Times you prefer a dealer to an independent?

Toyota in New Jersey charges me 59.99 + tax for that service WITHOUT the vacuum and windshield washer but WITH tire rotation. =(

Being able to steer and stop are critical to a car's well-being, as well as the well-being of people and cars are the car.

I would not take a car to a chain store unless I know the people who run the store.

You can also take the car to an independent shop. A chain store is not an independent shop. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations.

Jeff

I didn't intend to state they're unimportant. I just think screwing up a brake fluid flush or power steering fluid flush is pretty impossible. I mean, I am sure you all know of horror stories and such but that's my stance on it.

Wow. I prefer a little kissing when I get screwed like that. Beats tire rotation. They must use very lovely oil in Lalique bottles maybe. How often do you get the oil changed, and thus the tire rotation?

Is it really money well spent? Changing the oil and filters isn't rocket science. I'll bet your dealer pays some guy minimum wage do all their oil changes, they are NOT going to use a $30.00 / hr mechanic to change oil. I use a 10-minute oil change place and I get everything you have listed plus a free car wash. It costs me $25.00 and it doesn't void the warranty.

That's an easier job than oil changes, you don't even need tools. Just flush it out with clear water and put in the proper amount of coolant. Stick with whatever came with the car, red or green.

I'm not convinced that it's a good idea to change your transmission fluid as preventive maintenance. The fluid doesn't wear out and it isn't exposed to air or combustion byproducts like the engine oil is. It is true that the clutches wear and shed fibers/dust into the oil but they tend to settle out of the oil over-night. Consider that the manufacture puts a filter in the transmission and it's a screen that can take out rocks and large stones but not small particles of dirt. This tends to make me believe that the fluid doesn't get too dirty.

If the fluid is off-color or smells burnt, you have problems and changing the fluid won't fix them.

Have you tried setting up an appointment with them or do you just drive in?

To be honest with you, if it is warranty work or the work will void the warranty, I'll use the dealer. Other than that, I never use the dealer's service center. I know, Ray's going to say that the dealer's mechanics are factory-trained and that's true. But my "shade-tree mechanic" seems to get all the broken stuff fixed without charging me for shop supplies.

Jack

Holy crap. It cost me $19.99 for 5 qts of Castrol Synthetic 5W-30 and $6.49 for a Toyota filter. And I spent so much time changing the oil that vacuuming was out of the question...

I change the oil in our Sequoia, Avalon, and Lexus myself because I can do it at my leisure. A 2-ton jack and a pair of jackstands or a set of quality car ramps, a 14 mm combination wrench, an oil filter wrench, and a drain pain are all you need to do an oil change. The Lexus takes a little longer because I have to remove a couple of bolts on an underbody shield to access the oil filter. There is enough ground clearance under the Sequoia that I can drain the oil without having to jack it up, but I need a step stool to reach the oil filter. Changing the oil filter is pretty messy for the Sequoia so I cut up an old windshield washer bottle to slip under the oil filter to catch most of the drippings.

Changing ATF is an important preventative maintenance item. ATF does get dirty, and as particuclates settle into the bottom of the pan, it can form passage-clogging sludge. Changing the ATF gets rid of most of the particulates.

Changing ATF is not rocket science, as long as the correct ATF is used, which is not always a give at some chain places. Draining and refilling ATF is not harder than an oil change.

I am a pretty firm believer in OEM parts, especially for ignition and brakes. If your shade tree mechanic uses OEM parts and charges less for routine maintenance than the Toyota dealer, then I see no problem. I would use the dealer for exhaust, strut, and shock absorber replacement since you get a lifetime warranty on parts and labor.

My uncle, who owned an independent garage and raced cars with his brothers (the name is somewhat famous among Baja racers, so I won't repeat it), always said that with Toyota, aftermarket parts were fine EXCEPT for ignition parts. So, I see, Ray agrees, at least partially with "Uncle Martin."

Some aftermarket ignition parts work fine on some Toyotas and work poorly on others. I have not spent the effort (or expense) to figure out a pattern so I just stick to OEM ignition parts.

The reason I also like OEM brake parts is that aftermarket brake pads and shoes can be a hit-or-miss. Some are fine, some wear quickly or wear rotors quickly, make noise, or make too much brake dust. I have installed aftermarket brake parts on friends' vehicles, and some do not fit very well. Rather than gamble, I use OEM pads (all of the vehicles I have owned since I gave up company cars have had 4 wheel discs). If rotors need replacement, I use OEM rotors because it is convenient to get them when I get the pads, but I don't see much of a problem with aftermarket rotors.