Dealer quote for 120K service seems high

Bay Area, eh? Why not try Arts Automotive in Berkeley or Luscious Garage in San Francisco?

The prices above are high. Do you DIY? What dealer do to trust? I use Toyota of Vallejo when I don't DIY.

Hope that helps.

 

Why don't you try Art's Automotive. They are in Berkeley and are pretty familiar with Prius cars.

 

Maintenance use to mean, spend a little now to prevent big repair bills later.

Now it's spend a ridiculous amount for maintenance and then spend the same amount when the item actually breaks. So why maintain it? Just let it break so you only pay once

 

My Prius is hitting 140k miles soon, everything I posted on YouTube is what I've done, besides the brakes replacement

Most of those additives are not necessary.

 

Same for me.

The last time I scheduled maintenance at the dealer online, I checked off normal things like "top off fluids" and "rotate tires" on the service request form. When I got to the service dealership, the service writer remarked "whoa, you checked off a lot of stuff", like it was a novel idea. Then he referred me to their package, which included a lot of mundane stuff like the above and replacing cabin filters, calling it "the works". And he quoted me $500.

I raised my eyebrow internally, told him that I was fine with the standard maintenance package. I mean, holy cow! I make nowhere near $500 a day (unless I put in a lot of OT), and could do almost all of what was quoted myself within a day. Add in the cost of material and equipment, and I'm looking at less than $500 all in (including what I "charge" for my own labor).

The service writer also pissed me off when he tried to sell me tires. My tires treads were wearing away, and they were going to fail me on safety inspection unless I replaced the tires. I asked them for the make, model, and price so I could do a modicum of research before I made my decision. I was willing to buy the tires from them. They quoted me some prices on some different makes, but for whatever reason didn't have or didn't want to give out the tire models. In fact, instead of going over to their tire stocks and checking for model names, another tech nearby was literally sitting there with his feet propped up on the table!! The tech and service writer both gave me a whole "all of our tires have been approved by Toyota" spiel.

Instead of playing their game, I told them to fail my inspection test so I could research tires and get the ones I want, then go to a local garage to get my inspection sticker. I would be out $37, but would also know what I actually bought beforehand. After I went back to the waiting room, the service writer came by and told me that they would pass my inspection, and that I should come back to get my tires changed and aligned. Not sure why he had a change of heart. Maybe he was afraid I was going to give him a bad survey review.

I thanked him, and went to Costco for my tires instead, where they actually told me what I was going to buy and answered questions about different tire models.

 

you have a maintenance manual. ask them how much for each item, and any you wish to add based on solid recommendations here.

 

Yeah count your blessings: Toyota UK looks to have completely caved to the dealerships with their "service packs".

@Lyle Ryan Yeah look through the book, decide what you want, shop around and/or consider some DIY.

NOBODY should be paying for washer fluid top up, or air filter change. With the latter: inspect them first, don't knee-jerk change.

On the flip side: DO consider brake fluid change, and transaxle fluid change.

@NutzAboutBolts has video on those, and pretty much everything else.

 

The minimum service is closest to what's in the manual sans "fuel and coolant conditioners" . If you wanted to save a little cash, you could change the cabin and engine air filter yourself and have the dealer do the oil change, new sparkplugs, and tire rotate. Other than that, tell them you want the minimum service without the "conditioners".

 

I can see getting the dealer to change the oil, plugs, brake fluid, clean the throttle body, and the mass flow meter.
I've never looked at pulling the throttle body to clean the build up of varnish and grime off, so I have no idea how much work is involved.

Lastly did you already change out the Inverter fluid and trans-axle fluid yet, I understand they're both suppose to be changed out at 100K miles?

This is why I advocate that as the miles start getting close to a major maintenance requirement like a 100K service that you start picking stuff off beginning at 80K - 85K at each 5K oil change. Like at 80K you change out the coolant, 85K you do the brake fluid, 90K you do the transaxle, 95K you do the inverter, 100K the rest of the little stuff and at 110K you do the plugs. Now you're done with any major maintenance jobs for 75K plus miles. I believe in spreading the cost out over several visits it is a lot easier on the wallet. Plus time wise it is only an extra hour each visit to wait to get the service done with the oil change. Instead of the dealer having the car all day while they do everything at once.

I would suggest checking out Nutz about Bolts videos linked above and see what you are willing to put in time wise to save some money.

Again let me say again check out the BG Products page BG Products, Inc. and click on the Catalog
You can find them on the net either Ebay or Amazon for the best prices, or even locally through one of the dealers in your area.

 

Why don't you come to a few of our maintenance meet ups and we'll help you do it all yourself?

That dealer is a total fraud. He's overcharging you and he's skipping important maintenance tasks.

 

Let's look at how much these tasks would cost if you do them yourself:


Minimum Service = $534:
oil change: $30 oil + $7 filter
air filters: $50 for both
plugs: about $50
wheel balance: About $40 at a tire shop
fuel & coolant conditioners $10 or $15 bottles of snake oil you pour in the gas tank. Note that Toyota recommends replacing the coolants at this mileage ($35 in fluid) not adding a "conditioner")
check driver's floor mat: $0
GRAND TOTAL: $187 and about three hours of time. A little more if you replace the coolants instead of "conditioning" them.

Value Service = $900 adds:
windshield washer solvent: $10 or less
clean throttle body: $10 or less. Easy to do
add fuel system cleaner: $10 or less. Unneeded
Replace brake fluid: $20 or less
GRAND TOTAL: $50

Preferred Service = $1040 adds:
clean crankcase: "Crankcase cleaner?" What the heck is that? Do they just spray engine degreaser on your engine to make it look pretty?
clean air mass flow meter: Less than $10
GRAND TOTAL: $10

Oil change takes a little time
Spark plug change takes about two hours. It's a pain, but you get to clean your cabin's air intake, so you get fresh air inside your car as a benefit
Brake fluid flush takes an hour or two
Tire balance takes a trip to a tire shop, if you really need it
Everything else there is trivial

Here's the other problem:
1) They aren't servicing your brakes, which need inspection and lubrication
2) They aren't changing your transmission fluid
3) They aren't changing your engine coolant
4) They aren't changing your inverter coolant
5) Not cleaning or replacing your PCV valve or EGR or EGR pipe
6) Not testing the voltage of your 12V battery
7) Checking tire pressure?

I don't think I missed anything, except for a more advanced procedure some of us are starting to do, which is to clean out the EGR, intake manifold, and installation of an oil catch can.

Come by my house on the 24th and we'll help you do a bunch of this stuff. Not all of it at once, but we have tools and a lot of these lubricants lying around.

 

If interested in participating, here's a link to the Bay Area meetup thread:

Possible Monthly install meets. Bay Area-Fremont

The more the merrier .

 

DON'T DO IT!!! Learn to do it yourself, or take the car to an independent mechanic. DIY Oil Change = $40. Filters = $20. Change Plugs (maybe let the mechanic do it, but your cost will be less than $50 if you DIY -- quite a few parts to remove to get to the plugs, so it may take most of a day). Windshield washer fluid is $1 at the dollar store (I go half water, so really 50 cents), coolant condidtioners are a gimmick, very unlikely brake fluid needs changes (is it on the list for mfg. recommended service?). 1 day's labor, save $800.

 

Next one is June 24th in Fremont if you are available.

 

Nothing technically substantive to add to this thread, aside from praise for this site and its contributors. I've learned so much about the care of my 2010 from it!