Shady Practices Exposed
Recently, a former Toyota mechanic shared the shady practices his customers are coming to him with, which he is discovering while working on their cars as an independent garage owner and mechanic.
- A former Toyota mechanic shared his experiences with customers, revealing a trend of dealership service centers using shady practices to cheat customers with maintenance and repair services.
- Customers are being overcharged on non-OEM parts, and not getting the OEM parts they paid for, with the dealership service center buying discounted non-OEM parts from local parts stores to increase profits.
- Dealership service centers are using “free” hooks to upsell customers unnecessary services, and may not provide transparent estimates, leading to hidden markups on parts.
Common Scams to Watch Out For
| Scam | Description |
|---|---|
| Lack of Transparency | Service centers use non-itemized lists in repair estimates to hide suspiciously high markups on parts. |
| Overcharging on Parts | Dealership service centers use aftermarket parts, which are marked up on prices. |
| Not Getting OEM Parts | Dealership service centers buy discounted non-OEM parts to increase profits. |
| Upselling Abuse | Dealership service centers use “free” services to upsell customers unnecessary repairs. |
Customers Share Their Experiences
“I want to share with you some things that I’ve been noticing, because I get a lot of folks that they used to service their car at the dealership. They don’t like how things are going, and they kind of start slowly bringing their cars out to the independent world.”
“I went to the dealership to buy 2 front strut mounts for a 2017 RAV4 XLE. They wanted 368 dollars for those 2 mounts, but you can order them directly from Toyota parts for 98 dollars each.”
Customers have shared their experiences with dealership scams, including overcharging on parts and not getting OEM parts. Some have even reported being upsold unnecessary services.
Independent Mechanics Weigh In
“I worked at a Toyota dealership as an automotive service advisor. We used aftermarket parts all the time in the service/repair of Toyotas. And you better believe they marked those prices up on parts.”
“I worked at a Lexus dealer for 14 years, and this video rings so true…aftermarket power steering fluid, brake fluid, and oil.”
Independent mechanics have also shared their experiences with dealership scams, including overcharging on parts and using aftermarket parts.
Practical Solutions
Avoiding Parts Price Markups
Ask for parts pricing up front and request it to be itemized.
Cross-check part prices on Toyota’s official parts website or third-party OEM sites.
Ask if you can supply your own parts if pricing seems excessive.
Detecting Non-OEM Parts
Request the original parts packaging or part numbers used in the repair.
Ask the service writer to note “OEM parts only” on the work order.
Keep old parts when possible; request this when you drop off the car.
Non-OEM Parts Billed as OEM
Request a second opinion from an independent mechanic before agreeing to major repairs.
Free Services
Treat “free inspections” as upsell opportunities, not favors.
If new issues are found, ask for photos, videos, or proof.
Non-Itemized Repair Estimates
Always ask for an itemized written estimate, including parts, labor hours, and shop fees.
If they won’t itemize, take your business elsewhere as this is a red flag.
Maintenance Checklist Scamming
Bring your owner’s manual or Toyota’s official maintenance schedule.
Compare the dealer’s checklist with Toyota’s and refuse unlisted services.
Decline services like injector cleaning, coolant flushes, or transmission flushes unless specifically required by mileage/time.
Independent Mechanics
“I work for a Toyota dealership and we always use OEM fluids for everything except engine oil, which we use Mobil One for.”
“The shop rate is already $175 an hour. Why are we also overcharging for the parts? “
Conclusion
Dealership scams are a common issue, and Toyota service departments are not immune to these tactics.