I Haven't Taken My Toyota Tacoma to the Dealership for Service in 5 Years…Guess How Much I Saved

According to a recent Chloe Kuo YouTube channel episode, you CAN save money by going the DIY route rather than taking your car to its regularly scheduled maintenance at a Toyota dealership service department.

I've been doing my own routine maintenance on my Tacoma for over five years now and I've learned a ton along the way. But one question I get asked a lot is "If it’s even worth it?" I think this is a great question because ‘Yes’, it can save you money which is great in this economy. But it also takes effort and time―something I hear about a lot―and also a certain amount of skill. And truthfully, while DIY can be cheaper, sometimes it's not: the tools and space required can add up, especially if you're starting from scratch."

The plus of her video is that she goes over the costs and resultant savings and demonstrates how she did it and what someone else can expect with their DIY maintenance journey.

Related article: "Why I Left Toyota" ―Former Toyota Mechanic Shares What It Is Like Drinking the Dealership Kool-Aid

I want to realistically show you is what it looks like to do these things at home―especially if you've never done them before."

Honestly you guys this channel is not rooted in perfection but just in reality, so sometimes these things take longer and have unexpected twists and turns."

The Savings Summary

If you want to get to the final cost savings details, here is a summary of each of the maintenance tasks she did herself.

However, for more details and information and to learn some caveats to what the host discovered, this is a video well worth watching; You might learn a thing or two about Toyota maintenance. The video is posted below this savings summary.

1. Oil Change Every 5,000 miles:

• 5 Qt. Havoline Pro-DS 0W-20 Synthetic oil ($28)
• Genuine Oil Filter 04152-YZZA1 ($7.00)
• DIY Cost: $38
• Service Center Cost: $110
• Savings: $74

2. Differential and Transfer Case Fluid Changes

• 7 Qt. 75W90 fluid ($91)
• Service Center Cost: $465
• Savings: $374

3. Cabin/Engine Air Filter Replacement

• Genuine Cabin Air Filter 88508-01010 ($15.00)
• Genuine Engine Air Filter 17801-OP100 ($0, because she did a one-time purchase of $55 for a reusable Toyota Filter and a K&N Filter cleaning kit)
• Service Center Cost: $124
• Savings: $54-$109

4. Spark Plugs Changed

• 6 spark plugs (Denso FK20HBR8) x $15/plug= ($90)
• Service Center Cost: $350-$400
• Savings: $260-$310

5. Brake Pads Changed (front only)

• Genuine Brake Pads 04465-04090 ($85)
• Service Center Cost ($486, including rotor servicing)
• Savings: $400

6.Tire Rotation Every 5,000 miles

• DIY: Free (but you have to own a jack and 2-4 jack stands)
• Service Center Cost: Free at most of them
• Savings: $0

7. A/C Cleaning

• Genuine A/C Refresher Kit 00289-ACRKT ($40)
• Service Center Cost: $285
• Savings: $245

Host's Final Estimates Over 5 years: She spent approximately $1,142 including some tools she did not already possess. The Service Center estimate is $4,185. Total Savings: $3,043 not including the sweat equity of her labor.

I Haven't Taken My Toyota to the Dealership for Service in 5 Years… How Much Did I Save?

For additional articles on maintaining your Toyota, here are a few for your enjoyment:

1. How to Maintain your Toyota with DIY Instruction from These Toyota Mechanics
2. Toyotas That Last a Lifetime Discussion by Experts
3. Truth from a Toyota Mechanic Might Offend Toyota Truck Owners

COMING UP NEXT: People Seem To Think I Am The Worst Mother Ever For Allowing My Daughter To Buy A 2024 Toyota Corolla With 3,000 Miles On It

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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