THIS is Why Dealerships get Bad Reputations! Makes me Very UPSET!

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  • čas přidán 28. 05. 2024
  • THIS is why dealerships get bad reputations. This also applies to the car repair industry as a whole.
    We find out in this video how the owner of this 2008 Toyota Highlander kept going from dealership to dealership and from auto shop to auto shop and NONE of these could address their Simple and basic concerns!
    The dealership's service department often are called Stealership or other bad names which makes me sad, but in some cases they actually earn that name because of their ways!
    Mechanics need to inspect cars properly, Report everything they find then make recommendations based on their findings on what needs addressing now and what can wait. Then they need to stop talking and let the owner of the car make a decision while answering any questions they have. This sometimes happens but unfortunately as you'll see in this video, it doesn't always happen!
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    #thecarcarenut #cardealership
    0:00 Dealership problems!
    6:55 Car Interior Inspection
    8:18 Under Hood Inspection
    12:21 Under Car Inspection
    19:04 Wiper Issue Diagnosis
    22:18 Sun Roof Drain Checks
    24:39 Conclusion
  • Auta a dopravní prostředky

Komentáře • 1,3K

  • @brucecann1591
    @brucecann1591 Před 2 lety +465

    I’ve been a Toyota technician since 1988 I’m a shop foreman at a large dealer in California. You did a great job with this video I see this all too often in my job. It really does make a bad name for the industry. Your attention to detail is excellent. Keep up the good work.

    • @TheCarCareNut
      @TheCarCareNut  Před 2 lety +32

      Thank you Bruce!

    • @muumarlin1731
      @muumarlin1731 Před rokem +7

      Bruce - taking my car to you!! Seems like you can help oversee a proper inspection and deal fairly with the customer:)

    • @dinhscot
      @dinhscot Před rokem +5

      The owner loves his Toyota and it showed how clean and well they keep it. I too am really pissed of at Dealership and repair shop not doing the right thing and not repairing the car correctly...

    • @Rob-ik2cv
      @Rob-ik2cv Před rokem +6

      Trust is a beautiful thing, once it is earned. I imagine you have that, Bruce.

    • @TheIpadiphone
      @TheIpadiphone Před rokem +2

      Bruce what city are you in? so I can take my car to you

  • @rhynod6796
    @rhynod6796 Před 2 lety +415

    I'm convinced dealerships overlook issues they would need to replace under warranty. Once the warranty expires they will charge you twice as much to replace something that should have been noticed during previous service intervals.

    • @wholeNwon
      @wholeNwon Před 2 lety +10

      No kidding!

    • @Odat
      @Odat Před 2 lety +35

      I heard from a friend who worked at a dealer is that they when they do warranty work they get paid the full amount by Toyota so I’m not sure why they wouldn’t want to do it. Sometimes they have to get the warranty work approved first.

    • @wholeNwon
      @wholeNwon Před 2 lety +36

      Don't know about Toyota but they are usually paid on a lower scale and, since the manufacturer supplies the parts, they don't get their usual mark-up on the inflated price to the consumer.

    • @Chewyzard
      @Chewyzard Před 2 lety +30

      @@Odat warranty time is not worth doing most of the time. The pay is really low for warranty jobs.

    • @dtna
      @dtna Před 2 lety +10

      @wholeNwon That is not true. Dealers are paid their normal "labor rate" + parts mark-up on their parts. Call a Toyota dealership near you and ask them what their hourly labor rate is. It is probably ~$100+. That is why once your car is out of warranty, you should seek an independent Toyota repair facility. One that worked for a dealership and is factory trained.

  • @clutchinv1803
    @clutchinv1803 Před 2 lety +15

    I went to a local Lexus dealer for an oil leak and they came back with a long list of items that they told me needed to be replaced. Not only did they misdiagnose the oil leak but they told me I need new spark plugs and a new serpentine belt which were both replaced about a month before my visit to this dealership. When I told my service advisor, he had this weird look on his face and then came back and showed me a picture of my “worn serpentine belt”. I’m convinced that he took a picture of a belt from another vehicle. $193 diagnostic fee down the toilet. I knew better than to go to the dealer. I left a horrible Google review and when they tried to call me I ignored all their calls. Stay away from Ourisman Lexus of Rockville. There I said it. Screw them

  • @vicinvesta8349
    @vicinvesta8349 Před rokem +36

    There are just two options really. You either learn and fix everything yourself (and that includes not just cars, but everything). Or you earn enough money so that any repair cost or just getting a new car every 3 years does not matter to you.
    Being without money and having no skills is the worst.

    • @TheStealthbob
      @TheStealthbob Před rokem +3

      Bought a new Mazda CX9 in 2017, I have been the only person to lay a wrench on it. Funny enough, not ONE mechanical failure after 230,000KM's. Its a good car but I cant help but thinking what would have failed if I trusted the stealership for all the maintenance. My goal will be to get this over 500,000 KM's, just hope the rust (Canada) doesn't get it first.

    • @vicinvesta8349
      @vicinvesta8349 Před rokem

      @@TheStealthbob totally doable. A car in caring knowledgable hands will run for a really long time. Try some rustproofing. People show good results just by washing undercarriage and applying Fluid Film. Needs to be done at least once a year.

    • @henrykemka2164
      @henrykemka2164 Před 5 měsíci

      A very honest and simple consideration for all to digest. You're a straight shooter. Like myself, you call it the way you see it!

    • @henrykemka2164
      @henrykemka2164 Před 5 měsíci

      Oh man, the more I think about your statement, the better I feel about being earnest

    • @purringc5552
      @purringc5552 Před 23 dny

      That's what I had to do. Learn to fix it myself. I just didn't have the money to have it done. Mistakes were made along the way, but knowledge and wisdom were learned. And most importantly, I'm still learning.

  • @MatthewBonacci3881
    @MatthewBonacci3881 Před 2 lety +95

    This is why I do my own work. Hard to find not only an honest mechanic but a competent one.

    • @ACommenterOnYouTube
      @ACommenterOnYouTube Před rokem +1

      Amen

    • @marco1173
      @marco1173 Před rokem +5

      Yup. And even the good ones sometimes fail. I took a '10 GTI to my mechanic of 10+ years for an oil pressure issue and they couldn't fix it. It sat in my garage for months while I researched the issue that turned out to be a missing oil filter inner tube that costs $16. My mechanic was suggesting swapping the engine for over $3k, lol

    • @ryans413
      @ryans413 Před rokem +3

      I do most the work myself but I don’t know everything and I still use a shop for some work. When I go to the shop I straight up tell them what I’d like done that way they know I’m not someone they can push over. Most the time I know the issues just don’t know how to fix it. I’m still learning I don’t own a garage or a driveway so doing work outside on the street is not always the best thing.

    • @LasseDeleuran
      @LasseDeleuran Před 9 měsíci +3

      I like to do my own work too... only problem is my own incompetence! :D

    • @TechCrazy
      @TechCrazy Před 9 měsíci

      I am in the same boat. I wish I lived closer to AMD.

  • @jeffbaldwin9842
    @jeffbaldwin9842 Před 2 lety +73

    I bet the dealership that reported the life threatening oil leak wouldn't have actually done anything but charge for the repair. Lots of fraud in the auto repair business and dealerships lead the way. They can't even fix a burnt headlight connector? What a joke.

    • @MT-zh3kx
      @MT-zh3kx Před 2 lety +5

      Just a bad tech and a hungry service writer from a none good Toyota dealer.

    • @kenhoward3512
      @kenhoward3512 Před 2 lety +7

      The technician likely didn't even inspect the connector.

  • @jwilkers1
    @jwilkers1 Před 2 lety +82

    At my former shop we made CZcams videos showing the condition and why we recommended work before and then after work was completed. This effectively took the trust issue off the table since people could see specifically why their vehicle needed work. On issues where testing was required they were shown the tests before and after. Many times customers trusted us and didn't bother looking at the materials we sent but often it made die-hard believers out of our customers and a few times it saved us from customers that would claim something "wasn't doing that before", it was always nice to pull up their video and give them a specific time stamp showing yes indeed it was faulty before and here's the video evidence.

    • @thereissomecoolstuff
      @thereissomecoolstuff Před rokem +8

      That is a great way to do business. Especially as easy as it is now. My tech takes before and after photos and then keeps them for future repair needs. Huge fan of doing that.

