled Maintenance:

Replace rear differential oil (Prerunner and
4WD vehicles with optional limited slip
differential only)

Driving while towing:
Replace front differential oil (4WD)
Replace rear differential oil
Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis

 

Oil filter
Gaskets (four different ones)
Element sub-assembly
Filter sub-assembly
Spark plugs
Fuel - plenum svc
MOA
Brake flush
Coolant conditioning
Valve sub-assembly

(I have no idea what half of this shit means)


Total parts $260
Total labor $655

Motor oil and gear lube $70

Misc supplies and disposal $18

 

It appears the OP is in Hawaii...the cost of living there, I'm sure, is astronomical. I have no doubt that factors somewhat into the expense.

 

well next time you will have the satisfaction of doing it yourself to save money and know its done right ? that is wayyy too much for standard maintenance

 

If you are talking about the tranny flush one, I saw that.
Charging like $100 for a tranny flush/fill and no one even hooked the machine up to datelines car. Fckng sad thiefs.

 

There are six gaskets recommended when changing all differential and transfer case fluid and one gasket on the oil pan.

A lot of the other terminology doesn't really make sense to me...

 

My aunt once had her jeep serviced at the dealership. She made it all of a half mile until her wheels fell off. They forgot to put the lug nuts back on.

 

That happened to my buddy. He had the tires rotated on his Cherokee and one of the wheels fell off when he was doing 75 down the highway.

 

'It's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand'

 

It looks like they didn't flush the tranny or use any ATF, the labor is always to high at the dealer....

 

I understand, but mine's not really a Jeep anymore. Does that count?

 

I'm working for the wrong dealership

 

I bet a good part of the labor went for removal/ install new spark plugs and cleaning the throttle body/ butterfly if that is what part the plenum service consists of.

 

I don't see why you're so mad they charged you that amount.

They should have given you the estimate before they did the work.... If that is the case, be mad at yourself.

 

He didn't say he was mad. Just wondered if he got bent over.