looking for a good shop in the GTA
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Ontario
looking for a good shop in the GTA
I am sick and tired of Acura Woodbine ripping me off everytime I take my car in for something.
I went in yesterday to get an oil change and to take off my winter tires and put on my all seasons (ironically it snowed a bit the same day). Type 1 service cost me $58. Changing the tires cost me $107. Plugging a hole in the tire (which I didn't see when I took the tires in) cost me $25. All in all I paid $230. Is it just me or does that sound ridiculous? But what makes it worse, the service advisor told me I have to change my timing belt and water pump or else I risk damaging the engine...cost...($900 plus 15%tax ofcourse)...WTF!!!
My TL is 4 years old and now has just over 202000kms. I have never taken it to any other shop for service but now I've had just about enough. The only problem is, I don't know of any good shops that I can trust in the GTA.
Can anyone recommend a good, trustworthy garage in the GTA that will not rob me blind?
Another question I have is, now that I have over 200k kms, should I be using a different type of oil? Up to now, I've been using whatever those damn guys at Acura Woodbine have been putting in. I was thinking about some synthetic high mileage oil. Can anyone recommend anything?
Thanks in advance,
A
I went in yesterday to get an oil change and to take off my winter tires and put on my all seasons (ironically it snowed a bit the same day). Type 1 service cost me $58. Changing the tires cost me $107. Plugging a hole in the tire (which I didn't see when I took the tires in) cost me $25. All in all I paid $230. Is it just me or does that sound ridiculous? But what makes it worse, the service advisor told me I have to change my timing belt and water pump or else I risk damaging the engine...cost...($900 plus 15%tax ofcourse)...WTF!!!
My TL is 4 years old and now has just over 202000kms. I have never taken it to any other shop for service but now I've had just about enough. The only problem is, I don't know of any good shops that I can trust in the GTA.
Can anyone recommend a good, trustworthy garage in the GTA that will not rob me blind?
Another question I have is, now that I have over 200k kms, should I be using a different type of oil? Up to now, I've been using whatever those damn guys at Acura Woodbine have been putting in. I was thinking about some synthetic high mileage oil. Can anyone recommend anything?
Thanks in advance,
A
Banned
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,976
Likes: 0
From: Brampton, Ontario CAN
u could use the castrol syntec for older cars, i tried it its not bad....as for shops..damn i duno much bout any shops here, i do most the work myself, oil/tranny change, all thje maintainence stuff i do my self....i guess its time for u to learn some stuff as well too...its not that hard..changing tires, u can do that urself wit a jack or so.....i come to learn to avoid acura too, only for ODB scans.....thats bout it....sry bro..
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 1
From: Toronto, ONT
ok, a few things first:
Oil change - I think that's a fair price. Filter, nut, time, oil, etc. $58 isn't bad
Tire change - Depends. I got a garage nearby to put on winters (already on wheels), csoted me 20$. If your winters are not on wheels, it will take time to mount and balance thus more expensive. I don't know how much that would be since my winters are always on steel wheels
Plugging hole - a bit stiff for 25$. Plugging a hole only takes like 5 mins to do
Timing belt - when was the last time you changed timing belt? You should change it every 96k km. If you NEVER change it, you are DAMN lucky that it didn't break yet. If the belt breaks when you are on highway, you can kiss your engine good bye. If you did change it at 96k, at 200k km is prob a good time to get the 2nd belt. I never trust the timing belt past 100k km. Remember, changing timing belt + water pump is expensive since they need to take the whole engine out to do it. Last time I serviced my TL for 96k km, costed me alomst 1000$
Over 200k km you should look into high milage oil, they help prevent leaks and clean off sludge. I would change the oil if I were you.