    • @2k_
      @2k_ Před rokem +2

      that's amazing for both.

    • @duanehenicke6602
      @duanehenicke6602 Před rokem +5

      If I had $1,000 for every time i had a repair done on a tractor or vehicle, and it came back with (multiple) problems that it didn't have before. I would owe $0. Plus money in the bank..... All my stuff is so old, i have to diagnose it for them. Source the parts. And tell them what they need to install them. 🤦‍♂️

    • @nunyabeezwacks1408
      @nunyabeezwacks1408 Před 18 dny

      My Toyota dealership does this and I appreciate it.

    • @jwilkers1
      @jwilkers1 Před 18 dny +1

      @@nunyabeezwacks1408 my customers loved it because they didn't have to trust me they could see for themselves

  • @Pfsif
    @Pfsif Před 2 lety +35

    Went into a Hyundai dealership for a recall, the "service writer" said they checked out the whole car and said they found $3500 worth of repairs that needed to be done. One of the itemized issues was a left front noise for $650 ( there was no noise). I looked at the service writer and said "How do you say this with a straight face"? They also said I needed front brake pads and I said I just put new ones on last month.

    • @rightlanehog3151
      @rightlanehog3151 Před 2 lety +8

      I suspect the individual would probably be fired if he did not produce 'estimates' like that.

    • @nickoshana2246
      @nickoshana2246 Před 2 lety +2

      Years of Practice !

    • @susanmeredith4957
      @susanmeredith4957 Před 2 lety +5

      @@rightlanehog3151 shady dealership. I’d write Hyundai and report it. Thankful my Hyundai dealership has always been honest.

  • @max4377
    @max4377 Před 2 lety +62

    I'm not surprised. I've had issues of my own. Toyota needs to look into what its dealers are doing. 🤔

    • @michigancane4883
      @michigancane4883 Před 2 lety +3

      same with Lexus I had a similar problem with a Lexus dealership that I service my car for 15 years they're awful but I didn't know where else to go

    • @Houndini
      @Houndini Před 2 lety +3

      MAX.
      You got that correct. You should read my post what happened to myself. If I saw that building on fire I wouldn't stop to pee on it. Dealerships are the very ones giving Toyota a very bad name. I hope day be coming very soon. They be no middleman Dealerships. Only direct from the Auto Companies itself & only there own owned professionally controlled service garages. Cut out these greedy crooked middle men.

    • @tharais
      @tharais Před 2 lety +1

      @@Houndini
      Tesla tried that. Did you know that in some states, it is illegal for the manufacturers to sell directly? Just more rent seeking from special interest businesses at the state government level.

    • @kenhoward3512
      @kenhoward3512 Před 2 lety +2

      I've had dealership problems with every brand I've owned. When I've contacted a manufacturer, I've been told, literally (after a series of unproductive calls), "He (ie., the dealer) is an independent businessman. I'll talk to him, but we can't tell him what to do." The harsh reality is, the dealer is considered the manufacturer's customer - not the car buyer.

    • @brad3741
      @brad3741 Před rokem

      Toyota as a company is every bit as corrupt as any particular dealer. You want to know what dictates if Toyota renues a contract to allow a dealer to sell cars? Sales! Business is not about honesty or integrity, it's all about profit

  • @steveboone5450
    @steveboone5450 Před 2 lety +132

    Awesome. I have always said that having an honest and knowledgeable auto technician is one of the most valuable assets you can have -- particularly for those of us who keep their cars for 10-20 years and 200k+ miles. You would not believe how much your viewers would like to have access to you to service their vehicles. Between your brand-specific knowledge, your integrity, and your attitude of saving your customers money by only recommending work that is necessary and being willing to "keep an eye on" minor non-safety issues, you are a gold mine for your customers. Watching your videos over the last year, your honesty and integrity come through so strongly (along with your Toyota-specific knowledge and experience). I am convinced that this is why your channel is so popular and successful. Keep up the great work and continue to set a high bar for other technicians to emulate!

    • @rightlanehog3151
      @rightlanehog3151 Před 2 lety +1

    • @blissfuljoy6049
      @blissfuljoy6049 Před rokem

      I have yet to find a through and honest mechanic and it's beyond frustrating. I'm pretty much convinced that I am not meant to bother with having a car over 100000 miles. I hope I find one some day 🤞

    • @ryans413
      @ryans413 Před 11 měsíci +1

      I know about cars a little and I herd this noise every time I’d turn the wheels lock to lock. So I thought maybe it was bad tire rods. So I went to this shop that had good reviews they looked it over gave me a call and said they found no play in any of the steering and the tires were rock solid no play. I asked if they could test drive the car and listen because the noise is there. They got back to me and said they herd it and said it’s probably the strut mounts but everything was fine the struts were not leaking and they didn’t recommend any repairs. They could have easily said yea we herd the noise you need this this and that. They said as long as your okay with a little noise there’s nothing wrong with the car it’s rock solid. I went back to the shop expecting to pay a diagnostic fee and the guy told me don’t worry about paying for that. I was kinda shocked I was willing to pay the guy for his time. I was just taken back by the honesty of this shop I will definitely return.

    • @alexdesamsonow822
      @alexdesamsonow822 Před 7 měsíci +2

      Perfectly said. AMD is a gem and a good honest man!

    • @blissfuljoy6049
      @blissfuljoy6049 Před 6 měsíci

      @@scout7060 I am so frustrated with the whole older car ordeal. I think the middle of the road way to go about it is to buy new or close to new and keep it for maybe 8 years. Hopefully it will still have some resale value and then use the money to help get another new one. Once cars start to get older it's such a gamble. I wouldn't want to not own a car though.

  • @ajfogertyfan8245
    @ajfogertyfan8245 Před 7 měsíci +4

    When I bought our 2012 Tacoma it came with a free oil and filter change for life perk. At each service, I got a detailed check list of the inspections performed. At about 60 thousand miles at every 5000 mile servicing reports of front brake pad wear, after a number of these reports I was told
    the pads were about to go metal to metal on the rotors and new ones should be installed immediately. Since the pads are a normal wear item, it would of course be on my nickel, and the price they quoted, as is ALWAYS the case, was very high compared to quotes from local chain repair shops and my own mechanic that I have been using for over 20 years. I had my indie replace the pads and it turned out that the original ones were only a little over half worn. At that point I stopped using the dealership for any service and walked away from
    the free oil and filter changes.

  • @scottt7400
    @scottt7400 Před 2 lety +148

    AMD, you are the man. I have had 4 Toyota truck's since 1984, and I for one, appreciate your videos. You are a plethora of information for anything Toyota, and I have learned so much watching your channel. Recently, I purchased a new 2022 Tacoma, and thanks to you, I know the good and the not so good without having to experience it first hand. Knowledge is a wonderful thing, and that is what you empower us Toyota owners with - knowledge.

    • @pierlouis7325
      @pierlouis7325 Před rokem +1

      What happened to the 4 Toyota you had since 84? Accident, pass it down to kids or family, accident. Stolen, crazy chick set it on fire, what the story?

    • @somap8380
      @somap8380 Před rokem +1

      Very well said. 👍

    • @captinbeyond
      @captinbeyond Před rokem +2

      Aren't Tacoma's now assembled and built in Mexico ? Don't want anything built there that cost over a dollar

  • @Mr-Clark
    @Mr-Clark Před 2 lety +26

    How to get dealerships to admit something is wrong:
    Go to a dealership and pretend you want to buy a car telling them you want to trade in your car. You really don't. They will inspect your car for free. Have them print out what they find is wrong with your car. If the dealerships name is on the printout, the better.
    Then go to another dealership where you want them to fix it under warranty. If they deny your claim and say nothing is wrong, you bring out the printout from the other dealership.

    • @dareisnogod5711
      @dareisnogod5711 Před rokem +2

      Sounds like a big hassle that will get you nowhere & that D#2 will talk himself out of.

    • @joebreen5175
      @joebreen5175 Před 7 měsíci

      11:12 11:19 11:19 11:20 11:22

    • @Mr-Clark
      @Mr-Clark Před 7 měsíci

      @@dareisnogod5711 They can talk their way out sure. But you can also contact the manufacturer. If that fails you can sue them. Since one of their authorized dealer acknowledged the problem, a judge might be more inclined in your favor.

