30k Maintenance
 

I'm at about 28k miles and I'm looking to do my maintenance soon. I have a list, but I'm posting it here to see if it's a good route:

I'm running a c38 SC kit with Flex Fuel, DW Injectors, DW Fuel Pump and a UEL.

Here's the list and please tell me bad or good:
-Motor oil:Amsoil 5w-20 (Dom Racing oil) or 5w-30
-Trans: GL-4
-Diff: 75w-90 GL-5
-Amsoil Oil Filter

I had a brake fluid flush at 30k.

Looks OK, except the owners manual recommends GL-3 for the transmission ...... but, it's your call ...... ;)

Also, you might want to change the clutch/brake fluid.


humfrz

The transmission fluid shoots out sideways, so plan for that.

Well now ....... ya lost me .....??

:iono:


humfrz

I don't remember it being particularly dramatic...

I got trans fluid on my face the first time because I didn't expect it to shoot so far. That stuff smells terrible.

Ah, the 'ol mechanic facial.

:word:
I've never done a break flush, but yes I need to do it. I'm sure it's just as easy as changing oils.

Any brand you suggest?

I'll be doing the same soon enough, got the stock filter and washer though.

$/value, using street/hybrid brake pads: ATE Typ 200

I'll be honest with you -- There are terrible things that i'd rather do than be hit in the face with used transmission/gear oil. The smell is absolutely HORRID. It does come out of the transmission from the side, and will come out with a reasonable amount of force at first. You definitely want a pan to catch it... You'll see what I mean by 'horrid' soon.

I also need to do a brake fluid flush -- So i'm interested to hear responses as well.

did you taste it?

Just did my 60k maintenance at the local Toyota dealer I normally go to. They charged me $930... I'm never going there again.

$330 for parts and $660 for labor. They were kind enough to give me a slight discount.
Here is what I had done:
Plugs
Oil, air and engine filter (Mobil 1)
Diff fluid, AT fluid, brake flush

I'm honestly shocked. On the phone she tells me a total of $3xx and then I see this labor charge. Outta control

You are complete f***ed. Feel your pain. BTW, may I ask which kind of fluid they used for diff.? Thanks.

My dealership is kind of weird; I have to talk them INTO doing maintenance. They told me that the oil only has to be changed every 12k.. I show them manual where it says 7500miles, but explain that I like to do it every 3k - 5k just to be safe. They grudgingly change my oil. When I asked them to change the MT oil and the diff oil, they tell me that nobody does that and it's not necessary. At 40k, I said I wanted the brake system flushed and the fluid replaced. Same thing... "not necessary." I showed them the manual, again, where it says every 30k. Oh well, at least I know that they're not trying to OVERsell me service!

Here's their prices, approximately..

Oil change (6 quarts synthetic, fliter) - $80
Brake fluid service - $99
Diff and MT fluid - $139

I'm at about 41k on the car now, and drive about 18k a year. I have NOT done the diff and mt fluids, but have kept up with everything else. According to the maintenance intervals in the manual, the diff and MT levels need only be checked at this point, and not drained and renewed.

The biggie in your bill was the plugs. I don't think the Toyota folks are as familiar with this car and engine as the Subaru folks, and probably followed the shop manual step by step, including lifting the engine to get at the plugs, and charged your accordingly. This is TOTAL conjecture on my part, but perhaps a Subie dealership or an independent with more experience with the engine would have been able to do the same service faster and cheaper. I don't really know. Actually, I should probably end ALL of my posts with ... "I don't really know."

From my perspective, I don't think you were taken ALL that bad. It's a dealership; they're in business to make money. You'll almost always pay more at the dealership, but you can take SOME solace in knowing that, in the future, they can't tell you that some problem was caused by shoddy work elsewhere. If they've done the work, they need to stand by it and usually will. I like the guys at my dealership; they do OK work, don't charge so much that I feel taken afterwards, and the few times when things weren't right they made it right w/out any argument.

Just some thoughts..

