Dealer Service Attempted Con

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by redrockprius, Jan 19, 2010.

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  1. redrockprius

    redrockprius redrockprius

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    I've been going to the same local dealer (the only one in far-southwestern Utah) for service on my Prius since 2007 and my Camry before that since 2001 and never had any problems with the service department. The ownership changed over a year ago and yesterday they tried to pull a Jiffy-like con on me. I had the car in for an oil change and while I was sitting in the waiting area, the service rep came to me holding a filthy cabin air filter in its housing (a floppy black plastic frame). He said to me, "This is your cabin air filter, we check this every time we do an oil change."

    I made it clear to him that I wasn't going to buy his filter or his line. The filter and frame he showed me didn't even come from a Prius! And the idea that they would drop the glove box and check the cabin air filter with a routine oil change is unbelievable. I intend to register my opinion of this attempted con with the appropriate agencies.
     
    #1 redrockprius, Jan 19, 2010
  2. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    My dealer always checks the cabin air filter at the oil change. I watch them thru the windows in the waiting area.
     
    #2 paprius4030, Jan 19, 2010
  3. shoenfeld13

    shoenfeld13 New Member

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    How do I know if it is a scam. I just had my Honda dealer replace the oil in my Prius and Pilot and they pulled the same thing. Scam or not, I bought them both. Maybe I am a sucker. I guess if don't know if I am I must be...
     
    #3 shoenfeld13, Jan 19, 2010
  4. brick

    brick Active Member

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    ...and that's why I don't let anyone else touch my car for routine maintenance. Ever.
     
    #4 brick, Jan 19, 2010
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I change my own oil and every time I check the filters. Once when I pulled the engine filter out it was dirty so I thought that maybe I should buy a new one. Then I figured that I'm probably trying to scam myself so I cursed myself out and stomped away. That's the last time I've ever tried to pull that crap on myself.

    OK, seriously. It is important that everyone knows what their engine filter and cabin filters look like. Not just how clean/dirty they are but also color and shape. As redrock said, they brought out a filter that wasn't even the cabin filter.
     
    #5 TonyPSchaefer, Jan 19, 2010
  6. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    #6 paprius4030, Jan 19, 2010
  7. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Buy your own air filters, on line. $8. Change out takes a whopping 30 seconds. Then, read here:

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...70-what-services-you-need-what-you-don-t.html
    .
     
    #7 hill, Jan 19, 2010
  8. redrockprius

    redrockprius redrockprius

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    In my case, I know it was a scam because the item he showed me wasn't a Prius cabin air filter. I check mine myself from time to time and I know what the filter and its housing look like. What he showed me looked more like an engine air filter but not from a Prius (I know what that looks like also).

    It wouldn't have surprised me if he had actually showed me a Prius engine air filter and claimed they check that with an oil change because that is easily accessible under the hood. To remove the cabin air filter you have to remove the glove box from within the cabin and that process involves more time.
     
    #8 redrockprius, Jan 20, 2010
  9. msirach

    msirach Member

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    I can get mine out in about a minute. If you know where to press, push, and tug, it's not bad.
     
    #9 msirach, Jan 20, 2010
  10. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I have to believe your observations, so I have to believe it was a scam. Time and time again you hear about Service Departments upsetting and losing good customers just in an effort to make a few pennies more.

    It's bad customer service and it's bad business practice. I took my Honda to the dealer for a oil change just about a month ago. After waiting a hour the "Service Advisor" returns with a worksheet of about $1000 dollars worth of work she says my car needs. To be honest, some of the work I know it does need (why I'm investigating cars) but she made it sound like if I didn't agree to the repairs then and immediately I would never make it out of the parking lot....BS.

    I know times are hard, but now because I feel the service department was disingenious with me, I'll never go back. I'll never go back for service with them and/or I'd never trust the dealership if I decided to buy a Honda. They lose a customer and a potential buyer with the same single stupid act.

    Certainly report it. Nothing might change but representing a filter that isn't even yours as yours and pressuring you to change it is flat out fraudelent behavior.
     
    #10 The Electric Me, Jan 20, 2010
  11. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    I don't find it all that surprising they checked the cabin filter, since it's part of routine maintenance and easy money for the dealer, but it was highly insulting to show you the wrong one. I would have said 'Look, if you don't know which filter goes where, I'll do it myself. Bye."
     
    #11 hyo silver, Jan 20, 2010
  12. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    It's this kind of thing that makes me want to say, "really? I've always wondered how to get to that thing. Why don't you show me where you got that from?" ;)
     
    #12 TonyPSchaefer, Jan 20, 2010
  13. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    Good luck finding a good service department - I've been to 4 different dealerships and haven't found one that is both competent and not pulling stunts like this. The last one couldn't even get my oil changed right. I have a increasing dislike of Toyota service.

    As for air filters, I would get a few online to change myself in an effort to minimize the number of things the service department can screw up on the car.
     
    #13 a_gray_prius, Jan 21, 2010
  14. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    I very rarely take my car to a dealer except during the warranty period to establish a relationship. I always like to change the basics like the air filter, cabin filter, wiper blades, etc., and then see what they recommend that needs changing. This always gives me immediate feedback as to how much to trust them.
     
    #14 jdcollins5, Jan 21, 2010
  15. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    #15 2009Prius, Jan 22, 2010
  16. Nancie

    Nancie New Member

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    I took my Prius to get it's routine service. I was told that my car had two recalls on it and that they would be fixed at no additional cost to me. Two hours later I get a call from the service department. They were calling to make two recommendations. 1. Change the cabin filter (I said no, I do that myself) and 2. The water pump was leaking (I said no, I have not noticed any leaks). After picking up my car and arriving at home, as I read the reciept, it said that I declined a service and detailed what I declined. They did not say that I also declined the water pump repair. Why? Cause they wanted to charge me for it! They wanted to charge me over $500 for the repair. The receipt says it's actual cost was a little over $200. Unethical and dishonest! My reciept also showed that they fixed the water pump anyway! Unbelievable! Toyota Of Orange,CA
     
    #16 Nancie, Mar 3, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How about this: before bring the car in for service, check the filter yourself. Then you're fore-armed with knowledge as to what the filter looks like, and it's condition. Then, when you're paying the dealership $60~80 per hour to inspect the filter, if they try to pull a fast one...

    Uh: something is wrong with this picture ;)
     
    #17 Mendel Leisk, Mar 3, 2011
  18. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    Not that I have any love for dealer service departments, but I think what you are seeing are the details for the inverter cooling pump recall. That repair costs Toyota corporate about $200. On your receipt you should see something like AON-PRIUS WATER PUMP AON-PRIUS WATER PUMP ~|~SSC AON - MY 2004 THROUGH CERTAIN MY 2007 PRIUS VEHICLES 0615L1 (1.2) REPLACE THE ELECTRIC HYBRIB WATER PUMP PART# 04000-32528 ~|~ ~|~REPLACE WATER PUMP AND COOLANT RECALL COMPLETE

    This is different from the engine water pump, which, rightfully so, you declined a quote for $550. While anything is possible, I don't think that your engine water pump was replaced.
     
    #18 seilerts, Mar 3, 2011
  19. PriusSport

    PriusSport senior member

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    I've been getting free oil changes at my dealer for 3 years, and they never mentioned cabin filters. That's about $180 savings, by the way.
     
    #19 PriusSport, Mar 3, 2011
  20. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Yes, something is wrong with that picture. Where can you find a dealer that will only charge $60-$80/hr to clean out your billfold?:D
     
    #20 xs650, Mar 4, 2011
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