  • @keachmister
    @keachmister Před 2 lety +14

    As I retired from the dealership, I had to wish the customer a lot of luck. The 70's 80's gen techs are history. Today, it is what it is.

    • @flight2k5
      @flight2k5 Před 2 lety

      They were still shitty back then

  • @ironsheek834
    @ironsheek834 Před 2 lety +24

    Never bring your car to the dealer unless you are still under warranty,find a trustworthy mechanic is the only way to go

    • @AT-wl9yq
      @AT-wl9yq Před 2 lety +3

      I get what you are saying, but trying to find a trustworthy mechanic that knows how to work on a modern vehicle is not an easy task. If you don't have factory training, you're going to have a very difficult time learning the things you need to know. Not all dealerships are bad. Some are honest, some are not. If you can find a dealer with a halfway decent reputation, there's things you can do as a customer to make things work in your favor.
      You'll always be dealing with a service advisor, but you don't want to stop there. Find some type of excuse to meet the service manager or shop foreman, and even the tech that's working on your car, if you can. You want to be the customer that everyone wants to deal with. If you are the type that's always complaining and hard to deal with, you'll get the minimum. For example, looking at the situation in this video can be done from more than one point of view. By the way the information was presented in the video, it looks like the customer was neglected. And its most likely true. However, that's not always how things work out. If this customer is a typical pain in the ass, they just want to get them out the door with as little interaction as possible. You don't want to be that person. You want to build a relationship where people are happy to see you. Also, always try to give a perfect survey. Those things count for a lot. Those after service surveys that the manufacturer gives you are extremely important to the type of relationship the dealer has with the main company. Even 1 bad survey can be a big deal.
      I know I'm not very good at explaining things, so I'll try and sum things up as best I can. You want someone like the guy in this video working on your cars. I don't know his background, but he's a dealership tech. Maybe not anymore, but he was at some point. That means you could go to a dealership and he could be doing the work. I think most people would be surprised to find out that most dealers have at least 1 or 2 techs that are similar to the guy in the video. Some guys just won't take advantage and do everything by the book. So what I'm recommending is to build a relationship with your dealer. Then you can find the best tech they have and keep requesting him or her to work on your car.
      Just a side comment. As the years go by and cars become more difficult and expensive to repair, I see every day extended warranties bailing customers out on expensive repairs they would not be able to afford otherwise. Its just something to consider.

  • @lindap.p.1337
    @lindap.p.1337 Před 2 lety +2

    I watch a CZcams channel from Canada. The guy lives in his van. The guy left the van for several days for multiple problems at a Ford dealer. The technician texted this van owner, with photos, over every issue. Why not, it is 2022 and we all have phones?
    FYI i HATE my Toyota dealer in Roanoke, VA. We are driving our second and third cars purchased new from this dealer. They have phone numbers and emails on us but we are nearly always told they cannot find our appointment. Once my husband waited 2.5 hours for the 25000 mile check. I mistakenly said I was there for warranty work once and the girl jumped down my throat because she said there was no such thing. She knew EXACTLY what I meant. The last visit I asked them to check my tailgate as it does not always work. The guy said so, does it work or not? They would not check the tailgate without a prepayment of $200. I even spoke with the ser, mgr. who said it was like a deductible on medical care. I told her I had a current ext. watt. purchased from them. She stood her ground. When I got home I checked the manual. I was doing it wrong. But, since then it does randomly malfunction. Did I say I HATE this desler? I will buy in another state 100 miles away the next time.

  • @jessefloyd4835
    @jessefloyd4835 Před 2 lety +78

    I'm so glad there are people like you in the world. I'm a huge diy guy but for special knowledge items I tend to take my car to a shop. If you were in my area I would never take my car anywhere else! Please keep up the good work!

  • @njsongwriter
    @njsongwriter Před 2 lety +22

    Our car recently had a 48,000 mile aftermarket warranty expire. Before it expired we took it to our local Toyota dealership. The transmission had acted up a few times during the three years we had it. They found nothing wrong with it. They said the intermediate steering shaft was making a clunking sound but wasn't a safety issue. Not happy with their findings we took it to the dealer we bought it from which was over an hour from home. They replaced the transmission under warranty. I informed them after getting it back that I could still hear the clunking in the steering. Then they replaced that also under warranty. Now all is good.

  • @toobalicious
    @toobalicious Před 2 lety +17

    I’ve had similar results with my local Toyota dealer. In my case, they botched a four wheel alignment - THREE (3) separate times! On the first, when you took your hands off the wheel, the car swerved right where before the procedure, it went straight. They spent literally fifteen minutes trying to tell me why I was wrong and it was just due to the crown in the road! Of course, the fact that the steering wheel was also now canted 15 degrees in the opposite direction when traveling in a straight line didn’t influence their opinion that the job was done correctly. Needless to say, on the second service visit, they straightened the wheel, but the car still pulled to the right,. After the third visit and no resultant change, I gave up and went to a local independent shop (recommended by my neighbor) who fixed the problems on the first try. Needless to say, the Toyota dealership wouldn’t refund their charges for bad work, nor would they admit anything was wrong. I wish all Toyota dealerships would have somebody like AMD but sadly, they don’t.

    • @valvodka
      @valvodka Před 2 lety +4

      The problem with dealers is their techs come and go. There are good techs and bad techs. You never get the same tech twice. Find a small shop where the is an owner and one or two additional techs. That way you get to know them and they know you. Dealers charge so much more to. They have to pay for fancy waiting rooms and espresso stations.

  • @p6102zrfxe
    @p6102zrfxe Před 2 lety +12

    Before two years, after technician in dealership left mess in my car together with dirty plastic seat cover, I asked to talk with Management. Salesman convinced me to go have a coffee and come back in one hour. When I came back, I got my car cleaned with out need to pay for service. After that incident I have never had a problem with same dealership. Thank you Mrs TCCN and AMD.

  • @Mark_5150
    @Mark_5150 Před 2 lety +4

    I will never go to a Toyota dealership after the experience and the issues I had during and after picking up my car this year, and won't go to other dealership after their ego of trying to sell them over MSRP. Not even going in for my free maintenance, just can't trust them.

  • @budnotu
    @budnotu Před 2 lety +3

    One of the main problems is that the customer's are not allowed to see the work being performe so they never know if the job was ever done.

  • @tinesdof5837
    @tinesdof5837 Před 2 lety +20

    It happened to my friend who owned a 2011 4runner, he went for a oil change, but smart for him marked the oil filter, fresto the oil filter never changed so he called the local newspaper, the dealership apologized, offered him lifetime oil change but declined.

    • @MackTheGovnah
      @MackTheGovnah Před 2 lety +1

      This is a great and simple solution. Mark your oil filter with vertical lines.

    • @zacharypeery4082
      @zacharypeery4082 Před rokem

      Lifetime oil changes using the same filter 😂 I would have declined as well. I enjoy doing a oil change on my vehicle.

  • @calholli
    @calholli Před 2 lety +3

    You can throw a bottle of ATP 205 into your oil and that will slightly swell those seals and "re-condition" them and they will stop seeping.

  • @rightlanehog3151
    @rightlanehog3151 Před 2 lety +26

    AMD, The longer the RANT the better!! Videos like this are the reason I am ready and willing to pay your channel's sky high Subscription fees😂😁😂😁

  • @curtgomes
    @curtgomes Před 2 lety +81

    Excellent video! Finding an honest and reliable automotive repair shop is incredibly hard. I was taking my vehicles to a small shop run by father and son. They were great! Unfortunately, the small shop went out of business due to property lease issues. I have worked on cars all my life and I know when I'm being scammed or the work is poor quality. My local Toyota dealership sucks. I'm having a difficult time even finding a competent shop for a simple oil change! The search is on. It's maddening.

    • @derrickjohnson5219
      @derrickjohnson5219 Před 2 lety

      Well it depends where you live.You just haven't done any research on it or you may have to go a long way.Insane isn't it?

    • @TheRealHungryJoe
      @TheRealHungryJoe Před 2 lety +13

      It really is! Aw sucks when small businesses go down.. I usually find those mom pop shop and support them. Their fair and are honest (for the most part)
      I live in Houston and my mechanic lives in New caney, Texas.. it’s far!

