Done right….do it yourself

2022

first oil change. Something in my gut said they the dealership didn’t change the filter. I marked the bolts with different colored sharpie’s and the same on the skid plate. Just enough so I knew where the marks were. Sure enough all the marks lined up. They never dropped the skid plate which means they didn’t take out the filter. Laziness. Took it back and the service guy damn near shit when I busted them. They did then replace the filter as I stood and watched. I don’t care if I get my first two oil changes free. First of all I’m doing it at 5k miles. Not 10k. I’m doing it myself. If I hadn’t done it who knows how long that filter would have been in there

 

Isn’t it theft if they don’t provide the service you paid for? And the price of toyo care is built in, it’s not really free.

 

It probably is but whatever. I’m just pissed. I’ve always worked on my cars. I know then everything is torqued correctly and done right. This just reinforced why I do it myself

 

They don't change oil at 5K for the free service.

 

Welcome to the club. You just had your initiation and passed with flying colors. Most of us here have a similar story.

 

I wish I had don’t this, as now I’m using blind faith they did it. I should get some oil and a filter and change it myself the next time around. Maybe even sooner just for piece of mind. Got my first one done at 1,700 kms at dealership, and I’m currently at 3,700 kms.

 

If this was a 5k, they just rotate the tires unless you asked for an early change or they billed Toyota for it and put it on your invoice.

My last dealership experience was overfilled brake fluid and failure to put back one of the bleeding nipple rubber boots on the caliper. I try to avoid unless I am picking up oil.

 

At my 5k service, I told then I already changed the oil and rotated the tires myself, they told have a good day, there was no need to be there. I would have figured they would have checked the fluids and gave it the once over, but nope. They said the only thing they do at 5k is rotate tires.

 

Valuable lesson indeed. Like many on here, I do all of my maintenance myself.

 

My first two services went great!

 

I blew off the "free" maintenance and have just done every one myself. Too many horror stories to make me feel comfortable with it since I want to get a LOT of miles out of this vehicle.

 

Even though this is beaten to death people still bitch about no oil change at 5K.

Read Up.

https://www.toyota.com/content/dam/toyotaowners/pdfs/toyotacare/ToyotaCare-Brochure-English.pdf

 

I'd highly recommend watching a vid from The Car Care Nut regarding the importance of oil changes every 5k miles..

 

For those that are planning to use toyota care, the quote above is a subtle clue that’s helpful in managing your expectations.

Essentially, Toyota is expecting to provide a service to those that don’t care.

 

Frankly, I'd wonder if that rip-off shop even changed the oil in the first place...

 

Unfortunately this is a little more common than it should be.... But then this is why several Guys I know who have small independent shops and or side jobs doing work on cars simply because many large dealerships have very little if any control over the Quality of the work that the down in the hole pit boys are doing. They just want to see numbers like X cars per hour for each member of the oil pit crew.
If I wanted I could have full time work and then some I use to rebuild manual and Auto Transmissions, Engines, Electrical works and more.....But I'm done with doing that kind of work and enjoy what I do now to the point where I let the guys I know do that work for me.

 

Not saying when you should change your oil. I'm saying stop bitching about Toyota not changing it every 5k.

The fact that people find a forum to bitch on instead of educating themselves on what is provided for free.

I change mine once a year or whenever my light comes on whichever is first. I barely hit 5K a year.

 

Also the dealers use shit bulk oil NOT oem toyota synthetic which is the only oil I use

 

When I took my 2004 for Zero Point Calibration to the dealer years ago, they told me my water pump is going out. Six years later same pump is doing just fine. Those quckers are programmed to sell you stuff and do least work they can get away with. Only way the dealer gets my money is in parts department.

 

Just did my 1st on this vehicle oil change and tire rotation today. Bought it with 4500 miles and today she was sitting T about 4700. Oil had been changed by someone along the way because it had something other than a OEM filter installed. 5K changes are just cheap insurance on longevity.

 

I'm saying don't listen to Toyota's recommendations regarding oil changes, listen to The Car Care Nut. Or don't... As cheap as an oil and filter is, it's good practice to change at 5k.

 

@morfdq Was your post saying that you took it in for an oil change under toyo care at 10k miles?

Or did you take it in under toyo care at 5k miles, expecting an oil change, but not realizing they toyo care doesnt cover a 5k oil change.

Because your reference to the service writer almost pooping his pants when you caught it suggests that an oil change was expected by you, and they agreed to it. But they didnt do it.

The reason I’m asking is so I can properly direct my outrage. I have my pitchfork ready, and I was already poking it at dishonest dealers not providing a service that was paid for.

 

I’m the OP and not only didn’t they change the filter but also didn’t lubricate the propeller shaft. And this is exactly why they will never touch my car again. Also they put the cabin air filter was good. Nope it wasn’t. Yes there was only 10k miles but my wife and I went off-roading in Arizona and the filter was definitely not clean. Lesson learned. I’m doing it myself going forward. Like I said I’m my OP I’m doing it at 5k and doing the propeller shaft as well.

 

Yes this would have been at 10k. My first scheduled oil change. I’m going to do it myself going forward though every 5k miles

 

I had a conversation today with my buddy that owns a auto maintenance shop and he said don't wait 10,000 miles for a oil change. Do it at 5,000 miles. He said something along the lines that the additives in the oil break down at 5,000 miles and start to gum things up.

 

Yep.. just makes sense.

Paraphrasing what CCN said while having to rebuilt the entire top end of a vehicle that only had, iirc, 180k miles, with the cylinders and pistons having grooves worn into them. All after warranty expired. That's enough to motivate me into doing em every 5k.

 

@Dillusion This is a matter of thievery, not misunderstanding the terms of Toyota Care.

@morfdq At least they didn’t strip your skidplate bolts. Bright side, right?

 

What got me was the part about varnish causing the piston oil rings to seize in place.

And the kicker was that he doesn’t think oil analysis can tell this is starting to happen. I mean, I suppose oil analysis will tell you eventually, when cylinder wall material makes it into the oil. At that point, it’s just telling you it’s gonna die.

 

Just going off the incomplete information until now.

 

I just spoke with another buddy that is a retired auto mechanic that still cranks a wrench on the side working from his residence and will be doing the mechanical work on my 4R going forward as he does with our other vehicles. I asked him about the 10,000 mile Toyota recommended oil change and he also said that is too long. He recommended a 6,000 mile oil change frequency.

So the two guys that I know that are in the auto mechanic business, one said 5,000 miles and the other said 6,000 miles. Buddy #2 did not know what buddy #1 said.

Buddy #1 also said the auto manufacturers don't want a car that will run forever. They are in the business of selling new cars. He said their goal is for you to have a good car for 120,000 miles and then buy a new one. He said if you change the oil at 5,000 miles and do the preventive maintenance this Toyota should run forever!