Is it worth it to get Dealer oil changes JUST so it shows on the Toyota service history?? How often does one need a Goodwill warranty exception from Toyota to justify the $50 visits? Also is $150 to change the coolant on each loop the norm out there in Prius Land? It would be $300 total according to the service writer, and would include coolant flushes/refills on the inverter loop as well as the engine loop. What says you?
My dealer does free oil changes (every 10k miles or 12 months) if your bought the car there. This gets me to come in so that they can find things that justify other charges. JeffD
Some service companies will report the service to carfax so there’s a record. Regardless just keep the receipts so you can show for the time you want to sell the vehicle that you maintained 5,000 mile oil changes. My dealers rate went up and charged me $97 for a simple oil change!! I can’t do that anymore. To answer your second question… yes it’s the average rate they charge.. even cheaper than what my dealer wanted at almost $350 to change both coolants. It’s a very diy job. Check out TheCarCareNut on YouTube and he has a great video on changing hybrid coolants.
Keep records of the oil and filter you buy. That's proof. If that's not enough for someone, tell them to move on, they are probably trying to scam you...
When I mentioned at dealership I was doing my own basic maintenance, they said just keep your receipts and a log. So far I've got all my supplies through their parts department, so that helps: All my receipts have their letterhead, and I believe they keep an electronic record of those purchases as well, tied to the vehicle "registered" there.
AWESOME idea! I got the 10year Toyota Extra Care Platinum for my 2022. Imho, at $200/year, it's well worth it for the added piece of mind. The Toyota brochure goes over what is, and what is not covered. Yes, I plan on keeping my Prius a long time. And, I plan on doing all/most of the maintenance myself. Fwiw, for many reasons, I trust buying a lot of stuff only from a local dealer. The counterfeit parts market is so massive, it would blow most people's minds. Imho, the added cost is worth it. The OEM parts lasts a long time. Why gamble with other manufactures? Fwiw, over 15 years ago, I went through h*ll with replacing "OEM GM" Crank Position Sensors on a '92 Olds. Iirc, I went through 4, before I went to my local dealership, and bought one directly from them. Typically, the "OEM GM" replacements I would buy online would last ~1-3 months. All of the parts had all of the GM OEM markings. One part was from a big OEM GM online parts supplier. None lasted longer than 3 months. As for the CPS from the local dealership - it's been over 100K miles and 15 years, still works flawlessly. Fwiw, some links with respect to the counterfeit parts market: https://www.autoserviceworld.com/carsmagazine/counterfeit-bearings-seized-at-toronto-airport/ A look at the murky world of grey market and counterfeit car parts Anti-counterfeiting: A Global Guide 2019 - World Trademark Review .
Interesting read. I like the unintentional pun in that first link: counterfeit bearings seized, lol. For a few items, spark plugs in particular, I've never had a problem with an independent automotive retailer I've used. I trust them as much as the dealership, they stock or can order in various arcane items (O-rings, oil catch cans, fuel line), have high quality tools and shop equipment. For anyone in vancouver: B&J Parts | B & J Auto Parts Not an interactive website for sales, you need to phone, but very efficient.
