Car Servicing recommendation

[Bryan33]

Hello 👋 everyone I have Toyota 86 and have been quoted around $1,100 for a 54 month service. I live in mill park Melbourne which is in the northern suburbs. Does anyone know if there is some other mechanics that you can recommend that doesn’t charge this much ? That’s around this area. 
or if you can recommend other mechanics in other areas who can do this for much less and I’m happy to drive there ? 
 

Edited January 10, 2022 by Bryan33

[Hiro]

What is included/required in the service?  It might sound like a lot but there could be key components due for replacement that are going to be expensive regardless of where you take it.  Conversely, someone offering you a cheap rate might be skipping out on those jobs to cut corners.

[ZZT86]

Not much gets done to the car until you hit about 90K kms from memory like spark plugs (bitch to swap out) and the fuel filter (easy to do). Definitely suss out whats being quoted & go elsewhere.

[Hiro]

1 hour ago, ZZT86 said:

Not much gets done to the car until you hit about 90K kms from memory like spark plugs (bitch to swap out) and the fuel filter (easy to do). Definitely suss out whats being quoted & go elsewhere.

54mo is most likely the 90k service (that's 20k a year, or 10k per 6mo which is a pretty standard schedule) so spark plugs on the FA20 boxer could well be the big ticket item.

[Bryan33]

I tried to reply with the list of servicing at the first reply but this chat didn’t post the list I responded with. 

[Bryan33]

Here is the list of the main work to be done at 54 month or 90,000 kms. 
+ replace engine air cleaner filter

+ replace automatic transmission fluid 

+ replace air-conditioner filter 

+ replace engine oil filter 

+ replace fuel filter 

+ replace rear differential oil 

+ replace brake fluid 

+ rotate wheels and balance front wheels 

+ fill engine oil 

+ replace spark plugs 

plus the rest is inspect 

I have been quoted from $1000 to highest $1900. 

[Bryan33]

3 hours ago, Hiro said:

54mo is most likely the 90k service (that's 20k a year, or 10k per 6mo which is a pretty standard schedule) so spark plugs on the FA20 boxer could well be the big ticket item.

 

4 hours ago, ZZT86 said:

Not much gets done to the car until you hit about 90K kms from memory like spark plugs (bitch to swap out) and the fuel filter (easy to do). Definitely suss out whats being quoted & go elsewhere.

 

Just now, Bryan33 said:

Here is the list of the main work to be done at 54 month or 90,000 kms. 
+ replace engine air cleaner filter

+ replace automatic transmission fluid 

+ replace air-conditioner filter 

+ replace engine oil filter 

+ replace fuel filter 

+ replace rear differential oil 

+ replace brake fluid 

+ rotate wheels and balance front wheels 

+ fill engine oil 

+ replace spark plugs 

plus the rest is inspect 

I have been quoted from $1000 to highest $1900. 

 

[ZZT86]

Rough guestimates:

Supply Fuel filter & change: $250-350

Dump & flush ATM: Assume connected to machine for proper dump/flush: $250min

Supply & fit Spark Plugs: $250-350 (doable without raising motor)

Most of that is easy DIY otherwise it costs in labour time & parts.

[Tony Prodigy]

I would happily pay $1100 because there is a ton of work to do. If you can DIY it yourself, you can save a fair chunk of money.

Labour charges are anywhere from around $90 to $120 per hour plus the parts, so $1100 in my opinion is pretty fair.
A service like this would probably take most of the day to do, let's say @$90 per hr x 6hrs = $540 plus the cost of Genuine Parts, plugs, fuel filter, cabin filter, auto trans fluid, motor oil, oil filter, diff oil, brake fluid and other sundry items. Wheel rotation should be included naturally but I'm not sure if they'll check the balance of the front wheels. You'd have to bring that to their attention.

You have to realistic when it comes to the major service. After this the next few will be basic service items, mainly oil changes etc and therefore much cheaper.

