Free prepaid maintenance - do I HAVE to use my sales dealer?

It's my understanding that they are valid at any U.S. dealer.

 

I bought my car at a dealership 100 miles from where I live because that is where I found the car that I wanted. I also purchased a maintenance agreement for 5K through 30K miles.

I take my car to the local dealership for service. No problems or issues.

 

My dealer also told me they could be used anywhere.

Also, just curious, how long did it take you to get that stuff after you bought the car?

 

It's been slightly over 5 weeks for me...I hope I haven't been shortchanged. Did you get the premium 2-year plan? If so, how many coupons did you receive?

 

I have a 2004 Prius and am buying a 2010 Prius.

Via Prius Chat and Tony in Massachusetts, I purchased a five-year pre-paid platinum maintenance plan and will do so again with my new car.

I only used a dealer ONCE. All the other servicing was done at an independent auto repair shop, not connected with Toyota.

I received excellent service and all my coupons were honored and the company had no problem being reimbursed.

For my new car I will not have it serviced at a Toyota dealer.

 

I too just received my prepaid maintenance booklet -- but my question is this: they all seem to be for MILEAGE intervals, whereas the Toyota maintenance specifies mileage/time. For example, tire rotation at 5,000 miles/6 months, whichever comes first. No way I drive that much, so will they honor the 6-month interval?

 

^How long did it take after purchase, nwharton? I'm still waiting from March.

 

I'm a bit curious about this myself. I was just reading the "SAMPLE" wording on the back on my Prepaid Maintenance Program Application which reads:

SECTION 4 - YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
a. To receive Covered Services You should contact the service department of Your selling dealer to schedule an appointment for the performance of Covered Services, and take Your Vehicle to the service department as scheduled. The dealer will not provide the services in any location other than in the dealer's service department. The applicable Certificate must be provided to the dealer servicing Your Vehicle prior to service.

So from the sounds of it, it seems like I have to take it back to my selling dealer. Which is fine with me, I don't mind bringing my car to them for what I've already paid for ... but this dealer will not see another cent from my wallet again. I'll go back to my previous dealer in a heartbeat instead.

 

took about 3 weeks

 

I purchased my car on 4/12/2010. I got my maintenance packet about 2 weeks after.

 

Thank you both...giving them a ring now to find out where my certificates are.

Good news, they were mailed on the 4th.

 

I just recieved my packet also. I was surprised to see 5 coupons for basically oil changes and other stuff. Now that the interval has been increased to 10k mi. oil changes I was surprised at the number of coupons. Do you still have to get the oil changed at 5k mi if you use the coupons or can you use them at 10k mi. intervals, which would take you beyond the 25k miles? Since put so many miles on the car I was hoping I could use the 5 coupons and get 50k miles out of them?

 

Conflicting posts are confusing. Did the dealer not get reimbursed by the agreement then or do you two not have the same maintenance plans?
Is the "free" plan by Toyota only valid at the Toyota dealer where you purchased the car, but you have to "buy" prepaid maintenance for more money to use it a any dealer?

 

The "free" plan ties you to your selling dealer. I recently received the official papers for my "free" 2 year service plan. It says to go to your selling dealer several times and each coupon say "Please return to (selling dealers name)". The "Customer Agreement" legaleze also specifies going to the selling dealer for the "free" service.

They also caution you in two places in the paperwork that your dealer will try to sell you unneeded extra services and you will have to pay for the unneeded extra services if you fall for that trick. That wasn't their exact wording but the meaning was easy figure out.

I have no info on what you get if you buy pre-paid maintenance.

 

Alright...I'm out of the loop on this. But if I could just interject. How could Toyota force you to use your selling dealership for the free maintenance plan? I mean simply, what if you bought a new Prius and then were forced to move?

People sometimes suddenly end up far away from a buying dealership. I don't see how Toyota could legally implement a service plan that FORCED you or was only valid at the dealership you purchased.

 

Other that pushing you towards the selling dealer by saying "please return to the selling dealer" does it anywhere say specifically "Valid Only At Selling Dealer" or "Invalid At All Toyota Dealerships Except the Selling Dealer?"

 

I called toyota customer service and was informed that any authorized dealer can be used for the free service. I was also given a number to call if there were any problems with the non-selling dealer. The dude said "Call this number in the presence of the person attempting to deny you service and we will take care of the problem."