    • @jaimieconroy36
      @jaimieconroy36 Před 2 lety +7

      I understand. I used to go to a local mechanic that I knew and trusted. He is a Honda specialist and ran his independant shop himself. He took good care of my CTV and Fit, but retired last year and moved out of town. It is difficult to replace a trusted mechanic and I don't want to be ripped off at a dealership.

    • @bigcauc7530
      @bigcauc7530 Před 2 lety +1

      What's even more maddening is that the reason these shops and dealers remain incompetent is because the incentive to simply BE in a business is greater than to be GREAT in the business. The bar is set so low because the general population doesn't care about honesty as much as they do about saving, and they don't realize this ends up costing them more as a result of this feedback loop where people no longer care about their chosen craft. It's about the money, not improving the world we live in.
      I'm no expert in cars but I do love mine and i pay attention to people. The honest ones will show you through their actions. The dishonest ones are obvious because they will give customers obscure answers to avoid saying anything and will keep the money coming. Sadly, lying and incompetence seems to get more business from the general public. Honest shops typically attract more honest people who can spot a bad mechanic and they are limited compared to the number of wannabe business owners everywhere.

    • @DylanL69
      @DylanL69 Před 2 lety +2

      If you worked on cars your while life do it yourself oil changes are simple and working on modern cars isn't that difficult to do. I also understand you might be up there in age so you may not be able to

  • @bikerz3857
    @bikerz3857 Před 2 lety +4

    I would freak out if I ever see that much rust underneath my cars!

  • @travissnyder8277
    @travissnyder8277 Před 2 lety +17

    Wow. Just from pulling the headlight connector out, you can instantly tell what the problem was. Never understood why the dealership couldn't diagnose that or the owner himself, lol.

    • @christophershoe9642
      @christophershoe9642 Před rokem

      I think anyone could have noticed the problem with the light if they looked at the connector, but that's just me.

    • @neildean7515
      @neildean7515 Před 4 měsíci

      The piont is, they could diagnose, but, they are greedy and this is not worth their time, so they leave the customer in the wilderness. No wonder people do not trust dealerships.. Oh, its about time you bought a new one Sir… soon change their attitude 💰 greed and profit….Thats all it is

  • @bobwilliamson2828
    @bobwilliamson2828 Před 2 lety +4

    It’s hard to find a mechanic that you trust, wish AMD would move here

  • @THEH2OMAN
    @THEH2OMAN Před 2 lety +7

    Over the years I have developed an excellent working relationship with the service side of my local Toyota dealership, I work mostly with one service writer and he knows not play games or try and up sell me. He also knows to walk me back into the service area and have the tech point out and explain any issues they discover with my trucks, this avoids any confusion and heads off problems.

  • @michesbianan
    @michesbianan Před 2 lety +23

    I just love how very supportive Mrs. Car Care Nut is.

    • @bwest-yq3uc
      @bwest-yq3uc Před 2 lety +2

      She is the FORCE behind it all.

    • @charlesbranch4120
      @charlesbranch4120 Před 2 lety +2

      @@bwest-yq3uc "The FORCE is strong with this one." (the first of the Star Wars films, in describing Luke Skywalker). 🥰🤙

    • @luckyguy600
      @luckyguy600 Před rokem

      We got to see the Mrs. today in the reflection on the rear window! :)

  • @jotu173
    @jotu173 Před 2 lety +8

    I am willing to bet money the "MAF sensor kit" is literally a "kit" of 2 very small spray bottles made by CRC & sold in the WMart auto section for about $7. One can is MAF cleaner and I think the other is throttle body cleaner.

  • @rhawkins4578
    @rhawkins4578 Před rokem +15

    Completely appreciate the way you presented this information. Very important for vehicle owners to understand that we have to use due care when looking for service providers for our "rolling homes". Thanks!

  • @smitty1952
    @smitty1952 Před 2 lety +34

    As a 2013 Toyota Avalon owner I find your videos invaluable. You have helped me out more than once, like my blind spot monitor issue. Keep em coming AMD! Thanks

    • @randomrazr
      @randomrazr Před 2 lety

      whag t was th eissue or solution

  • @Weathernerd27
    @Weathernerd27 Před 2 lety +1

    I stopped going to the dealership because repairs were alot more expensive, I had to replace a rack and pinon because dealer didn't screw on some power steering bolts tight enough/fluid leaked out, and dealer seized oil pan bolt by overtightening it. I then tried a couple independent shops, one shop told me the brakes needed to be replaced when they had at least 50% left and the other shop didn't tell me when the brakes were low and I destroyed 2 rotors. Years ago I was able to take my car to a good mechanic so I know there is such a thing but I've learned most shops rip you off and I'm now learning how to maintain the car myself. The sunroof thing is huge my Co-workers car flooded because the funnel was blocked and the dealership is quoting her 6k to fix all of the damage. She can't afford a 6k repair and she can't get rid of the car because she still owes 4k. She is going to fix what she can and live with a moldy finicky car for alittle while.

  • @timothythompson4036
    @timothythompson4036 Před 8 měsíci +1

    I take my car to a large independent auto repair shop here in Queens, NY. They are super busy because they have a reputation for honesty. If you run an honest auto repair business, the customers come to you. They aren't cheap, but vital. Especially now, that everyone is trying to keep old cars running.

  • @Life-ch8rj
    @Life-ch8rj Před 2 lety +14

    If only every shop could be a Christian professional such as you sir! God bless you! BTW my wife drives a 2012 Toyota Highlander Limited.

    • @edmckay8001
      @edmckay8001 Před 2 lety +2

      How do you know he's Christian? And why should that matter? What if he's a Putin Christian?

    • @aldrichemrys
      @aldrichemrys Před 2 lety +3

      Ignore @@edmckay8001, he's a troll.

    • @edmckay8001
      @edmckay8001 Před 2 lety +1

      @@aldrichemrys Aldrich, if that's your real name why is that trolling? It's a valid question. He said god bless you. I'm asking which one. You know people worship more than one god. Are you a Putin Christian?

    • @edmckay8001
      @edmckay8001 Před 2 lety

      In addition, @life, not his or her real name, alluded that only Christians are honest and professional. Now who's the troll? I'm just looking for honest respectful discourse

    • @Life-ch8rj
      @Life-ch8rj Před 2 lety

      @@edmckay8001 Have you been born again?

  • @richardwarren7492
    @richardwarren7492 Před rokem +5

    As a tech, parts and service director for 11 stores for 27 years, I agree with you 100% and love the diagnosis element. We were number 1 in CSI for 10 years straight until the dealerships were sold to Penske. We had a variety of makes Honda, Acura, Mercedes, 1 GM store. We never "oversold" if we found things we would advise the customer, even put on a rack and showed them if it was underneath. Every custome got their old parts back in a tightly sealed plastic bag. We had great techs, all went to factory schools on a regular basis. Someone mentioned putting off warranty work so dealers could make more. That never happened in our stores. Lost in that comment is the fact for years warranty has paid the same labor rate as retail and the markup on parts is the same. What happens at shops or dealerships is what their training, care of the customer, intent to repurchase rests on management decisions. And? Some of it is pretty bad. But- not all. Keep up the good work and the vids coming.

  • @altoncrane9714
    @altoncrane9714 Před rokem +1

    I have been through tremendous grief thanks to Prince George Toyota Service Dept, in BC Canada. I took my 2009 Rav4, with the 2ARFE, in for a VVT gear replacement. They have it apart, and it was supposed to be ready today, three days after it was dropped off. After ignoring me all day in the service center, they finally, at closing time, told me they can not figure out the timing. And dont know why, so they have no idea when it will be ready. So I had to rent a car, again, to return to my home two hours north of here. That job is routine, and I could add more, but to keep it short, suffice to say that my vehicle is in the hands of people who don't have a clue. And they have it in pieces. It was real nice, just a slight rattle on cold start, and I was just trying to take good care of it, and it is likely dead. How can I trust it after this? Will I even get it back ??? I guess oil changes and tire inflating is their service capability limit.i will NEVER speak bad about Toyota, but NOT their Canadian dealer in Prince George BC. Was planning on upgrading, but I have a terrible taste in my mouth, and when you cant trust the dealer, well, likely the Honda people here will get a sale.