[ZZT86]

Last time I saw a dealer RO the labour was $150/hr+gst !

Edited January 25, 2022 by ZZT86

[Tony Prodigy]

28 minutes ago, ZZT86 said:

Last time I saw a dealer RO the labour was $150/hr+gst !

I wouldn't be surprised mate. The world has gone mad. Everything is very expensive now, so trying to save here and there is really becoming a challenge.

[ZZT86]

Actually back in May 2019 when my car had the engine out for the dreaded valve spring issue I asked - it was $155/hr+gst ! Whilst the engine was out I had the plugs replaced free of charge, but they did sting me $42 a pop - ouch ! I know they're not that expensive but I didn't argue, they did a great job with the engine work & they also replaced the throw out bearing, checked the coilplugs & the clutch whilst they were at it. Car has been faultless since, not that there was anything wrong with it, just that I know some of the work done on other cars by other dealers landed the owners in deep $*#@%t with a blown engine. Some techs just can't follow instructions.

[Bryan33]

Better to pay proper dealer then to get a proper job done. Like what others where saying you can get cheaper but then they cut corners or not check everything. 

[ZZT86]

Fair chance the dealer will know exactly what to do by now with these so you should be right & have it done properly. Where abouts are you - Melb ?

[Bryan33]

I’m from northern suburbs so I will be going to Subaru at University Hill which is in between South Morang and Bundoora. But they says the next service is quoted at $950 which is at 63 month or 105,000 kms. 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Bryan33

[ZZT86]

Ok, but I can highly recommend Camberwell 😉

[Bryan33]

I will give Camberwell a call and check how much is their 54 month service logbook. 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Bryan33

[jessicasnow50]

A car servicing recommendation is something that every driver should get done on a regular basis to help keep their vehicle running smoothly. A good auto service can do things like check fluid levels, clean the air filters, and replace worn or broken parts. There are a variety of services to choose from, so it's important to find one that meets your needs and budget. 

[Tony Prodigy]

10 hours ago, jessicasnow50 said:

A car servicing recommendation is something that every driver should get done on a regular basis to help keep their vehicle running smoothly. A good auto service can do things like check fluid levels, clean the air filters, and replace worn or broken parts. There are a variety of services to choose from, so it's important to find one that meets your needs and budget. 

Hi Jessica and welcome to the forum. We cannot agree more with what you said. The owner of a vehicle must be responsible for its upkeep otherwise it will break and leave you stranded somewhere and this scenario can be quite expensive. 
Preventative maintenance is very important in that, you spend the time and some money maintaining your vehicle as your service scheduling calls and the car will function at its best.

You just need to do your own due diligence when it comes to choosing a trusted service centre or mechanic as there are a few sharks around ready to eat you up if you're not careful.

Another thing we advocate here is regular oil changes. Don't follow the stupid log book service where it states a 15k oil change interval. This is detrimental to the modern engine design and the fine tolerances they have, whereas if you prolong the oil service to that amount your engine will sludge up. Commuting to work, stop-start and short trips contaminate your oil faster than your log book service will tell you. Carbon build up is the biggest enemy in these circumstances and you begin making sludge. Once it reaches this point it's a long and hard road back. Many can testify to that fact here.

The absolute maximum should be 10k or anywhere between 5k and 10k. The more short trips you do, the more frequent the oil change should be, say, 5k-8k max.
The manufacturers love to sell you this "capped priced servicing" garbage so you can buy their cars thinking it will save you money. In reality, capped priced servicing is a false economy and skimping on oil servicing to save a few bucks will cost you dearly later.

How's the RAV 4 treating you ? They have come a long way that's for sure. I owned a 95 model 3dr Cruiser back in the day and loved it. It was one of the most reliable cars I'd ever owned. Had it for 10 years and all I spent on it was 2 batteries, tyres and front brakes. The rest just routine maintenance. Great car.

All the best. Cheers.  

[jessicasnow50]

Thanks