Gen II Prius Past 150K -- Big PicturMaintenance Schedule Question

Got it. I am going with the new dealer just based on a sense that he's part of the new deal and where the new car is going to go for service from here on out.

 

Dealer B quoted to Toyota Corp a warranty price that is less than dealer A, so I am very glad I made the decision to go there. The total for hybrid battey replacement and also cooling fan cleaning service will cost me $729 out of pocket, not $1000. The fan clean service was originally not part of the quote from Toyota. I requested they consider covering fan clean out as well, given that (1) there are NHTSA Service Bulletins that talk about excessive debris and dirt in the cooling fan system that make it less efficient, and (2) this is imminently reasonable -- it makes no sense putting a new battery in behind a clogged vent system.

 

Thanks. I feel like good research here on PC, help from the guys where I work that know about the regulatory stuff, like NHTSA Bulletins, and frankly some good people on the Toyota end of things, all led to a good result.
I'm as excited for the Prius Gen 2 getting fixed up as for the new Prius Gen 3.

 

I am not in DIY mode yet, and won't be until late arch when my friend says the whether will be decent enought to plan on doing the work. So I think it was a god idea to do a $39 coupon maintenance special, i.e., oil/ oil filter, and also change brake fluid, inverter coolant, and ATF while the Prius is at the dealer. Down the road I will pick up on this myself, but there is a lot that's mechanical on the punch list, and I want to get fluids done and out of the way, and move forward expedtiously. Funny, but dealer B's charges for each of these fluid replace services were virtually the same as my local independent shop and also Merchant Tire. I always assumed Dealers prices are sky high across the board. My hypothesis now is that dealers price structure it so that you keep bringing your car there for these fluid type sevices, and that gives then a shot at identifying repairs come up that's where you get soaked. I am a case in point when I look back over my Prius' service history. The service records over the past 5 years on the Prius show we spent big bucks on repairs, everything from a taillight seembly ($400), fuel injector and spark plugs ($700), hybrid water pump ($ hundreds), and so on. I ain't gonna let that keep happening. Any grain of thruth to that theory?

 

On a final note, the Dealer did the HV Battery replace job. I drove it home yesteray and averaged 48 mpg for the trip, some on highway, a lot of it city/suburb stop and go. It is acting like and performing like the Prius of old!
Anyone have any idea about my post to the Gen II Audio page about a compatible satellite audio upgrade --please chime in.

 

I want to give you all an update on the 2004 Prius maintenance ketchup situation. I went ahead with my plan to outsource to the dealer the fluids replacement jobs. That raised the issue I posted when I got the car back whether the dealer perhaps did not do the whole engine coolant replacement job, as he said, because I was charged for one gallon of SLLC, not two. Hmmm, suspicious! Yesterday my mechanic friend and I assessed, and it looks like both coolant systems were recenty changed. Seems weird given only being chared for a gallon of SLLC. But the fact is the fluid in both reservoirs and in the radiator looks bright pink and fresh, and is filled to the full line. I am going to let those jobs go for a while and check back again in maybe 25K, when the odometer is at 180K. Thanks to Patrick Wong for the video on engine colant replacement, for future reference. Thanks to all who chimed in on how to get all the air out of the lines as part of the complete job of replacing engine coolant.
I also posted on PC about the front and rear suspension. My buddy drove while we went across town to the autoparts store, and agrees with the assessment that the Prius rides fine, takes turns fine, brakes fine, etc. The looksee behind the wheels shows no leaks, coil springs in decent shape. However, the rubber aprons are torn and frayed (old Stones song reference) so replacing them goes on the list for upcoming jobs. I asume aprons replacement can be done fairly easily and it would be worthwhile, but welcome your feedback.
Other parts have not arrived from AutoNation, in Houston. My buddy and I will get together soon, maybe next weekend, to replace the air filters (cabin and engine), and the serpentine belt and PCV valve. We'll look at the throttle and clean it out as well, as needed. The headlight lenses coud use some restorer, and I will get to that as well.
The bulk of the day was spent installing the Vais Tech SL3B bluetooth adapter, and I posted about that on the Prius II audio forum. It is great having great music at my fingertips, literally, in the car.
I love that old Prius of mine, and look forward to keeping making improvements in the way it runs, appearance, and etc. I greatly appreciate how folks here have been so helpful and I can always use feedback with stuff still remaining to be done. I am reminded of a great tune from the old days, goes something like this .... "All We Are Saying is Give Prius A Chance."

 

Patrick, and All,
Is it normal that there would be engine oil collecting in the intake plenum directly below the throttle body? I'm seeing enough oil there that it is covering the bottom of the plenum. Could engine wear cause the PCV system to drop oil from the crankcase vent where it comes into the throttle body? Is this a normal 150K mile condition? It is not full of oil, but enough to make a shiny puddle at the bottom of the plenum.
Thanks as always,
Beatle

 

Thank you Patrick. I may have broken Priuschat rules by separately posting the same question. I worried no one would see it at the bottom of this long thread and was itching to get a response. Please ignore the separate post, except that the answers I got there match your response.