  • @jakevic7342
    @jakevic7342 Před rokem +1

    I will never take my car to a dealership unless they are the only ones that can work on what needs worked on. I found a great, cheap, honest and caring mechanic that is 1 mile away from me. I am so glad I found them because I drive 50,000+ miles a year. Plus, they have all 5 star reviews. He found a coolant leak when changing my oil and SENT ME A PICTURE OF IT. The leak was actually caused by the body shop that worked on my car after I hit a deer. Don't settle for crooked dealerships, there are honest guys out there.

  • @404notfound.....
    @404notfound..... Před 2 lety +11

    Unfortunately at the dealership level you're paying for 1st and 2nd year apprentice to work on your car. Usually the mundane work gets relegated to the new tech. Example 》Explain to Tech that you would like the wheel torque set to 83' ft-lbs. Tech argues and says no it's 135 ft-lbs But agrees to set it to 83 ft-lbs but when you check it with your torque🔧 you soon find out it is indeed 135 ft-lbs. 🤔

    • @curtgomes
      @curtgomes Před 2 lety +4

      Had my oil changed at the local Toyota dealership. They reinstalled the large gravel shield incorrectly. It came off on a road trip 500 miles from home. It was hanging under the car and scraping on the roadway. I nursed it to a local garage. The mechanic told me that whoever did the last oil change did NOT install the gravel shield correctly. This is NOT a complicated job! I went back to the dealership, with the destroyed parts, and proved to them what had occurred
      was their fault. New parts, including mounting brackets, had to be replaced. Parts and labor was NOT cheap. They ate it after some argument.

    • @tharais
      @tharais Před 2 lety +2

      Yeah. I used to fight with the local Toyota dealership to do a five tire rotation on my Highlander Hybrid. I told them that the full size spare would age out with no miles on it otherwise. A total waste. I also pointed out that Toyota called for that in the maintenance manual.

  • @Chewyzard
    @Chewyzard Před 2 lety +4

    I've only been a toyota tech for 2 years and even I know about the steering shaft pop

  • @LAactor
    @LAactor Před 2 lety +1

    A LOT of shops see a car over a certain year or mileage and they go CAMBER KIT!!!! Recently I went to a few alignment shops for different cars and each one said that. One indy shop didn't even want to touch the strut bolts to help with camber, just wanted to sell the bolts. One after that for another vehicle, said the same and I said to them what's in a kit, just bolts? And they said yeah, and when I asked them why is that, and to just tell me adjustable bolts, they were quiet as mice. That was at a Badyear branded auto center. Long long long time ago before I knew cars, I went to a Flamestone Tire store and they are the worst! Wanting camber kits and bushings on control arms and needed to send the whole arm or part somewhere else to get pressed out and thousands of dollars of work on a car that was worth just a few thousands more than that. Insanity these service writers. Perky Boys did a similar scam trying to sell me rear brakes when I literally just myself personally redone the shoes myself. These guys lie so much. He said they were so thin. But everyone knows they are that way!!! Another guy when I was younger tried to lie to me and say oil was expensive! I was less brave back then but I knew I could get a jug of synthetic for $25 at Wally World. I wonder if when we disappear and never come back if they know we know they lied..

  • @tracy3812
    @tracy3812 Před 2 lety +12

    AMD 2 great things you have taught me: 1) not to be afraid to put a little muscle into it 2) how to take things apart w/o breaking them. Thank-you.

  • @idahospyder1620
    @idahospyder1620 Před 2 lety +8

    Very hard when you expect the dealer to tell you the truth but they just want to increase their profits by doing unnecessary work or fraudulent billing. Thanks for the good video

  • @slocavky
    @slocavky Před 2 lety +32

    Glad they finally brought the car to you. I know you'll get them fixed right... Funny thing about what they went thru, the independent shop that worked on hot rods, knew more than the others with the steering shaft... that's wild...

    • @davidwood7170
      @davidwood7170 Před 2 lety +3

      It's probably because the Classic Shop had some old Gearheads that knew how to research stuff. Rather than just throw parts at the car.

    • @DylanL69
      @DylanL69 Před 2 lety +2

      You can look it up on the computer in the repair the other independent was to lazy to do it

    • @mitchhedberg4415
      @mitchhedberg4415 Před 2 lety

      @@davidwood7170
      They probably drive Toyotas during the week, or have them for their families.

  • @tinhanh7cha
    @tinhanh7cha Před 2 lety +2

    in this day , it very hard to find honest garage or dealership , most of them try to pick your pocket

  • @rogersmoot6194
    @rogersmoot6194 Před 2 lety +36

    Thank you for being so thorough in every video you make. It's a real tragedy that most repair shops, especially dealerships, and their mechanics are often worthless or just plain 'care-less' about their jobs and their customers.

    • @estuardo2985
      @estuardo2985 Před 5 měsíci

      In most places it is hard to get decent techs and normally the techs only care about how many flag hours they can squeeze in. Unfortunately, doing a good job and what is right means making less money. Taking time and correctly looking at the vehicle and then taking the time explaining that to the customer or the service advisor that then talks to the customer doesn't pay well for the short term.

  • @TechCrazy
    @TechCrazy Před 2 lety +47

    Toyota needs to send out surveys to its customers about their dealer and what the experience has been. This will give them some data to confront the dealer on their shady practices.

    • @gmoneyman16635
      @gmoneyman16635 Před 2 lety

      They do send out surveys, I went to a dealership for service and a week after I got an email survery

    • @TechCrazy
      @TechCrazy Před 2 lety +2

      @@gmoneyman16635 I get that too, but thats more about your recent visit more than anything. I am talking about a more general questionaire like "Quality of work, type of items used for service(did they use a good oil? or some cheapo bulk oil? I know I am not getting full synthetic on my oil changes). Over tightening the oil filter and drain pan bolts etc etc..And oil change is the worst service you can get done. Entry level techs who are trigger happy with their power tools are usually working on those. I have stripped, skid plate bolts on my 4 Runner.

    • @nofyfb123
      @nofyfb123 Před 2 lety +1

      In the US, it doesn't matter. Even with Toyota (US Toyota!)

    • @darthtyranus7683
      @darthtyranus7683 Před rokem

      True my dealership charged me 320$ including 100$ inspection fee just to get working on the 4runner right folding seat which stopped folding down and still after all that seat does not lock down its an issue for me because this is my be all daily driven camper too

    • @darthtyranus7683
      @darthtyranus7683 Před rokem

      @@TechCrazy I stopped going to Midas for the same reason but this time my oil filter retention clip was broken

  • @lozza9789
    @lozza9789 Před 2 lety +30

    Thanks AMD, quality honest advice right here. Stealerships give dealerships a bad rep. In fact anyone associated with the motor industry can get tarnished by just one owner’s bad experience. Customers tell other owners, they tell others, and so it goes on.
    Keep up the great work!

  • @bennylam1
    @bennylam1 Před 2 lety +5

    Hi AMD,
    Yes. I have a 2010 Kluger/Highlander in Australia with 160000 kms. The Intermediate Steering shaft clunk happened to mine since new.
    Toyota replaced it for me under warranty but most likely with the same part. It was good for about a year then it started making that clunk noise again and you could feel it every time when weight of the car changed from left to right example steering through a roundabout...
    About 8 years later
    Another dealer asked Toyota if they could replace it for me once again but Toyota refused....
    I had to write a letter to Toyota to complain as it was so annoying and they came good and approved the free replacement of the intermediate steering shaft as the dealer told me there was a revised design....
    I haven't had any more clunking noise since that time...
    Other than that...a very reliable car....

    • @eleanormassaro5195
      @eleanormassaro5195 Před 2 lety

      I have the popping when I turn my steering wheel on my 2010 RX too. But it didn’t start to happen until about a year and a half ago and I’ve had the car for almost 12 years. My mechanic is aware of it, but he said it’s not a safety issue either, and it is expensive to repair

  • @herbertcheung7595
    @herbertcheung7595 Před 2 lety +7

    I am a Honda man but I love your knowledge, honesty and find your videos very informative. Keep the videos coming!

    • @raymondreiff8170
      @raymondreiff8170 Před rokem +1

      Me too like to find a Honda Tech like this on You Tube, Wish he also worked on Honda's 🤓👍.

    • @XenomorphLV426
      @XenomorphLV426 Před rokem +1

      Toyota quality> Honda quality

    • @Maxfli82
      @Maxfli82 Před 4 měsíci

      I need to find a Mazda mechanic on CZcams like this. Haha

  • @drrussdc
    @drrussdc Před 2 lety +10

    I'm lucky to have a great Toyota dealership. I bought 4 cars from them so far and they do good work. An honest mechanic is a keeper. May they all follow your example AMD!

