Dealer oil change would be laughable...

On every vehicle I've owned, I've done my own oil and filter changes. Laying underneath them is a great place to take a nap.

Until your dog licks your face or your Wife kicks your feet.

 

I'm not trying to convince you to do anything. You said my cake analogy was, "Not a fair comparison by any means". I disagree.

 

I sold my 08 Highlander and got the 4runner I almost bought one in 2018. I will miss the ease of changing the oil on the Highlander. (simply access door), so I guess I will pull the skid plate myself first before going to dealer. I also have two Ford products that have a cardboard pad that must come down before you can change oil. I let the dealer do the oil changes until I buy the first set of tires - then its free.

 

It would be if I bought the oil, the filter, the filter removal tool, the catch pan, then brought it all to a shop and asked them to change my oil using all the stuff I brought them.

 

Interesting responses. I can easily change my oil and filter. Have all the tools, race ramps, etc. But I don't want to. At 73 I just don't like getting "under" the vehicle anymore. Plus, I want a tire rotation at the same 5K mile oil change interval. I can get the vehicle jacked on all four corners, but it's a real PITA. Much easier to let the service tech do the rotation and check the tire pressure while it's on a lift. Even when I was young, I hated doing tire rotations. LOL
But fortunately for me, I have what seems like a good Dealership 1.5 miles from me. My 4R is my second new purchase from them. (Previous 10' FJ Cruiser) Knock-on-wood, I've never had an issue with their sales or service departments. I happen to know the assistant service manager as a regular acquaintance, which probably helps.
By coincidence, I just had a 5K mile oil change and tire rotation done this morning. All went well. In and out in an hour. But I still check the oil dipstick myself before leaving, and check under the vehicle when I get home. LOL

 

That's the kind of dealership most people would love to have. I would have taken them up on the ToyotaCare (I did not) if I'd had a dealer like that.

In my case, I have two shops within a block of where I work that I trust to at least change the oil in my Tacoma and 4R without messing up anything, but I still remove the skid plates. It makes it easier to inspect afterwards. And, one of the shops will rotate the tires for no extra charge.

 

You know I thought about it, for like 10 seconds while I was under there, but I wound up thinking there was no way that could go wrong. Guess I was wrong. But at least he didn't strip the bolts out putting it back on, maybe it was a blessing in disguise?

 

I hear you, and you should understand that I have done EVERYTHING on every vehicle I have owned for the past 20 years. And I have done 2 oil changes on the 4R already myself. I just figured I'd idiot proof the opportunity to save 60 dollars in oil and filter. I'll do my next in in 5K and let Toyota do the 20k oil change. But this time I'll take the access door off myself.

 

Back when I took my 2nd gen Tacoma to the dealer for oil changes, the fastest sessions I experienced in the ExpressLube lane were about 20 minutes from dropping off the keys at the service desk to picking up the keys. Toyota probably pays the dealer, and in turn the technician, for even less than that. How much extra time and effort do you think the technician would spend on a 4Runner factory skid plate? 2 minutes? 5 minutes? When the masses of Highlanders and Camrys don't have it? @qcTRDct wanted an experienced technician. I'm sure the one he got was very experienced - he probably did 90 oil changes in the past week alone...

 

Or leave that silly drain plug access panel off permanently. Tacoma engine skids have just a hole there. Most aftermarket skids have an open hole there.

 

Start listing the dealerships, praise for the legitimate ones and distain for the rest.

 

I’m taking my 23 to my mechanic tomorrow morning for my 1000 mile oil change. I have 2 mechanics that I trust. The older one been with since early 80’s. The younger one has the same work ethic. Very careful. And my older one prefers not to do my oil changes on my 19 Z06 so my younger guy does it. He is doing the oil change tomorrow because I don’t trust the dealers doing it.

 

I'd support a sticky thread like that on these forums, if one doesn't already exist! Good idea.

So far I have had no issues with Matick Toyota (Macomb, Michigan) with any of my Toyota's... except the price goes up alittle every 6 months when I go in What used to be $40 for an oil change is now $71 the last time I went in.

Underbody panels, oil filter housing, drain plug still look pretty good sans the witness marks from sockets/wrenches. Gets entered on the Toyota vehicle service history and I shut my face and be a good little Toyota cuck until the next 5,000 miles/6months comes around lol

I change the oil myself on literally everything else.- I have 5 other non-Toyota vehicles.

 

The dog licking your face is fine. As for the wife, kick her back.

The dog loves unconditionally.

 

I worked at a Honda dealership for seven years, I could tell stories that would curl your hair. One personal story. Owned a 2005 Toyota TRD Off Road Double Cab, bought new, foolishly took it in for a full service. Oil change, tire rotate, air & cabin filter change, etc. Paid the bill inside, the SA said I’ll drive it around to the front. While waiting I read the RO as to what was done. Here it came around the corner. SA got out and said thank you come again. I said, wait a second, let’s go over what was done. He said sure. I said, did you rotate the tires? He said yes, it’s right there on the RO. I said, no you didn’t. He said why would you say that. I said, you see that black mark on the side wall of the front driver’s side tire. He said yes. I said, that’s where I marked it with a sharpie before I left home and it’s in the same place as before I got here. I then said, pop the hood, the RO states you changed the air filter. He said, yes we did. I popped off the four clips, pulled out the air filter and said, you see that black line on the side of the air filter element, I said that’s where I marked it with a sharpie before I left home. It did appear like they blew it out with an air chuck. Before I could go any further, because I additionally marked the oil filter canister, he stopped me and said, do you have some extra time, I’ll take it to the back and get this resolved. I said, do you have a camera. He asked me why, I said I want you to take a picture of me because your never going to see me again, you only get one chance to fuck me, bye bye. I’m the one who should have had the camera, because the look on his face was priceless.

