"free" 2 year tacoma maintenance plan

Do you guys really think the oil changes for the 2 years are actually free?

I feel like they say this so we feel better about spending 30-35k on a truck.

What do you guys think?

Im thinking its included in the hefty price we pay for the vehicles…they just want us to actually feel solid about our large purchase.

 

If I remember correctly, Toyota started this promotion in lieu of all the bad/ negative press from the run-away Prius era. Sales really dwindled, and Toyota struggled with various quality control issues during that entire ordeal.

As a result, they brought out the 2-year maintenance included program to ease potential buyers, and regain trust.

 

Yup, that's exactly why they did it. When I bought my new 2010 Matrix (what a mistake) it came with that 2-year maintenance plan, and the dealer told me that same reason. It was new at the time.

 

BMW does the same, but 4 years / 50k miles. You pay for nothing but tires.

The thing is that they all run on full synthetic so oil is changed every 15,000 miles. So over 4 years or 50k miles you get 3 free services.

 

dang....change oil every 15k....I'd struggle following that recommendation.

 

Research the Amsoil Oil ByPass System... There are numerous Duramax guys are reporting 75k-120k on the oil; about every 12-15k miles, they'll send in an oil sample for analysis.


BMW also run 7 qts in the motor (at least the straight 6's).

 

No free lunch.

 

yeah on that Toyota 2yr free maintenance.

if the motor runs syn oil you get exactly 2 oil changes (10k miles) and 4 rotates.

otherwise if your running reg oil, you get 4 and 4 rotates.

 

Yup. They bury the cost somewhere in pricing. Like deleting options.

 

The thing that really made me shake my head at the Toyota Care plan is they say it covers "all scheduled maintenance," but they are also the ones who create the maintenance schedule. It sounds great, but in the end you get 4-5 oil changes, and that's it. Oh sorry, tire rotation and sometimes fluid top-off, too. Engine air filter? My dealer said 30k (don't believe it so I bought one myself at 10k). Cabin air filter? Same. Lube/grease critical components on our TRUCKS? That's additional because it's considered "extreme condition" use. You mean it's "extreme" that I drive my 4x4 truck (that says "racing" and "off-road" on the side) on loose dirt and sand?

 

Some Toyota dealers are just snakes too. I have my 2005 Taco serviced at the dealer (company paid, why not) so they call me and say it will cost $100 to have engine air filter and cabin filter replaced (seriously!) and that they are looking bad and need done. I tell them no thanks. When I pick up the truck I stop by Oreillys on the way back and check the filters. Air filter is perfect probably about 90% life left. And cabin air filter is missing. Bought a new cabin filter for $15 and it takes 37 seconds to install. Any local Toyota dealer I have been to pull the same tricks. On the other hand I do alot of business with a local Chevy dealer (business related) and the service advisors actually treat me with respect and thoroughly explain everything and charge normal prices for stock parts. Weird huh? Maybe I will take my Tacoma there from now on because they work on any brand of car anyway.

I'm not dumb enough to buy (finance) a new car, but the Toyota Care sounds like a joke and wouldn't persuade me to buy.

 

LMAO

 

5 oil changes @ $40 each = $200. I was going to negotiate it out of the price but not worth the effort. To me if it were not for the tire rotation I would have just skipped the free service. Discount did them on my 2009 at no charge but I still have to take it there and wait.

 

I get my free maintenance every 5k. They say if I do it all at the one dealer I bought it from, that dealer will pay for the 30k service.

 

i dont bother any more.... after my expierence with my driveline vibration tsb, and the fact i watched the oil change boy the first time i went to get my oil changed by them. He drained my oil, changed the filter and went to start the truck without oil.... i quickly stopped him (as i was standing by my truck after instructing the head service tech on how to do the tsb), told them to fill my truck up with oil, give me my truck back asap.

 

Just this morning I was questioned why I do my maintenance myself when I brought it in for TSB and some other issue. I told them I want to know that it is done right, I keep record of everything and it takes me 15min to change the oil, just the drive up there is 25min one way plus the wait, that's a close to 2h
And yeah, nothing is free, somebody somewhere has to pay for it

 

It's to get you used to the idea of going to the dealership for regular service (as opposed to Jiffy Lube, etc.). Also, when you purchase the vehicle they try to sell you a pre-paid maintenance plan which is an extension of the free 2 year plan. So that's the real reason: marketing more services. Suburu, BMW and Chevy are offering it now as well.

 

It's about as fee as government handouts are.

Nothing in life is Free...ever. Someone at some point always has to pay.

 

Did it from my work computer, which loads TW weird.

 

You wouldn't be able to leverage this as a discount on the car. The value of this isn't "baked" into the value of the car per se. The dealer charges Toyota for this service when you bring the vehicle in.

It's designed to bring you into the dealer more often, and since it's free, can help eliminate some potential feelings of being raked over the coals for services when you come to the dealer, so creating a positive impression/relationship, which they hope will garner them additional business in the future.

Of course if you end up having to wait over an hour for a "free" oil change, most people will probably get disgruntled and not find it worth their time.

So if that's the case, make sure to voice your opinion. Then Toyota corporate will lean on the dealers to improve their service efficiency, open up dedicated oil change bays, etc.