Car dealership ripoff: Hidden-camera investigation

I never watched the video but I flat ass busted my local dealers service shop not changing the oil filter with a oil change. Anyone that has a full skid plate knows it almost impossible not to get some oil on the skid plate when changing the oil. You also know it’s impossible to remove bolts without leaving tool marks. I asked my dealer to do an oil filter and oil change as well as greasing the I joints on my brand new Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road. I specifically pointed out to the shop manager the new Tacoma now has grease fittings on the drive shafts and to make a note to the technician to be sure to grease them. I picked the truck up after the service was complete and drove it home. I decided to check the driveshaft grease zerks to confirm they hadn’t forgot to grease it. There was no grease on the zerks and no grease coming out of the u joints anywhere.

I was plenty pissed but decided to grease it myself. While I was under there I looked at the skid plate and was impressed no oil got on it. I thought that can’t be real so I looked at all the bolts one would have to remove to change the oil and sure enough not a single bolt had tool marks. I pulled the dipstick and the oil was honey colored (first oil change). I called the dealership and explained my suspicion and the service manager and a master technician evaluated the truck and confirmed the oil was changed but not the filter. I was promised nobody would ever touch my truck from that day forward but the master technician. I’m not sure if someone got fired or not but they should have. Otherwise, I’ve never had any issues with either of my two local Toyota Dealerships.

 

Saving this for later.

 

Great post. This is exactly the reason I never have and never will trust a dealership service department. It makes you wonder how much they make a year scamming people into extra "services" they don't need.

 

That’s why I drive 2hours to the Toyota dealership I trust for my oil changes, as I know the mechanic who will be working on my truck.
And I’m do for the 60,000km service (37,000miles) And they told me what this thread tells me, so good to go.
https://www.tundras.com/threads/tundra-maintenance-guide.315/

 

Pretty good video, boy those service advisors are clueless on how vehicles actually work. I never knew they worked off commission..makes total sense why they hate warranty work and act like its a waste of time.

 

Why are people surprised that some people are shit?
It doesn't matter if its a dealership, contractor, officer, politician, etc... shit people exist in every realm and reason of life.

That being said, society moves forward because enough good people in all the above areas also exist.
To make claims that "ALL DEALERSHIPS" and such is such horseshit.

Working in the business myself and those who know me on here and elsewhere, can speak enough about my own general character. In my own dealership, MOST are actually great people... SOME are shit, those usually end up getting fired or quitting because they don't fit into our culture. Everything starts from top down.

I don't care to get into a pissing fight with anyone, but I'd really wish people stopped speaking in ALL terms and instead realized that maybe a better realization is words/terms like MANY could be more appropriate, or maybe look at all your personal experiences and guess what the only common denominator is... not the dealerships and its workers, it's yourself.

Again yes, MANY people in every faucet of life can suck, but if you go into every situation with a dick of an attitude, you're going to find more assholes. (see what I did there)

Most people are great, many people are turds and some are just stupid.

end rant...

 

Marketplace is a great show, I learn consumer stuff off them all the time.

 

Marketplace... then I saw you were also Southern Ontario... very nice.

 

Yar I don't. Just about everyone I meet comes in walls up and just have to always work through it. Reasonable enough.
This just touches the skin sometimes, however people are too quick to generalize in general is probably more so what I was after.

Also coulda just been a long day today hahaha. Such is life
If i can help change just one mind today

 

This is why I always do all my own maintenance. It pays to be paranoid. The only thing I'd consider letting a REPUTABLE dealership do on my truck is the transmission drain/fill (no flushing).

 

That's 'cause you slammed a bunch of shots of it the same night you got it.

 

I didn't realize you were recording when I slammed all those shots. Carm knows I love those mini red solo cups!

 

Thanks for this, someone looking at it like a level headed human. I'm gonna stay out of this thread tho... I have lots to say but won't because I don't think it'll change people's views

 

What dealerships are good in the Denver Metro area? I live in Aurora and have a 2018 with the full 2 year maintenance package, so I need to have the dealership take care of it through 2020.

 

I've had good luck so far at both East and West Stevenson's Dealers.

 

Although Sears Auto Service is not a dealership, Sears Auto had a few similar videos come to light several years ago in California. Hit the local news. Huge amount of scamming/ripoffs going on. Quite frankly I don't think Sears Auto Service department ever truly recovered. I don't go there anymore. Haven't for years.

 

An auto dealership is a contractor, same as a plumber, HVAC, electrician, carpenter, or private mechanic....some are honest and do quality work, others just...well....don't. I deal with almost all of the trades and every local contractor in my county due to my job. I know which ones are shady, will cut corners, or recommend work that's not required. I feel all of the same things can be said for dealerships.

-Only have had to visit my local Toyota dealer once in the last 5 years, for the airbag recall on my Toyota Matrix. Brought it in specifically for the recall, scheduled appointment, nothing else. A service adviser called me on the intercom since I was walking the lot. I got inside and he proceeded to tell me I really needed brakes, wipers, transmission flush, and that I was only 700 miles away from an oil change so I may as well do it now. My brakes were 1/2 life at least, wipers were 2 month old Bosch I-beams, transmission fluid perfect but I have a local guy anyway, and oil changes are all in my own driveway. Told him thanks but no thanks. He offered $50 off next service visit if I had any of the recommended work done. Still said thanks, but no thanks. I don't know what kind of pressure these service advisers are under, but it seems like a high pressure sale situation. I was also approached no less than 4 times on the lot and offered everything under the sun to trade in the Matrix for a new this or new that. Overall just one of those experiences that makes me not want to return unless 100% necessary.

-Recently at my local Chevrolet dealer, Wifeys Mazda5 was purchased there and we have service credits and an extended warranty through them. Completely opposite experience with the Chevy dealer. Work that we wanted done was done, no other work was recommended. Safety inspection was performed. Car came back spotless inside and out, vacuumed, washed, and dried. Only talked casually to one sales guy on the lot for the time I was there. No pressure to buy, sell, trade, or additional service. Disclaimer: I'm not a GM fanboy and don't have any interest in their product line unless it's a 1 ton in a few years.

Some are good, some are bad. I don't think it's brand specific.

 

So true, that's why its good to know some basic stuff, or actually read the owners manual.
That's why I got my boy @Lucas7154350 .. Took care of a few nor cal members as well.