Wow, Oil change at Toyota- how can they do it?
10-29-14, 12:08 PM
#1
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Wow, Oil change at Toyota- how can they do it?
So I've brought my 2010 Lexus es350 to my nearby Toyota dealer a few times because it's closer and often cheaper than the Lexus dealer.
Lexus quoted me $49 for an oil change and $49 for a tire rotation, so close to $110 with tax. Conventional oil.
I went to Toyota with a coupon, they did an oil change using the same Toyota oil, plus the tire rotation, for $19.99!!
Not only that, they gave me a coupon for a nearby full service car wash since I guess theirs was not working.
How can they even do that? I did spend $1000 with them 2 months ago on oil change and new tires, but still it's super cheap.
Lexus quoted me $49 for an oil change and $49 for a tire rotation, so close to $110 with tax. Conventional oil.
I went to Toyota with a coupon, they did an oil change using the same Toyota oil, plus the tire rotation, for $19.99!!
Not only that, they gave me a coupon for a nearby full service car wash since I guess theirs was not working.
How can they even do that? I did spend $1000 with them 2 months ago on oil change and new tires, but still it's super cheap.
10-29-14, 04:28 PM
#2
I've been driving, servicing, repairing, and replacing cars for 40 years. Some cars, like my Lexus and my porsche and corvette when I had them, I ALWAYS use synthetic oil in. That is something your local toyota dealer will not do for you for $19.99. I've got FREE oil change and tire rotations for another year still. Toyota dealer said if I wanted synthetic, they'd charge me the difference for the oil. Luckily I was smart enough to ask how much their synthetic oil would cost me. They told me it would cost me about $69.00. I told him he was either nuts for thinking I was stupid, or their franchise doesn't know how to buy oil at a decent price. He said the dino oil was about $2 a quart and the synthetic was $11 a quart. He wanted to charge me $10 a quart plus tax.
In a polite voice I told him to wait a minute and I had my wife come over in my F-250. I pulled out 2 each 5 quart containers of Mobile 1 and told him to use that. Oil change was then free. I told him you can buy a 5 quart bottle of 5-30 mobile 1 at walmart for $23. Since then, (First oil change), I just bring my own Mobile 1. I still do oil changes at 5000 miles; even with synthetic.
What really sucks, is I BOUGHT this lexus from this toyota dealer; hence the free oil changes. You'd think they wouldn't try ripping people off. So yes, a $19.99 oil change seems pretty cheap. And it is. But that's probably a break even cost for the oil, filter, and labor to do it and a tire rotate. They are betting on their customer service and customer loyalty for you to come back for "Real Maintenance".
In a polite voice I told him to wait a minute and I had my wife come over in my F-250. I pulled out 2 each 5 quart containers of Mobile 1 and told him to use that. Oil change was then free. I told him you can buy a 5 quart bottle of 5-30 mobile 1 at walmart for $23. Since then, (First oil change), I just bring my own Mobile 1. I still do oil changes at 5000 miles; even with synthetic.
What really sucks, is I BOUGHT this lexus from this toyota dealer; hence the free oil changes. You'd think they wouldn't try ripping people off. So yes, a $19.99 oil change seems pretty cheap. And it is. But that's probably a break even cost for the oil, filter, and labor to do it and a tire rotate. They are betting on their customer service and customer loyalty for you to come back for "Real Maintenance".
10-30-14, 11:20 AM
#3
WOW. Slightly unrelated but received a coupon for free oil / filter change on my 2011 Impala LTZ. Free meant dino oil but my car called for GM Dexos semi synthetic oil. For 4 quart oil change, difference was $16 plus tax. My 2011 ES350 gets Mobil One done at local garage.
10-31-14, 08:52 AM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
I want to say the Lexus dealer near me wants $69 or $79 for the tire rotation on top of the price of the oil change (same price as you). I asked if they re-balance the tires at that price and they said no - needless to say they don't rotate my tires. 
Give me a break - the car is ALREADY off the ground!
I get free rotations at Discount Tire where I got my tires - but just have to make the effort to get there.
FWIW - I think that place will rotate tires for free for anyone. They TRY and sell you stuff, but you can refuse it and walk out of there without paying a dime. I ended up there because with rebates, etc they had a better price OTD than Tirerack when I needed tires.
Give me a break - the car is ALREADY off the ground!I get free rotations at Discount Tire where I got my tires - but just have to make the effort to get there.
FWIW - I think that place will rotate tires for free for anyone. They TRY and sell you stuff, but you can refuse it and walk out of there without paying a dime. I ended up there because with rebates, etc they had a better price OTD than Tirerack when I needed tires.
11-03-14, 08:56 AM
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I dunno, it's kind of nice going to the dealer, handing them the keys, knowing all the work is going to be done right, and then relaxing for an hour eating free doughnuts, breakfast snacks, coffee and cokes, and taking a nap in a very comfy chair. Or go smell the leather in the new LS's.
I put on low mileage so it doesn't come up that often to hit the pocketbook hard, and the pampering is really nice once every few months. Plus had to have the dealer balance my new Michelins when Discount failed after three tries. Kind of left a sour taste, though the price was right.
If I put lots of miles fast on the car, or when the warranty expires, I'd probably look at it a bit differently. But still if I owned/could afford a 5k Rolex, I'm not sure I'd take it to Bubba's Discount Watch Emporium for a new battery/adjustment and cleaning.
