Mk3 10K Service

[Lustral]

Just had my Mk3 SR CVT serviced , 10K was up on it and there isnt really anything to report.

Asked them to swap the front set of tyres to the back and vice versa, as the fronts have lost about 1mm of tread. Also from the report it needed 3.4 Litres of 5W Oil and they topped up my screen wash.

This took them just under 1 hour and im £119 lighter. Hopefully no issues till 20K

[Chris81]

I find the figures quoted for oil to be the stuff of make believe. Do you think the guy putting the oil in the car has anything to do with the receptionist who types up the bill? I'm guessing there's a template for each car/service type.

Over the years I've seen 3.1, 3.2, 3.4 litres quoted on my bills. Of course it could be accurate and some techs spend longer getting all the old oil out than others. I find it unlikely though, and if so then it's rather inconsistent on the dealers part. I've also seen brake fluid omitted on my bill but ticked on the service sheet. When queried I was told if it was ticked on the sheet then it will have been done. Ok, so why isn't it on the bill?! Like I say, it's the stuff of make believe.

[mrpj]

The figure of £119 quoted would suggest it was a "fixed price" service with oil, filter, screenwash etc. included. So it really doesn't matter what quantity of oil used is on the bill as long as it's been filled to the correct level.

[Lustral]

I'm swinging back to the dealers later today as they forgot to stamp my service book. Might ask them if I can have a go in the GT86 for my troubles haha. Like I said as long I don't have any issues until the next due service , I consider the service well done. One thing is for sure the brake pedal seems to be more responsive and steering more tighter and also the engine doesn't need as much RPMs to get going

[Chris81]

One thing is for sure the brake pedal seems to be more responsive and steering more tighter and also the engine doesn't need as much RPMs to get going

Placebo effect? An interim service won't have had any effect on any of those.

[Lustral]

One thing is for sure the brake pedal seems to be more responsive and steering more tighter and also the engine doesn't need as much RPMs to get going

Placebo effect? An interim service won't have had any effect on any of those.

Maybe , but one but 1 thing is for sure is that the front tyres have more tread on them and that might contribute to braking.

[Geoff Peace]

I find the figures quoted for oil to be the stuff of make believe. Do you think the guy putting the oil in the car has anything to do with the receptionist who types up the bill? I'm guessing there's a template for each car/service type.

Over the years I've seen 3.1, 3.2, 3.4 litres quoted on my bills. Of course it could be accurate and some techs spend longer getting all the old oil out than others. I find it unlikely though, and if so then it's rather inconsistent on the dealers part. I've also seen brake fluid omitted on my bill but ticked on the service sheet. When queried I was told if it was ticked on the sheet then it will have been done. Ok, so why isn't it on the bill?! Like I say, it's the stuff of make believe.

As a point of interest I took my wifes Yaris for its first service a few weeks ago and like you I was quoted £119. However I told reception not to touch the screenwash as I did not want Toyota additive, to which they said OK. When I came to pay the bill they said since I did not require screenwash additive and something about I did not need any top up oil because of the low mileage,the bill would be £107. I just wondered did your price include this 'top up oil'?

Regards Geoff Peace.

[Lustral]

Yes they topped up my oil , my SR is only 7 months old and I have passed the 10k mark and I never filled the car with engine oil, spoke to them and they said it needed a few litres but it wasn't low low in oil

[FROSTYBALLS]

Surely as part of the service, the engine oil would have been drained, the oil filter replaced and the engine refilled with fresh oil - rather than just being topped up. With other marques I've owned, they often left a litre bottle of the appropriate oil inside the car to be used for topping up. My Toyota dealer doesn't include this additional oil, and it is not mentioned in the service regime for the Toyota Fixed Price servicing.

[Lustral]

Ah i have mis-read the reply. No there wasnt a bottle of 'top-up' oil bottle left in the car from the service.

As for draining the oil , wouldnt that be done on a major service i.e 20K ? as doing it on 10K seems a bit low.

