I just took in my 2006 Prius for the first 5000 mile oil change/tire rotation. Aside from second guessing me about my request for 42/20 tire inflation, and taking an hour, and costing about $30-35 more, it seemed like about the same level of service as a Jiffy Lube or Mobil. I got my oil and filter changed, tires rotated, things inspected. I've never really owned a new car before, and for some reason now that I do I felt like going to a Toyota dealership was the right thing to do. Maybe I was afraid the other guys wouldn't understand how to turn it on, etc. But after paying $54 or something, I'm wondering what the point was? What do others think? I bought the car at a significant distance from my home, so there is no added incentive (free tires for life, free standard maintenance, etc.) to go to a Toyota dealership.
<_< YOUR CHOICE... I take my Prius to my Independent Mechanic with whom I've had excellent service for more than 20 years. When SSC's are involved, I take it to the dealer (with whom I've also had excellent service). When using dealer service, I specify "by the numbers" exactly what I want done rather than just taking the "15,000 mile service" or some such which frequently includes services inappropriate for the Prius - that is, not needed or even not possible for the Prius. My last dealer service included the SSC-50P (ECU flash) and SSC-40L (Brake light switch replacement) which could not have been done my my Independent so I had them do the oil change (their filter, my 3½ qts. Mobil-1 5W30 oil) and rotate the tires.
upon buying last new car, saturn, friend suggested DEALER service only because if there were issues, then there were records. saturn did bail me out of brake service right after warranty expired.... too bad the dealer is not convenient for u!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gjertsen @ May 19 2006, 09:51 AM) [snapback]258104[/snapback]</div> As others mentioned, the various "campaigns" and "recalls" are handled only by the dealer. I have such a hard time talking the dealer into doing JUST the required items, that I'm probably going to have the oil changed by an independent, and go to the dealer every 20,000 miles or so.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gjertsen @ May 19 2006, 12:51 PM) [snapback]258104[/snapback]</div> My 2005 has 32,000 miles on it now and it's never seen a dealership for anything except warranty work (to have the foglights replaced after they cracked). I do all of the scheduled maintence myself except for balancing the tires, which I have done at a local tire shop. I don't plan on having anything done at the dealership until the major maintenence at around 100k...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbaram @ May 21 2006, 11:08 PM) [snapback]259074[/snapback]</div> Yes, but Saturn service is definitely better than Toyota Service, at least in my experience so far. Toyota is always trying to "add" to the service, like telling me I had missed my 7500 mile service. I always feel like I should hide my wallet when I go in there. Never felt that way at Saturn. Can't stand waiting for an oil change. They put you in this room with no windows. Even though I know it is dealer specific, I feel like they are keeping me hidden.
