I have a 2004 Rav4 which I bought new and which I’ve kept well serviced. It only has 50000 miles on it, as I drive just to the store, etc. (I’m now retired). I took it in for a ‘free summer clinic’ at my local Toyota dealer, and they came up with $2000 worth of work that needs to be done. Only this dealer has touched the car since it was new. I take it in every 3000 miles for oil change, have had all the warrenty service, etc. The car runs fine, never had any problem with it. I know it needs new tires, but other than that, I find it hard to believe that the water pump is about to go out and the differential is ‘leaking’, etc. Do I dare ignore what they are saying? or is there a good chance my car is really falling apart all of a sudden? Thanks for any suggestions you might have.
Connie87
There is a GREAT chance the dealer is trying to buy a boat on your dime. Tires are important, and I am going to guess $4-600 on your car installed. It is possible your waterpump and differental are leaking, but you can take the car to another mechanic and get a second opinion. Alot of time particually on a diff, the seal will get wet but its not really a leak, more of a seap… As long as you keep an eye on the level you should be good to go for a long time. I would get a second opinion from another shop, but when you go… DO NOT tell them what the dealership said you need. Lets see what he comes up with on his own… Just tell him you want to keep the car for a long time, what does he think it needs if anything.
Bringing your car into a dealer for a “free” check-up so they can conduct a fishing expedition is never a smart move…I would take my car to a local independent shop and ask them to check the waterpump and gear boxes for any significant leaks…I’m sure the place you buy your tires will be happy to do this for you…
List each item and the cost, and we’ll give you our ‘free’ opinions!
It’s impossible to say what’s going on without a list being provided of the services or repairs that were recommended. The car is 9 years old and any list could be legitimately long, all depending.
That being said, a word about free clinics, something I’ve been a part of on occasion. They have their pros and their cons.
The cons is that it’s a chance for an unethical dealer or mechanic to pile on with unneeded repairs or apply pressure to you to simply trade the car off rather than repairing or servicing anything.
The pro side of the equation is that the majority of cars on the road do suffer neglect and often need things that the car owner is blissfully unaware of. When informed of the cumulative total of this neglect the initial impression by the car owner is that they’re being ripped off when that is not the case at all.
The majority of the cars I’ve seen come into a free clinic often had low oil, coolant, or trans fluid and/or underinflated/badly worn tires. If the car owner is unaware, or flat doesn’t care, about the life blood of the car and the rubber it’s riding on then why expect everything else to be fine?
You state that you knew your car needs tires and if this situation has existed for a while then it could easily lead into neglect on all other areas.
I agree with gsragtop and ok4450. I’ll also note that “the water pump is about to go” is an interesting choice of words. Was it theirs, or your interpretation. Unless it’s leaking or making an unfortunate noise, it’s fairly hard to psychically divine that a part which is hidden-until-disassembly is “about to go.”
I’d need to see a list before making any guesses, and I understand OK4450’s point, but I’ve also seen way too many revenue generators these past few years.