Toyota Avensis service issues

Paddyspurs1

Hi all. I hope you can help with this. We have a 151 Toyota Avensis. It went in for regular service in Sept 2017. All ok, new tyres needed soon, brake pads also needed soon, price quoted €48. They sent a letter saying we can get a free warranty health check which we did mid December 2017. The report now said that we need a new fuel filter for €107, brake pads now going to cost €107 and brake discs are getting "lipped", price €312. All prices are plus VAT of course. There's only 50,000 kms on the car. Also, since the last service, 4 new tyres were put on at great expense and I've noticed the litres per 100kms has increased by around 15% so we're using more fuel and that's why the garage is asking us to get a new fuel filter installed for €76. My question is, am I being ripped off to get the discs replaced and new filter and why the inflated brake pad price from €48 to €107 in 3 months?
Thanks in advance.

Del2005

Bring it to a different garage for a 2nd opinion.

With the increased fuel consumption, are the new tyres at the correct pressure?

Nekarsulm

They are paying themselves well for sticking on the fuel filter if it's 107 euro.
Even 76 euro ( your other price) is leaving 40 euro for fitting it, supposing the filter costs 30 euro.

ba_barabus

I'd recommend a second opinion.

What brand of tyres were fitted? Cold weather would also be a cause of the poor fuel economy.

Don't forget that model of Avensis will have the bmw diesel engine which may mean more expensive service items like a fuel filter. I can't say for certain as mine is the older Toyota diesel but parts so far have been cheap.

Discs and pads do wear and that will depend on usage.

Anything you've listed seems like normal service items but they do sound expensive.

JohnBoy26

ba_barabus wrote: »

I'd recommend a second opinion.

What brand of tyres were fitted? Cold weather would also be a cause of the poor fuel economy.

Don't forget that model of Avensis will have the bmw diesel engine which may mean more expensive service items like a fuel filter. I can't say for certain as mine is the older Toyota diesel but parts so far have been cheap.

Discs and pads do wear and that will depend on usage.

Anything you've listed seems like normal service items but they do sound expensive.

Only If it's the facelift? Both variants were available back then with the majority of facelifts being on a 152 plate.

ba_barabus

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Only If it's the facelift? Both variants were available back then with the majority of facelifts being on a 152 plate.

That's correct in fact.

Nekarsulm

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Only If it's the facelift? Both variants were available back then with the majority of facelifts being on a 152 plate.

The older engine is fitted with a diesel filter costing less than a tenner. The BMW one is nearer thirty euro.
So if you have the older engine, they are charging nearly 70 euro to change it.
I'd get a second opinion, to be honest.

ofcork

A dealer will tell you discs are lipped even though there could be plenty left I was told the same about my rear on my 12 avensis diesel with 135k km on it still fine.

Toyotafanboi

To be honest it sounds like the first quote was parts prices only and the latest quote includes fitting.

I know it's completely useless to quote you parts only without fittin but it really read like that's what's happened.

Needing pads and a fuel filter at 50k isn't too uncommon you may or may not need discs it really depends on your driving style etc. but discs are a real dividing opinion, you can run docs for several sets of pads and keep grinding the lip off of them but a lot of mechanics would rather just replace. Ask 4 different mechanics their opinion on the same set of discs and you'll get 4x different answers.

Your drop in MPG is very unlikely to be caused by your tyres and similarly very unlikely to be fixed by replacing the fuel filter. I'd agree with other posters in that the winter weather is the most likely reason.

Nekarsulm

Do those newer Avensis come with the "Fast Warm" button?

Paddyspurs1

Nekarsulm wrote: »

They are paying themselves well for sticking on the fuel filter if it's 107 euro.
Even 76 euro ( your other price) is leaving 40 euro for fitting it, supposing the filter costs 30 euro.

Hi Nekarsulm. I don't know why they didn't pick up on the fuel filter back 3 mths ago. It seems strange that the fuel consumption has increased by so much immediately after the service. I'd love to be my own DIY mechanic for the small jobs, that's for sure. Thanks for reply.

Paddyspurs1

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

To be honest it sounds like the first quote was parts prices only and the latest quote includes fitting.

I know it's completely useless to quote you parts only without fittin but it really read like that's what's happened.

Needing pads and a fuel filter at 50k isn't too uncommon you may or may not need discs it really depends on your driving style etc. but discs are a real dividing opinion, you can run docs for several sets of pads and keep grinding the lip off of them but a lot of mechanics would rather just replace. Ask 4 different mechanics their opinion on the same set of discs and you'll get 4x different answers.

Your drop in MPG is very unlikely to be caused by your tyres and similarly very unlikely to be fixed by replacing the fuel filter. I'd agree with other posters in that the winter weather is the most likely reason.