Anyone working with Toyota Servicing team clarify this ?

[FROSTYBALLS]

According to the Toyota website an oil change (drain, replace filter, fill with new oil) is included in each of the three Fixed Price services (intermediate [10,000 miles], full [20,000] and full+). With my last Auris the oil was changed at each of the three services (two intermediate and one full).

[Geoff Peace]

Ah i have mis-read the reply. No there wasnt a bottle of 'top-up' oil bottle left in the car from the service.

As for draining the oil , wouldnt that be done on a major service i.e 20K ? as doing it on 10K seems a bit low.

Anyone working with Toyota Servicing team clarify this ?

Yes, I did mean a bottle of oil left in the car. My wifes car had covered 2,600 miles but the engine oil and filter were changed, as they needed to be, low mileage can often be more destructive to an engine than a high one. 10,000 miles is quite long enough for engine oil despite some manufacturers extending it to 20,000 miles. This is done purely to reduce costs for the fleet operator, it is certainly not in the interests of long engine life.

Regards Geoff Peace.

[Chris81]

I've never heard of Toyota (or anyone else for that matter) leaving a 1ltr bottle of top up oil in the car. Nice idea though.

[FROSTYBALLS]

When we had Mazdas (a 53 Mazda 323, 53 Mazda Premacy and a 57 Mazda 2) we had a litre of oil left in the cars every time they were serviced. No doubt the cost of the top up oil was included within the service. None of the cars used oil so I ended up giving my next door neighbour 5 one litre bottles of Castrol Magnatec when he serviced his car the once. Still have a one litre bottle of Castrol Magnatec, two one litre bottles of Shell Helix and a one litre bottle of Castrol Edge all unopened. Shall keep the Castrol Edge for topping up the replacement for the Mazda 2 (a Hyundai i20), and have some Toyota 0W-20 for my Auris. Don't know what we'll do with the remaining Magnatec/Helix.

[Lustral]

My SR is going back the dealer next next Saturday 22/12/2012 as im finding the car is drifting to the right when the steering , what i think is to be straight. Checked the usual tyre pressure and visually checked the brakes and i cant see anything out of the ordinary. It is only very slightly pulling to the right , more noticeable on motorway driving.

Question is , could the dealer have fudged the wheel alignment when swapping the tyres on the 10K service ?

I have not kerbed or ran over any major pot holes etc etc.

[Parts-King]

Question is , could the dealer have fudged the wheel alignment when swapping the tyres on the 10K service ?

I have not kerbed or ran over any major pot holes etc etc.

Tyres are not swopped about on the 10K service and it certainly would not have had wheel alignment done at 10K either

Most issues with steering pull is tyre wear and tyre damage, not tracking or other alignment issues

Kingo

[Chris81]

Tyres are not swopped about on the 10K service and it certainly would not have had wheel alignment done at 10K either

Most issues with steering pull is tyre wear and tyre damage, not tracking or other alignment issues

Kingo

The OP asked them to swap the tyres on the first service.

Anyway, I've had more than my fair share of alignment issues with the Yaris. I will bet it is down to your tyres. No 2 tyres are the same, due to manufacturing process they'll all pull in ever so slightly different directions*. If you swap the tyres back to the original positions then I bet it will drive straight. On my Yaris, every time I've had new tyres fitted I've had to have the alignment done. It's PITA and not something I've ever had on any other motor I've owned. My conclusion is the Yaris is hugely oversensitive to tyres.

On mine, if you let go of the steering wheel, the car drives straight and true, but the steering wheel was slightly off the centre position e.g. rather than bang on 12 o click, it was more like 5 to. If you held the wheel straight, then the car would of course veer off to the right. OP what happens if you let go of the steering wheel does the car drive straight?

* http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=165

this describes it better...

[Parts-King]

The OP asked them to swap the tyres on the first service.

Sorry I missed that bit doh!

