Taking my 4runner to the dealer for service....

[MisterJackson]

I'm going to need all new belts and hoses, plus a few other things. Should I just get the stuff from them or would I save a good bit by going to advance auto or someone like that and buying the parts myself and supplying them when the work is done.

Also getting a tune up, so, add plugs, filters, etc.

also, would this offend the service people you think?

 

[Kelvrick]

They're not going to use parts you bring.

 

[MisterJackson]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
They're not going to use parts you bring.

You know this from experience?

 

[FoBoT]

change belts sucks (too me) , i would have that done by a shop, but then i am middle age/lazy. i used to work on my cars when i was young/poor

 

[MisterJackson]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
change belts sucks (too me) , i would have that done by a shop, but then i am middle age/lazy. i used to work on my cars when i was young/poor

Yeah, I know, I want the shop to do the labor. I just don't feel like paying $10 for a $1 hose.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
They're not going to use parts you bring.

You know this from experience?

Because of liability reasons. You might be able to get a small time shop to do it, but most likely unless you know the people there by name, they're not going to use your parts.

 

[sonoma1993]

i remember when i got new tires for my truck last year at this firestone/car dealer shop. they told me, my fan belt needed tobe replace. They wanted $90 to replace it. The belt at autozone cost me like $30, it only took my dad and I about 15 mins to change it.

 

[flyfish]

Toyota parts are top notch.
Just pay the dealer for the good stuff.
How many miles you have on that 4Runner?
Toyota says nothing about replacing hoses in thier maintenance schedule.

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
I'm going to need all new belts and hoses, plus a few other things. Should I just get the stuff from them or would I save a good bit by going to advance auto or someone like that and buying the parts myself and supplying them when the work is done.

Also getting a tune up, so, add plugs, filters, etc.

also, would this offend the service people you think?

Mr. Jackson,

The only way I have not gotten raped by my dealer is to act like I'm poor and beg and deal with him.

One time I was getting my '93 Maxima fixed and what started out as $700 ended up being $400 + their '91 Sentra as a borrowed car.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

Originally posted by: FoBoT
change belts sucks (too me) , i would have that done by a shop, but then i am middle age/lazy. i used to work on my cars when i was young/poor

Yeah, I know, I want the shop to do the labor. I just don't feel like paying $10 for a $1 hose.

even if they do take the parts you will pay the same. They will just tack on labor charges to cover the cost of not selling any parts.

 

[Mik3y]

the dealer will rip you off vs finding a good local mechanic.

 

[DeadByDawn]

You don't want to pay $10 for a $1 hose, but you'll take it to the stealership where they'll charge $75/hour to change a belt LOL!

Don't take your own parts in, if anything goes wrong with your car later on they'll blame the parts you brought in and excuse themselves of any error.

 

[EatSpam]

Shens!!! It is just not possible for a Toyota to have these kinds of products. That Toyota will run perfectly, long after you are dead.

 

[bunker]

I've asked this of several shops, not a single one would use parts you bring in for liability reasons.

 

[dartworth]

I find my local dealer's prices to be in line with many of the local shops I have checked out.

My truck is still under warranty. So if I have a problem, it goes to the dealer...which isn't often(knocks on wood)

 

[Vette73]

Yep dealers will not use your own parts. that and a lot of independent shops will just add on to the labor to make it up.

When I had my shop parts = parts and my labor = labor. So people would say well their labor is less. Of course then when I saw them again i found out their bill ended up more then what I would have done it for.
Mind you if a customer brings their own parts and the part fails, then I will not cover that. But if it is my parts then I will cover not only my labor but also a bad part.

 

[weirdichi]

Or if they DO do it with your parts, they won't guarantee the installation. Just pay the dealer to do it or do it yourself.

 

[Slickone]

OP, be careful with the 'tuneup'. Stealerships like to rape you on tuneups, charging you some big amount and you thinking it's some huge amount of work you're getting. There isn't a whole lot you can do to tune up a car these days. You can replace the air filter yourself. The fuel filter rarely needs replacing. They might claim they checked 'settings', lubed linkages, etc, which they don't actually do. Or claim they cleaned the throttle body, but often don't. So they might do plugs, plug wires and fuel filter. And it's possible that you don't need any of those.

Don't forget about your antifreeze too, though now it's usually good for 5 years, 100K.

Originally posted by: DeadByDawn
You don't want to pay $10 for a $1 hose, but you'll take it to the stealership where they'll charge $75/hour to change a belt LOL!

I think now it's usualy $80 and up per hour.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
They're not going to use parts you bring.

You know this from experience?

yes, i do. the dealer wont install parts unless said part has toyoyta stamped on it.