SoCal Service Center?

[daplusl]

Hey there!

Very very happy new 86 owner here in the Los Angeles area. Up for its first servicing next month and wanted to know if any folks in the neighborhood can recommend the best servicing center where it'll be taken care of properly and have the most knowledgable mechanics. Previous car came back with scratches/dents/more problems than when I brought it in and want to make sure I go to the best place this time around.

Thanks!

[Tcoat]

Try asking in the regional sub.
Many people don't even look in general.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=10

[daplusl]

Ah! Thank you!

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by daplusl

Hey there!

Very very happy new 86 owner here in the Los Angeles area. Up for its first servicing next month and wanted to know if any folks in the neighborhood can recommend the best servicing center where it'll be taken care of properly and have the most knowledgable mechanics. Previous car came back with scratches/dents/more problems than when I brought it in and want to make sure I go to the best place this time around.

Thanks!

Congratulations on the purchase of your new car and welcome to our forum.....

Feel free to drop by and ask any questions you may have about your car.

When I take my car to a dealership for service, I do several things.

* never leave anything of value in the car (cameras, handguns, stuff like that)

* I mark the oil filter before I take it in and check after the service to make sure it was changed.

* I always check the oil level after the service, to make sure it's new oil and the oil level is correct.

* If they are to rotate the tires, I mark the wheels before I take the car in.

* I suggest you refer to your service manual and only authorize them to do the scheduled work ...... unless they can come up with a good reason to do more.

* check the tire pressures after you get your car back home ...... make sure they didn't over inflate them.

* oh, yes, I suggest you ask them NOT to wash your car ...... I even tape a note on the dash that says "DO NOT WASH THIS CAR".

(why not wash the car - because there is a good chance that the car wash kid is Bubba's half-wit son and he will use the same brush that he used on the mudded up, off road pickup that he just washed)

Other than that, sit back in the waiting room, relax, have a cup of coffee and read a car magazine.

Don't worry about them putting in the wrong weight of oil, or adding windshield washer fluid to your car's radiator, or not tightening the oil drain plug, or leaving two gaskets on the oil filter, or not torqueing the lug nuts properly, or .......... nah, that's enough for now .......

(ol humfrz is jest ah messen wich ya there at the last ......)


humfrz

[Shinigami301]

Excellent checklist. I always follow similar procedures. Last week, I had my last free oil/filter service that I will ever do with the Toyota dealer which sold me the car- this time, they handed me the keys with the tires reverse-staggered (TRD tire and wheel package, rear is bigger than front and its visually obvious). At one point they had four people observing the oil change- they apparently don't see many 86's.

After getting them to put the wheels back in the correct orientation, I made them put it back on the pit and demonstrate the torque setting on the drain plug and each wheel lug.

I will NEVER take it there for service ever again.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Shinigami301

Excellent checklist. I always follow similar procedures. Last week, I had my last free oil/filter service that I will ever do with the Toyota dealer which sold me the car- this time, they handed me the keys with the tires reverse-staggered (TRD tire and wheel package, rear is bigger than front and its visually obvious). At one point they had four people observing the oil change- they apparently don't see many 86's.

After getting them to put the wheels back in the correct orientation, I made them put it back on the pit and demonstrate the torque setting on the drain plug and each wheel lug.

I will NEVER take it there for service ever again.

I go in and ask "you guys do it all properly?" They say "yes we sure did" and I hand them their coffee an doughnuts. They all say how great I am and how they will always take good care of me and my car. I can rest assured that I had the best service possible.
Now in fairness things are a bit different here as far as techs go. They have to be licensed and have all the training that goes with that Oil and tire guys are generally in apprenticeships so they can't afford to screw up and ruin their career paths. The ones that do screw up often don't last long in the trade.