Just sayin'.
I put on low mileage so it doesn't come up that often to hit the pocketbook hard, and the pampering is really nice once every few months. Plus had to have the dealer balance my new Michelins when Discount failed after three tries. Kind of left a sour taste, though the price was right.
If I put lots of miles fast on the car, or when the warranty expires, I'd probably look at it a bit differently. But still if I owned/could afford a 5k Rolex, I'm not sure I'd take it to Bubba's Discount Watch Emporium for a new battery/adjustment and cleaning.
Just sayin'.
11-03-14, 12:41 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
I dunno, it's kind of nice going to the dealer, handing them the keys, knowing all the work is going to be done right, and then relaxing for an hour eating free doughnuts, breakfast snacks, coffee and cokes, and taking a nap in a very comfy chair. Or go smell the leather in the new LS's.
I put on low mileage so it doesn't come up that often to hit the pocketbook hard, and the pampering is really nice once every few months. Plus had to have the dealer balance my new Michelins when Discount failed after three tries. Kind of left a sour taste, though the price was right.
If I put lots of miles fast on the car, or when the warranty expires, I'd probably look at it a bit differently. But still if I owned/could afford a 5k Rolex, I'm not sure I'd take it to Bubba's Discount Watch Emporium for a new battery/adjustment and cleaning.
Just sayin'.
I put on low mileage so it doesn't come up that often to hit the pocketbook hard, and the pampering is really nice once every few months. Plus had to have the dealer balance my new Michelins when Discount failed after three tries. Kind of left a sour taste, though the price was right.
If I put lots of miles fast on the car, or when the warranty expires, I'd probably look at it a bit differently. But still if I owned/could afford a 5k Rolex, I'm not sure I'd take it to Bubba's Discount Watch Emporium for a new battery/adjustment and cleaning.
Just sayin'.
Admittedly, I do enjoy the amenities of the Lexus dealership and would rather spend a hour waiting there compared to anywhere else.
11-03-14, 01:52 PM
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The Lexus dealer is also 30 mins farther from me- and I have to do the oil change about every 2 months with the amount I'm driving.
I just got another Toyota coupon - $19.99 for oil change and rotation! That's a good $80 cheaper than I'd pay at Lexus, figure every 2 months and it adds up.
I'm not sure I can always get the $19.99 deal, but even if it's a little more it's worth it.
And I'm a guy who loves oem and going to the dealer, all original parts, etc. in this case, they're all Toyota parts and oil anyway.
I just got another Toyota coupon - $19.99 for oil change and rotation! That's a good $80 cheaper than I'd pay at Lexus, figure every 2 months and it adds up.
I'm not sure I can always get the $19.99 deal, but even if it's a little more it's worth it.
And I'm a guy who loves oem and going to the dealer, all original parts, etc. in this case, they're all Toyota parts and oil anyway.
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11-04-14, 07:18 AM
#8
My Lexus dealer is right next door to the Toyota dealer. Wonder if I can drop off my ES at the Toyota shop for an oil change and walk next door to the Lexus waiting room and enjoy the benefits?
11-04-14, 09:52 AM
#9
I've been driving, servicing, repairing, and replacing cars for 40 years. Some cars, like my Lexus and my porsche and corvette when I had them, I ALWAYS use synthetic oil in. That is something your local toyota dealer will not do for you for $19.99. I've got FREE oil change and tire rotations for another year still. Toyota dealer said if I wanted synthetic, they'd charge me the difference for the oil. Luckily I was smart enough to ask how much their synthetic oil would cost me. They told me it would cost me about $69.00. I told him he was either nuts for thinking I was stupid, or their franchise doesn't know how to buy oil at a decent price. He said the dino oil was about $2 a quart and the synthetic was $11 a quart. He wanted to charge me $10 a quart plus tax.
In a polite voice I told him to wait a minute and I had my wife come over in my F-250. I pulled out 2 each 5 quart containers of Mobile 1 and told him to use that. Oil change was then free. I told him you can buy a 5 quart bottle of 5-30 mobile 1 at walmart for $23. Since then, (First oil change), I just bring my own Mobile 1. I still do oil changes at 5000 miles; even with synthetic.
What really sucks, is I BOUGHT this lexus from this toyota dealer; hence the free oil changes. You'd think they wouldn't try ripping people off. So yes, a $19.99 oil change seems pretty cheap. And it is. But that's probably a break even cost for the oil, filter, and labor to do it and a tire rotate. They are betting on their customer service and customer loyalty for you to come back for "Real Maintenance".
In a polite voice I told him to wait a minute and I had my wife come over in my F-250. I pulled out 2 each 5 quart containers of Mobile 1 and told him to use that. Oil change was then free. I told him you can buy a 5 quart bottle of 5-30 mobile 1 at walmart for $23. Since then, (First oil change), I just bring my own Mobile 1. I still do oil changes at 5000 miles; even with synthetic.
What really sucks, is I BOUGHT this lexus from this toyota dealer; hence the free oil changes. You'd think they wouldn't try ripping people off. So yes, a $19.99 oil change seems pretty cheap. And it is. But that's probably a break even cost for the oil, filter, and labor to do it and a tire rotate. They are betting on their customer service and customer loyalty for you to come back for "Real Maintenance".
Suggestions please.....................
Nick
11-06-14, 08:51 AM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
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