Are any of these $tealer$hip recommendations legitimate

Joined
Nov 14, 2011
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333
Location
Massachusetts
Took my 2017 Camry LE w/47k miles into the $tealer$hip today to get a standard oil change/rotation and transmission fluid change (wanted WS fluid for the first change). They recommended the following, which I declined, and I'm wondering if folks here can tell from these photos if anything is required, and if so, how urgent it is. Money isn't the issue, so there is no problem paying for the repairs if they are legitimate (though I'll go to a local mechanic), but I never trust anything from dealerships after prior experience

2x control arms at $760 each due to bushings popping out
Water pump at $600 due to "seeping pink coolant" (which I can't really even see?)

Always get good advice on here, so thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

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I don't see anything wrong with the control arm bushings. I've had them fail and it was the noise from the arm clanking around while driving that clued me in. As for the pump, it does look like a wet spot on the housing. Best internet diagnosis I can give for free - YMMV.
 
Could be legit, I can't really see the Control Arms, but it depends on the roads you drive on.
The Water Pump seeping also could be legit as there was a batch of poor pumps that would fail.
Mine was seeping, but was done under warranty by my dealer (Lexus RX350 2017)
How much do you trust your dealer?
If the WP fails what would the cost be to you for also collateral damage?
 
Toyota of late has been eating water pumps. Given the miles this is driven though I would wait until it is more obvious.

Control arm bushings do look worn but still safe, cracking is not great for tracking but driving in typical traffic? I’d wait a year or two and maybe replace when it’s time for an alignment and new tires.
 
My non dealer Volvo specialty repair place replaced the water pump on my Volvo a couple of times over no more than 4 or 5 years. It failed again shortly after I changed cities. My new non dealer Volvo specialty repair place said the problem was using after market parts. They replaced the water pump with a Volvo OEM part and that was the last time it needed replacing.

I don't know about Toyota vs aftermarket parts but if you replace it I'd suggest you use an OEM part.
 
They look like 7 year old control arm bushings.
They have some wear. They aren't pristine.
However, they don't appear unsafe.
In regards to the pump, I'd be more concerned with that.
First thing that I would do is find a good independent (or better yet an independent facility that specializes in Toyota/Lexus) to provide a second opinion.
If they said the pump was questionable, I'd probably do it.
Take care of your vehicle. Make it safe.
However, don't fall for the standard "Wallet Flush."
 
Thanks all for the great feedback so far. Based on what I'm hearing, the feeling seems to be

Water Pump: Get an independent (ideally Toyota specialized) mechanic to evaluate and see if it needs to be done immediately, or if it has some time.

Control Arms: Seems to be generally normal wear for age, not a safety issue. I'm about 1/2 through a set of General RT43s I put on here at around 15k miles (hated the OE tires), so perhaps I'll plan to get them done when I get new tires/alignment in another two or so years.

It's funny, my last Toyota (2011 Corolla), had a water pump go bad at ~55k miles, I was putting a lot of mileage on that car compared to this one. (Both over dreadful Boston area roads). I generally try to get OEM parts wherever possible, but to the posts above, I'm wondering if that still really makes sense considering the bad luck I and others seem to have had with Toyota water pumps?
 
Yeah, I'd have someone you trust look at the water pump - seeping is the first signs of failure (although apparently brand new pumps can seep for a few minutes?) and better to catch it early.
 
Took my 2017 Camry LE w/47k miles into the $tealer$hip today to get a standard oil change/rotation and transmission fluid change (wanted WS fluid for the first change). They recommended the following, which I declined, and I'm wondering if folks here can tell from these photos if anything is required, and if so, how urgent it is. Money isn't the issue, so there is no problem paying for the repairs if they are legitimate (though I'll go to a local mechanic), but I never trust anything from dealerships after prior experience

2x control arms at $760 each due to bushings popping out
Water pump at $600 due to "seeping pink coolant" (which I can't really even see?)

Always get good advice on here, so thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

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Those bushings are shot. Do the control arms.

Don’t use cheap parts, the labor and alignment is the big cost of the job, so don’t cheap out on bushings/arms.
 
Yeah, I'd have someone you trust look at the water pump - seeping is the first signs of failure (although apparently brand new pumps can seep for a few minutes?) and better to catch it early.
Was going to say that as well.

Having watched the video, I think those are reasonable set of recommendations.

I actually like the video walk around.

