I can get an filter and oil at a Jiffy Lube plus a tire rotation for $20. Is there a reason why I need to pay $100+ to have Toyota dealer do this + check hoses and belts?
No, as long as you think Jiffy Lube will do the job correctly. Suggest you keep an eye on the car when it is being worked on.
Also make sure they put the right oil in. I've heard a number of stories (from people I know personally) about attempted upcharges. I just bring my own oil to Toyota service and make sure they give me an empty container(s) back. Total cost: Mobil 1 = $26 @ Wal-Mart, Service = ~$23. This will be cheaper if you use conventional oil, obviously. The empty container check is essential becuase they have not filled my car with the proper oil even though "CUSTOMER BROUGHT OWN OIL" was written in large text on the work order. Good luck.
Why would a dealer charge ~$100? Surely you aren't saying something like "I need the _,000 mile service," right? Just say "Oil change, tire rotation, safety check as per the Prius Maintenance manual"... We do the oil changes ourselves, at home. Tires are rotated by Costco for no charge, where we bought the tires.
I have taken my car's to Jiffy for years with never a problem.usually becasue I don't have the time to do it myself. But.....Today.....and I swear to god....I'm driving into work and I see a co-worker buddy having his car loaded onto a flatbed tow truck in the parking lot. His Honda. I figured his car died and didn't bother him. Caught up with him later and he said he went to JLube earlier and they must not have tightened the oil pan plug as he got just about back to work and the motor siezed. Red light came on he pulled over and smoke. He looked under the car and no plug....just smoke and dripping oil. Now I can tell you when I go to a JL place I always give the dude $5 who's working the car underneath. I let him know dude tighten the filter and plug up please. Hook me up man....Make sure. He does. I watch..in fact I can see the motor jiggling as he torques up the plug. And I usually bring them exactly 3.8 quarts of oil. I just pour a little out of the quart into another container back home beforehand. They can't f' it up because I don't let them. But give them your car and go read a magazine...thats a whole 'nother story.
two jiffielube stories: i went once, they overfilled my 300SD. i checked it when i got home. went back and told them, the car's parked on a steep slope in the parking lot, they don't even know to move it to a flat area, just open the hood and check it. then tell me it won't hurt anything. told my mechanic the story, he tells me about a customer who went there and same as above, they didn't tighten the plug. blown motor. and i've heard that story elsewhere. be careful, good luck. there are other places that will change your oil and rotate tires. i go to a local guy, he's pretty consciensious. $45.
I have the 3 year maintenance contract with the local Toyota dealer through Landcar who gets charged $25 (plus tax) every 4 months for my service - oil change, new filter and drain plug gasket, plus multi-point inspection, tire rotation if mileage calls for it and a car wash. I do wonder what it will be when I have to pay for it, though I will probably do it myself. When they want to change the cabin air filter, I tell them I'll do it myself and clean it with pressurized air.
No matter who changes the oil always check the level yourself before driving away. Anyone can make an expensive mistake.
My dealer charges $43 every 5000 miles for my 2009. Oil, filter and rotation. A 2010 would be higher, but cheaper, every 10,000.
Since you're already taking the cabin air filter out it would be just so easy to replace it with a new one. Amazon or even Wally World $13-$18... same with engine air filter. These are very easy to change and if you use Toyota change intervals relatively inexpensive.
It cleans up so easily and so nicely - why waste the resources? It's just a cheap (non-hepa) piece of slightly compressed (cellulose?, styrofoam?) material that filters out large dust and debris. I get long life out of the engine air filter also by cleaning it every time I service (for Prius and 86 4runner).
In the manual for my 2010 it shows a guy blowing air to clean the filter, so even Toyota says to do mine this way.
If you're comfortable using that method, go for it. I change my oil and fluids more frequently than scheduled, change the filters more frequently than scheduled, use synthetic oil rather than regular, keep a thick coat of wax on the body, and even wipe my $28,000 baby's bottom each oil change. This is probably wasteful but I'm not taking any chances pinching pennies while risking dollars. (I do pinch tooth paste tubes. ) Besides I enjoy taking care of her. I'm OCD and you're not.
Prices from my Toyota Dealer Hey everyone - just got a few quotes from my neighborhood Toyota dealership and wanted to know if they are ballpark for what everyone else has paid. - cabin air filter: $46 - synthetic oil change: $65 - brake fluid flush: $99 - inverter fluid change: $109 - transaxle fluid change: $183 Obviously, I'm going to do the cabin air filter myself. I'm an apartment guy, with no friends with driveways, so the oil change can't be home done either. So based on everyone else's experience, how do the remaining items sound? are they reasonable?
