My 06 is in need for its 30k check up and i almost flipped when i called to ask how much! $500.The service is done at my local dealer where i bought the car which includes free oil changes for life.After the shock of the price wore off i ask what that included and he started to start saying things like changing tranny fluid,and some other fluids and parts plus too many other things that i wont mention here.According to the toyota service manual the only parts i thought i would be paying for are the cabin filter and engine filter.When i asked him to give me a price for what is required by the 06 service manual he said under $100 which is more like it.Beware of the service dept at dealerships!they are out to take what they can get away with.
I was told by our sales guy that the CVT transmission fluid is a closed system, and never needs to be replaced. Toyota pissed me off when it came to our Corolla's transmission fluid going black at 40,000 miles.
Never ask for a XXK mile service. Dealers have their own service packages than contan many "services" that are either useless or simply not needed. Check your warranty booklet and see exactly what is called for at your mileage. Call the dealer and ask for only and exactly what you need to fulfil the warranty requirements. Such as: Oil change and filter Rotate tires Do not mention any mileage numbers. Cost should be in the $40-$60 range. You could take your own oil to ensure getting high quality oil. You might also specify 3.5 qts of oil to prevent overfilling. You should check oil level before leaving the lot. It would be wise to check the oil drain plug ASAP to ensure tightness. Check tire pressure before leaving the lot. Techs think it is their duty/God-given-right to change tire pressure to OEM specs. Wrong. IIRC, the transmission service Intervals are 100K miles and 50K miles thereafter. However, some of the long term Gen I and Gen II owners recommend changing at 15-20K miles "just in case" there are some break-in issues. Hope this helps. Blinker fluid system flush is not needed until after the relative bearing grease purge and renewal at the one year anniversary.
stanlyjohn, The search tool can be your friend ... sometimes. The STICKIES are ALWAYS your friend ... and so are we: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...70-what-services-you-need-what-you-don-t.html .
Thanks for all the help Friday i will head to the dealer and have them preform only what is required by the service manual and not by what they think needs to be done.I have done some searches here and amazed on how many dealers try to do alot more than what is required.I found 400 to 500$ to be pretty norm with the dealerships and its a shame to see so many people blindly letting the service dept get what they want.Going on 3 years with my prius and still loving it and with only 30k on it i should have many more years of fun.During the warmer months i av low 50s mpg and winter mid to upper 40s.
I second Rokeby's 'do not ask for the xx mile service'. I also found the dealer has their 'recommended' list which includes TONS of things you don't need (some that can not even be done on a Prius like 'lube') that they make big money on. There is NOTHING in the service manual for 'replacement' other than oil and filters until the 120K service, then they add spark plugs. The 'adders' at other intervals are 'visually inspect...'. ASK what they charge for labor to replace the cabin air filter. My dealer charges 15 minutes for ANY cabin air filter even though you can DO IT YOURSELF in 3 minutes or less depending on how much stuff you have to take out of the glove compartment, no tools required. If they charge ANYTHING, just buy the part and do it yourself at home. AND then wash the old one gently in woolite or similar. Air dry and it is 95% new. Buy new cabin filters every few years (at ~$20) instead of every x miles or months. If it is FREE, you will do it more often. Oddly, they don't charge to replace the engine air filter and it takes just about as long as the cabin filter.
Don't fly off the handle before you ask why they are "suggesting" you perform these services at 30K. Yes some dealers do find ways to run a cash register under your car and others are trying to save you money in the long run with preventative maintenance. How happy are you going to be when your dealer who offered 30K transmission services and you declined them only to be sitting there with a $3,000 bill for a rebuilt transmission at 100K miles? If your the type of person that only keeps a car for five years or so why spend the money on excessive preventive maintenance? But if your like me who drives a car over 250K plus miles I would spend the money to over maintain a car. There is no such thing as a Life time fill in a transmission, radiator, or brake lines. All these fluids need to be changed out on a regular basis. Ask a GM owner that had 5yr/100K mile Orange DEX-Cool coolant of death in their cars? Life time is The Life of Toyota's Warranty. Remember all automotive fluids break down over time and mileage. With out seeing the whole list from the dealer I can't tell you what is and what isn't over the line. Plus see what is on the list you can do your self with out paying the dealers $90-$125 labor charge.
Speaking up in a nice way works out!.Had my 30 k checkup done yesterday and they did all required by toyotas service manual except the cabin filter which was replaced last oil change because of of a rodent building a nest in it.The total cost was just over $50!way better than $500.