Thanks Toyotafanboi. Brand new tyres fitted mid Sept. Same brand and size as original set, Michelins. I expected fuel consumption to reduce slightly. I'm a stickler for checking the fuel consumption weekly and never noticed it so high in the 2 previous years, and all since last service. Maybe I'm reading too much into the problem but it seems I'm being asked to get stuff done that are quite unnecessary. As for brake discs, there's a very slight lip on the disc edge. We also have a 01 Focus and, with nothing done with brakes in 4 years, it passed NCT with no bother, and there's a much deeper lip to the discs. Thanks for info, much appreciated.

Paddyspurs1

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Do those newer Avensis come with the "Fast Warm" button?

No Fast Warm button, unless it's an auto feature. What's it's purpose? Thanks

Paddyspurs1

Del2005 wrote: »

Bring it to a different garage for a 2nd opinion.

With the increased fuel consumption, are the new tyres at the correct pressure?

Thanks Del2005. 2nd op, might do that. Tyre pressure, yep, checked a few times. All good. Exact same brand/size as original set. Michelin.

Paddyspurs1

ba_barabus wrote: »

I'd recommend a second opinion.

What brand of tyres were fitted? Cold weather would also be a cause of the poor fuel economy.

Don't forget that model of Avensis will have the bmw diesel engine which may mean more expensive service items like a fuel filter. I can't say for certain as mine is the older Toyota diesel but parts so far have been cheap.

Discs and pads do wear and that will depend on usage.

Anything you've listed seems like normal service items but they do sound expensive.

Hi ba_barabus. Same as original set, Michelins. In the 2 previous years I've never seen the avg litres/100kms to exceed 6.4. Now it's a steady 7.3. Quite a jump. Pressures checked, ok. I always thought new tyres gave better FC than worn. Just thought new discs at 50k Kms was a tad premature. There's just a slight lip. Pads price up from €48 to €107 in 3 months? Maybe I'm cynical but seems someone is codding us. Thanks for info.

Nekarsulm

Paddyspurs1 wrote: »

No Fast Warm button, unless it's an auto feature. What's it's purpose? Thanks

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/118517-power-heater-switch/

ba_barabus

Paddyspurs1 wrote: »

Hi ba_barabus. Same as original set, Michelins. In the 2 previous years I've never seen the avg litres/100kms to exceed 6.4. Now it's a steady 7.3. Quite a jump. Pressures checked, ok. I always thought new tyres gave better FC than worn. Just thought new discs at 50k Kms was a tad premature. There's just a slight lip. Pads price up from €48 to €107 in 3 months? Maybe I'm cynical but seems someone is codding us. Thanks for info.

I currently drive a 131 Avensis D4D. If yours is the same model my fuel economy has gone very poor over the past 6 weeks. I was averaging 5.1 litres/100km in September but without any change in driving style it's fallen to 6.3l/100km. I've also fitted new tyres in that time. I've averaged that fuel figure over 12k kms since the start of October. It's the weather that has caused it to become poor. Fuel economy went poor prior to new tyres as I only have them on 2 weeks.

Due another service in 2k kms. Car currently has 102500km, serviced every 15k km by main dealer

Miike

ba_barabus wrote: »

I currently drive a 131 Avensis D4D. If yours is the same model my fuel economy has gone very poor over the past 6 weeks. I was averaging 5.1 litres/100km in September but without any change in driving style it's fallen to 6.3l/100km. I've also fitted new tyres in that time. I've averaged that fuel figure over 12k kms since the start of October. It's the weather that has caused it to become poor. Fuel economy went poor prior to new tyres as I only have them on 2 weeks.

Due another service in 2k kms. Car currently has 102500km, serviced every 15k km by main dealer

The current cold conditions would account for that fuel economy difference

vandriver

You day that you have mpg figures going back 2 years.But if you think of last winter,it was a very mild one with almost no frost.
My diesel Citroen loses about 20% fuel efficiency in very cold weather.(so much so that Citroen supply a grille mask that blocks some of the air to the engine)

ofcork

My 12 avensis diesel is averaging 7.3 this weather.

Paddyspurs1

Thanks for all your input lads. Regarding cold weather as cause, it didn't turn really cold until mid November but the fuel consumption issue was well noticed by October. I'll keep an eye on it for another month or two.

166man

Difference in fuel economy is almost certainly the colder weather, unless you have a dodgy injector but I’d very much doubt this.

Re the prices, front brake pads fitted for €48 is far too cheap and must have been an error by the original service advisor. A fuel filter in 50k km is very standard though. Discs at 50k km seeems early to me so I would query that one though main dealers stick to quite strict requirements on any braking components.

jhud

If you look at Toyotaservice.ie put in reg you will get cost of service and items like brake pads. They have brake pads on it for 115 for both front and back. Full service for 230 which I think should have fuel filter. Take a look there it will give you some ideas on costs.