Recent Service

Mine was just done at 26K with similar results.

Glad we bought Corollas, Larry.

Bob:

Amen, brother! This is the first time in my automobile-owning experience that I ever got a solid 2 years out of a set of front brakes. Moreover, it looks as though if I play my cards right, they could last 4 years! I am amazed!

I have 2000 5spd 130K km. First brakes and roter changed last friday. Rear shoes and drum were cleaned and lube. Just over $300.

I have 2000 5spd 130K km. First brakes and roter changed last friday. Rear shoes and drum were cleaned and lube. Just over $300.

Wow -- that's over 80,000 miles on a set of front brakes. Impressive, but why did the rotors need to be changed? Were they badly scored and/or warped? Was the run-out out of spec? Or were they damaged by worn pads that should have been changed sooner?

 

 

g'day,

just recently service my corolla ae112r and just want to impart my experience. 2 yrs ago i replace the front pair windshield wipers and also the back (liftback model). after that everything goes haywire, all wipers vibrate and doesn't clean well after 6mos of use. so i just continue using it assuming it is just normal, and lately when i check it, one of the blade rubber is crack.

when i drop by at southside toyota to buy an oil filter, i decided maybe i will try a genuine wiper refill. i was amazed and astonished when the part guy labelled each wiper refill the exact location to be fitted and every item has a different part number. i assume before all aftermarket wiper refills can be use at any location. even though it is 70% expensive compare to aftermarket refills , i am very very satisfied with it. it is wiping very smoothly and got the cleanest wipe i experience ever since i got this car.

as what toyota australia slogan says " oh what a feeling", it is up to us to keep the feeling.

rey t

reyt,

steve irwin would be proud of you! For non-aussies, the discovery channel's crocodile man steve irwin is the spokesperson/endorser for genuine toyota parts and service in OZ.

g'day,

it does make sense to me to buy genuine parts , i don't have to pay labor for installing parts and repair of my corolla for i do it myself. they are always perfect fit.

congrats on your purchase and "keep the feeling".

rey t

Thats interesting to hear about the wipers.

I have always wondered about factory wipers...since anytime i have driven or been in an older car (different wipers then factory usually) the wipers were horrible! Even when they were 'quality' wipers.

note to self: get factory...

I always go with the Toyota rubber inserts for my wipers. Replace once a year whether they need it or not. Dirt cheap, and they work.

Yesterday I took my Corolla to the independent Foreign car mechanic I found in my area. I had them do only two jobs: Inspect and clean the brakes all around, and change my coolant with new Toyota Red. Both services cost $105 and were completed in about an hour and 15 minutes, while I waited. Not bad.

They took me back to look at my brakes. Front pads had what the shop manager estimated as between 70 to 80 percent of their useful thickness left on them -- quite impressive after 2 years, 4 months, and 27,000 miles! Front rotors were perfect. Rear shoes looked essentially new, except for being lightly glazed, and the drums were also perfect. A light going-over with some emery cloth eliminated the glaze. The brake fluid was a bit low, but was looking like it was fresh out of the bottle.

The coolant being drained looked absolutely delicious! It was still a nice bright Cherry Red color, and except for smelling like anti-freeze, didn't look like there was anything bad going on in my cooling system. It's been replaced with a fresh 50/50 mix of Toyota Red and distilled water.

This time next year we'll take another look at the brakes. Unless the front pads obviously have more than 50% useful thickness left on them, I'll replace them without turning the rotors.

Are you over zealous a bit Larry?

 

I thought that the Toyota Super Long Life Coolant doesn't need replacing before 7 years? Why so soon?

Idem for your front brake pads. There is long life left in brake pads at 50% before you reach the wear limit indicators. At the rate they are wearing now, might be another 2 years worth.

BTW, 9th generation Corolla has 10.8" front rotors, same as 4 cyl. Camry but with approx. 600 pounds less avoir-du poids. No wonder front brakes can now last several years under normal driving.

As for wiper blades. I buy inserts for a few bucks (Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire) and replace them about every 2 years. And I protect the stock wiper arms with wax and lubricate the linkage about twice a year.

Only the 2005 Corollas get the "Super Long Life Coolant". Otherwise you have the regular "Long Life Coolant" that Toyota in Canada says to change every 32,000 kms, which doesn't sound like long life to me.

Just picked up some wiper insert inserts from the dealer. Works like a charm and better than the aftermarket ones I used before.

$105 for coolant flush is quite a bit...did the shop have any sort of machinery to pressurize the cooling system?

$105 for coolant flush is quite a bit...did the shop have any sort of machinery to pressurize the cooling system?

That fee includes brake inspection and cleaning as well. $25 to look at your brakes and spray some brake cleaner on them apparently.

 

 

I was told rotor cost only $25 each, and machining them did not make any sense.

This is stick shift, so brakes last bit longer.

$105 for coolant flush is quite a bit...did the shop have any sort of machinery to pressurize the cooling system?

That fee includes brake inspection and cleaning as well. $25 to look at your brakes and spray some brake cleaner on them apparently.

