My first new car ever is a Prius. The few times I have brought any vehicle to a dealer is for warranty covered/recall issues. Do most owners go to a dealer, other than those who change their own oil? Is the vehicle too complicated for general mechanics? Will dealers match coupons of other auto service chains? Any tips/tricks people can share? I have searched the forums and did not see any answers to my questions. Thanks!
The car is a complex car from a electronics perspective. I would think you would want to have it serviced at a Toyota Dealership, IMO. I would think if you wanted to do the oil changes yourself, have at it. Nothing to hurt by taking on that maintenance. The only reason I like the Dealer doing it, is there is a Paper Trail should ever anything come up. Also if there are any service bulletins they will typically pull up your VIN Number at the time of check in to see if you need anything performed. (If they don't ask them to check). I have leased the 2010 and choose to have the dealer service it for the small cost. One thing about the Prius is the cost of ownership and that is low compared to many cars. The service should not be an arm and leg from a cost standpoint. Local auto service shops don't know all there is to know about the Prius which makes me uncomfortable with them servicing the vehicle. Although they may have got some better there still not "trained" on the Prius and it's overall mechanics and troubleshooting. Review your maintenance schedule and unless your planning on 100K miles in a year you should be golden!
My local Toyota dealer is very competitive with 'jiffy lube' places, oil change and tire rotation for under $43 on my 2009. They are fast, too. Your dealer's service department will vary. I would have no hesitation to go to an independent mechanic, if they were cheaper than the dealer. I do hesitate to let the child at the 'jiffy lube' work on a $27,000 vehicle. No 'routine' maintenance that I read about seems beyond a good mechanic. Certainly if something hybrid specific were to break, I would favor the dealer even at a higher price. I would be amazed if your mechanic did not advise you when the dealer would be a better choice, but perhaps I am naive. Car Talk. Car tips, advice, and troubleshooting. | Mechanics Files will list mechanics near you and give reviews. as an example Car Talk
I tried a non-dealer once for service on my '04. Never again. I've had good service at my dealer so I will continue to use them.
Most of the regular service is oil & filter changes. Change your own air filters. I would avoid "iffy boob" or "flintstone" type places but any good indy mechanic can change the oil. If you are going to change coolant or tranny fluid then you want the dealer. Shop around. No harm asking the dealer if they can meet or come close to a competitor's price. I've received oil change coupons from the dealer making their price competetive. Regardless who changes your oil, check the dipstick before you leave the lot. May keep a stupid mistake from growing into a very expensive mistake.
I got my 2010 Prius in November. It's my first car ever that I had to take care of. What is considered regular maintenance? Oil changes and tire rotation. IS that it?
Regular maintenance - Oil and filter, tire rotation, air filter, coolant, brake fluid, and anything else in your maintenance book.
is the oil change interval 5k or 10k now on Gen III? my dealer said it is 5k but i have seen in this forum 10k discussions
See this thread. It's now 10K (at least in the US). The topic is dealt with pretty exhaustively in that discussion.
Just don't let the dealer talk you into their package service ie. 10,000mi service that costs a fortune, just get oil change and as needed tire rotation, filters ect.(if you don't do them yourself) also don't forget to check your dealers wbsite. Most dealers have oil change coupons you print out and bring in.