Kingo

[Lustral]

Tyres are not swopped about on the 10K service and it certainly would not have had wheel alignment done at 10K either

Most issues with steering pull is tyre wear and tyre damage, not tracking or other alignment issues

Kingo

The OP asked them to swap the tyres on the first service.

Anyway, I've had more than my fair share of alignment issues with the Yaris. I will bet it is down to your tyres. No 2 tyres are the same, due to manufacturing process they'll all pull in ever so slightly different directions*. If you swap the tyres back to the original positions then I bet it will drive straight. On my Yaris, every time I've had new tyres fitted I've had to have the alignment done. It's PITA and not something I've ever had on any other motor I've owned. My conclusion is the Yaris is hugely oversensitive to tyres.

On mine, if you let go of the steering wheel, the car drives straight and true, but the steering wheel was slightly off the centre position e.g. rather than bang on 12 o click, it was more like 5 to. If you held the wheel straight, then the car would of course veer off to the right. OP what happens if you let go of the steering wheel does the car drive straight?

* http://www.wheels-in...p?showtopic=165

this describes it better...

Ill try without holding the steering wheel and see if the car drive straight tomorrow, but i did try hold the steering wheel what i believe to be straight and at 12 o'clock , the car veers off quite a bit to the right.

Ill swing by the Toyota dealer next next saturday and see what they say. Only issue is that i have to put up with it for a week and a bit , and the steering feels weird.

[Lustral]

Tyres are not swopped about on the 10K service and it certainly would not have had wheel alignment done at 10K either

Most issues with steering pull is tyre wear and tyre damage, not tracking or other alignment issues

Kingo

The OP asked them to swap the tyres on the first service.

Anyway, I've had more than my fair share of alignment issues with the Yaris. I will bet it is down to your tyres. No 2 tyres are the same, due to manufacturing process they'll all pull in ever so slightly different directions*. If you swap the tyres back to the original positions then I bet it will drive straight. On my Yaris, every time I've had new tyres fitted I've had to have the alignment done. It's PITA and not something I've ever had on any other motor I've owned. My conclusion is the Yaris is hugely oversensitive to tyres.

On mine, if you let go of the steering wheel, the car drives straight and true, but the steering wheel was slightly off the centre position e.g. rather than bang on 12 o click, it was more like 5 to. If you held the wheel straight, then the car would of course veer off to the right. OP what happens if you let go of the steering wheel does the car drive straight?

* http://www.wheels-in...p?showtopic=165

this describes it better...

Ill try without holding the steering wheel and see if the car drive straight tomorrow, but i did try hold the steering wheel what i believe to be straight and at 12 o'clock , the car veers off quite a bit to the right.

Ill swing by the Toyota dealer next next saturday and see what they say. Only issue is that i have to put up with it for a week and a bit , and the steering feels weird.

Just had a little test this morning and it seems when i dont hold the steering wheel , it goes quite a lot to the right .... Also the car is quite twitchy on the motorway as well.

[Chris81]

So when you let go of the steering wheel is it pointing straight ahead or does it point to the right ("5 past") as well?

[Lustral]

It is slightly pointing left (I.e half 11 position) very strange

[Lustral]

Just got back from the dealer , they said they adjusted the tracking slightly and asked me to check see how it goes on the motorway.

All good so far on the little stint on the motorway back home.

[Rayburn]

Just a point.

When I was with Volvo, they did not recommend changing the tyres/wheels Front to Rear.

Many people asked for this, but when you tell them, this causes "even" tyre wear, and then when you need new tyres you gotta buy 4 instead of just the two.

So my advice, (fwiw) Leave them where they are.

Also, if you have a suspension/tracking problem which causes extra tyre wear, you may mask this by swopping the tyres, so not good.

I replaced just the front tyres at 13,500 miles.

Rears still ok and will last at least another set of fronts.

Also, I would always recommend checking the wheel alignment when you fit new front tyres.

You will most likely find it common, that if you bring the rear tyres to the front you just may have an “off” steering issue.

That’s the tyres.

Hope this helps

R.