Dealer or local shop for oil change and brake flush?

Hey TW peeps.....
I have a 17 with 49,000 kms on it. I am due for an oil change. The dealer also says brake flush. My bumper to bumper is long gone but I still have powertrain warranty. For service work it has only ever been to Toyota. The dealer is about a 45 min drive away now. Should I just find a local shop to do the oil change and brake flush?? Or should I continue with Toyota for peace of mind?

 

What does the manual say about brake flushing and schedules to do so?
Follow that.

And 0 need to take to a dealer to change the oil. If you're gonna pay someone to do it, find someone closer than 45 minutes away if possible. It's a Toyota, not a Bugatti.

 

There's a manual?

 

Allegedly.

 

49kms is the 30k (us version) and it should just be oil, rotate, and air filter.

Brake fluid should be flushed when it has soaked up enough water to create air in the lines. There are tests that can be done to see how much water is in the brake fluid.

https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Test-the-Condition-of-Your-Vehicles-Brake-F/

 

Brake fluid change on a 2nd Gen is at 60,000 miles or 96,000 kms. 3rd Gen probably isn't much different.

Do the oil change yourself. First time, it will take about 1 hour. After that, you will become more efficient.

Many, many threads about oil change. One point, be sure to identify the Oil pan drain and not the Transmission pan drain.

 

I'm old, disabled, half Socially inappropriate and foolish. I can do the oil change in less than 15 minutes.

Man up and change your own oil. Brake flush can wait till 100k, or until the color gets darker.

 

You wouldn't think so given some of the posts here ...

 

Good point. last week I did an oil change in 41*f but not freezing.

 

it takes less than 30 minutes for an oil change, tire rotations maybe the same if you have jack stands and all the equipment, owned over 30 vehicles in my life and never ever flushed the brakes and never had issues and lived in the north most of my life...

 

Neither,do it yourself and save yourself lots of headache down the road.

 

Seems a little or a lot early for a brake flush but if you want the dealer bending you over go for it lol

 

In my opinion, brake fluid flushing is one of the biggest dealer scams out there. They scare you into getting their 250 and it doesnt take them long. Like others said earlier, many cars go their entire lives without ever having this done. If it makes you feel better, 60K or x amount of years or so. I realize brake fluid gets moisture in it over time, but you are probably/may be replacing calipers/wheel cylinders at brake jobs anyway. When I sold my second gen at 108K, I flushed it at 100k even though the fluid still looked good, not dark, and I did it just because I knew that when I went to sell it, it would make the new buyer happy. Same with my Acura that was 10y old, with 60K. Fluid still looked good, original brakes, good clear fluid.

 

I agree with the oil and filter change is pretty easy to do at home.

Brake fluid is fine for 100k.

Don’t sweat the small stuff in life.

 

Try to do the oil change yourself or find a good independent garage. Ask around your area among neighbors friends and colleagues who they would recommend. Where mechanics are concerned most word of mouth is how they get new customers.

There are tons of threads and YouTube videos on changing oil several on just the 3rd gen.

Brake fluid you change when it's absorbed water from the air. That's usually 3 years or so if you live in a very hot humid climate and much longer a dry climate.

 

I took mine in for the last free toyotacare service at around 14k. At that time the dealer recommended an alignment and wanted to charge around $125 for it. I declined. Then while in the waiting room it dawned on me. The truck is still under full bumper to bumper warrenty, so what if I were to go in and complain that the truck was drifting to one side, they'd have to do an alignment free of charge under warrenty right!???

Dealer service areas are no different than other shops in that they will try to maximize their profits. Now I usually dont like bringing my truck anywhere for service, but if I had to I'd go to the dealer anyway with two items of caution. 1. Always check their work 2. Investigate what you need before hand and what can wait so you don't waste money.

 

Hum, my '96 Tacoma has 414,000 trouble-free miles without a brake fluid flush, guess I'm a little late.
Still has it's original master cylinder, calipers, wheel cylinders an lines.

 

I’m fairly certain that the alignment is only covered for the first 12K miles.

 

First time, it will take about 1 hour. After that, you will become more efficient.
been doing mine on my 16 still takes me 1 hour, royal pain in the ass.

be sure to identify the Oil pan drain and not the Transmission pan drain
yes, oil drain plug is not even visible, pay close attention.