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Dealer Trip Dropped LMPG by 4.1!

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Curt S., Nov 12, 2009.

  1. Curt S.

    Curt S. New Member

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    Hello Everyone,

    1st time poster here. Have a 2010 III, and just took it to the dealer to have some dealer options changed (reverse beep to 1 beep), (remote unlock all doors) (Smart key System to unlock all doors) (eliminate 30 sec delay for lights out) (12mph auto door lock) (seatbelt buzzer off). Also had a clear bra put on that I negotiated in the price of the vehicle.

    Love the customizable settings, and the fact that there was no charge for any of this!

    Now to my complaint. I worked hard to get my car to 53.6 LMPG, I have 500 miles and change, and live in a very stop and go area. When I got my car back from the dealer, it had 37 more miles on it, and more importantly, the mileage went all the way down to 49.5 mpg!

    Seems to me like it would have taken quite a bit of work to get it down that low, with only 37 miles driven, or am I wrong? I Work very diligently to get every 0.1mpg improvement, and I was a bit miffed at this :mad: Not the end of the world, and with only 560 miles on the car or so, I know I'll get it back, but damn!

    BTW, love the car, and love this site!
     
    #1 Curt S., Nov 12, 2009
  2. Ongs-Hat

    Ongs-Hat New Member

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    Did you contact the dealer and inquire why your Prius was abused?
     
    #2 Ongs-Hat, Nov 13, 2009
  3. Curt S.

    Curt S. New Member

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    I picked up the car, then had dinner in the same shopping center as the dealer, noticed the mileage (and even had the printout of the dealer performed work, showing miles when I dropped it off) so immediately went back to dealer, but of course, they were closed. A trip tomorrow is on the agenda.
     
    #3 Curt S., Nov 13, 2009
  4. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    I bet the answer would be it was taken to the local clear bra shop to put it on.
     
    #4 bedrock8x, Nov 13, 2009
  5. bestmapman

    bestmapman 04, 07 ,08, 09, 10, 16, 21 Prime

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    Sounds like 37 miles was a test drive by a customer.
     
    #5 bestmapman, Nov 13, 2009
  6. Ophbalance

    Ophbalance Member

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    Either that, or someone let my wife drive it ;).
     
    #6 Ophbalance, Nov 13, 2009
  7. 2010PriusV

    2010PriusV Junior Member

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    Sounds like some punk from the bra shop beat the crap out of it. I am surprised it didn't have a fart can installed on it when you picked it up! I would be furious to say the least. When you take a vehicle to anyone for service you have to stand there and watch. A friend of mine took his brand new Grand Prix to a shop for stereo work and while sitting at the nearby restaurant watched his vehicle go past at a high rate of speed drag racing another car. Needless to say he was very angry.
     
    #7 2010PriusV, Nov 13, 2009
  8. Curt S.

    Curt S. New Member

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    It may be that, however, I was told the clear bra work would be done at the dealer, that the installation always happens on site. Either way, it seems that 37 miles driven, to drop a car's mileage that much shows the car was driven inappropriately. I'll comment later tonight, once I've had a chance to talk with the service manager.
     
    #8 Curt S., Nov 13, 2009
  9. PA Prius

    PA Prius Active Member

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    If your numbers are accurate, they used about 1.5 gallons of gas for those 37 miles, ie. 25 mpg for those miles. That sounds like either a lot of engine idling, a lot of short trips when the engine was cold, or a rather spirited trip test drive.

    Look on the bright side. It will now be easier for you to bump the mpg up .1 now than what it was before!

    PA P
     
    #9 PA Prius, Nov 13, 2009
  10. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    I was thinking the same thing as PA Prius, they may have left it running somewhere for a long time? But 37 miles? where did they go and for what? I think you do need to ask what they were doing.

    Fortunately the Prius tends to look after itself mechanically, i.e. can't be over reved, protects its traction battery, etc. So if there are no dents or scratches it should be none the worse for wear.
     
    #10 tumbleweed, Nov 13, 2009
  11. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

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    Did you look at the local new to see if there was a police chase, with them losing the subject in the end?
     
    #11 adamace1, Nov 14, 2009
  12. Bobsprius

    Bobsprius BobPrius

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    I am going to conclude, it was someone who was not driving like us Prius Drivers do, and there could have been considerable idling time....those 2 factors alone would make it seem quite reasonable why your mileage dropped while in the car of the dealer.

    I would reset your Trip "B" and see what YOU do again driving it! ;)
     
    #12 Bobsprius, Nov 14, 2009
  13. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    Toyota does not sell clear bra, it is an after market part. It is unlikely the dealer will buy it from another store and install themselves, the dealer usually contract it out just like putting leather seat cover on the car.

     
    #13 bedrock8x, Nov 14, 2009
  14. Curt S.

    Curt S. New Member

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    Re: Dealer Trip Dropped LMPG by 4.1! Final Resolution

    Well,
    Took a little while, as my service advisor went on vacation. The dealer confirmed that indeed the clear bra was put on (actually, not clear bra as they originally stated, but a competitor to Clear Bra), on location at the dealer, and there should have been no reason for a 37 mile increase in mileage. Nobody has fessed up to taking it for a ride, the service tech who re-programmed the dealer settings, nor the clear bra guy. The film installer did take the car to another part of the dealership and worked on it for several hours.

    I can only conclude that as he had the car for the majority of the day, he ran home or to some other place very quickly, as it's not just the mpg loss, but also there clearly was mileage put on the vehicle. All I really wanted was a reason for the mileage (would have been fine with something like "took it to the clear bra shop..."), but no, work was done at the dealer.

    After the service tech could not find a reason for the mileage, the service manager called me and appologised, stating they could not figure it out, but they would be happy to comp me two 5000 mile services. While not happy with my mileage hit (I'm still working on getting back after more than 400 miles later) I would say I'm satisfied with their response after the fact. I still find it difficult to fathom how the mileage was decreased that much in such a short amount of time. After all, if this was excessive idling, well, it seems to me that this car tends to shut off in those situations.... :)

    Still loving the car, now at 1020 miles.
     
    #14 Curt S., Nov 20, 2009
  15. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    Re: Dealer Trip Dropped LMPG by 4.1! Final Resolution

    Hmmm... I'd expect a bit of a hit from the car as it ran to warm up while being reprogrammed and again as it went to another building on the lot. Apparantly one of the dealer's employee's used the car to run an errand as 37 miles is a long road test.

    The bigger issue should be the film. Did your contract specify the material? If so, if you didn't receive what you paid for they owe you more than a couple oil changes.

    IMO take the 2 oil changes for the 37 miles and persue the film.
     
    #15 JimN, Nov 22, 2009
  16. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    37 miles would take over an hour to put on the car around town, they have to have hit the freeway!! That is a long test drive, but maybe they had to check the flim wasn't going to blow off at highway speeds?
     
    #16 patsparks, Nov 22, 2009
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