Did the Toyota dealership just rob me?
11-27-13, 12:34 PM
#1
Did the Toyota dealership just rob me?
I paid $850 today to have a dead alternator replaced, parts and labor. The breakdown was $440 for the alternator (Toyota remanufactured part since new OEM ones are supposedly no longer available for a '99 LS400) plus 3.5 hours labor at $110/hour ($385) plus tax and some misc. fees.
3.5 hours labor for an alternator? I thought that it was a like a 1.5 hour job?
I really feel like I've been had. What do you think? I mean, not that I can go back and ask for a refund at this point but I'm still curious.
3.5 hours labor for an alternator? I thought that it was a like a 1.5 hour job?
I really feel like I've been had. What do you think? I mean, not that I can go back and ask for a refund at this point but I'm still curious.
Last edited by dantampa; 11-27-13 at 12:56 PM.
11-27-13, 12:51 PM
#2
The price of the part is OK, could probably get a little cheaper, not much, though(if you stay with OEM, which is recommended). I could change my own alternator on a 1999 LS in about 2 hours and I am not a mechanic.
11-27-13, 12:58 PM
#3
Yeah, I wasn't nearly as concerned over the price of the part. It was the labor that was pretty shocking to me.
11-27-13, 01:10 PM
#4
For a "Toyota remanufactured part, that's still pretty expensive. I just changed mine a while back and it took me about 1hr, so I would say you may have gotten ripped off a bit. Depends on what Toyota has for book-time and how much stuff they remove. Having done it already, I think I may have figured out a way to get it done in less than 45mins, but you sort of need a proper hoist....
11-27-13, 02:55 PM
#7
Lexus Champion
you definitely got scammed, on the labor especially, but on the part as well
$440 on the part might could be rationalized if it were a new Denso part, but not a reman
I can replace an LS400 alternator in half an hour if I have a lift (and they have plenty of lifts) and that half hour is including stopping to watch the important plays in the football game.
They need to show you where in the factory labor manual calls for 3.5 hours labor - It doesn't. - If they cannot show you this, then you need to contact the Lexus zone rep.
$440 on the part might could be rationalized if it were a new Denso part, but not a reman
I can replace an LS400 alternator in half an hour if I have a lift (and they have plenty of lifts) and that half hour is including stopping to watch the important plays in the football game.
They need to show you where in the factory labor manual calls for 3.5 hours labor - It doesn't. - If they cannot show you this, then you need to contact the Lexus zone rep.
Last edited by LScowboyLS; 11-27-13 at 03:23 PM.
Trending Topics
11-27-13, 03:02 PM
#8
That's high. I was stranded and wound up at a local Lexus dealership, they tapped me $670. They did provide an ES350 which was untypical for a short repair but I wasn't going to turn it down. 
Less than an hour some odd they called saying the car was done. I barely felt I had left the dealership, got home and was on the way back. 
Drove the ES for less than 20 miles.
Less than an hour some odd they called saying the car was done. I barely felt I had left the dealership, got home and was on the way back. Drove the ES for less than 20 miles.
11-27-13, 04:32 PM
#9
Not to be the bearer of bad news but a re-manufactured Denso on RockAuto is $131
I would talk with the service manager first. If that does not work then try the general manager and / or the local Lexus zone rep as cowboy mentioned. You got ripped off.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...6r7dd5und7ea26
I would talk with the service manager first. If that does not work then try the general manager and / or the local Lexus zone rep as cowboy mentioned. You got ripped off.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...6r7dd5und7ea26
Last edited by Lavrishevo; 11-27-13 at 04:39 PM.
11-27-13, 04:35 PM
#10
Oh jeez. I repaired my original alternator at a local shop for $50. Installed in about 20 minutes (took an hour to get it out, with online instructions and never doing ANY alternator). You definitely took it up the bum on that one. I'm in SoFla btw. And yes, I got a shop to shop discount on the alternator rebuild.
If you're in SFL there's a shop on dixie hwy near prospect road that does starters and alternators.
If you're in SFL there's a shop on dixie hwy near prospect road that does starters and alternators.
11-27-13, 05:14 PM
#11
For the price you paid for that re-manufactured alternator, you could have gotten a 240A Mechman high output alternator. That alternator you got was marked up 305% from that RockAuto link that Lavrishevo posted earlier. Even if you weren't ripped off on the time, you were most definitely ripped off on the part.
11-27-13, 09:53 PM
#13
Lexus Champion
OK, my bad, my statement of being able to do the alternator in 30 minutes would be accurate on 90-97 models, on the 98-00 you have one additional step, remove and install power steering pump, so add another 15-20 minutes, but I am still under an hour while simultaneously catching the important plays in the football game, so the fact remains, they are scammin' big time on the labor at 3.5 hours! 
Last edited by LScowboyLS; 11-27-13 at 10:00 PM.
11-27-13, 10:30 PM
#14
why go OEM when you can upgrade the parts. getting replacements is just silly to me. and it litererally should take no more than 2 hours TOPS. 3 hours if you dont know what the heck youre doing
11-28-13, 12:15 AM
#15
OK, my bad, my statement of being able to do the alternator in 30 minutes would be accurate on 90-97 models, on the 98-00 you have one additional step, remove and install power steering pump, so add another 15-20 minutes, but I am still under an hour while simultaneously catching the important plays in the football game, so the fact remains, they are scammin' big time on the labor at 3.5 hours!