As for shop, I know a shop who has serviced all my honda/acura for over 10 years. He is located near Hwy 7 and Bayview. If you are interested let me know I can pass you his number
Oil change - I think that's a fair price. Filter, nut, time, oil, etc. $58 isn't bad
Tire change - Depends. I got a garage nearby to put on winters (already on wheels), csoted me 20$. If your winters are not on wheels, it will take time to mount and balance thus more expensive. I don't know how much that would be since my winters are always on steel wheels
Plugging hole - a bit stiff for 25$. Plugging a hole only takes like 5 mins to do
Timing belt - when was the last time you changed timing belt? You should change it every 96k km. If you NEVER change it, you are DAMN lucky that it didn't break yet. If the belt breaks when you are on highway, you can kiss your engine good bye. If you did change it at 96k, at 200k km is prob a good time to get the 2nd belt. I never trust the timing belt past 100k km. Remember, changing timing belt + water pump is expensive since they need to take the whole engine out to do it. Last time I serviced my TL for 96k km, costed me alomst 1000$
Over 200k km you should look into high milage oil, they help prevent leaks and clean off sludge. I would change the oil if I were you.
As for shop, I know a shop who has serviced all my honda/acura for over 10 years. He is located near Hwy 7 and Bayview. If you are interested let me know I can pass you his number
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Ontario
Originally Posted by Tatewaki
ok, a few things first:
Oil change - I think that's a fair price. Filter, nut, time, oil, etc. $58 isn't bad
Tire change - Depends. I got a garage nearby to put on winters (already on wheels), csoted me 20$. If your winters are not on wheels, it will take time to mount and balance thus more expensive. I don't know how much that would be since my winters are always on steel wheels
Plugging hole - a bit stiff for 25$. Plugging a hole only takes like 5 mins to do
Timing belt - when was the last time you changed timing belt? You should change it every 96k km. If you NEVER change it, you are DAMN lucky that it didn't break yet. If the belt breaks when you are on highway, you can kiss your engine good bye. If you did change it at 96k, at 200k km is prob a good time to get the 2nd belt. I never trust the timing belt past 100k km. Remember, changing timing belt + water pump is expensive since they need to take the whole engine out to do it. Last time I serviced my TL for 96k km, costed me alomst 1000$
Over 200k km you should look into high milage oil, they help prevent leaks and clean off sludge. I would change the oil if I were you.
As for shop, I know a shop who has serviced all my honda/acura for over 10 years. He is located near Hwy 7 and Bayview. If you are interested let me know I can pass you his number
Oil change - I think that's a fair price. Filter, nut, time, oil, etc. $58 isn't bad
Tire change - Depends. I got a garage nearby to put on winters (already on wheels), csoted me 20$. If your winters are not on wheels, it will take time to mount and balance thus more expensive. I don't know how much that would be since my winters are always on steel wheels
Plugging hole - a bit stiff for 25$. Plugging a hole only takes like 5 mins to do
Timing belt - when was the last time you changed timing belt? You should change it every 96k km. If you NEVER change it, you are DAMN lucky that it didn't break yet. If the belt breaks when you are on highway, you can kiss your engine good bye. If you did change it at 96k, at 200k km is prob a good time to get the 2nd belt. I never trust the timing belt past 100k km. Remember, changing timing belt + water pump is expensive since they need to take the whole engine out to do it. Last time I serviced my TL for 96k km, costed me alomst 1000$
Over 200k km you should look into high milage oil, they help prevent leaks and clean off sludge. I would change the oil if I were you.
As for shop, I know a shop who has serviced all my honda/acura for over 10 years. He is located near Hwy 7 and Bayview. If you are interested let me know I can pass you his number
Tatewaki, did you do your timing belt service at an Acura dealership?
