When I bought my 2010 Prius 6 weeks ago,the customer rep who processed my forms and explained the warranty items said that it was a requirement to have my vehicle serviced at a dealer every 30,000 miles or 36 months to maintain the hybrid system warranty of 8yrs./100,000 miles.I balked at this, but the rep was insistent.While perusing the warranty & maintenance guide,no where is it to be found that you must bring the Prius to a dealer to maintain this warranty.Next,I called the Toyota customer service center and asked about this requirement.I was told that it is not required to service the vehicle at a dealer to keep the hybrid warranty.Estimated dealer cost for checking the hybrid system,oil change and the other maintenance would run close to $400 at my dealer. Has anyone else experienced this supposedly improper advice? I'm ready to call the dealer and speak to management,but I would like feedback from my gracious Prius colleagues before doing so. Case # 0910106362 at the Toyota Customer Service Center
Find a new Dealer, but first tell this one where they can shove the potential to ever sell you anything again. Everytime I find myself thinking that dealers can occaisionally get a bad rap, I read something like this and realize that they deserve to every bit of bad press they get.
No,because I was overwhelmed by all the paperwork on transaction day,so I thought I would check things out at a later date.For example,the 0w-20 synthetic oil requirement bugged me at first because of the lack of brand choices at that grade,and I thought that 5w-20 would be suffice for this motor,but my more learned Prius colleagues convinced me otherwise.
Bingo, that is when the buyer is most vulnerable and they know it. Funny that they didn't try to sell you pre-paid maintenance at the same time (or did they?). Yet another example of a Stealership.
Um, you should have read HERE, first. The search tool is your friend. The thread is under Gen II ... but it's just as applicable for Gen III (minus 0w-20 synthetic oil). Very sorry you got the 'spin' from those guys. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...70-what-services-you-need-what-you-don-t.html I'd go the the general manager & let 'em know what you think of the liar(s) that told you what they said. .
Now you know how they got the name Stealers. Bad thing is Toyota get's the blame. Maybe they will wake up and figure out how to start policing their dealers.
Thank you,Hill,:cheer2: for the service thread.I'm gonna buy a Haynes 2010 Prius maintenance manual when it comes out.
No, because I became wary of this rep and wanted to get the heck out of there.The dealership had lent me a Camry for almost a week without charge,so I didn't want to leave them in a negative manner.However,now they are going to hear from me.
Toyota has an official complaint facility,but I wonder if the company cares about it's customers getting overcharged for maintenance and repairs.I like the 'Stealers' designation.
Sorry, but i just can't resist jumping on this band wagon. While there are honest car dealers, I have yet to encounter one. When we bought our 2 Priora, of the 6 people I delt with, only 1 of the finance guys on the 2nd Prius didn't lie to me. I was told lines like "there's only a $600 mark up on a II", "we're selling the prepaid Premium Toyota Auto Care at our cost, $1065", and best of all "if you use synthetic oil in your Prius, it will void the warranty" (from the salesman). I swear, if I ever purchase new again, I'll use my voice recorder in my cell phone to record everything said. I can do that in Arizona because we're a single party consent state.
It's no different than Ford Or Chevy or Honda. The manufacturers leave dealers pretty much alone unless big complaints arise. The best thing to do is go into a delaership knowing everything you can so you don't get screwed.
