The $3000 Brake Job

Not one of the six points you make means anything to me as a customer. Customers, remember them? They pay your salary, remember?

If the issues above are what the dealer (and Toyota corporate) are concerned about, the Toyota will soon face the same fate as other failed automakers who looked inward instead of looking at themselves from the CUSTOMER's viewpoint.

The self-absorption they show is a sign they are on the way down and out. They have forgotten why they exist, and where they came from.

"Quality" as defined by Deming and others is not about defects, it's about the voice of the customer.

When you stop listening to that voice, you stop having customers.

 

A majority of the "lay" customers are non-questioning of the dealer's service recommendations. I heard there are some people that simply don't even know/want to negotiate a price down on a vehicle, simply paying the asking price no questions asked. A super set of this group will do the same at the service desk. As long as dealers are happily making money off of them, the rest of us are going to be more of an irritant in their current sales/service models. I heard a couple of days back Toyota is still at number 1.

I like to take my cars to the dealer for oil changes and the "free multi-point" inspection that they tag along to that, or if I run into any issues with the car that aren't easily tractable and if they find any expensive issues not covered under warranty, then get them taken care of at an outside shop with used parts, as the situation might demand.

 

They don't make sense? They don't have to. They're reality. You might even use this knowledge to further protect yourself as a customer, too. These principals are universal throughout the automotive industry, too. You won't find a car brand that doesn't operate this away on a corporate level. Without profit there are no cars. If everyone did everything in their power to prevent an automaker or dealer from generating profit you would have no Prius to drive. No profit, no Prius. When you stop considering that, you stop having a Prius.

Is there a balance? Absolutely. Do some dealerships work customers harder than others? Absolutely. Do some Toyota district reps deny warranty claims more often than others? Absolutely.

You're entirely correct. Many/most people don't haggle on a purchase price of a vehicle. But then again, the fact that they don't (and the fact that they often buy upsold add-ons for their new cars) is what makes it possible for a dealer to sell a hard-bargain customer like you a new car at or below invoice cost. If EVERYONE did what you did, nobody would get the deal you do.

Insofar as service departments, most customers will either OK a repair without much fuss or they'll instantly assume they're being ripped off. There's seldom any middle ground. True story.

Customers like you are, as a dealership tech, my least favorite and the sort I give the least amount of attention and effort toward. Main reason? You don't make me any money. I get half an hour's pay to change your oil and do a quick MPI, knowing that you won't buy anything that will earn me income. I work to earn a living, right? If you're not going to help me, I'm not that keen on helping you. It's give and take, like many things in life. I absolutely understand being cheap.. The reason I learned to work on cars myself is that I realized how expensive it is to pay other people to do it for you. That said, you're already burning tons of money by driving a new/newer car. If you were really that frugal (and environmentally mindful) you'd be driving a 15-20 year old Corolla or Camry.

 

hope it works out!

 

Ha, another stealership bait and switch.

Hope it will work out for you.

 

Wow, the post-mortem on this debacle is nothing short of terrible! Much as I don't like to, I take my Prius in twice a year for recommended services just in case something big like this ever happens. Me and my dealer have a solid paper-trail so there would be no arguments on a warranty claim, should it be needed.

 

I made my mind, I'm buying an extended warranty before 36 months expire. This is my very first one.

 

Keep us posted, I'm having the same issue, its week 3, replaced master cylinder and same squeak.

 

Make sure you're aware of what is covered and what isn't before you buy.

 

I just did:

 

What mileage/months of service warranty is this, where to buy it and how much?

Mike

 

Breaking news New GenIII brake recall affects 87,000 cars | PriusChat

Related?

 

Sweet find 32kcolors, that is what my dealer is replacing as I type this!!!

 

If th recall has not been already initiated by you then I suggest to don't call but write to Toyota Customers Service and ask for full reimbursement.

 

Since I started to put things on paper and deal via e-mail ( then call to set-up the appointments), everything started to shape correctly.

 

I thought nparker13 indicated that they're replacing the accumulator in addition to the master cylinder? I'd inquire whether the master cylinder failure is somehow related to the accumulator not releasing the pressure properly, stressing it out and leading to premature failure.

Check out this old thread.