Could you please send the the name and number of the shop you mentioned. Thanks.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 1
From: Toronto, ONT
No I didn't do the timing belt at dealer, it would be even more expensive. My last 96k check included some other stuff besides the belt so it might be a bit more than just belt. I'll PM you the contact name and number
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 491
Likes: 0
From: Ontario
Originally Posted by Tatewaki
ok, a few things first:
Oil change - I think that's a fair price. Filter, nut, time, oil, etc. $58 isn't bad
Tire change - Depends. I got a garage nearby to put on winters (already on wheels), csoted me 20$. If your winters are not on wheels, it will take time to mount and balance thus more expensive. I don't know how much that would be since my winters are always on steel wheels
Plugging hole - a bit stiff for 25$. Plugging a hole only takes like 5 mins to do
Timing belt - when was the last time you changed timing belt? You should change it every 96k km. If you NEVER change it, you are DAMN lucky that it didn't break yet. If the belt breaks when you are on highway, you can kiss your engine good bye. If you did change it at 96k, at 200k km is prob a good time to get the 2nd belt. I never trust the timing belt past 100k km. Remember, changing timing belt + water pump is expensive since they need to take the whole engine out to do it. Last time I serviced my TL for 96k km, costed me alomst 1000$
Over 200k km you should look into high milage oil, they help prevent leaks and clean off sludge. I would change the oil if I were you.
As for shop, I know a shop who has serviced all my honda/acura for over 10 years. He is located near Hwy 7 and Bayview. If you are interested let me know I can pass you his number
Oil change - I think that's a fair price. Filter, nut, time, oil, etc. $58 isn't bad
Tire change - Depends. I got a garage nearby to put on winters (already on wheels), csoted me 20$. If your winters are not on wheels, it will take time to mount and balance thus more expensive. I don't know how much that would be since my winters are always on steel wheels
Plugging hole - a bit stiff for 25$. Plugging a hole only takes like 5 mins to do
Timing belt - when was the last time you changed timing belt? You should change it every 96k km. If you NEVER change it, you are DAMN lucky that it didn't break yet. If the belt breaks when you are on highway, you can kiss your engine good bye. If you did change it at 96k, at 200k km is prob a good time to get the 2nd belt. I never trust the timing belt past 100k km. Remember, changing timing belt + water pump is expensive since they need to take the whole engine out to do it. Last time I serviced my TL for 96k km, costed me alomst 1000$
Over 200k km you should look into high milage oil, they help prevent leaks and clean off sludge. I would change the oil if I were you.
As for shop, I know a shop who has serviced all my honda/acura for over 10 years. He is located near Hwy 7 and Bayview. If you are interested let me know I can pass you his number
OntarioTL
Senior Moderator
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 5,122
Likes: 30
From: Windsor, ON, Canada
Hondas / Acuras in the past stated since we are an "extreme climate" that the timing belt be changed every 100,000km (or ___ months). I was going to do it at 108 000km ... then checked acura.ca ...
Lo and behold, it has changing the timing belt at the same time as the Americans (aka "normal climate" conditions) ... 100 000 MILES (168 000km or 84 months). That was something that ALWAYS bothered me. I live in Windsor, which is south of Detroit, Michigan. Why is it recommended that my timing belt be changed every 60 000 miles while my US counterpart changes it every 100 000 miles?
That's C$900 that I save until I reach that plateau.
Going back on topic ... sounds like Woodbine is extremely pricey for somewhat 'standard' service. I got charged C$50 to swap tires at the local Honda dealership. I am never going there for that service. A local tire shop I go to ... $23 bucks for swapping summers / winters. They even put Armor All, cleaned the crap off my spokes, AND put my winter rims the same way I stored my summers in my car (wrapped in an old blanket) so that my interior wouldn't get dirty. And I am very picky!
Lo and behold, it has changing the timing belt at the same time as the Americans (aka "normal climate" conditions) ... 100 000 MILES (168 000km or 84 months). That was something that ALWAYS bothered me. I live in Windsor, which is south of Detroit, Michigan. Why is it recommended that my timing belt be changed every 60 000 miles while my US counterpart changes it every 100 000 miles?
That's C$900 that I save until I reach that plateau.
Going back on topic ... sounds like Woodbine is extremely pricey for somewhat 'standard' service. I got charged C$50 to swap tires at the local Honda dealership. I am never going there for that service. A local tire shop I go to ... $23 bucks for swapping summers / winters. They even put Armor All, cleaned the crap off my spokes, AND put my winter rims the same way I stored my summers in my car (wrapped in an old blanket) so that my interior wouldn't get dirty. And I am very picky!
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