Big decision coming up

So after owning my 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 since brand new I sold it back in March and bought a 2019 DCSB. On my Dodge, as well as our 2015 4Runner I have always done all routine maintenance (oil, rotate tires, spark plugs), or at least what I think is normal. I did brake pads/rotors, and a tie rod or two as well. I'm at 4000 miles in my Taco, so I'll have the first of my Toyota care services coming up soon. I'm seriously considering going the dealer route with all of my service on this (and most likely the 4Runner). I'm by no means old (just turned 49), I have a nice driveway to work on and good tools to work with, but I think I'm just getting to the point where I would rather pay somebody to do the work. My local dealer has always treated me well, so I'm not overly concerned about them being a "stealership". Since I sit at a desk all day crunching numbers the occasional car maintenance punches my "I accomplished something" ticket, and keeps me in touch with my vehicle to see if any problems are developing. It just seems that for the last several times I've had to do maintenance, either life has gotten in the way, or the routine job of changing oil (or whatever) has taken 2x as much time and effort. I do love doing some of this stuff with my 3 grand kids helping out, but I often wonder if we could have more fun doing something else. Anyway, just a somewhat rambling post to elicit responses from this community - maybe bring up a point on either side of the fence that I haven't thought of. I know, it's not like its an irreversible decision either way, just a good topic for debate. Thanks!

 

I am letting the dealer do the first two years maint. for the fact that I paid for it somewhere along the line. We all know its not free. I did the same with the Rav4, then when the two years "free" service was over, I compared the cost of letting them do it vs my time and supplies. At 70 dollars for an oil change and tire rotation where they will damage your wheels from using the impact on the lugnuts, leaving dirty handprints on the fenders, and turning my radio and a/c controls off, I can do it myself.

 

I think it's really cool that you involve your grand kids in doing vehicle maintenance, that's a skill set that is fast becoming a thing of the past for most people especially kids growing up in today's fast paced tech savvy world. I wouldn't completely let go of doing some things yourself... maybe basic stuff like the occasional oil change, battery replacement, filters, tune up maintenance, etc. you can still do with them so they grow up knowing the basics as well.
Aside from having the skills I think it teaches a person how to care for and respect their vehicle, which is one of the biggest financial purchases many young people have to make early on in life and easy to take for granted when someone else is doing all the work on it.

I work with a 32 year old that starved his Scion's engine of oil because he thought the oil lamp meant he just needed an oil change soon...it scares me how little people know about cars nowadays lol.

 

Do it so your grand kids can teach their grand kids

 

Make sure you double check your dealers work, especially under the Toyota Care free oil changes. I found my dealer not changing the oil filter, greasing the driveshaft, etc.

 

Pick your battles. You already paid for that maint. When you bought the truck.

It's just an oil change. It's quicker and cheaper to have it done. Your time is worth much more to you than doing it yourself. Don't beat yourself up.

 

I'm close to your age and fly desk also. No grandkids yet (thankfully).

Even with 2x the effort, it still takes less time than driving there and waiting, not to mention scheduling and planning. I think it is fun to do regardless of effort.

I did let them take care of the ToyotaCare period, but it is all me after this little 25k service.

In my mind, accomplishing something is what it is all about. Now, if I could only get my kids in the garage to see what it is all about.

 

I'm curious why you think it is quicker at the dealer? During my TC visits, it was minimum of 1hr, unusually 1.5 or 2. I have done all that at home in an hour start to clean up without the scheduling and driving around.

I've been buying my supplies or Amazon or will hit up Walmart, which is a few miles from the house on my way home from work if necessary.

Just an honest question.

 

What about the time sitting at the dealer waiting for it to be done? That is unproductive time. Now, I do partake in the free drinks and have been known to cross the pipe fence over to the neighboring Ford dealership while waiting.

 

Let the dealer do it and take the kids fishing with the extra time.

 

Same as above, after Toyota care runs out, I am going to service myself for regular maintenance stuff. I hate waiting at the dealerships, and more over, I hate it when the service guy comes up halfway through and goes over every single little thing they'd like to upsell me on for service.

 

If you do use the dealer, always mark your air filters(cabin and engine) in case they come out with the "shop filter".

 

And mark the oil filter, seems somewhat common that those don't get changed too.

If tire rotations are included, mark the tires.

 

I'm going to do the dealer route with mine until the included services are used up. Not really sure what I'll do after that, I pull wrenches for a living and the last thing I feel like doing is working on my own stuff on my own time so I'm seriously considering just to continue taking it to the dealer after they are used up. for $60-$70 my time is worth more to me I think. Whats the cost for a filter and oil for these new trucks ? I'm guessing around $10-15 for the filter and $25 for the oil?

 

I do my own maintenance to save money. A substantial amount as well. It costs me less than $30 to change my own oil and know it was done right. During your Toyota care oil changes are free, but after my dealer wants $93 to do the oil change, and I dont even want to know what they want for tire rotations ...

I believe Toyota offers toyotacare as a service you can purchase after yours runs out, might be worth looking into. For me though, I'll keep doing these 'easy' maintenance items myself and save $50 each time.

Btw, I did and will use the 10k and 20k services while my Toyota care is still active

 

You have the two years of maintenance coming to you. You can be productive while you wait (I bring my laptop and always have plenty of work I can get done). Changing oil and filter is more than just doing the oil change. You also have to go buy the oil and filter and get rid of the old oil and stuff when you are done, so add another hour or two.

 

If you schedule it is quicker than doing it yourself.

The time to buy a filter and the oil and the time to cart the used oil to someone who takes it will make it longer.

I've done the math, it is less hassle to farm it out

With that said, I still enjoy doing my own maintenance, but I know there are things that make little financial and time benefit.

Brakes, shocks, detailing, it's money ahead to do it yourself.
Again, if you earn $40+/hr, your time has value and you can afford to have work done.

 

Mine goes to the dealership. There's a slight chance that they won't screw something up. There a 100% chance that I will.

 

Thanks!

Ha! I might fall into the $/hr category for work, but I value my non-work time at much less. I generally float $2.00/hr.

I have scheduled at my dealer, who had generally been excellent, and had the wait times noted. That said, we were told our Subaru dealer was more than a month out on a serious timing problem.

 

I'm letting them do the next one this 0w-20 is great for blood bathing your garage floor. When I pulled the plug on mine it made a huge mess and was late for dinner at Applebee's.