Service / Toyota Or Diy ?

[jase hutch]

Having just found a quote for a fixed price intermediate service on my rav 4 from Toyota for £139 , the question is , is it worth paying this to get the service book stamped and up to date or do it yourself as you would inevitably do more for less cash as the Toyota intermediate service doesn't seem to cover much !

[Big Kev]

If it has a totally uninterrupted service history to date, therefore 9 full years, don't burst it now IMHO. Always a big selly point should you wish to do so.

If DIY service history since coming out of warranty, continue that too.

[silly sausage]

If it has a totally uninterrupted service history to date, therefore 9 full years, don't burst it now IMHO. Always a big selly point should you wish to do so.

If DIY service history since coming out of warranty, continue that too.

Great Minds 'en all that'.........

[jase hutch]

It's mainly Toyota but unfortunately a couple of services by back street garages too !

[Big Kev]

Nurra wee nod though Jase......wife's petrol 3 door benifitted greatly this year when I showed shcm and Anchorman how to change brake fluid, gearbox, transfer box, and rear diff oils........runs like a wee watch noo. I am now dropping the oil every 5k miles or 6 months, WCF, due to low annual mileage, and that makes big difference too.

[jase hutch]

What's nurra wee nod ?

[Guest]

He talks in code so us poor hobbits in the Shires can't understand him :) "Another little nod to the wise"

[Big Kev]

What's nurra wee nod ?

In Cambridgeness..... "just another wee nod to the wise"........ffs min.......did ye no get Inglish at school........?

[jase hutch]

So are you saying it's a big nod then ?

[anchorman]

Nobody quite knows what he is saying Jase but he pops up with the goods now and again. We tried to get the guys at google translate to sort it out but although they cracked klingon no bother, they all jumped off a cliff in frustration.

[Big Kev]

How did Jamesy T. Kirk get rid of Klingons......?

He had a shower.......

[jase hutch]

Kev , Toyota or diy ? In plain English what do you think ?

[Big Kev]

My original reply, Part 2 of this post, Jase, surely must be as clear as you need.......? LOL.

Are you originally from London.....? In that case, if it has Toyota FSH to date, keep it going. If not, DIY.

[jase hutch]

Ok , thanks Kev ! And no I'm not from London ! Originally from Hartlepool !

[Paulus17]

Brilliant.Just had a little chuckle at this thread,sorry Jase :D :D

Edit-: i did mean to say that we had a call from Toyota saying our service is due and are thinking the same question??

[Big Kev]

Same reply then, Paul......Toyota Service History is a selly point, but if already broken, it matters not a jot that proper DIY service history be RECORDED......don't just have it done, or do it, and expect a prospective buyer to believe ye.......RECORD it on a spready.

Must stress though that the changing of all ma wife's fluids (aw ffs, mins......) made an incredible difference. Rule of Thumb......if she comes back from That Asda, and observes the car is "quieter and running really great"......that means it really makes a difference.....

[DjRav]

I've been doing intermediates myself (cost-just over £30!!!) and getting main services done by Toyota.

When they do the service I still supply the oil and they knock £60+ off the "fixed" price service making it a billy-bargain!

Dave

[Big Kev]

Just did same for my first service, Dave........£68.16 and 73 minutes.

[anchorman]

When mine goes in I have to beg them not spray that waxy kak on the door hinges. Its almost to demonstrate they've been there.

[CharlieFarlie]

My opinion is if the vehicle is within say five years of age the dealer history is of great importance especially come sale time..

After this I believe the cars value is tumbling so so long as the car has stamps in the book and has been well serviced then that should be just fine..

The cost of an interim service is a wee bit expensive given that the only real work done is the oils and filter.. Just about everything else they do can be done by even a moderately skilled owner. There are guides here on the forum to help with most tasks like for instance changing the fuel filter..

There is nothing quite as satisfying as doing a good job yourself and learning a bit about you car....

[firemac]

My opinion is if the vehicle is within say five years of age the dealer history is of great importance especially come sale time..

After this I believe the cars value is tumbling so so long as the car has stamps in the book and has been well serviced then that should be just fine..

The cost of an interim service is a wee bit expensive given that the only real work done is the oils and filter.. Just about everything else they do can be done by even a moderately skilled owner. There are guides here on the forum to help with most tasks like for instance changing the fuel filter..

There is nothing quite as satisfying as doing a good job yourself and learning a bit about you car....

Charlie makes a very good point, Jason. But if you decide to have someone else do the work, for whatever reason, it is worth phoning around a few TGB main dealers to get quotes for the services. As you probably know they operate a menu-pricing system but I know that my local dealer was prepared to give discounts for work on our previouys 4.2's because of their age (and any good main dealer puts value on customer loyalty). Consequently that made the cost comparable to good local indies and made the TGB stamp in the book look like better value.

It wouldn't hurt to ask.

[CharlieFarlie]

I am very lucky in so much as the owner of a reputable garage not to far from where I live now lets me use his ramp and equipment to do the servicing and after his inspection to make sure everything is correct stamps the book for me.... I see this as fair.

Bigger jobs if they come up would be done by said garage. I know my limits !

[jase hutch]

I've just got back from work , trying to catch up on all these messages! I take it that it's good to have "hot" by the topic on the index page ?

[jase hutch]

I bought my Rav in November last year from an independent dealer having supposedly just been serviced and mot'd ,but soon noticed I had only one brake light , crap Wiper Blades and an air filter full of dead flies! In January of this year I took it to Murley Toyota for a full service which cost just over £340 ! All was good except for a slight diesel knock only evident under light acceleration when the engine had reached operating temperature. As I liked the car so much I decided to take the plunge and booked it into Malvern Diesels as I knew of their excellent reputation ! Anyway , they diagnosed no pilot injection on two injectors , so £ 1050 later it ran as sweet. as a nut !Now I've got rid of the drive belt squeal hopefully I can begin t enjoy it , just hope Toyota reliability is going to be as good as I'm expecting !

[Paulus17]

I've just got back from work , trying to catch up on all these messages! I take it that it's good to have "hot" by the topic on the index page ?

Hot shows when there have been so many posts made some where around twelve i think,and shows its a poular topic.