I am getting ready to have my 165000-mile service done on my 2006 Prius. Does anyone have any experience and/or opinions on having routine service done by non-Toyota (third-party) shop? The one I have in mind has a good history servicing imports at a reasonable cost but I am not sure about trusting my hybrid to a third-party shop. Thanks
What exactly do you intend to have done? Are you extrapolating from Toyota's service guide: Toyota Parts and Service
Just the recommended 165K-mile service (from the Iconic Prius Extended Maintenance Schedule): Replace engine oil and oil filter1 Rotate tires Visually inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs Inspect the following: __ Ball joints and dust covers __ Brake lines and hoses __ Drive belts __ Drive shaft boots __ Engine and inverter coolant3 __ Exhaust pipes and mountings __ Radiator, condenser and intercooler __ Steering gear box __ Steering linkage and boots
Make sure that they actually switch off the car and not assume that because the engine isn't running that the car is off! You don't want the engine to fire up after the oil has been drained!
What Grumpy wrote :_> In principle all of those things should be easy for any independent to perform; the risk is in whether they are sufficiently familiar with Prius basics. If they start changing fluids such as inverter coolant or brake fluid then the knowledge and proprietary tools requirement goes up fast. I reduce the worry by always taking it to a dealer. The chances are better.