    • @Combatpzman
      @Combatpzman Před 2 lety

      Same here, so glad I’ve not had one of these horror stories.

  • @HotRod-wv4vm
    @HotRod-wv4vm Před 2 lety +6

    Though I drive a 2004 Honda Element. I love your channel and your tips. I take my car to the dealer where I bought it since new and though I have been generally satisfied until their recent expansion. Not too long ago I took it for a valve adjustment and a week later I noticed they had broken 2 of the valve cover bolts. I took it back later and they fixed it at no cost except my time. The good thing is that I have a good relationship with the service manager. Some other time they left off sone of the plastic screws from the splash shield. Lately I have taken my car back 3 times for a wheel alignment. Last time they had to center the steering wheel. Now the car pulls to the left 😡. One thing I do like is that they give you a picture of what needs to be replaced. They perform a free multi point inspection. Thanks to my dad I learned to verify the work and ask for the replaced parts back.

    • @uta667563
      @uta667563 Před měsícem +1

      I have heard of some people people going to a shop for so work like a oil change and later on finding the splash shield under the vehicle missing.

  • @randyp6370
    @randyp6370 Před rokem

    Went through the same thing at an Austin Honda dealership. My daughter went in for an oil change, one hour later $4000 quoted for a steering rack(2000), pump(850), hose(600), serpentine belt(350), of course the obligatory fuel system service(275), front end alignment(169). Thankfully I was on my way to visit, questioned the service department, then went straight to the parts department and purchased the new power steering hose and serpentine belt. The parts department was not surprised at the gouging of the customer. In the end, replaced the hose, flushed the system, and cleaned the area….one week later, no leak and a repaired vehicle for $200, that included lunch. They are criminals.

  • @keithsj10
    @keithsj10 Před rokem +1

    The local Toyota dealer near me just quoted me $700 for 4 new tpms sensors installed and programed.
    Discount Tire quotes $240.
    I avoid dealerships at all costs. They want gold for work that doesn't even need done.
    I had to go to a Ford dealer ONE time to activate a cruise control feature I installed in an older F150 XL. They charged me $100 to plug in an obd2 cable, go into the program and check a box to activate it.
    A hundred bucks to point and click.
    They aren't known as stealerships for nothing.

  • @kato2531
    @kato2531 Před 2 lety +7

    I love this guy’s honesty.only if all mechanics are this honest.

    • @kenhoward3512
      @kenhoward3512 Před 2 lety

      The tone is usually set by management. While I've worked in a different field, I've found that the business chain location would either praise me or berate me for my honesty with customers, depending on the general manager (/tyrant) of that location.

  • @shelly4281
    @shelly4281 Před 2 lety +5

    I've been through this situation, sad to say.
    I appreciate your videos.

  • @qm2092
    @qm2092 Před 2 lety +2

    I’m watching this on the day of taking my 2019 Camry Hybrid for 30K miles service. It also had a recall for some issue of the fuel filler pipe and cap not being reconnected properly during an inspection. Drove it home and had a strong fuel odor smell the whole way. Took the contents out of the trunk and the cover for the fuel pump under the rear seat wasn’t sitting properly. One end of it was sticking up like they had bent the cover. That’s where the fuel smell was coming from. They replaced my air filter with a WIX brand and cabin filter with some unknown saying that the filters are on back order. Now I’m sitting here at the dealership waiting. Spoke with the tech about the cover and wanting him to inspect the filler hose to ensure it’s not leaking. He told me it’s not necessary for the cover to be completely sealed! But he would do it for me anyway…. What a hero! This is why I work on my own cars. This is the first new car I have ever bought and only brought it to the dealership because the service plan was included with purchase of the car.

    • @riceburner4747
      @riceburner4747 Před 2 lety +2

      Great story!' I agree with u. I tell ppl I have OCD because I lube the heck out of everything, clean parts well, torque, & just take the time to DO a professional job. I can tell u take great pride in ur vehicle. I had a 97 Camry I bought used (I LOVED IT! 265,000 miles) & now own a 2019 Prius. May ur Camry, "live long & prosper." 🖖👍

  • @redcharlie123
    @redcharlie123 Před 2 lety +1

    I just bought a second Toyota. It was a certified preowned 26k miles Toyota RAV4 hybrid XLE. first problem was when I tried to fill up the tank for the first time. It was broken. It was a known problem with a lawsuit against Toyota. Went to a touch-less carwash and my A pillar by the windshield airbags started leaking water. Also very well known problem. I don’t know how they can certify a car with those kind of problems. I also had side mirrors shaking badly with a TSB fix. Toyota Dealer who sold me the car refused to work on my car and Toyota HQ says they can’t do anything if dealer says everything is ok. I ended up selling the car within 3 weeks of owning it. That’ll probably be my last Toyota. That car also costs me 40k out the door and was sold a certified lemon. Also the finance office wouldn’t let me cancel my extended warranty because he was trying to get his cut on it and tried to not give me a full refund. Has to fight my way to the finance director to cancel it.

  • @bobberndt9744
    @bobberndt9744 Před 2 lety +4

    LOVED the lonnng intro. Helped me feel the frustration of the vehicle owner. 😤

  • @purplehills56
    @purplehills56 Před 2 lety +3

    This is why you are going to get so many customers to your new shop.

  • @shiloh5199
    @shiloh5199 Před 6 měsíci +1

    Honesty is always the best route and customer service should always come first.

  • @jonhamilton8247
    @jonhamilton8247 Před rokem +1

    Why can’t I ever find mechanics like him who are both honest and qualified.

  • @pontiakgaSport
    @pontiakgaSport Před 2 lety +10

    AMD, I have quickly become a fan of your channel. To contribute to your thoughts on the repair industry and the poor misconceptions, it is all very true, however the way the flat rate technician industry is designed, it has created these misconceptions itself. It does not cater to technicians learning or taking their time because if you do you will starve. Instead it encourages incomplete diagnostics and parts shotgunning, as well as motivation to sell unnecessary services. I am a ASE Advanced Master tech and hold the basic Toyota certification. I love the product and the work, but the industry has me driven down a different path as of last summer. If I had worked at a dealership with an MDT such as yourself, who is interested in helping others and doing the right thing, I am certain I would still be there. Unfortunately, our mdt was the most arrogant self center person, I have ever met in my life and referred to himself as “one of the best there is” even though all his diag was experience based vs skill and he was spoon fed day in and day out while the rest of us got the warranty diags and less desirable tickets. Anyway, to wrap this up, I agree with you 100% and wish the industry would adapt to the times, to eliminate some of these stigmas.

  • @abbasa7860
    @abbasa7860 Před 2 lety +6

    I had the same issue with the wiper. I just sprayed it with penetrating oil and it freed it up. And mine was way stiffer than that lol.

  • @dalemettee1147
    @dalemettee1147 Před 2 lety +1

    I had a similar experience. A performance issue. Up a hill the engine would start to stumble, lose power, falter. When the top of the hill was traveled, the problem stopped. could figure it out. Replaced the plugs, points, rotor, distributer cap, wires, a new air cleaner. Checked all vacuum hoses. Replaced a few questionable ones. The local dealer had it all day long said they couldn't find the problem. Upon getting the car back, I accidently found it. The flex pipe for the air intake had a split in it. The split would only open during uphill driving and the engine would tilt a little during applying more torque. I ordered a new air intake tube and the car ran perfectly. Three weeks later, a driver qoing the opposite way in a cloud burst lost control, hit my car directly and totaled it. Oh, well.

  • @kennethquick4165
    @kennethquick4165 Před 2 lety +1

    I wish Texas had honest mechanics in their dealerships. They forget to top off all the fluids but they tell you they stopped all them off until I look under the hood and then all the manager to the car to see my issue.

  • @kclefthanded427
    @kclefthanded427 Před 2 lety +5

    Toyota really need to pay attention to it's US dealers in terms of customer satisfaction

  • @davidelizabeth4933
    @davidelizabeth4933 Před 2 lety +3

    Way to get them sorted, AMD! 👍🙏
    ❤❤

  • @MyLifeThai371
    @MyLifeThai371 Před 2 lety +2

    My co-worker bought a brand new Chevy pickup from the dealership. Every 25,000 miles the same spark plug goes bad. Rather than replace the head, since everything is under warranty the dealership just replaces the spark plug each time, limping it along, until his warranty expires. What crooks.

