Hey everyone, I’m at a Toyota dealership right now and I need some advice.
So, I’m not super knowledgeable about cars (plus, I’m a woman and sometimes they try to upsell me). The agent is trying to sell me Toyota Service Care for $340, or about $380 after tax. It’s a plan that lasts 2 years with 5 services, including 2-3 oil changes, tire rotations each time, fluid top-ups, and a multi-point inspection (I know that’s often free but my first 2 years of free services have already been used). They also mentioned they could extend it to 3 years.
I agreed to it, but now I’m second-guessing if I made the right choice. I calculated the cost of oil changes and tire rotations in my area, and it seemed like $380 would be about what I’d pay over 2 years anyway. Can anyone tell me if this is actually worth it, or if I got talked into a bad deal?
Edit: I’m in New York, near the city. I drive a 2022 Toyota Corolla with about 25K miles on it. I plan on keeping this car for a long time, so I want to make sure I’m taking good care of it.
If you did the math and it checks out, I wouldn’t say you got scammed. It might not be a huge deal, but it’s not a rip-off either. Just keep in mind, if it’s a new car, the first 25K miles or 2 years are usually covered under Toyota Care for free. So make sure you’re not paying for something that should already be covered.
@Jin
I’m guessing she’s already used up the free Toyota Care since she’s at 25K miles. It’s only for 2 years or until 25K miles, whichever comes first.
If you plan on keeping the car for a long time and you’re not comfortable doing your own maintenance, the plan could be worth it. Prices for Toyota Care can vary by dealership, so if you’re curious about the price, call around and see if any other dealerships offer a better deal.
The price you mentioned seems a little high to me. At my dealership, Toyota Care plans usually go for around $270 for 3 oil changes and $330 for 5, with no tax. If you’re having second thoughts and haven’t used any of the services yet, you can cancel it through Toyota Financial Services. If you’ve used one, you’ll get back the value of the remaining services.
I work as a tech at a Toyota dealership, and these plans are designed for people like you who aren’t as familiar with car maintenance. It’s not a scam, just a way to make sure you keep bringing your car back for regular service. It helps you stay on top of things, and the dealership gets a loyal customer.
vanice said:
Just keep in mind that the service plan only covers oil changes every 10K miles. So if you want more frequent changes, you might have to pay extra.
Honestly, you should be changing your oil more often than what the manufacturer recommends. If Toyota says 10K miles, do it every 5K. Same with things like coolant—if they say 100K miles, I’d do a drain and fill at 50K. I do mine myself to save money, but if you’re not comfortable with that, it’s something to keep in mind.
I’d say skip the prepaid plan. It’s rarely worth it. You can always check online for service coupons from nearby Toyota dealerships. I often find deals for oil changes around $60, even for synthetic oil. Tire rotations are usually free at most tire shops too, even if you didn’t buy your tires there.
It would help if you share some details about your car—year, model, mileage, and your general location. We can try to find better deals for you.
Walmart charges about $50 for an oil change, and places like Discount Tire do free tire rotations. Might be cheaper to go that route if you’re comfortable shopping around.
For our car, Toyota Care also covers software updates, which can be expensive if you pay out of pocket. We did the math and found it was cheaper with the plan.