Have a 2003 Camry 4 Cyl with a 2004 engine - 131,000 miles. Have had to replace the oil pan, dealer says they are made out of thin Al and the threads where out "real fast". Anyone else had this problem or am i being sold a bill of goods? Thank You

 

He is right about the aluminum part but if ppl doing a lof would just torque the drain plug and not gorilla the thing the threads would last a lifetime.
[align=left] [/align]

 

Tim is right. But on top of that they make repair kits for when the threads wear out so that you wouldn't have to replace the pan. The problem with going to dealerships is often times they won't offer any type of repair kits as opposed to replacing parts. They're not usually about saving you money but usually more about hitting you with big bills in hopes that sooner or later you'll get tired of it and buy a new car but in the mean time their making money off you just the same. Don't get me wrong some dealerships are great/honest but they're few and far between.

I recomend you find a garrage with a real good reputation. Not one thats necessarily the cheapest but one that has a rep for being honest. They'll offer whatever it takes to make you happy but often times will be as expensive and sometimes slightly more expensive than the dealer. But even if they're hourly labor was a little higher than the dealer if they had sold you a repair kit for that pan rather than the hole pan it would have saved you loads. Think about it. Good luck.