Barry

I am pushing 100K and have not had the tranny nor dif oil changed. I probably won't unless I start to notice a difference in their performance.
If really pushing the car on the track then you need to change it (and fairly often) but in a street driven car that is not used as a race car but just as a car the tranny and diff fluids are just fine for many many miles.


I change my oil at the recommended rate and no sooner. Again if pushing the car you may want to do it early but even at the highest recommended rate the oil on my street driven car looks about the same coming out as it did going in so 3,00 to 5,000 miles would be gross overkill for me. Ya, in the good old days of basic oil you needed to change it often but modern fluids last way longer. I feel a lot of people change them way more often then required because it gives a sense of doing something more than the reality that it needs it.


Other opinions will vary!

I was just taken for a complete ride. Never heard of anyone getting charged $667 for labor at 60k maintenance. I even declined the rotation.

So are plugs actually needed to be done at 30k?

I have practically the same mods as OP. I've done brakes, trans, diff, air filter, and oil already though due to track days/new clutch.

edit: misread the post another person stated plugs were done at 60k.

I'm not sure if any of it was absolutely required. I got the car used and did it for piece of mind.

Regardless, she quoted me a third of what I paid.

I thought the spark plug change at the dealer was $500-$600 by itself. With that included, I'm not sure the $900 bill was that far out of line for everything.

Iridium plugs are scheduled to be replaced around 100k miles in other cars. In fact, many can run till 200k. There is absolutely no reason it should be changed at 60k.

when you take your car into the dealership, doesn't the service rep give you a printed sheet that quotes the pricing? you only pay after the service is done. did that sheet also say $300? if that sheet quoted the $900 pricing, then you should have declined before they even brought your car into the garage. once you sign that sheet then that gives them the OK to touch your car. I am sure ALL dealerships do this. so since you signed, you screwed yourself over and can't contest it. however, if they quoted you $300 on that sheet and ended up charging $900, then you can have a point to argue on with the dealership manager.

^ I didn't sign anything with a price quote on it. She quoted me 5 prices while I was on the phone (50, 60, 130, 200, 105, which I am fine with, even if it goes to $700)

Then I went in to pick it up after they closed (only the receptionist was there) and I had to pay to get my car

Smells terrible, and as far as I remember, carcinogenic.

I should have taken pictures. I was shocked at the amount and size of metal particals on the magnetic drain plugs for both the diff and tranny, last weekend. I have 35,000kms on the ODO.
My maintenance manual states 16000kms OCIs. I let Toyota do the 16k ones and I do it myself every 8k in between.

The iridiums in my Mazdaspeed3 are recommended to be changed at 160,000kms, but in reality, I was changing them around 30,000kms, because that's what they needed. You don't know this unless you actually look at them.

Does the car come with magnetic plugs for both or you added?

The oe plugs are magnetic.

Yep. That is what they are there for and they work well

I shift effortlessly into second now on cold mornings. That was not the case pre fluid change.

oh how fancy!
:wub:

I know i'm digging this post back from the grave but unless your state is lax with the laws what they did is actually illegal.
They cannot work on your vehicle with a a parts and labor estimate and it must be explained to you and signed.
while doing the work if another problem is found or for whatever reason some extra work is going to be required they must contact you for approval and a new estimate before doing the work.

my guess is that the person you talked to on the phone only gave you the parts cost and never added labor? either way they hosed you hard. might want to look into some kind of legal action or at the very least contact the Service manager and GM of the dealership. thats is a very serious issue and they should be very concerned about it happening.

Honestly it still bugs me think about lol

Doing brake flush? good time to put in stainless brake lines. Also get a one person bleeder pump (about forty dollars from O'riley, less on amazon. I have a ighty vac, works well. U may consider going to Silicone brake fluid as well.

I think you can go 100k on diff oil.
I bet many cars never even get that changed ever.
But, we're car guys, and car guys work on their cars.
Gear oil is like $10, and a fluid transfer pump is like $25.
Why not do a drain and fill when you are motivated.
An hour of DIY is about the healthiest thing you can do, mentally.