Hello, I am considering purchasing a PiP here in Texas (would be buying from dealer in Cali). However, when I called my dealer (largest in Texas), they stated they do not have the training nor the "special tools" required to service one. Am I walking into a potential bad decision. I understand they are reliable, but not having a local place that can service makes me nervous. Thoughts?
agree with el dobro ^. is cali the closest state? while the pip has been extremely reliable, if you search the pip forum, you will find that a few people have had problems and had to go to the dealer for warranty work. i guess there is a very very small risk there and you have to be aware of it. all the best!
The RAV4 EV is California only, but there's at least one on NJ. I asked him who does the service for it and he told me he called different Toyota dealers until he found one that told him he could take it there.
I've been driving one for over 2 years in Minnesota. It's been a complete non-issue. Even the purchase in California and having it transported home was no big deal.
Most of the car is a standard third generation Prius hatchback. It just has a bigger battery and a plug. Not that complicated. He may be short on hybrid guys in general. He may be afraid of the unknown. He may have a poor attitude about working on cars that he didn't sell. What's the next closest dealer say?
Can't find the official policy online now, but Toyota will service the PIPs anywhere (including Texas). Of course, some dealers may have more hybrid certified mechanics and experience than others. I have no problems with service here in Houston. As others have noted, it is really not very different from the regular Prius, for purposes of normal service.
One of the questions on the Toyota website was is it okay to purchase a PiP from a state that has them and Toyota's response was to arrange it with a dealer, so it appears to be ok with them.
Yeah, so I have contacted a number of the dealers in the area and have received very similar responses "we don't have the qualified techs nor the tools to work on a Prius Plug in". Disappointing in such a large metro area such as Houston, but answers like that drive me to want to make a decision to not buy one. Maybe I write Toyota a letter....but does not help in the short term.
Just saw one person post about service in Houston? Where do you go? I tried the dealerships in Spring and in Conroe (I am near the Woodlands).
it depends on whether you want an oil change or your evse or charger, etc. is not working. i'm sure the dealers are giving you an honest answer. if someone is driving their pip thru a non pip state and broke down, it's possible they could be driving a rental home.
Fred Haas Toyota services my PIP without any qualms. I know Sterling McCall would probably be happy to do it too. And I had emergency tire and strut repairs at Calvert Toyota. Any Toyota dealers saying they won't work on a PIP are morons. Are you talking to the service depts at the dealers you've talked to?
Yeah. I have been speaking with the service dept at Fred Haas. Their advisor went and talked with the Service Mgr and came back and said that any major work (assume to the hybrid system) they cannot perform. Other things they can. Not sure I am wanting to chance a purchase only to have an issue and not be able to get it worked on. When the main part of these vehicles are the hybrid system, does not make me feel comfort with that $ spent on it.
can't say that i blame you. most here who buy out of state, understand the potential problems and are willing to take the risk. fortunately, the few who have had problems specific to the pip so far, have been those who purchased locally.
Color me flabergasted. I wonder if their service manager bothered to talk to his Prius certified techs? This is not like the RAV4 EV, where there's a clear policy not to support or service them outside the states where they are sold, and even then, only at specially certified dealers. We had numerous assurances from official sources that the plug-in Prius could be serviced anywhere. Of course, I'm having a hard time finding that right now, other than the website assurance that it is OK to buy if you are not in a selling state. FYI, I just stumbled across this Sterling McCall web page claiming they are selling 2014 Prius plug-ins: Toyota Prius Plug-in in Houston, TX | Sterling McCall Toyota This is also showing up on other Texas dealer websites, but it must be some sort of mistake by Gulf States Toyota (the wholesaler in this region), since they also have links to the Rav4 EV. FYI, last year when I checked, GST thought they were going to be selling the plugin by the end of 2013.
I'm seriously wondering what can happen to a PiP that a certified Prius Tech cannot handle. The charging door plug?? The reality is a good Prius tech has all the tools and diagnostic gear and knows all the safety procedures. A good tech would be the last person to say it is too complex for them, so it must be political or economic, not technical reasons for the ambivalence. The real difference is in some hybrid components....and they get replaced wholesale like any other hybrid component once troubleshooting has been successful. The only factor of real possibility is the stocking of high end PiP components (e.g. battery) may be well out of state....so your wait might be longer. But that could be true in any location by virtue of the car being more limited in production than other Toyotas.
Agreed. This seems like CYA by bureaucrats that don't really understand the tech and/or don't want to bother to find out the actual Toyota policy. Always a little surprising how little these guys know about their products and services.
This is correct, all dealers are capable of servicing the PiP regardless of if they are "on sale" states. There are no special tools required. Hope that sets the story straight on the official stance. Best, Erica Gartsbeyn Prius Vehicle Marketing & Communications Mgr Toyota USA
Translation: We want you to buy a car that WE have in inventory. Talk to several dealerships (on both coasts.) I would probably lean to the right coast since demand is somewhat higher in Caly from people who buy Pips to flout the HOV restrictions, and the east coast generally has better deals on base Pips. If you want to support a PC member, Diane Whitmore comes to mind. She's in Caly, but she has a good rep for being a straight shooter. Apologies if I misspelled the last name. You should be able to get to the purchase order stage without any trouble. Then? Take a few days off and go and get the car!!! What better way to start a new ownership experience than a nice quiet summer drive back to TX? The Pip is a G3 with a bigger battery, a smaller gas tank, no spare, a plug, and a few extra lines of code. In other words.... It's essentially a G3. I'd be willing to bet your local dearer will be able to do all of the routine maintenance for the first 100k, and I'll betcha it's almost the exact same maintenance schedule as the plebeian G3 for that period. Good Luck!
