Is this a tracker?

It never saw the dealer again for an oil change, I didn’t pay that. It was the free one.

They played the “this is a complicated unique car that has special requirements” ploy trying to sell me down the road to bring it in. Oil change is easier than the Tacoma, just a little door to access the filter and it’s mounted sideways so you just crack the canister loose and it drains, no need for the plastic drain thing and the bolt is easily accessible.

It eats 9.3 qts but that’s about $50 in Mobil One, and the Toyota dealer sells the filter, same part number, for $8. It’s the same one the Tundra takes. So almost 6x markup. Yes, I get you have to pay the labor but you aren’t paying the shop grease monkey $242 for a 20 min job.

 

I still keep one of these around from my old reel-to reel tape days. Works wonders on anything electronic you want to disable.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/163287-bulk_tape_eraser__robins_me99/images/201026/

 

Did you find out yet how it got there?

 

It was always there. A lot of jokes were made in the thread, but the serious answer is its an inventory tool for Toyota (like a barcode).

 

Dude removing that voids all warranties

 

X2

 

Part out!

 

If you noticed it after your truck was in the body shop why not call them?

 

It's a Lexus service dept, so the monkey is a bit more intelligent, probably closer to a chimp. They might send in a master monkey from Japan once a year for training.

But really it's related to lower volume. A Lexus dealer sells and services maybe 1/5 to 1/10 the number of vehicles as a Toyota dealer, so Lexus margins are much higher to stay afloat. They're probably still cheaper than MB/BMW/Audi, so most customers don't complain.

 

If you noticed it after your truck was in the body shop why not call them?

 

RFID tag. My local dealership stuck one of these on the inside of my windshield while I was there for service, without asking me. It would scan while pulling into the drive through and pull up my name, car info, sa etc. on a big screen. I trashed it.

 

^They'll put in 9 qts of 0W16 oil on your next visit, because the service desk monkey manually enters the wrong vehicle info

 

haha that wouldn't surprise me at all

 

No I haven't done any R&D, it was either at the dealer and that was like in 2021, or at the place that did my front bumber cover. If I get a chance I may make some phone calls to find out.

 

Send them a bill for 0.20 hours of labor at $500/hr for having to remove it. Plus the cost of sticky remover and window polish and a rag. And investigation time.

 

I'd say charge 1 hr. for "analysis" then minimum 1 hr for work not 0.20.
That's what any dealer starts at.

 

It's a Wonka Bar you nerd! You and Grandpa Joe won a trip to see the inside of a genuine Toyota making factory, complete with Oompa Loompas! Just don't let Slugworth get to you first!