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-   -   Toyota dealer scam - Upselling optional extras worth Rs. 9,000 during service (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-dealerships/212188-toyota-dealer-scam-upselling-optional-extras-worth-rs-9-000-during-service.html)

We all buy Toyota vehicles for the peace of mind, reliability and resale value, Compromising on the features, new technology and pay a Toyota Tax which varies across the range.

In the recent past, I have seen a general practice by Toyota dealership to add multiple extras at the time of service but today it was sort of records prompting me to post here and know the views/ experiences of others with Toyota or other brands.

As you can see from this estimate, our Liva which was sent for 50K service has optional extra Jobs ranging from Internal Panel coating, Interior enrichment (Liva is mostly Plastic interior) to Silencer coating and AC Disinfectant besides the usual Extra like Cleaner Injector.

On questioning the sales advisor, I was told that in the rainy days, water can enter the door trim as none of Toyota or for that matter any other brand cars are waterproof and water can drip into the trims and cause rust :deadhorse

My office staff would have given the go-ahead had they not gone overly greedy and added few options but it appears they added all the options as our is a company registered car.

Looks like company regd cars are singled out for "special" treatment!:Shockked: I'm very careful when I give my 14 year old Elantra for service. I ask the SA to go easy and check with me before he goes over board, they have obliged all along.

This is a common practice now amongst all manufacturers. For me it is a surprise its with Toyota as well. The only difference being how they decide whom to target. In Maruti, its innocent customers because the service staff is very friendly and act very dependable. But Toyota might be taking the corporate cars for a ride since these aspects are hardly looked into by companies who send their cars. Beyond this, the charges for alignment and balancing is atrocious.

Recently my aunt was charged a bill of 9k for the 2 year service of her Celerio. They had done many cleaning and coating jobs without her firm approval. Apparently the SA told over phone that it was good to get these things done and then took it as an approval whereas she had just said alright in a manner of appreciating the information provided. I gave an earful to the works manager and the amount for these were refunded immediately. :Frustrati

On carefully checking the Estimate, I found the labour charges for the Wheel Bearing replacement listed at Sno. 3 as Axle Replacement @ Rs 2430. I Questioned them why are they not charging for wheel bearing replacement and the service advisor gave me a story that for replacing a wheel bearing, axle and all that needs to be taken out and they have correctly charged. I was not satisfied and asked him to speak to his senior and get this rechecked and marked a copy to voc@Toyota

Here's the new estimate. Not only have they removed all the Optionals but the Correct Labour charges for the hub now stands at Rs 864. I think this is nothing but totally fraud by their dealer MGF - Gurgaon, they choose the wrong code intentionally to inflate the bill, I wonder how many of us will actually match or check the labour charges with the actual parts changed.

Old Estimate - Rs 25715 New Estimate - Rs 9997

I think it is not Toyota (or any manufacturer) but it is the dealer.

This must be happening when the topline and bottomline of the dealership is under pressure. The incentive / variable pay schemes offered for the service advisors can also cause such experience.

Now, the financial stresses on the dealerships could result from the company's policies / margins. But that is less likely with Toyota. More often, it is either failure to develop the business or financial (mis)management.

I got the front wheel bearing of my Etios petrol changed from Saini Toyota, Howrah on 1st April 2019.

The part number of your Liva and my petrol Etios are different. Am guessing yours is a diesel, hence the part no is different and costlier.

For me-

Labour charge with tax- Rs 1000
Parts price with tax- Rs 3698
Part No- A-43350-0 D022

For you -

Labour charge with tax- Rs 1019
Parts price with tax- Rs 6099
Part No- A-43350-0 D012

Am attaching the bill for reference.



Regarding the fleecing attitude from the service center, i feel it's specific to that particular service center. Till now am yet to face such an issue from any Toyota service center in West Bengal.
I had a great experience at Sunny Toyota Agra too, back in 2017.

