Was I Snookered at the Dealer?

[Halo]

Took my 2005 Toyota Camry in for an oil change at 21,952 miles.  Four months previously it had 20k service at 19,674 miles.  

Service manager said rear brakes needed cleaning ($79.95) and transmission fluid needed changing ($123.88).  I thought that was early for both jobs but agreed.  

Was I had?

I'm a low mileage driver but keep the Camry out on the highway enough to not let it sludge up.  

This dealership has a lifetime guarantee on major components as long as you have car serviced there.  One catch for this car is oil change required every 5,000 miles or FOUR months, not six as Toyota requires.  

I saw on line that around 2004 Toyota had problems with some engines sludging up because oil was not changed frequently enough in tough driving, e.g., big city commuting and traffic jams.  This dealer plan might be a way for Toyota to address the problem without making a big deal of it and impairing confidence in Toyota vehicles.  

Whatever, I'm in the four-month oil change cycle, and I don't like it.  I've always changed oil at 3,000 miles or six months, whichever came first.  Ironically, the Toyota dealer requirement is just about like that.  

Interestingly, my wife bought a 2007 Toyota Corolla and there is no dealer requirement for oil changes except at the usual Toyota 5,000 miles or SIX months.  

Some second opinions, please, especially from you car mechanics.

[sluggish]

Yes.  You were had.  Never go there again.

Brake cleaning and especially the tranny fluid change was way out of line. You should have gotten out of there spending no more than thirty dollars and a reccomendation that you change your air filter.

[Chairboy]

Brake cleaning?  Never heard of that.

The oil change place I frequent does something I like, they have a laminated sheet with boxes printed on it for various fluids, and they dab each box appropriately while checking the fluids.  It's a checklist for them, and if they argue that something needs to be changed, I have more data to make the decision than just the mechanic's suggestion.  Most of the time they show me the sheet and say "it's all fine, no need to do anything".  

That's the other thing, look around until you find a shop you can trust.  I'm sure a bad shop could dab the dipstick in mud or something if they were really committed to doing a number on you.

[Mark Luper]

I adhere to a 5,000 mile oil change whenever it happens. I use Amsoil synthetic. That translates into two to three a year depending on how much I drive it that year. I have done it this way for over 20 years. Never have had a sludging problem.The synthetics don't burn or oxidize as much and don't leave the residue standard oils do which is one of the reasons for extended service life.

A 3,000 mile oil change is plenty often enough  using standard high grade oils if done every 90 to 120 days.

Mark

[storch]

I don't know about the cleaning the brakes thing but the tranny was probably past due.  I like to do a complete service on mine about every 15k miles.  I also change the differential oil at that time.  I run synthetic oil (mobil1 or amsoil) after the first oil change and allow it to remain about 6k miles. I rotate the tirs every 3k.

[sluggish]

You're crazy Storch.  The tranny should go at least 60k (more like 100k) between flushes.

[eskimo2]

Dealerships suck.  I would find a good honest independent mechanic.  I change my oil once a year.  The folks who tell you that you need to change it more often than 10K are the folks who profit from oil changes.

[Mark Luper]

I didn't address the brake cleaning. The brakes on that car are disks. The only thing they can do is blow off the outside of them or wash them with a hose. You can do that much for free in 5 minutes. They took you on that one.

Mark

[LLv34 Jarsci]

What, oil change at 5k miles? Thats only about 9000km, which is  ridiculous..

Only Korean cars here have such service intervals, others are around 25 to 30k km.  And our climate temperatures vary from -40 to +35 degrees celsius.

No problems whatsoever with such intervals. How its possible you got so short intervals there? The oils should be pretty same everywhere..

[DiabloTX]

Yeah, I'd say you got taken.  Clean the rear brakes?  Never heard that one.  Especially since the fronts provide the majority of the stopping power.

A lot of the auto trannies coming out, and it has been this way for a while really, are service-free.  I remember seeing that in a Mercedes back in '98 or '99, may have been a W210 but not real sure.

[kamilyun]

My friend from Germany said almost the same thing...3-5K miles for oil changes?!

[Xargos]

Never buy another air filter again.

http://www.knfilters.com/

Also you might want to try one of these.

http://www.tornado-fuelsaver.tv/default.asp

[sluggish]

Originally posted by Xargos
Never buy another air filter again.

http://www.knfilters.com/

Also you might want to try one of these.

http://www.tornado-fuelsaver.tv/default.asp

You've been watching too much late night TV.

[Mark Luper]

Originally posted by Xargos
Never buy another air filter again.

http://www.knfilters.com/

Also you might want to try one of these.

http://www.tornado-fuelsaver.tv/default.asp

So, add a partial blockage to the intake system and increase HP and economy?

Don't think so.

The K&N filters are pretty good but a bit expensive. If you take care of it you won't have to replace it so it may all work out in the end.

Mark

[Xargos]

I had them both in the last 3 cars I had, back when I had a car.  They work great.

Last cars where a 2003 Z-28, 2005 Chevy Econo Van and a '96 Crownvic.

P.S. made a mistake it was a 2002 Z not a 2003.  I've burned too many brain cells.