All That A Corolla Needs...

September 4, 2012

Bought an approved used 06 plate corolla from the dealer in Wirral a couple of years ago. Negotiated with the salesperson requesting for 3 services to be thrown in for the sticker price. He agreed for "Toyota essential service" as a 3 year service plan...

Got the service plan in post a few weeks later - offered only 2 services under the same heading "3 year essential (dealer) service "!! I took this up with the salesperson who consulted his manager and basically said "tough -nothing more" May consider offering "something" when you come for your third service... Same response when I took up the issue during first service, a year later.

Recently had the second "essential service" - on reaching home, I checked under the hood- the air filter caked in dust and dirt, unchanged!!! Took back to the dealer and the assistant at the desk helpfully explained that what my service plan meant was just an engine oil and oil-filter change and a visual safety inspection and nothing else.. On close questioning, admitted that this was indeed what was done on the previous occasion as well. So gone 2 full years with just an oil change.

Complained to Toyota GB and to the dealer principal. The response was that all the car needed was just an oil and filter change by the highly trained Toyota mechanics and that the Toyota service stamp is all that counts when anyone trades-in a car to them. They however offered to do the 3rd years' service free...

This has indeed an eye opener to me - by their own admission, there is no real need for anything other than an oil and filter change and I am sure my local independent is skilled enough for that. When you buy a car with "Toyota service history", that is exactly what it is -stamps on paper and not any pointer towards what really has been done for the car. I will be getting my future services at my local trusted independent for a much better rate.....

September 6, 2012

I stopped taking our t sport to toyota when the wifes sisters car went in for a service and mot and came back with a list of faults and prices next to them, the main one being would reccomend new air filter, as this had just been serviced, i phoned to query this and was told they only change the air filter on the major service not the intermediate one,

they had also given her the check sheet of what they check, brakes for wear, tyre tread etc , our car was booked in the following week which they where going to charge me £145 to change the oil and filter and a quick once over,

that got rapidly cancelled bought a genuine filter of them £9 and got some oil (not the cheapo crap) from the local motor factors and did it myself, i hate being ripped of by garage's myself.