Think My Independent Guy Is Starting To Get Pricey!

LEXIRX330 · July 23, 2009

Well took the RX330 in for oil change, tire rotation and balance, and a Trans Drain and Fill. Did not even ask how much it would be since I have used this same guy for 4-5 years. The oil changes, tire rotation and balance usually run me $65.00, which is fine. Well got the new guy there on the phone and told him wife was going to drop the Lex off there around 11:00 and be back to pick it up around 12:30...this would be fine told him what I wanted done. Figured bill would be about $150...or so.

Wife was *BLEEP*ed car wasn't ready until around 2:30. Asked her how much the bill was $240.00. Labor was $165.00. Hell all that had to be done other than the oil change, and rotation, is simpley taking the plug out of the bottom of the transmission and refilling it with 4 qts of fluid. I looked over the bill and it said performed SEVERE MAT 85,000 mile service. Check inspect all...etc. Oil filter, oil, trans drain and fill, and balance rotate all 4 tires.

Well not positive on this but I am sure that the local Toyota Dealership wouldn't have charged me this much. I have not made up my mind and since I did not ask how much the bill would be I am just going to pay it and not say anything. But I may call him and just ask why the bill was so high?

What do you guys think?

RX in NC · July 23, 2009

This is an easy one....

D o i t y o u r s e l f . . . .

As you pointed out in your own post, doing the drain-and-fill on an RX is cake. Any 4th-grader can do it. Why pay anybody else ANY amount for something this easy ? ?

LEXIRX330 · July 24, 2009

This is an easy one....
D o i t y o u r s e l f . . . .

As you pointed out in your own post, doing the drain-and-fill on an RX is cake. Any 4th-grader can do it. Why pay anybody else ANY amount for something this easy ? ?

RX...I do know how easy it is to do. I do not mind paying a reasonable fee for the simple reason that between having a 20 month old running around the house and a wife that is due in about 6 weeks on top of working 6 days a week and all of the other stuff that has to be done on a day to day basis around a home I just don't have time to do anything. And to be honest the last thing that I want to do is get under my car or any car. Some people enjoy working on cars and some don't, I personally don't. I want to put the key in and drive and if it needs to be fixed I will pay to have it fixed. I just don't like being charged $165 in labor for something I know didn't require much more than time than the oil change anyway.

I was just wondering what others paid for this service because in the future I may just use the Toyota Dealership if the charge is close to the same.

newtoncd · July 24, 2009

Well took the RX330 in for oil change, tire rotation and balance, and a Trans Drain and Fill. Did not even ask how much it would be since I have used this same guy for 4-5 years. The oil changes, tire rotation and balance usually run me $65.00, which is fine. Well got the new guy there on the phone and told him wife was going to drop the Lex off there around 11:00 and be back to pick it up around 12:30...this would be fine told him what I wanted done. Figured bill would be about $150...or so.
Wife was *BLEEP*ed car wasn't ready until around 2:30. Asked her how much the bill was $240.00. Labor was $165.00. Hell all that had to be done other than the oil change, and rotation, is simpley taking the plug out of the bottom of the transmission and refilling it with 4 qts of fluid. I looked over the bill and it said performed SEVERE MAT 85,000 mile service. Check inspect all...etc. Oil filter, oil, trans drain and fill, and balance rotate all 4 tires.

Well not positive on this but I am sure that the local Toyota Dealership wouldn't have charged me this much. I have not made up my mind and since I did not ask how much the bill would be I am just going to pay it and not say anything. But I may call him and just ask why the bill was so high?

What do you guys think?

I pay $129 for a full fluid exchange with Toyota Type-IV on our 2004 RX330. I have it done every 30K. I do my own oil changes and Discount Tire rotates for free, so I can't help with the total bill.