Stealership Ripoffs...

Well management "provide" him with a place to work and the chance to make "squat". If the tech feels he can do better on his own he's more than welcome to open up his/her own Toyota dealer ship and do it for less...people sometimes forget the costs & admin tasks that are associated with running a business. But I agree sometimes it is borderline fraud, or theft with a smile I call it

 

Must be why a lot of techs take on a few side jobs during their free time.

 

Keep in mind your cost of staying in business compared to theirs.

 

I'm not complaining about their rate. I guess I was more disappointed in the "1hr-2hr" considering I did this in 30mins and they have hoist and all the tools and knowledge to preform the task way more efficiently than I.

 

In Canada they are allowed to charge the first hour as a full hour even if it only takes 5 minutes. I'm sure the USA is the same.

The management is likely doing lots. Part of my job is management, and I still do hands on work too. Sometimes I wish I had never moved up.

All that tech has to do is take a few bolts and pieces of plastic off in the right order, install a new part or fluid, and then repeat the process in reverse. Simple. The manager is probably buried in peoples personal BS and Toyota corporate BS all day and spends his time trying to make the best out of that mess. Not to mention who upset customers automatically default too. Not so simple.

The people who make really good money from a dealership are the owners. Same with independent shops. Owners win.

 

Both cases within the last week. Wife was quoted $45 for cabin filter and $35 for the air filter for her Acura RDX while getting serviced. I told her no in the text. Bought both of the filters myself for $40 and literally took me less than 5 minutes to install both filters.

Sister-In-Law was quoted $75 for new cabin filter and install for her Passat at Jiffy Lube. I too told her no. $19 for a new filter at Autozone and 3 minutes tops, I had her new cabin filter in.

 

Jiffy Lube!

:shudder:

 

Pfff it's Chicago they are all corrupt...the Jiffy Lube on Golf Rd.?

 

They do have to take out those 12 plastic plugs before putting in the 12 bolts...It's a complicated affair.

 

Id like to know what some of you guys do for a living.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/what-do-you-do-for-a-living.125938/

 

ha...it wasnt a question...more of a statement.

 

I post on TW for a living and on the side I run a chemical plant now...

 

Keeping the lights on and the music playing at a high overhead business like a car dealership isn't cheap. The legally mandated auto dealership franchise system us what causes the lack of adequate competition and prices that are too high. Some of those high costs are due to systemic inefficiency along with a lot of good old pure American greed. Want better auto and service prices? Get behind Tesla and others efforts to break the auto dealer lobbyist's hold on our legislators.

 

Tesla will become just like everyone else once they are big enough. Hell they've even begun to join in the cross production systems that form the oligopoly we call the auto industry.

 

you need to move, even the bentley dealer here doesn't charge that much.

 

Cost of living in Texas is likely a bit cheaper.

 

This site has helped me save money in the maintenance category. I was once the dunce that spent 300 bucks to get the transmission fluid replaced and 200 bucks for new spark plugs for my old truck. The step by step guides with pictures makes it pretty easy to do with basic tools. The problem is I've spent far more money on mods because of this site so i guess it evens out.

 

for me, I'd happily pay 200$ to replace the plugs... that's one of those jobs that just isn't fun.

 

My stepdad was quoted $800 to replace both CV boots on his 03 4runner from the dealership. Told him to just buy some autozone replacements since he just DD's it so, 2 hours and $115 later we have the new CV's installed. Saved him $700 and who knows how long at the dealership. To say the least he was stoked and I got some beer and a hot meal, so I was happy.