My New Best Friends at Metro Toyota

[yodsaker]

Well, its been an interesting week. I'm on a roll making new best friends with local businesses all over town. This time our new best friends were (briefly, see below) at Metro Toyota.

We recently bought a very clean one-owner Toyota Corolla (our 4th since 1982) with 68K on the clock. It had been leased then bought out so it was looked after.

Two weeks ago a warning light came on so I checked out the owner's book and Toyota stuff on the net. The advice was first, check the gas cap is on tight. OK, drove a km or two and the light went out as it said it would. Yesterday the light came on again when I started up so I stopped and did the gas cap. But the light didn't go out after 2 km so we went to Metro where they do a computer scan to see codes that indicate the trouble area.

Guy asks me for the odometer reading - its 70548km. He also tells us the air bag light and the ABS light should not come on when we start up. Hmmm. The owner's book says they come on briefly to show the systems are working right and they did in every other Toyota we've had. He mumbles. We leave the car and go kill an hour or so at Mayfair.

Come back and we're told the speedo and odo aren't working (funny, the trip meter works and I assume they are linked). He says the car needs a new speedo because the computer yadayada and its $519 + labour + tax.
No happy campers here.

I tell him the speedo works, I would know if it didn't because I pay attention when driving and I never noticed anything about the odo. He mumbles somethng about code # 5690xyz4768567. I don't like this situation. He'll call us when the speedo is delivered.

We get in the car and the "non-working" odo now reads 70551km. Hmm, 3km while we sat in Mayfair. My **** detector is flashing bright red.
OK, let's drive around a bit. Up Interurban Road and gee whiz! the speedo and odo work just fine. Back to Metro to tell them it ain't broke, why fix it and we'll pass on the new speedo.

My new friendship now cools off abruptly. No eye contact, looking intently at the computer he is frosty when I tell him things work fine. "If you say so but the report says they don't" is the approx. quote, then OK you're done, take it away. Clearly they don't want me as a best friend anymore especially as I have decided not to lay on about $700.

So they told me 1) the ABS light shouldn't come on 2) the airbag light shouldn't come on 3) the speedo doesn't work 4) the odo doesn't work.

The owner's book says 1 & 2 should light up briefly on starting and if they don't come on there's a malfunction. My wife and I saw the speedo and odo working just fine. But what do we know? We only drive the car daily.

I don't want to say they are fibbing, maybe they just don't know their product. Either one is reason for me not to trust them. Anyone know a good Toyota mechanic?

[Roger]

Originally Posted by yodsaker

I don't want to say they are fibbing, maybe they just don't know their product. Either one is reason for me not to trust them. Anyone know a good Toyota mechanic?

Why not try driving up to Duncan and having the dealer there take a look?

[spanky123]

Lots of good independants in town so why not try them out. Toyota's aren't rocket science and it sounds like you are out of warranty anyways.

Lots of older Toyota's allow you to get the engine check liight code by shorting a couple of pins in the fuse box. Check online and see if that is the case with your car and then you can look up the code yourself.

[LJ]

Most good independant garages can read the error codes for any model car.

[yodsaker]

Originally Posted by LJ

Most good independant garages can read the error codes for any model car.

Can anyone recommend some good indies? I used to have the Volvo done at Landsmann but he doesn't have computer stuff.

[VicDuck]

Never go to a vehicle company garage cause all they will do is give you a bunch of bull.

[S_B_Russell]

Yup. Definitely use an indie garage. You're way less likely to get squeezed. I have a BMW right now and stopped using the dealer the minute the warranty expired.

[rjag]

All he's doing is providing what is recommended when the car throws a certain code. He pulls the code and looks it up and finds the fix.

So either there is more to this car you dont know about or theres not. Did you run a carfax or carproof report before you bought it? If not you should pay the money and run one.

I take my wifes 2005 GX470 in and dont find them to be unscrupulous.

But run the report and go to an independent for a 2nd opinion.

[arfenarf]

We're big fans of the Petro Can on Fairfield at St Charles. They've treated me right for many years. No BS, and the one time they goofed, they were on it right away and made things right afterward.

[yodsaker]

Agree, I've always favoured the indie guy trying to make an honest buck. Dealers have you by the shorts w/warranties but as SB says once the warranty is done....

[Jill]

We've trusted VCM at Herald and Government for years.

[yodsaker]

Originally Posted by rjag

All he's doing is providing what is recommended when the car throws a certain code. He pulls the code and looks it up and finds the fix.

So either there is more to this car you dont know about or theres not. Did you run a carfax or carproof report before you bought it? If not you should pay the money and run one.

I take my wifes 2005 GX470 in and dont find them to be unscrupulous.

But run the report and go to an independent for a 2nd opinion.

Yeah I know about the codes, my beef was the fibs about things not working.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by yodsaker

Can anyone recommend some good indies? I used to have the Volvo done at Landsmann but he doesn't have computer stuff.

A lot of people sear by Searle's.

http://www.searlesauto.ca/about.htm

[guyinthesky]

Originally Posted by arfenarf

We're big fans of the Petro Can on Fairfield at St Charles. They've treated me right for many years. No BS, and the one time they goofed, they were on it right away and made things right afterward.

I agree! - Bruce and Greg (father and son owners of the certigard) are great guys, if there is a problem they'll always make it right. My family has been using this shop since I was a little kid, so a good 20 years with no problems that weren't made right quickly

[sebberry]

I've been a Subaru guy for quite a while and have always gotten good service from Saunders and it has been getting even better recently. Yes, I pay full dealer rates for oil changes, but I appreciate the other service they give me.

Not all dealers are bad.

[yodsaker]

Thanks everyone for suggesting good garages I didn't know about.

[LJ]

Originally Posted by yodsaker

Can anyone recommend some good indies? I used to have the Volvo done at Landsmann but he doesn't have computer stuff.

Rand automotive and Progressive are both pretty good.