Just need to vent...

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Mendel Leisk, Jul 6, 2022.

  1. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    Then why not Toyota brand fluid?
     
  2. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    You'll be lucky if they even bother to look at it. As long as the box is checked, your OK.:rolleyes:
    During my 2 year free service, I always check their work. At last look under the hood to make sure the oil cap was in place, before driving off. Don't laugh, it actually happened to a couple of friends of mine.....:(
     
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  3. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    How do you check they actually changed the oil filter and replaced with the correct oil? After my first free inspection for my 2017 Prius where they falsely wrote they set tire pressures too low when they did not change them, I do my own oil changes so I know they are done properly.
     
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  4. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    you mark the filter n put different color/type of tire stem caps. you can also mark your tires too, some white-out in-between the tire threads.
    As far as the oil; the worse they can do is put 0w20 in it. They're suppose to put 0w16 in mine; but who knows.
    I got the check mark in the box, so it's all good!!!;):oops::sick::rolleyes:
     
  5. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Yep, while the Toyota Dealerships do use Toyota OEM filters, the oil is just the cheapest bulk stuff, in barrels, just like Jiffy Lube and Walmart Automotive. Charge premium prices but provide mediocre service for maximum profit! But, at least, it's synthetic oil. (0W-20)
     
  6. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    I have seen that Toyota dealers use either Toyota branded oil in bulk barrels or, for 0w-8, they actually use the quart bottles since that is the only way it is packaged. I believe @Mendel Leisk in Canada used to take containers into his dealership to buy Toyota oil from their bulk containers.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yes. I think I was the one-and-only though. Plus the price suddenly started skyrocketing, to where they were asking significantly more than the bottled price. Sadly I've gone to Kirkland bottled.

    I don't buy into the "cheapest bulk stuff" credo: oil is oil, and as far as I know the bulk oil our dealership sold me was exactly the same as the bottled, just no bottles to deal with. Fancy bottles are largely to assuage insecurities about oil quality.
     
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  8. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    Personally, I use Mobil One from Walmart as usually the best deal, especially if I can use a rebate.
     
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  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    i have seen video evidence of Toyota 0w-8 quart bottles used in a dealership for a 2025 Camry XSE oil change when they wrote 0w-16 on the paperwork. 0w-8 was the only oil they used in quart bottles.
     
  10. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    Ask for the old ones back. That way you can see if they truly needed to be changed. Of course the dealer could confound things by switching to the dirtiest one they had in the trash can but then if you have labeled the filters before hand ... but then you might as well change them yourself.
     
  11. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    You expect to get the old oil back too? IMO it is usually much easier to do it yourself. My local Toyota dealer is only useful for test drives. I even drove over 2 hours to a trusted dealer for the wire harness inspection recall on my 2017 Prius when I owned it. There was NO way I was going to trust the judgment of a local dealer mechanic who skipped inspecting the battery because "Prius are different. The battery has already been under the hood for a full year at that point!
     
  12. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    I took my car in at 19500 miles for it's free checkup/service. As I stood there watching the "service manager" the electronic message board showed the mileage. Then the service needed. Then said that it needed a front end alignment. Then it added alignment for 3.0 safety sensors . He quickly erased both of those from the display. He was not about to let the dealership get stuck with the cost of two separate alignments that were not needed. When I asked about it he just said it was "a glitch" in the system.

    There were no problems with the car during the 1100 miles driven that week. No surprise there.
     
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  13. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    I would bet if it were out of warranty they would claim those were needed though.