 

I was also a bit surprised when presented with the final bill, but I asked them for the service so I felt obliged to pay the going rate. They did a bit more than I originally indicated, as well. They performed all the "checks" required for a 30,000 mile service (with exception of oil and ATF change which I had already done. They also checked my cabin air filter and said it should be changed, but looked like it was still doing the job. Since they didn't have one, I'll take care of that myself. I'm sure my local Toyota Stealership would have charged a lot more for what was done!

 

 

Only the 2005 Corollas get the "Super Long Life Coolant". Otherwise you have the regular "Long Life Coolant" that Toyota in Canada says to change every 32,000 kms, which doesn't sound like long life to me.

I thought it was the "Low Life Coolant"...

 

 

$105 for coolant flush is quite a bit...did the shop have any sort of machinery to pressurize the cooling system?

That fee includes brake inspection and cleaning as well. $25 to look at your brakes and spray some brake cleaner on them apparently.

 

I was also a bit surprised when presented with the final bill, but I asked them for the service so I felt obliged to pay the going rate. They did a bit more than I originally indicated, as well. They performed all the "checks" required for a 30,000 mile service (with exception of oil and ATF change which I had already done. They also checked my cabin air filter and said it should be changed, but looked like it was still doing the job. Since they didn't have one, I'll take care of that myself. I'm sure my local Toyota Stealership would have charged a lot more for what was done!

 

Larry.

 

It depends. My dealership sent me a coupon for cooling system service for $39.88 and free 27 point inspection. I will take it..

Hmmm. Yup, you get the cooling system service, the "free" 27 point inspection, and then the inevitable laundry list of expensive repairs which MUST be done immediately to prevent your famously reliable Corolla from blowing up in your face the minute you drive away. Right.

IMHO, famously reliable Corollas remain that way ONLY if they are kept out of the hands of dealership service monkeys. Their main objective is to SELL their "service" to you at the highest possible cost. I truly believe that they WILL intentionally BREAK perfectly good parts in order to charge you (or Toyota, if the warranty is in effect) to replace them.

The typical dealership service department is run like a criminal enterprise. Do not make use of them for any work you you will pay for out-of-pocket.

g'day,

as a corolla owner i also face a choice between dealership and independent garage servicing (ex repco, midas, etc). just want to relate my experience regarding the servicing of my aircon (6 mos ago). because i was always thinking that dealership servicing is always expensive i drop my car to repco for the servicing. they charge A$110 for regas, gas leak test and nothing more. so i thought i outsmart the dealer in this situation.

the next week i drop by at the dealership to buy oil filter and naively ask the service dept how much for the aircon servicing, it is only A$89 (no promo on this). so the moral of the story here , don't assume always ask for a quote.

now ,regarding to safety checks and other dramas that a dealership and service garage would offer you. as long as the car is driveable don't get suck in, ask for a written quote what are the jobs to be undertaken, compare prices and decide.

i am also a member of toyota owners club of australia forum and i read some experience of the members that they pay more using the independent garage using dodgy parts compared to the dealership.

also word of advise, before you go to the dealer or service garage read your maintenance and owners manual so that you would know what jobs to be undertaken. nothing beats knowledge, so prepare all your facts.

rey t

So true.

The US owner's manual urges owners to question dealer recommendations for service not listed in the maintenance schedule.

Hmmm. Yup, you get the cooling system service, the "free" 27 point inspection, and then the inevitable laundry list of expensive repairs which MUST be done immediately to prevent your famously reliable Corolla from blowing up in your face the minute you drive away. Right.

IMHO, famously reliable Corollas remain that way ONLY if they are kept out of the hands of dealership service monkeys. Their main objective is to SELL their "service" to you at the highest possible cost. I truly believe that they WILL intentionally BREAK perfectly good parts in order to charge you (or Toyota, if the warranty is in effect) to replace them.

The typical dealership service department is run like a criminal enterprise. Do not make use of them for any work you you will pay for out-of-pocket.

Larry, I've been service my car at dealership since 1998. Gues what? Never seen "a laundry list" and car runs perfect for 8+ years .

 

Please stop making assumptions without knowing the subject...

And good luck with building a strong relationship with you mechanic.

I don't know for sure that I'll be building a "strong relationship" with this mechanic. I may keep looking. My trepidations regarding dealer service departments stems from having been an automobile salesperson and sales manager. I know from first-hand experience the the Service Department is the dealership's "cash cow." Independent mechanics don't have anything like the enormous overhead of even a medium-sized dealership like the one I worked at, and their prices usually reflect this. The independent mechanic I tried this first time turned out to be a bit pricey; as I said, I will keep looking before commiting to him on a permanent basis.

Yes reyt, Ultratune will do a 40,000km service for A$442; A$330 at the dealer.

Dealers in OZ are actually honest when it comes to what needs to be done. I have been told by the dealer that a 1000km oilchange is not necessary [frequently people do that for some reason]; they could have tried to sell me that service. I have been told by the dealer that the genuine workshop manuals are a waste of money, Haynes/Gregorys do ok manuals they said - get them. I was also told that the brake fluid is not made for toyota, it is just BP brand...........