This turned out to be an interesting thread - thanks for the info everyone. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Jun 28 2007, 09:43 PM) [snapback]469805[/snapback]</div> Wow - amazing page - thanks!
This maintenance question you posed, brought up to mind something I read about 3 mos ago, and just found it again at: http://www.coastaletech.com/maintenance.htm which says: "The Toyota Prius is allowed several complimentary services which are provided free of charge at your dealership. Following is a warranty bulletin which describes the procedures which should be performed during your scheduled visits and the intervals which are determined for a vehicle being used in normal situations. As a Prius owner, these services will be provided at no cost to you!" Warranty Procedures Bulletin PROOO-13 Does anyone know how true this bulletin is, as presented by Coastal Tech ? I have been reading PC for 3 months now, and no one has ever brought up these free services presented by Toyota. But then, it cannot help out EHUNA anymore. Hopefully some of the older members of PC can validate Coastal Tech, and then help others out.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 29 2007, 10:16 PM) [snapback]470419[/snapback]</div> You really need to take heed to what everyone is telling you here about servicing your Prius, cause there isn't much you have to do, but of course you want to do what is necessary so you have many years of enjoyment out of your investment. I have the Maintenance Schedule Guide in front of me. You need to get that booklet out and look at it. If your driving is normal driving, which is highway and some intown driving, then the basic maintenance is all you need. If you drive on dirt roads or dusty roads, like if you live out in the boondocks where they don't have paved roads, then you should look at the Special Operating Conditions. Very few people drive everyday on unpaved roads, so that condition is for a very few. 5,000 miles or 6 months, is what you should be looking at for regular maintenance, which is oil change, filter and tire rotation, and visual inspection of brake linings, drums and pads/discs. Nothing else until you get to 15,000 miles At 15,000 moles they then inspect, other things, but it is all listed in the Maintenance Schedule. Become familiar with the schedule, so you won't get duped again. Another thing you can do before you go in, to save you some money, is to find out from your dealer, if you can provde your own oil, You can save a lot that way. Be a smart consumer. You have a great car, now. I have only had mine for a few weeks, but through this chat room, I have learned a tremendous amount. I haven't heard anyone try to leade you in the wrong direction. I now think Prius Owners are a special group of caring people that are very willing to step up and give very good advice. So let everyone know how you make out with your dealer. And don't let them convince you that you need maintenance that isn't necessary. Richard
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shybrid @ Jun 28 2007, 02:21 PM) [snapback]469662[/snapback]</div> What I would do is get a friend to go in there with a hidden voice recorder and have them pretend to be interested in buying a Prius and ask what kind of maintenance is required for the warrantee. Make SURE they get the salesman to clearly say his name multiple times. If the salesman says the same thing, I would take the recorded conversation out to my car and figure out exactly where (what minute/second) he said it each time. Then the two of you (hopefully one of you has is strong willed) take it to the manager of the dealership and play it for them, then show them what Toyota says, and ask him/her to talk to the salesperson (without you being there) but also to reimburse you for unnecessary expenditures. You need this recording or it is their word against yours. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Jun 28 2007, 05:07 AM) [snapback]469297[/snapback]</div> I just do not understand how anyone can buy anything at Sam's Club or Wallmart when they do not pay a livable wage. Sure it is great to pay less. But what do you think this does to our own jobs and our own economy? All the decent paying jobs of people that do the same thing as in that store now have less business or no business. And those people that depended on that decent paying job now have to go look for another one which most likely won't pay as much. Big deal? You say. Tell that to your kids when they can't find a decent paying job. Or maybe that job that is affected is your own. Boycott Wallmart (and Sams Club) and any other company that should be paying living wages to people and don't. This includes those that purposely have most of their employees working 30 hours or less a week so that they don't have to give them decent medical benefits. Why should you care? Who do you think pays for the medical costs these people can't afford? You do. What? Of course you do. When they can't pay their medical bills they are added on to yours to make up for people that can't afford to pay them. So guess what. That $18 oil and filter job at Wallmart or Sam's club actually costs you a lot more.
Doesn't the maintenance schedule state what needs to be done to the car and when? Isn't that a responsibilty of the owner to read all the info provided to him/her? I am just thinking that that's what the dealer could say. They can state that she knew when the services should be provided as it was given to her in a nice booklet, but she kept bringing the car in anyway.
I keep my cars long term, I make sure servicing is done on time. I'm a mechanic, I do my own services. There is more to a proper service than an oil change and tyre rotation. It's in the service book. Who gets free services? Not me.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LYLUVLY @ Aug 11 2007, 12:37 AM) [snapback]493894[/snapback]</div> You've been digging deep! Note the date stamp on that page...2000. The '01-'03 had free routine maintenance for the first 30 or 60k miles, it's one of the things they stopped doing with the '04+. shybird... Holy cow, I don't know what to say. First, it is virtually criminal that they've let you come in and shell out $100 every 2500 miles. It's so wasteful of oil as well. If you have any kind of a 'case' here it's that you were told that the warranty would be void if you didn't do all this service. Regardless of what the service department agrees to do or doesn't agree to do you need to file a complaint both with Toyota and with your local BBB. Finally, and I mean no personal offfense, but in this day and age it is up to the individual to inform themselves. Something should have gone off in your head that said "$100 every 2500 miles doesn't sound right" and made you do some more investigation. Look at the literature that came with your car. Log onto some internet forums and ask questions. Find another Prius driver in a parking lot and ask them. You had a lot of ways to check this out, so I do put a good portion of the responsibility on your shoulders. Accurate information is out there everywhere for the having and when you buy a $25000 product you should spend a little time learning about it. Enough spanking you. I would add up the amount you've already spent (~$2100 by my math), figure out how much you should have had to spend (probably $450 with tire rotations, every 5k oil/filter (~$40 ea), and a 30k service paid generously). Give the service dept the benefit of the doubt and say they've only overcharged you by $1500 so far. I would make them either pay you the cash amount or credit you that much for any future services. Maybe they won't agree to that amount, but honestly they should credit you $1000 minimum. If they won't I think a law suit or claim in small claims court is clearly in order. That is just an attrocious abuse and the threat that you'd be out of warranty is a blatant lie.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LYLUVLY @ Aug 11 2007, 12:37 AM) [snapback]493894[/snapback]</div> Toyota did this for the previous version of the Prius, sold in the US in 2001-2003. It does not apply to the current version of the Prius (2004 - 2008). <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ehuna @ Jun 27 2007, 11:51 PM) [snapback]469229[/snapback]</div> Exactly that. You can have the work done at any Toyota dealer or at any independent service shop (I take mine only to Prius certified shops in the hope that they are less likely to make mistakes).
