For SoCal Prius / Toyota Owners: Can You Recommend a Toyota Dealer for Service?

I just did my 10k at Power in Buena Park as it is close to work, I gave them my keys and the Toyota maintenance tag, and took the shuttle to work, they called me 3 hours later and it was done.

 

I take my vehicle to Toyota of Tustin. Prices are fair, compared to Toyota of Huntington Beach, which was a complete rip off. They are also open late, which is a plus for people like me who work late. Also, also they are doing 15% off service right now. Hurray.

 

I had bad experience with Toyota of Tustin.

Here's the story,

I brought my car for 5k service. After the service, rattle noise under the hood. Next weekend, I brought my <2 months car back and told them about the noise. After couple hours, they told me it was fixed but the noise came back on the way home. Noise was getting louder and serious that I had to go back to the dealer on the way to work on Monday. The same service manager looked at my car history and told me the mechanics actually found the problem on Saturday but didn't have time to fix it. I was so pissed because they actually found the problem, didn't fix it (fortunately this was not a major problem, but I feel they are willing to risk their customers' lives when they had tight schedule), didn't even tell me about it. I was wondering that at least they could suggest me what to do or even come back next available day!!

They finally fixed it and told me the noise came from the backing plate in the wheel in passenger side. It was bent and they "repositioned" it to get rid of the noise...?! A part was bent in a brand new car? They bent it when doing 5k service? I don't know, but they only "repositioned" it instead of replacing it.

You can say it's an individual case, well yes but there's a risk from them and it made it in their history. I'm still working with the manager to see if I can get a complete manufacture standard inspection for the car and replace the bent part on their cost. There were some body problem with the car that made me wondering why it passed quality control. The dealer compensated me so I keep them shut in my month.

 

I think I just had the same or a similar thing happen

 

I live closer to Toyota of Pasadena but I have been taking my car to Longo Toyota located in City of El Monte where I bought my car. Longo Toyota isn't perfect as well.. I just took my prius in for the 50K service and they try to charge $125 for the service stating that their prices went up. When I complaint and said I had never paid over $100 in service, the service rep said it was because I ask for my A/C to be checked. I told him I had ask for my A/C to be checked in the past and was never charged. So he finally said well we have a coupon I can apply for you. So the coupon reduce my total down to $89.89 ... shaddy service rep.

 

What do they do for $89.89? Should at least be an oil and filter change (with synthetic oil) and tire rotation. I do that as well as inspect the brakes, lights, and common trouble areas and top off fluids for $65 out the door.

 

From the horror stories my customers have told me, to my own experiences, I would recommend not taking it to a dealer.

 

For example.

 

Do it yourself. It's cheap and you learn something. It is not rocket science and you know it will be done right rather than have an idiot monkey working on it.

 

You're not calling me an idiot monkey are you?

 

Only if you work in a Toyota dealer service department. In all my years dealing with Toyota dealerships, I have yet had a positive experience. One thing I can give them credit for is all the free service I had received because of all of their screw ups.

 

So far I have not had to take my Prius to the dealer (NoHo). I have been buying my own synthetic oil and filters and taking to my local guy to do. I go to NAPA parts and take in what I'm looking for (eg Cabin Filter, under belly plastic screws) and buy them there.

I do need to replace the interior portion of drivers side rear view mirror (I broke a corner of the plastic) and replace the covering over the oil change section (thanks to jiffyboob from my first oil change) but am ordering OEM parts on line. Will take those to NoHo and say Here ya go.. Labor charge only thank you.