    • @christophervanzetta
      @christophervanzetta Před 2 lety +1

      Because the head is only under warranty when it completely fail?

  • @Smokey66s
    @Smokey66s Před 2 lety +1

    Adding $5000 plus to MSRP is criminal, I am from the olden days where you never paid sticker price and salesman would follow you to your car trying to make a deal. Now dealers feel like they are doing you a favor to steal your money!
    Times have changed, California is about 5 years away from making community service the punishment for murder.

  • @nycad2484
    @nycad2484 Před 2 lety +4

    I have an interesting problem with my mechanic as well. I have a 2008 Highlander and my mechanic says that the transfer case, rear diff and transmission oil never needs to be replaced. Now I just got to convince him that I do need the oil changed out.

    • @MaximumDIYGarage
      @MaximumDIYGarage Před 2 lety +1

      You are correct, there is no such thing as a “lifetime” fluid. Temperature fluctuations and moisture may change the composition of fluids and metal shavings from normal wear contaminate the fluid, thus reducing the lubrication and cooling qualities of fluid. Fluids need to be replaced in order to extend the lifetime of the vehicle and its components. That’s the rule in my garage, at least!

    • @nycad2484
      @nycad2484 Před 2 lety

      @@MaximumDIYGarage tranny fluid as well? My car has about 133,000 miles and I don’t think the oil has ever been changed in it. I know some people say once it’s past a certain mileage changing trans fluid can cause issues.

    • @MaximumDIYGarage
      @MaximumDIYGarage Před 2 lety +2

      @@nycad2484 yes and no. I would not recommend doing a transmission fluid flush using a pressurized machine. However, you can just refresh the fluid by doing drain and refill every oil change. Although this method doesn’t completely replace all the fluid as most of it cannot be drained and remains in the converter, you are still flushing the debris out and refreshing the fluid by replacing it partially. After 4 drains and refills you should have 90-95% all new fluid. This is the safest way to do it without causing any harm to your transmission.

    • @MaximumDIYGarage
      @MaximumDIYGarage Před 2 lety +1

      In fact, I will be doing this on my 09 GX470 this summer, so stay tuned for the video on my channel!

    • @nycad2484
      @nycad2484 Před 2 lety +1

      @@MaximumDIYGarage great good to know!

  • @bwest-yq3uc
    @bwest-yq3uc Před 2 lety +7

    Thanks for an Honest Inspection of a customer's vehicle. All those shops and they FAILED to provide the owner a list of issues and what needs to be done right away or for a future date. Good thing he got you to look at it. Keep up the Honest work.

  • @leandrolaporta2196
    @leandrolaporta2196 Před 2 lety +2

    I purchased my Toyota on a big local dealer, it was a trade in, 6 year old, pristine condition, however I never took it there to service it, because they don't let me talk to the mechanic that will actually work in the car and I feel it like they trying to cover something up, I like to talk to the actual mechanic face to face, I ask questions and want to know the answers, dealers compartmentalize so much that you never know exactly what they did, I cannot accept that, they won't touch my car

  • @bradchoi9679
    @bradchoi9679 Před 2 lety +2

    "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Old sayings get to be old sayings because they are usually true! lol. Great video! Thanks!!

  • @4runner653
    @4runner653 Před 2 lety +5

    We need more mechanics like youself and Car wizard in every community. Keep up the great content Brada!

    • @Txcowboy80
      @Txcowboy80 Před rokem

      & south main auto. They are my top 3 i view to actually learn something.

    • @boggy7665
      @boggy7665 Před rokem

      @@Txcowboy80 Rainman Ray's Repairs too

    • @johnreitz5676
      @johnreitz5676 Před rokem

      "Car Wizard" should really be called "Car. Jester".

  • @chadyang7770
    @chadyang7770 Před rokem +5

    Love your straightforward style. Impeccable professionalism. I watch Scotty, TFL, and many other CZcams channels. I enjoy your straightforward, non biased style. Everyone has their perceived favorites. You always give us true mechanical performance reviews based on experience with vehicles. Thank you for what you bring to the world of enthusiasts and regular car people who are looking for an honest opinion.

  • @mariussonnenwirth4789
    @mariussonnenwirth4789 Před 7 měsíci +1

    You and Scotty on you tube are honest car meccanics. Dealerships they have extremely high cost expenses, from the receptionist girl, right up to the toilette cleaner. So for the smallest job they will tell you completely something else. And if the job was done really honestly aprouved by the customer you will still end up with a very expensive bill to pay because a technician told me when a jobb is done in example 5 or 10 min. they will charge you 1 hr full labour. If the job was done in one hour they will charge you 3 times the time spent because this is how it works. I never go to the dealers to have my car checked or fix unless there is a recall.

  • @carolhillard4623
    @carolhillard4623 Před 2 lety +1

    That's my question exactly. Who do you trust? That is why I want you to look at my car. One mechanic wanted to charge $120 for check engine light, $120 speedometer not working and $60 for horn issue( there's none on the car). That's $300 just for "his time" diagnosing and more $$ to fix the problems. I said that's okay and took it Auto Zone for scan.

  • @louisax4058
    @louisax4058 Před 2 lety +5

    Dealers are not there to help you, they are there to make money fast. Most on their income comes from service/parts not from car sales...

  • @saulreynoso4371
    @saulreynoso4371 Před 2 lety +4

    This is why this is my favorite channel. Great information, knowledge and tips on your toyota. I am so glad I found this channel. I've done so much work on my 13 highlander since I found the channel. I do all preventive maintenance myself because unfortunately I don't trust others, which includes the dealer. Thank you so much for all the great work you do. 👍

  • @ajsrolls-roycegarage4714

    I gained this client recently who desperately brought his 2014 535i hybrid because he said his blower motor stopped working two years ago and he’s been to two dealerships and three bmw shops and all told him he had to replace this ridiculous amount of components and money to get it working again and he just said that never made sense to him so he never had it done.
    He brought it to me almost in tears begging me to please find out why it’s not working.
    I’ll be damned if I didn’t spend 30 minutes under the hood and found the blower motor resistor unplugged, I plugged it back in, and the freaking blower motor started blowing and the AC working beautifully, I was at a lose for words for almost a day.
    I had five massive repair quotes in my hand from him. And IT WAS UNPLUGGED???!!
    The customer literally hugged me when I told him, it’s on the house, your vehicle is back in operation.

  • @arnoldziffle5649
    @arnoldziffle5649 Před rokem

    Never ever go to a dealer except for warranty work, and research first because if they know you are completely clueless you've had it and they are going to take it. I was in the automotive business for many years and it's amazing how many are completely clueless. This guy knows what he's talking about and go to CZcams for almost anything. RESEARCH FIRST!

