Recommended Dealerships for Service

Sorry, I can't help you, but I concur, there ought to be a list of preferred dealers generated by us , the vehicle owners. Maybe not ones to avoid, but certainly a thread of ones that have done exceptionally well.

 

I used to live in Scottsdale (my family still do). I have been using Right Toyota for all of my Toyota vehicles and Lexus car for the past 15 years. It's better when you make friend with one of the service advisor or better a service manager. You make sure you write an appreciation to their boss or good feedback on the survey when they do a good job for you. All these years, they never charge me for diagnosis or simple things and always think ways to give me discount. You may ask for Rick Weaver, service manager or Frank Vitaro, service advisor. You can tell them HS recommended you.
Good luck.

 

I DO NOT recommend Toyota of Escondido (in the San Diego area) for service unless you don't mind overpaying. The quality of the service is fine but they charge above MSRP and add additional services you don't need without telling you they're not part of the required service (resulting in a $190 5K service, for example).

 

Yes, Right Toyota is right next door across 78th street.

 

In the SD area, check out Kearney Mesa, Mossy and Frank Toyota's service dept. coupons. Can get the 5K service for $80. Oil change for $40 (0w-20 price). Agree that Escondido seems like they are trying to pay for their new building by charging extra for their service.

 

I agree the General Service Manger is a a typical Smily Used Car Salesman type who is not to be trusted. The Service Dept of being Customer Care Oriented for many years,has gone totally down hill. Ill drive to Poway

 

Bobby Rahal Toyota in Mechanicsburg PA is tops. Good pricing, top customer service, honesty and integrity.

 

I wonder if the pricing will stay good when they move to their new mega location on the Carlisle Pike.

 

Aside from technical capability, service is more of a personal relationship. I always tried to make friends with my service advisor and mechanic, if possible. Whenever I send car in for service, I would hang around the service area and chat with them. If they are not friendly, I would walk away next time. That's how I got to know my service people at Right Toyota. When they treat you right, you must make sure you give them the best feedback on survey, and write to their manager would be even better. Also, be sure to sign your name so they know who gave them the A rating. Next time, they will treat you even better.
I just relocated to Irvine and I needed to select a Toyota dealer. I went to Power Toyota first. Without appointment, just to observe. I walked around the service bay area. No one came to greet me nor talk to me. I walked away and went to the next one, Tustin Toyota. A service advisor proactively came out and talked to me. He got my new business. His mechanic came out and chated with me on my new Prius and gave me a lot of technical insights. I thank him through his manager and told him I shall ask him to service my Toyotas next time.
Develop a relationship with your service people and physicians so you can trust them.
My 2 cents.

 

If you're slightly south of the the Albany, NY area i recommend Kinderhook Toyota on Rt. 9H in Ghent. Always pleasant, always fair... and competent.

 

Regarding Rahal Toyota...Having dealt with them since 1996, I would bet yes.

 

I just relocated to Irvine and I needed to select a Toyota dealer. I went to Power Toyota first. Without appointment, just to observe. I walked around the service bay area. No one came to greet me nor talk to me. I walked away and went to the next one, Tustin Toyota.[/QUOTE]

Power Toyota of Irvine has never failed to disappoint me. I had them replace my Previa's sliding doors twice over the 10 years of its ownership.
On these two occasions, I had to go back there three or four times to complete the repairs. I mean just the sliding door repairs. They did not keep the replaced parts when I asked them to show the parts to me.
Also last November, I asked a mechanic who happened to be in the waiting area how I could check transmission oil on 2010 Prius.
He said there was no transmission oil on Prius. Huh!!

 

Well, it might be a bit of a drive, but I'm likin' Downeast Toyota in Brewer, Maine.

 

AVOID Rogers Toyota in Lewiston, ID until they get their s..t together. Just yesterday I received a letter from them advising "The following important services are recommended . . . 5W30 EXPRESS LUBE". I understand that 5W20 is OK for a brief period of time but 0W20 synthetic is the recommended oil. Get it together Rogers Toyota.

 

It's a darned form letter from the Service department. Get real! I very much doubt that this qualifies as the definitive word from Rogers Toyota as to what you need for your car. If they tried to return your car with the wrong oil in it, then you have something to complain about. I would bet a whole lot of money that they know what oil is recommended for the Prius.

 

Well Joe166: The letter specifically says "our records indicate your 2010 Toyota Prius . . . is due for its next regularly scheduled maintenance. ...recommended at this time: 5W30 express lube". Your suggestion "to complain about it ... if they tried to return ... car with wrong oil in it" just sets me up for an extended service appointment doesn't it? I did alert the dealership to what I perceived as a faulty message from them in hopes of avoiding this very thing for my self and other 2010 Prius owners obtaining service there.

THIS JUST IN: Thank you for e-mail. Our service reminder is computer based and generated as general purpose reminder. We confirm the correct oil required when performing services on vehicles and install the correct weight of oil. I do appreciate you catching our error on the reminder and have notified our vendor. We will change the service reminder to read "express maintenance" and not specify and exact oil weight. Again thanks for bringing the error to our attention.

Ryan LaFord
Service Manager
Rogers Toyota-Scion
Lewiston, ID 83501



Joe166, I feel better now that the dealership confirms use of correct oil when servicing vehicles and appreciate their "thanks" for bringing this matter to their attention.