Doug Kanter wrote:

I pay $29.95 for an oil change. My mechanic checks or greases all the
fittings that Toyota recommends for my 4 wheel drive vehicle. They check
brake pads and give me an idea of when to start thinking about service. He
greases hood latch, tailgate latch, all door hinges & latches, checks brake
fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, and tops them off at no
charge if they need it. At 12000 miles, he noticed some rust on the rear
bumper, underneath where I probably wouldn't have noticed it. That enabled
me to get it replaced under warranty. At 18000 miles, he noticed that the
tires were wearing unevenly. Back to the dealer, since alignment is covered
by warranty. They said it was within spec, and didn't adjust. My mechanic
did some research and found, IIRC, that this truck wants its front wheels
dead center within the range of spec, not just "within the range". He
probably saved me having to spend $500 on tires a year or two too soon.

Sounds worth it to me.

Yeah, that may look good on the surface, but when you realize that your
time is no longer occupied with your car and you can work/play on
something else, you...
Hmmmm. Nevermind.

R