 

Hahaha, I have a similar story. Took the wife's Durango to the Dodge dealer we bought it from as she had bent the wheel hitting a curb or pothole or something. Was told by the tire shop that found the issue that the dealer might be able to repair it and that they had balanced it the best that they could.

I went by first thing in the morning with an appointment thinking they would zip off the wheel, throw on the spare and I would be out in 30min or so and they would repair the wheel in a couple of days. Well I ended up sitting there for over an hour waiting. They had big windows so you could watch the tech's work. Saw the tech fumbling around trying to get the spare out and having a difficult time. I was tired of waiting and walked out there and told him I needed to get to work and I would be happy to help him put the spare on. Needless to say he declined but he finally got the spare put on and I left. That evening I opened the rear hatch and discovered that he had torn the cheap leather bag that held the tools to drop the tire and had popped out all the clips to the access cover so that the cover was not closing properly. I popped the clips back in and got the cover installed correctly. Called the dealer the next morning and they said they would replace the bag.

Few days later I get the call that the wheel had been repaired. I go by after work and they put the wheel back on and put all tools back properly and I head home. I park the car and walk to the mailbox, as I'm walking back toward the car I notice that one tire looks a little weird. I take a closer look and compare it to the other tire on that side and realize they put the wrong tire back on the wheel! Not just a different brand but an entirely different size too lol. I mean, c'mon, really? Next day I call them up and tell them what I found, they apologize and say to bring it back so they can put the correct tire on. I arrive and speak to the SA and ask if they are going to remove the wheel weights and re-balance the wheel with the correct tire, he says yes they will remove and re-balance. I sit and wait and after a bit he says I'm good to go. I walk out to the car and check the weights, walk back in and ask the SA again if they removed the weights to re-balance. He says they removed them. I ask him to come with me to the car. I show him black dots I put on each stick on wheel weight and tell him I marked the weights and that they had not been removed. He goes pale and apologizes and says he will take it right back in.

To wrap it up, after all that, the wife tells me later that night the the rubber mat from the back of her car is missing. Great... So the next morning I go back to the dealer. I park by the service bays, get out and walk around all the bays. I don't talk to anyone and just look around and pretend I own the place. Located the missing mat and put in the back and left.

Not that it matters much but it bothered my OCD at first. When they put the correct tire on, they put it on reversed of how it was but I was so done at that point I just left it that way. At least they weren't directional tires. It was just that the lettering was slightly different or backwards or some other minor detail that I don't exactly remember that made it not match the other 3. You would only noticed it up close when comparing it side by side. It was definitely my original tire, I looked at the sidewall that was now on the inside and it matched perfectly to the other 3 that were facing outward.

Have not been back to that clown show ever since and have sworn off all dealer services as much as I can.

 

What Hype??

 

Understand that totally - I reluctantly went with a knock-off Chinese skid because it looks like the OEM plate in most every respect and has an access panel. For 99% of the population no one will be able to tell it isn't Toyota factory and it makes changing the oil soooooooo much easier.
https://cartrimhome.com/Bumper-Skid-Plate-Protector-Guard-For-TOYOTA-4RUNNER-2014-2021
If you are thinking of going that route, PM me and I'll go into detail about my experience with the skid.

 

^Cool. Instead of PM, start a thread about the CarTrimHome skid. Looks like the access door screws are just threaded into the aluminum with no clip nuts?

 

I had the CTH skid for a while, hoping it would help with oil changes. I believe it has some type of nut insert for the access panel bolts IIRC, but it's been a while since I sold it...I have some photos somewhere, I'll look.

Edit: some decent photos from my FS thread:

https://www.4runners.com/threads/so...d-plate-for-kdss-or-abq-nm.20191/#post-249266

 

It does nothing and it isn't needed unless you're a total goon or let goons work on it.

 

Nah, we're not like that. It's more playful than mean.
One time when she was out of her sewing room, I unplugged her sewing machine. Then later she texted me that something was wrong with it. I came in from my shop and saved the day.

 

Lucky you. Playful is good.

 

the oil is draining 30mins .... did the pans bolts anti seize lube threads ... the BOLT threads is rusted and damaged it ...
I was the silicone spray of the rubber boots ... I WAS THE TRUCK 4X4 DRIVE 24YEARS DID THE RUBBER BOOTS OF THE CV AXLES SILICONE SPRAY ..

 

The only thing dealers are good for these days are warranty repairs - which they will vehemently try to deny your claim.

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

Yeah oil drain takes the most amount of time I've experienced! So I haven't been under mine yet, does the OEM TRD Skid plate have a removeable panel for the filter?

 

Get the one from RCI Metalworks. You never have to take it off unless you want to change the front diff fluid. It has a trap door for the oil filter and pre-drilled hole for the oil drain. It's flawless.