May a Southeast Toyota dealer, different from the one who sold me the car, charge for the first oil change and tire rotation at 5000 miles, if I bought Toyoguard Protection Plus when I purchased the car? A friend took their new Prius for its servicing and was charged $52 when he had expected it to be covered by the plan. The dealer said this was their fee since they were not the sellers of the car.
I was told that ALL cars in SET territory were first oil change and service free. Your friend got hosed and needs to complain loudly!:kev:
alot of dealers are giving free oil changes out for a year..sounds like your friend got the old shaft. I would complain. I just used up my final voucher, I still brought my own oil though and took advantage of the free filter along with free inspection etc
this might sound like a dumb question but...........is the oil changes part of the bumper to bumper warranty for three years and 30k miles and done free??
There are no free oil changes as part of the standard sale. Some dealers will try to sell you an "extended maint. agreement" when you are in the finance office settling the final details, but this comes at a (usually) substantial extra cost. Also, some dealers will give you "the first oil change free," or six months of free oil changes or some such combination. This is primarily two-fold: 1) Build customer goodwill and give one little extra "push" that may make a sale. 2) A money-machine for the dealer because they will look for and try to sell you all sorts of other parts and service when you come in for the "free" oil change. Some dealers are not very agressive and you won't get much of -- if any -- hard sell when you get your "free" oil change. Others will try to convince you that they need to flush out the interior of the car with a special mix of air imported from the slopes of Mt. Fuji -- at the low cost of $224.99. Do realize that most dealers actually make very little from the sales price of the car. The service department is the $$$-maker.
Nobody offered me free anything. I know people who got hats, tee shirts, free lunch, now oil changes? I did my first one myself, 52,000 miles ago, and every one since. Nobody touches my car, and hasn't needed to so far. "Nothing" is free.
SET makes all the dealers give the first one free and SET pays for it. As for the lunch, yes I partook of that from their snack bar. I also took a red Toyota ball cap for my collection. I figured they would survive!
