Any experience with Toyota dealer service dept?
 

Anybody have anything good or bad to offer about taking your Toyota to either Phillips in Leesburg or Deluca in Ocala for recall/dealer service???

My 5 year old Camry has never needed dealer service but I have a couple of minor recalls to get checked out and a few little things for them to look into. I am always leery of dealership service depts and am not familiar with either of the local establishments. Any advice or experiences are welcome.

I had good luck with Phillips in Leesburg. The only thing they tried to soak me with, they told me my air filter was dirty and it would cost me around $40 bucks to change it. I said "no thanks" I can do that myself.

I’m using Phillips in Leesburg and have found them to be very efficient and courteous. I’m able to schedule my appointment and they take the car right in.

I have a 2010 toyota rav 4. my dealer hit me up for fifty bucks for a small filter behind the glove box part of the heating/ac system. Was this the same filter they wanted you to buy?

That sounds like a "cabin" filter. My wife just had one replaced in her car at a dealer and it was $39.95 for the part plus labor.


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If you own a Toyota product and you're a do-it-yourself kind of person, you can easily save some bucks by replacing your own cabin air filter. The same would probably hold true regardless of what type of car you have!!

I ordered a bunch of them from a place called Logical-Source www.logical-source.com . I paid right at $50 for 7 of them, no tax, including shipping to my door. I got lucky - we own a Scion xB and a RAV4....and they both use the same cabin air filter. If you drag your feet, the 'Out with the old and in with the new' job on either of these two models will take you 10 minutes max. Real simple - the filter resides in a little compartment behind the glove box. Glove box removal is very easy - no tools required. Pop the lid off the filter compartment, old one out, new one in, pop the lid back on, reinstall the glove box......easy peasy! They even include instructions with helpful photos with the filters. Granted, these are aftermarket filters but they seem fine to me! They're not "mission critical" to anything other than filtering the outside air coming into the passenger compartment.

I was SHOCKED when I first changed ours out - they were filthy! So I change them now every 10-15 k miles.

Bill :)

Yes, I have the 2010 Rav 4 too.

Bill,

Thank-you, thank-you and thank-you. I will order the filters immediately.

Hope it works out well for you!

I don't know what their current pricing will be as I bought these sometime last year, I believe. If you're a real knucklehead like me, you can diddle around with the order quantity and see how it affects shipping charges. You might be able to order one or two more without it changing the shipping charge!

Bill :)

I ordered 5 for 39 bucks. That comes to $7.80 a filter with shipping. Sure beats 5X50= $250 bucks!!!

We've been to Phillips in Leesburg once for the 10K oil change and service. Everyone there seemed very nice. Will continue to to use them for our service needs.

I have not been to either local dealer. I have owned several Toyota's over the past years and have found the dealership service to be a total scam. I love the vehicles, but the service is a rip off.

2000 Toyota Tundra. Gas leak on the filler hose. Toyota wanted $850 as they claimed they had to replace the entire gas tank as a unit. Local mechanic fixed it for $35.

2000 Tundra. Problem going into 4 low 4 wheel drive. Toyota wanted to replace entire automatic transmission at a cost of $2200. Local transmission place replaced a sensor of some type, cost $128

2005 Avalon. A gas sensor on the engine had a problem. Toyota wanted $475, local shop $38

2007 Tacoma. Another gas leak again a difference of $600 and local shop $50

2009 Tacoma. Check engine light, dealer wanted $375, local price was $90

2009 RAV 4. 4 wheel drive light came on and dealer claimed wiring harness issue, cost $750. Local shop $60

These experiences are with 4 different dealerships in Northern Virginia. And in every single case these vehicles were under warranty but they had so many different stories why it was not covered that you just wouldn't believe it. Rock had to fly up from the road and hit something, looks like mice were chewing the wires, and on and on. Very expensive and always no ownership of the problem. I still own two, the 09 Tacoma and the 09 RAV, but they are probably my last. I still really like them, but can't tolerate the service from the dealerships.

I have a 2007 Avalon and have used Phillips in Leesburg for recall and regular oil changes. I have had very good service. They will suggest having "extra" things done, just use common sense and ask questions before saying yes or no. Check out your owners manual for the normal maintenance items.

Mine came in the mail today, and you are right, it was easy to change myself.

Good deal!! Glad it worked out for you!

Bill :)