$65 for oil change? am I being ripped off?

We agree that it's the difference in the dealers rather than in the vehicles themselves. Your Prius is not required to have $70 or $80 or $100 service visits. With all the miles you drive I'd look for someplace else to service it between Minn and Ind.

 

Are you saying that you spend $230 a year on the Prius as car insurance? That's it??? I currently spend $1056 CDN ($989.50 US) a year on my 2000 Corolla, and no, I've never had an accident. Am I missing something?

 

That is how much my Prius policy costs with Geico, about $500 for a 6-month premium, whereas my Odyssey only costs $187. Both full coverage with $500 deductible.

 

Something wrong there. No way should there be that percentage of a difference.

 

Well the primary driver for the Odyssey is my wife and I'm the primary for the Prius, but we are both on the policies. We also drive the Prius a lot more than the Odyssey, but still, the difference is too much. Our previous CR-V, replaced by the Prius, was in a similar situation and its insurance was just a bit more expensive than the Odyssey. I got quoted in 8 major insurance companies and the figures for both the Odyssey and the Prius were similar in all of them, except in one company that had the Prius "just" 1.5 times more expensive than the Odyssey but both policies were very expensive with that company.

So, most companies I got quoted claim the price of the Prius policy I'm getting is pretty standard for my area and, like I said before, at least 2 agents said Hondas typically carry the cheapest insurance premiums.

 

I pay about the same for my car. I am almost 49 years old with a clean driving record and paying nearly $1000 per year in the New England area. That is insane!!!

 

Glad I'm not alone!

 

I think so. I'm paying $150 more on my 2010 Prius over my 2000 Honda Civic. Both cars have full coverage.

 

Yep, thats what I do. I have never had a dealer or mechanic have a problem with it. I started doing it when I had the oil changed in the Lexus the first time when it was new and told the dealer to use synthetic...and the bill came back $100...on top of the complimentary 5,000 mile service. They charged $20/quart for Mobil 1. The service rep was actually emberassed...I got them to knock half off..but still $10/quart which is a criminal markup.

Don't let the dealer allow or not allow anything. You allow them to service your car...you're the boss.

Seriously guys, $65 is very fair for a synthetic oil change. They aren't making any money on it at that price.

 

I would be a little bit suspicious of that service writer. The 2010 requires 0W-20 oil and that means synthetic. Check your manual.

About the price ... why are you complaining about paying the price for good oil and good service? My dealer automatically uses Mobil 1.

Your standard service (check your manual) includes the oil and filter change ... AND rotate the tires, check the brakes, fill all the fluids, etc. Plus my dealer washes the car.

You could get the service at WalMart for about $100 ... without the brake inspection ... and they don't wash cars ... and they don't always put the drain plug back in or put oil in ... and they use FRAM filters (about the worst thing you can do to your motor).

Not only this, but the Toyota dealer is faster than WalMart.

Let's see here ... WalMart crap $100
OR
Real Toyota parts at the dealer
Mobil 1
The oil filter Toyota uses is one of the best in the world
Denso Automotive Air Conditioner Filters and Car Oil Filters at DensoProducts.com
Certified Auto Technicians
$75

No contest here. I will gladly pay my dealer $75 every 5000 miles to get my Prius serviced.

 

Its past time to drop collision on the 2000.

 

No longer own the Civic.

 

Sorry, that darn present tense got me.

 

I can't seem to find this asked elsewhere, so i'll ask it here...

What is the easiest process to tell if 0w20 (vs 5w30) was actually put in during an oil change? I don't mean what's written on a service receipt, but by some kind of simple analysis (like a quick viscosity test or something). I have a small sample siphoned from the dipstick tube before, and I can do the same to get a sample of the new oil.

Thanks.

 

Go back and read my post, the whole thing... I don't think you got it!

 

If you previously paid $35 for oil changes, and now are paying $100, and both were at the same 10K intervals, it is equivalent to reducing your gas mileage from 50 mpg to 45 mpg.

Major intervals are another story....

I don't know yet what MY mechanic will charge for oil changes (and free tire rotations), but I know it won't be $100.

 

I had my 17 yr old take his Tacoma pickup in for an oil change. He came back and said they quoted him $189.00; they were going to perform the 15k service.

This was after I had my kid read the owner's manual and verify what maintenance needed to be performed. All that was required was oil & filter and to check the brakes.

I marched in and told them we wanted an oil & filter change, nothing else. $29.95. In other words, $150 to check tire & brakes and top off fluids.

I showed my kid all of the new cars sitting in the dealer's lot and all of the empty "guests" parking spots. I explained that the dealers are quite desperate to make money to pay for all of those cars sitting on the lot and all of those employees sitting around. I explained that he could help the dealer or save himself $150. He decided he would save himself some money. Smart kid.

 

you can take an oil sample and send it to Blackstone Labs, and assuming the oil hasn't sheared down a grade, you should know what it was

but there's really only one surefire way ... DO IT YOURSELF next time

my oil change this morning cost me $22.50


i know exactly what came out, exactly what went in ... and it's all good --------> :thumb:

 

I don't see how you bought full synthetic oil 0w-20 and a filter cartridge for $22.50. If you actually accomplished this, please tell me how and where.

Self Edit:
Sorry, you are in the wrong area. You have a Gen II prius. You are in the Gen III area. Totally different animal with different requirements.

 

We have over 14,000 miles on our prius. I did the first oil change myself with a Toyota OIl Filter and Mobil One 0X20 Synthetic motor oil at 5,000 miles.

I than changed the oil after 7,500 miles. The oil was fine, the car is still running, nothing happened, I just saved a little money and helped out the enviorment a little.

Toyota should no better for oil changes at 5,000 mile with high quality synthetic oil. 10,000 miles is the norm.

Also, where can you buy 0X20 weight motor oil that is NOT synthetic oil.

I bet you can not, at least not here in the U.S. If you know where, please tell me.

alfon