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From: FatterDumber& Happier Moe on 8 May 2010 05:30
SMS wrote:
> On two of our Toyotas I change the oil, but on the Camry Hybrid I can't
> do it because of the location of the oil filter. I usually look for
> coupons at a Toyota dealer around the time an oil change is due. Today I
> went in with this coupon
> "http://www.melodytoyota.com/specials/service.htm" to my closest dealer
> who advertises that they'll match any other local dealer's coupons.
> Actually I had a $28 coupon from the other dealer that they mailed to me
> but I couldn't find it and it wasn't on their web site so I found that
> $18.88 coupon by chance.
>
> Apparently their system is designed so that they meet other dealer's
> prices by adjusting the labor cost of the service, while holding the
> parts cost constant. However in this case the parts cost in their system
> was greater than the other dealer's total price. Finally they just
> charged me the parts cost with no labor and I paid more than the coupon
> price. It wasn't a lot more so I didn't make a fuss since the final
> price was still a very good price, under $21, and not much more than I'd
> spend for a Toyota filter and four quarts of oil.

"Other Restrictions may apply."
That could mean most anything.
What was the final cost of the $18.88? Were there environmental or
shop fees added to it? What brand and grade oil did they use?
Would you buy a car from these people or take your car there for
service in the future?
It sounds like a break even or money losing deal for the dealership
up front but....
I find things like this facinating because there has to be a profit
motive somewhere. They want you and your car through the door for a
reason.
From: SMS on 9 May 2010 16:05
On 08/05/10 2:30 AM, FatterDumber& Happier Moe wrote:
> SMS wrote:
>> On two of our Toyotas I change the oil, but on the Camry Hybrid I
>> can't do it because of the location of the oil filter. I usually look
>> for coupons at a Toyota dealer around the time an oil change is due.
>> Today I went in with this coupon
>> "http://www.melodytoyota.com/specials/service.htm" to my closest
>> dealer who advertises that they'll match any other local dealer's
>> coupons. Actually I had a $28 coupon from the other dealer that they
>> mailed to me but I couldn't find it and it wasn't on their web site so
>> I found that $18.88 coupon by chance.
>>
>> Apparently their system is designed so that they meet other dealer's
>> prices by adjusting the labor cost of the service, while holding the
>> parts cost constant. However in this case the parts cost in their
>> system was greater than the other dealer's total price. Finally they
>> just charged me the parts cost with no labor and I paid more than the
>> coupon price. It wasn't a lot more so I didn't make a fuss since the
>> final price was still a very good price, under $21, and not much more
>> than I'd spend for a Toyota filter and four quarts of oil.
>
> "Other Restrictions may apply."
> That could mean most anything.
> What was the final cost of the $18.88? Were there environmental or shop
> fees added to it? What brand and grade oil did they use?
> Would you buy a car from these people or take your car there for service
> in the future?
> It sounds like a break even or money losing deal for the dealership up
> front but....
> I find things like this facinating because there has to be a profit
> motive somewhere. They want you and your car through the door for a reason.

I think the final cost was around $19.50 plus tax. There were none of
the garbage fees added on (disposal, etc.). The good thing about this
dealer is that they use the proper grade of oil and a Toyota filter.
They also didn't try to sell me any stuff like a Bilstein Wallet Flush.
The only attempted up-sell was a tire rotation. They are also pretty
close to me and they have free wireless in the waiting room. Alas both
times I went there to look at vehicles to purchase they were
significantly higher priced than the dealer I ended up buying from.

Of the dealer service departments I've experienced in the Bay Area they
have been the least obnoxious. At two dealers they tried to sell the
Bilstein Wallet Flush, and I'll never go back to those dealers for
service or for sales. At one dealer they used the wrong oil in my
4Runner and I had them do the oil change over, and I'm unlikely to
return to that service department either.
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