The list of service centers, who tried to take me on a ride till date are-

Maruti- Bhandari motors, Salap (WestBengal).
Maruti- Kalyani Motors, Bangalore, Near Mysore road (Karnataka).
Renault- Renault Barasat (WestBengal).
Ford- Ganges Ford, Kolkata (WestBengal). Though they compensated it later. It was more of a callousness rather than being rogue.

Yes all dealers including Toyota have started doing this. If you send car through driver and they know that these are stuff they can add and mostly owner won't check they add.

In your case they have gone all out and added every optional treatment from bacticlean to silencer coating.

All these started with AC disinfectant and has now spread to

- Bacteria cleaning
- engine bay coating
- Ac disinfectant
- window channel cleaning
- dashboard cleaning
- interior germ cleaning
- silencer coating

Here's the thread where I pointed this out: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...infectant.html

If you add up your total option it is 9,000! :Shockked:

This happened twice with me till now when I sent our Innova Crysta to routine service (10k, 20k KMS service). Both times they have charged me approximately Rs 2,500 / more and surprisingly both times for "AC Condenser Cleaning".

I have realised this only after making payment both the times, when I questioned the Service advisor I was told it's advised by Toyota India :Frustrati

However I simply threatened I will mail to Toyota India customer for a clarification on this, guess what the manager called within half n hour, apologised profusely and issued refund within an hour.

I feel extremely sad for the not so knowledgeable customers who blindly send cars with drivers and don't bother to check bill afterwards or blindly believe in service advisors words :deadhorse

I get my Innova serviced from one of the popular dealers in Chandigarh.
I tell the SA specifically what I need done and what not. And I make it clear to him that anything done beyond what I have asked is not going to be paid for. Given a free hand they can convert a simple 4000 Rs service into a 10k plus expenditure.

Indeed, the optional add-ons have become the real butter on the top of the milking they already do. I am surprised to find a even the injector cleaning in the list; until it's a real old car actually.

Any way, I am absolutely clear when I send my car for service that 'only' service requires to be done. Whenever they try to tell me about the anti rust coats etc, I have a simple reply with a smile "you will replace it under warranty and I will get a new panel - let the entire car rust".

This particular part I am not at all worried about, my chauffeur requires to be restrained from my end for letting them do a few add-ons, else he is clear about it that oil, filter and wash, everything else (Alignment, balancing etc all) outside!

Yes sadly this is the new reality. Toyota dealers have also started pushing these useless optional things as recommended things needed during the service. When you push them further, they concede that it is recommended by "them" and not "Toyota".

My best experience so far in my car ownership has been with Hyundai. I took my i10 for servicing and the SA suggested synthetic oil. I told him to put mineral instead. On seeing me stuck on mineral, he came up with these golden words that I would never forget - " Sir then let us put half mineral and half synthetic, such that it becomes semisynthetic. You will save money and still enjoy the advantages of Synthetic oil." :D

Sad to see ethics nosedive to such a level with otherwise trusted brands. Did not expect this sort of fleecing from Toyota. And while it may be the dealer's greed, it doesn't absolve Toyota. They should be taking action against these rogue dealers.

Thanks for sharing, it serves as a reminder to thoroughly check the service recommendations in the car manual to ascertain exactly what is required as per the manufacturer.

Just what mineral oil does Hyundai use? Their i10 spec is api sm 5w30 and that is a synthetic or semi synthetic at least grade

This is from our own official thread of XUV. I did forward this to my buddy who is a M&M dealer and he was aghast.

There was something similar done for a Vento 2/3 days back, I can't seem to find that thread.

The job lies with us, we have to ask what jobs are to be carried and what not to. But for that, one has to stick with their rides, but most opt out as they have better things to do, but can't spare one day [10/15K service interval or annual] for their rides which gives them service for the rest of 364 days.

Happens with Hyundai as well. They even try to push synthetic oil as default. I make it a point to let the SA write all the work/items on the job card that's going be done on the car and mention that no optional items like A/C disinfectant, engine bay cleaning, interior cleaning, exterior wash, wheel alignment/balancing should be done.