Dealer wants $160.00 to program new alarm!

160 dollars is a rip off, its simply just going into the scan tool and turning it on, i dont think you can do it with a scangauge or any obd 2 scanner out today, if that were the case i would of already bought one, the toyota handheld tester is proprietary i believe. try another dealer , usually there are some nice people

 

call another dealer. most will charge .5 hour for that because it's really freakin' easy.

that or shell out the $3k for a used one... we'd love to do that ourselves actually.

 

It's true, the hardware is in every one of them. Enabling it is the costly option. Dealers are not supposed to do it for free.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OutOfHere @ Oct 20 2007, 10:38 AM) [snapback]528148[/snapback]</div>

Sure. Get a sixth grader and a Techstream scan tool ($6,995), once Denso releases it to the public next month. Otherwise, I'm afraid that the so-called SOB is going to want to get a return on their considerable investment. And in my opinion, they are smart to up the charge for a customer install. If there are any installation-related issues, said customer will likely expect the tech to find and correct the issue as part of the service. Right?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OutOfHere @ Oct 21 2007, 11:54 PM) [snapback]528658[/snapback]</div>

Actually, you are deserving of a lecture. If you had asked if there was some way to do it yourself, then "no" would have been a perfectly good answer. And that's how I would have replied. But you also started calling strangers names just because they quoted more than you wanted to pay, even though you had no understanding of the problem, or of your role in the problem. Your attitude is very common.

Many people think that a repair is a good repair, and that the technician is honest, if the cost of the repair is inexpensive compared to their preconception. No kidding - that's their logic.

I have wasted countless unbilled hours hunting for a problem that was caused by a customer's work. Not one has ever apologized for wasting my time. But you'd better believe that they all want a deal!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jk450 @ Oct 22 2007, 02:20 PM) [snapback]528938[/snapback]</div>

yeah dude, that does suck. i know, my husband has been there too. but there's no reason to take it out on anyone but the customer who did the botched job that screwed you over. (and even then, it's at work, you gotta just suck it up.) EDUCATE others but don't PUT THEM DOWN in the process. it's not the OPs fault that flat rate is a load of crap.

2 hours is pretty high for that job, and you know it too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Oct 22 2007, 02:43 PM) [snapback]528944[/snapback]</div>

Well, don't forget that the OP called the dealer and the tech SOBs before looking into the matter. It's hard to have sympathy for that kind of knee-jerk reaction. Hell, if you don't like the price, call around, get some comparisons, do a teeny bit of legwork - then, if you must, let it fly on the forums and tell the world that you have proof that these people are consciously ripping you off.

Two hours is high for that job, but what happened the last time the dealer programmed a customer-installed module or part? Did the vehicle have a hidden aftermarket accessory that the customer failed to mention, which interfered with a clean reprogram? And so on. Perhaps that is influencing the quoted labor.

And what was the OP's attitude at the dealership? If it was the same as displayed here, the tech may have quoted a high price just to get him to go away. Sadly, sometimes that's all that's left to do.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OutOfHere @ Oct 22 2007, 03:02 PM) [snapback]528954[/snapback]</div>

I briefly considered getting an alarm installed on my Prius when I first got it but it's difficult to imagine anyone stealing it. The insurance company gave a paltry savings on my rates that barely registered on my bankometer and if they're breaking in to steal something, they'll be gone before the cops can get there so what's the point? Then there's the damn thing going off at the worst times. It's more of a nuisance than I'm willing to put up with but that's just me, I'm a different kind of cat.

 

He was using a new metaphor. I liked it!

And he wins my admiration for actually re-examining his actions and discovering that there was a better way. Would that we would all do that when needed.