Is ToyoGuard a mandatory "option"?

I have been told by several dealers that ToyoGuard is a mandatory 'option.' I can't justify spending $699 for two oil changes, four tire rotations, paint sealant and interior protection, and road side and rental car assistance. Has anyone bought a 4Runner lately without ToyoGuard, or bought for at least $699 below MSRP to offset the ToyoGuard cost?

I'm at the point where I can live with paying MSRP, but I still can't stomach paying seven hundred bucks for something that is essentially worthless to me (except possibly the oil changes).

 

Toyoguard sounds like a way for South East Toyota dealers to squeeze some more money out of their customers.

Toyoguard isn't mandatory per Toyota, but your dealership may not sell you a vehicle without it.

 

I don’t know about recently but I call BS bigtime on that.

When I bought mine in 21 the first two years of oil changes are included with any new Toyota.

I would call some other dealers and tell them to stick it. You should not need roadside or rentals unless they don’t have faith in their vehicles.

Too many people are still paying more than MSRP and these markups for dumb stuff. All these extra money grabs.

 

ToyoGuard is 100% an option.

 

I felt the same way, but I was not in a position to bargain. It's a total waste of money, let's face it, and if you can get the dealer to delete it, then that's great. I was just lucky to get a vehicle. I paid $1,000 below MSPR but that was due to my having lost my Land Cruiser to Hurricane Ian and Toyota is offering a $1,000 discount to anyone who can show they lost a car.

It's a gimmick to get more money. But as PVT Pablo said, your dealer may not sell you a vehicle without it.

 

The dealer I bought my 22 from over the summer deleted everything extra but toyoguard. He said SE Toyota wouldn’t let him. I’ve always refused it before but this time I was happy to get everything else the way I wanted it.

 

All the more reason to find a new dealer.

I would ask, with a reply in writing, if the portions of Toyoguard are applied at the dock when it arrives or when it arrives to the dealer. If its when it arrives to the dealer, its 100% an option, but if it arrives to them already applied, then its not an option. Remember, your dealer has no control over what is done at the dock and you can not special order anything this year. If Toyota goes through with the "Overland Packages" they showed at SEMA, then you can special order when the next gen is avialble I would think.

 

Delivered last day of September and only had Sunroof & Safe added to 2023 TRD ORP

 

I hope consumers get the power back soon. Not buying vehicles would switch the power.

 

We do have the power as consumers just need to exercise it. One of the first rules of negotiating is that you have to be willing to walk away from the deal.

 

I'm surprised people are willing to pay these interest rates. I didn't keep a perfect credit score to pay 6% on a vehicle. At some point, it will force them to offer incentives or low APR's. Same thing with all these add-ons. Consumers keep letting dealers move the goalposts and accept more and more things just so they can have a vehicle.

 

Did you buy in TX or FL? Or elsewhere?

 

Bought in Texas.

 

Thanks Mickey. PM sent.

 

I tried to buy an in stock 4runner trail in army green (Alberta Canada) from several dealers and not one of them would sell it to me with less than 10k CAD in accessories and BS fluff. Like a 700 dollar dash cam. End of the day I was so disgusted by dealers that I bought private and ended up with a used 2018 TRD OR. Better equipped than a trail in the end. I just really wanted army green as I had just sold my army green Tacoma.

 

I always thought dealers who do this it would bite them in the ass later. It never did.

 

well not yet but it eventually comes around.

 

Sorry but still disagree. Started selling Toyota’s 1968 and retired 2014 spending the last 25 years of my time as a GM of the Toyota store. We never had a car crisis like now in this length but many shorter ones. Watched the big city dealers do $1000 to $4000 markups over msrp. Thought every time the customer would remember that crap, really they never did.

 

The whole industry though is going through change. This mandatory push to EVs will change a dealerships revenue maker being service. EVs won’t require the oil changes and many other maintenance items a car today does. So people are simply only going to go to one to buy a car. This dynamic could change also look at Tesla not using dealers and Ford seems to be going to direct orders lately which makes one wonder what will their dealers do exactly?

I guess I am old school, treat people with respect and treat them fairly and people want to do business with you. We all have to make a dollar to make a living but if you take advantage I believe it catches up with you.

 

I agree it will catch up. I won’t be buying from those dealers. Eventually this bubble will pop and interest rates and accessory markups will be a thing of the past. Of course Toyota as a whole is not going to suffer from it.