Fluid flush?

by **Titan_X** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:22 am

Hi, all!

I need some suggestions. I took my '06 Solara SE to the local Toyota dealership this past weekend for an oil change and tire rotation. Spoke with the service technician, who recommended several fluid system flushes, as the mechanic had said my power steering and transmission fluid was "completely black". The technician also suggested I have the engine head flushed as well, along with replacing my battery (battery replacement was free since it was still under warranty). They wanted to charge anywhere from $100-200 per fluid system flush. Well, other than the free battery, I decided against it at the time.

I bought my Solara brand new in July of '06 and she only has just over 24,000 miles on her. I haven't checked the fluids myself yet, but I still can't imagine why the fluids would "need" to be replaced so soon. If I had 45,000 - 60,000 miles on the car, I might understand. From my experience, manufacturers don't specify intervals for replacing fluids other than engine oil, and any intervals come from manufacturers of the flush machines that most dealers buy.

So, my question is should I get the fluid flushed (probably not for that price) or was the dealer trying to make a sucker out of me?

by **Black Bob** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:23 am

Listen carefully: THEY ARE TRYING TO USE YOUR RECTUM AS A STIMULUS PACKAGE....in other words--they're full of it and ripping you off. At 24,000 miles nothing needs to be flushed. Period!

by **Titan_X** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:32 am

Black Bob wrote:THEY ARE TRYING TO USE YOUR RECTUM AS A STIMULUS PACKAGE....

Well said, Black Bob. Thanks!

I got a survey call from the dealership asking me to rate my experience. I made sure to let them know how I felt.

by **Black Bob** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:34 am

Sorry if I sound bitter but it seems in these tough economic times more and more dealerships and auto service companies are resorting to outright lying to potential customers. Currently shopping around for new tires myself and one frikken shop told me they needed to order stock replacements (Bridgestone Turanzas) straight from Toyota FROM JAPAN and I should expect an up-charge on top of the price of the tire. He said that while looking me dead in the eye with a straight face. I felt like sticking my foot so far up that guy's rear that I would had to uncurl my toes to get it out of his nasal cavities. But luckily I was sober........

by **PXLpainter** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:54 pm

Amazing what stealerships actually attempt to get away with! :roll:

...right up there with a "blinker fluid flush"! :lol:

by **Titan_X** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:02 am

Black Bob wrote:Sorry if I sound bitter...

No need to apologize. You're just being an educated consumer.

If I remember correctly, on the same visit, the dealership (Clearwater Toyota) had told me I need to have my wheels balanced and aligned. I told them that can't be true because I just had them aligned a month before because of an accident where I needed to have my rear passenger side wheel and strut replaced, and the car drove perfectly straight for me. The tech couldn't think of a response to that so he gave up.

I got a call from the dealership the other day for a customer satisfaction survey. I let them know exactly how I felt. Whether or not they'll do anything about it remains to be seen, but at least I made them aware of the problem.

Thinking in retrospect, maybe this should have gone in the dealership bad experiences forum... If the mods want to move it there, go for it.

by **prometheus** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:33 am

Black Bob wrote:Listen carefully: THEY ARE TRYING TO USE YOUR RECTUM AS A STIMULUS PACKAGE....in other words--they're full of it and ripping you off. At 24,000 miles nothing needs to be flushed. Period!

thats freakin funny.
i learned not to go to the stealership after the 20th time of getting robbed by them,
now with this new job, i have a bunch of time at work to watch youtube and monkeysee and check the SG forums to educate myself on the fluids and engine parts....etc

damn fockers

by **Titan_X** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:35 pm

Finally had some time to check my fluids today, and sure enough the power steering fluid is a clean amber color and transmission fluid is a nice clean red. Not sure who they thought they were fooling.

Maybe they forgot what I did when they told me I needed to replace my air filter after just 15K miles. Asked the technician for a wastebasket and beat the dirt out into it and told him, "There, now put it back in."

by **prometheus** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:26 pm

Titan_X wrote: Asked the technician for a wastebasket and beat the dirt out into it and told him, "There, now put it back in."

hahaha good job. thats funny. :evilbat:

by **Titan_X** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:03 pm

prometheus wrote:
Titan_X wrote: Asked the technician for a wastebasket and beat the dirt out into it and told him, "There, now put it back in."

hahaha good job. thats funny.

Yeah, why pay almost $50 for an air filter if you don't really need it?

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