  • @geriscape
    @geriscape Před 2 lety +7

    Excellent, excellent video with commentary and analysis. The kind of shenanigans -- greed, indifference, incompetence and outright claims intended to facilitate fraud - are all too common. Almost all of us have some experience with these elements, particularly (though not exclusively) with dealership service centers and national service chains. (That has been my consistent experience in Chicago, Texas and Massachusetts over several decades). When we've had enough, we move on, leaving, these days, civil but incisive and blunt commentaries on Yelp and Google Reviews.
    Apart from finding a competent shop, the best defense is knowledge and the powers of observation. You demonstrated that, immediately, by simply looking at the connector/socket for the offending headlight, and identifying it as the problem. And, of course, as you've mentioned in prior videos, transparency in this business, matters. Here, it takes the form of requesting to view (and perhaps to take possession of) the old parts (such as would have been the case with the supposedly changed belt tensioner).
    I'm up in Chicago for family business, yearly, in the Spring. In 2019, I stopped by for a simple oil change at a Toyota dealer on Touhy and Cicero. They produced a laundry list of unnecessary services (failed to look up prior available history, as well) and misdiagnosed a evap core leak as a mere need for a $150 A/C service. (Declined, as were more than $1100 of bogus service recommendations). I left a comprehensive review of the many failings of this dealership service department on Google Reviews, so it's no secret how greedy and incompetent this service center was, in my case.
    My vehicle had two issues (while visiting Chicago from Central Texas) in 2019 and 2021. Both times (an evap core replacement, which I know is very labor intensive in 2019 and a rusted out resonator/flex pipe in 2021), a small independent shop (and I've left good reviews for them, on Yelp and Google Reviews), G&G, did competent and timely work, aware of the fact that I was staying in hotels (family member is in assisted living). (I have no financial or personal affiliation with G&G).
    And, I have a good shop here, east of increasingly expensive Austin, Texas, as well, for specific work I cannot easily do. (Over the last year, I've done a lot of my own work: I've recently replaced a number of items, such as a leaking valve cover gasket, installing new spark plugs, new inner fender liners and engine splash shield, a rebuilt trunk latch, a new serpentine belt, drained and replaced of power steering, transmission and coolant fluids, cleaning the MAF and throttle body, plus a few routine oil changes). And I've been inspecting under the car, the best I could, with the use of ramps.
    I can only reiterate what you've said, many times. Learn and do what you can, and the quality of the work will be often better, because we care the most about our vehicles. And thanks for clear-eyed appraisal, and the disposition behind that appraisal.
    __
    Parenthetically, I'm soliciting advice. I have a 2008 Camry LE, 155K, original Denso starter and alternator. The alternator still tests out as functional, on my Topdon battery/alternator tester. The starter is original, no grinding or inconsistent power, yet. I'm driving to Chicago in May. And I'm considering replacing (or at least putting in my trunk) DENSO remanufactured alternator and/or starter. Is this a good risk reduction strategy, at this point, given parts shortages, the desire to avoid Chinesium replacements, and the necessity of a properly working vehicle, while in metro Chicago? Thanks.

    • @TheCarCareNut
      @TheCarCareNut  Před 2 lety +2

      Hi! It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have parts at hand especially if you’re diy and can replace them yourself which is simple on your car

    • @geriscape
      @geriscape Před 2 lety +1

      @@TheCarCareNut Thanks for responding, particularly at this hour. Much appreciated.

    • @keithdavis3411
      @keithdavis3411 Před 5 měsíci

      Watch the battery close. If the starter is shorting there will be heavy current draw on the battery. I keep mine charged up every couple of weeks

  • @ian0841
    @ian0841 Před 2 lety +5

    Excellent video, you are becoming one of the top guys on CZcams for this stuff. Huge market for the Toyota repair videos.

  • @Sleepydwagonman
    @Sleepydwagonman Před 9 měsíci

    I had a garage tell me that my discs and pads needed replacing, on a carefully driven 4 year old car. I got suspicious, didn't go back, didn't have the issue picked up on multiple subsequent MoTs (annual UK roadworthiness check) and ... that garage closed down a number of years ago. And that's just one garage ! They seem to get infected by greed and either advise unnecessary work or just do the work really cheaply, giving the good garages a bad name.

  • @Jacob1986
    @Jacob1986 Před 2 lety +1

    Im no licensed mechanic nore a toyota technician but id be able to find these things easily. It gets complex if you cant see something is wrong but this is right in your face. I once helped an older couple on the phone with an issue their park neutral safety switch broke. No one knew what was wrong with it

  • @johnanderson9735
    @johnanderson9735 Před 2 lety +5

    Absolutely true. I would rather find a great independent honest mechanic than at least checks instead of ‘suggesting’ unnecessary work, that won’t address actual problems and safety issues. Videos like your can go a long way in giving customers insight into what is really needed in terms of repair work. After a lot of reading and research I feel I am able to make much better decisions on what is actually important work that needs to be done.

    • @ryans413
      @ryans413 Před 11 měsíci

      It’s probably a good idea to film your work it forces you to not mess up or lie because you filmed yourself

  • @jims2507
    @jims2507 Před 2 lety +20

    Do you think fluid film could get in deep enough into the rear wiper mechanism to lubricate it? This could be a very inexpensive fix! I love fluid film, I spray it on my wiper arm pivot points and where the spring attaches, and it makes it move like new again.
    Thanks for the video, it's hard to find a shop with good communication and good ethics! This is one of the reasons I DIY as much as possible.

    • @TheCarCareNut
      @TheCarCareNut  Před 2 lety +6

      Hi! At this point the damage is already done for this one. But perhaps once it gets replaced it wouldn’t be a bad idea

    • @bobbyg8645
      @bobbyg8645 Před 2 lety +1

      I managed to get my wiper going again (still working 3yrs later) with PB Blaster/Deep Creep. Took a hot glue gun and made a bead around the wiper mechanism shaft in a way that it would hold fluid. Levelled the window with bungee cord. Sprayed and the penetrant pooled in the bead circle. Soaked overnight. Peel hot glue and Voilà fixed… I do spray it twice a year to avoid having moisture in there since…

    • @abbasa7860
      @abbasa7860 Před 2 lety

      Yes it work. Same thing happened to my rear wiper so I sprayed penetrating oil and worked at it until it freed up and now it's like new.

    • @LAactor
      @LAactor Před 2 lety

      Fluid film after the fact would not do as well as any of the penetrants mentioned below. PB is the usual go-to. But more aggressive is Kroil. And expensive. But not ridiculous. Homebrew atf-acetone combo works well also.

  • @212driller
    @212driller Před 2 lety +1

    I worked at a dealership as a teenager. Wasn't long before I was in charge of the detail and lot attendant side of things even working part time in high school. The owner would do anything to make an extra buck. They constantly ripped people off with service, used vehicle sales (promised to fix issues but did not before delivery), and they even ripped off elderly people by adding up to $20k to the price of a vehicle because they never looked at the MSRP sticker. Not to mention the salesman are all skeezy slimey a holes. Because of all of this I will never trust dealerships again. I'm glad I had that experience. Probably saved me thousands by not going to dealerships.

  • @border056
    @border056 Před 9 měsíci

    Funny about the steering popping noise. I took my 11 year old car to one dealership that I loved until I had a popping noise when turning the wheel. They said sway bar end links. Ok, replaced them. Picked up the car, turned the wheel, pop.
    Walk right back in and said that the sway bar end links didn’t resolve the problem. The service writer then said “yeah, then it’s the rack”. My brother was a master tech for Ford before working for the transit system now repairing trains. Issue is he lives very far away. Took a weekend trip to visit and it was a bolt on the lower intermediate shaft that needed a 1/4 snug. Noise gone, complaint resolved.

  • @jordez1
    @jordez1 Před 2 lety +3

    We own a 2009 Highlander with 97 thousands miles here in Houston and the intermediate shaft noise was there since new. Oil cooler line needs to be replace with a new design. Other than that, our car is being without any major issues other than basic maintenance. Thank you for your grate videos.

  • @frankbiz
    @frankbiz Před 2 lety +5

    Thank you for a few great tips especially the roof drains. I own the same year Highlander Limited with 214,000 miles. I personally change the oil every 5k miles with Synthetic Oil and always use OEM parts and lights. My original headlights lasted 8 years then the after market lights would last less than a year until I went with OEM. Great SUV. Change the transmission fluid every 50k with OEM fluid, the same with the coolant.

  • @ShooperDog
    @ShooperDog Před 2 lety +1

    My dad always told me that a good mechanic is worth his weight in gold. With current prices, I'd say that AMD is a modern day 6 million dollar man.

  • @bobby9823
    @bobby9823 Před 2 lety +1

    i was so lucky to find a dealer mechanic , that after 20 yrs. decided to open a shop on his property. he quit his job at the Stealership because he was tired of seeing people getting ripped off. B.T.Y. it was mercedes benz.

  • @peterkwok9608
    @peterkwok9608 Před 2 lety +5

    Thanks for being an honest and detail mechanic AMD. God bless you and your family 🙌🙌

  • @VincentScales
    @VincentScales Před 2 lety +4

    I've always heard when it comes to electric parts, you should by new or original parts! Never buy used electric parts and I see non-OE parts are suspect!

  • @Loveduhmusic
    @Loveduhmusic Před rokem +1

    Went out Honda of El Paso to get a smart body control module replaced and it cost me $1.4k. Now my 2017 Honda Pilot transmission is slipping and the car is jerking they wanted $1.1k to flush the the transmission. When I called services they said it will only be $180 for my car. They definitely scam people and it's sickening.

  • @dretech
    @dretech Před 2 lety +2

    Shame on those incompetent mechanics for taking advantage of the car owner, seriously!! Glad AMD came to the rescue🙏