My daughter has forwarded the same to me from the Volvo dealer in Salt Lake City, and it helps me approve, or disapprove, repairs. And in almost every case, the things that they recommended were legitimate, and I authorized the repair.
 
Was going to say that as well.

Having watched the video, I think those are reasonable set of recommendations.

I actually like the video walk around.

My daughter has forwarded the same to me from the Volvo dealer in Salt Lake City, and it helps me approve, or disapprove, repairs. And in almost every case, the things that they recommended were legitimate, and I authorized the repair.

I think it is a big step in keeping them honest. I mean, in theory they could splash some coolant around the water pump, start the car to get it warm so it bakes off and leaves residue, and then send you the video claiming it needs a water pump, but that's way too much effort with too much risk for too little reward.
 
I think it is a big step in keeping them honest. I mean, in theory they could splash some coolant around the water pump, start the car to get it warm so it bakes off and leaves residue, and then send you the video claiming it needs a water pump, but that's way too much effort with too much risk for too little reward.
I agree, I think the transparency is an improvement in the dealership/customer relationship.

Customers always assume that the dealership is trying to rip them off…

Well now, there’s a video to show the customer exactly what the technician discovered, and the customer can make a much better informed decision.

And the transparency works both ways. Both parties are better informed, both parties feel like the transaction is more open….dare I say more honest?
 
There is good advice in this thread already, here's my 2 cents: Get a second opinion. Both of those things would be a concern to me. Waiting until you are stranded by the side of the road is not a Plan A. Or a Plan B.
 
IMO, those prices are reasonable. Is that include the parts and labor or just the labor?
It's parts and labor. I sent an email to a well regarded local shop here that sources OEM parts to see what they'll charge for the work.

I agree with others that I do like these new apps that allow the dealerships to show photos/video of what they're recommending, Subaru dealer did the same on my wife's car recently, too. I don't particularly trust this dealership that much, which is where my skepticism comes from. It's hard to tell what is necessary versus "recommended to keep your car 100% perfect" from this dealer. They also threw in a bunch of nonsense like a fuel system flush and coolant flush that go against the manual's recommendations, which further enhances my skepticism.

I have to say, I don't notice any issues with suspension noise or ride quality at the moment, and I'm usually pretty sensitive to those kinds of things. Admittedly, I sit in a lot of stop-and-go traffic, and rarely go above 68-70 on the highway.
 
I'm not that familiar with Toyota control arm bushings, so I'll defer to others on that. I am familiar with Toyota water pump weep hole seepage. Been multiple tsbs on the water pump weep hole, and Toyota has said a small amount seen is normal. Seen SLL AF blamed for it, but I don't buy it. Personally, I'd read the tsb below before agreeing to change out the pump. I know it says 2018 forward but still can serve as a guide. If not seeing or detecting significant leakage I'd hold off.

 
I've never heard of an OEM water pump going out in less than 50k miles unless it was run dry and burned up the seal. I would wait until it starts leaving drops on the garage floor before replacing. None of mine has ever suffered catostrophic failure. They have always started with a couple random drops from a cold engine and then slowly got worse over a few hundred miles. Having said that, none that started leaking have ever stopped. Same with wp bearing failure, they start with an odd sound I can't locate and then a few hundred mile later are raising a ruckus. There has always been plenty of warning.
 
I'm not that familiar with Toyota control arm bushings, so I'll defer to others on that. I am familiar with Toyota water pump weep hole seepage. Been multiple tsbs on the water pump weep hole, and Toyota has said a small amount seen is normal. Seen SLL AF blamed for it, but I don't buy it. Personally, I'd read the tsb below before agreeing to change out the pump. I know it says 2018 forward but still can serve as a guide. If not seeing or detecting significant leakage I'd hold off.

There are previous versions of that pdf that go back AFAIK to 2005 models, I cant find it right now but when I did my MIL 06 Toyota had a bulletin on it. Same deal dry pink coolant streak under the weep hole means do not replace the pump or wet under the weep hole replace it. It seems many perfectly good Toyota water pumps have been changed for no reason.
You may need an inspection mirror and flashlight to get a glimpse of the weep hole but it is not a problem.

The bushing are tired but not blown out, I don't know if you are able to do this simple job at home but if you can they are $157-173 ea new OE from a online dealer. I am sure bushing alone are available but Toyota is not showing a part number. Check the ball joints while doing the job, if it needs them they are $61ea and do not come with the control arm. The dealer would probably hit you with that for another couple of hundred once they started the work, common cash cow.

 
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