Prius 2 Eco 2017 Extended Warranty?

I looked in to the failure rates of batteries and maintenance costs of the previous Prius gens. I wish I had kept the links. I liked that they were very low. While not the most reliable car out there, it is pretty darned good. But you'll need to decide if you want a warrantee or not. Call your insurance company to see if they offer one and check the price. Someone here in the forum will sell you the same Toyota warrantee for a lower price than your dealer. Just tell the finance guy at the dealership that you've already got it lined up (if that's what you want) when you sit down and aren't willing to discuss it any further.

My gig is to say, "What? Are you telling me this car is no good? I'm not buying it!" And then I get up to go. I then turn and tell them I have a sick sense of humor and I have absolutely no interest in their insurance policy. So far I'm thousands and thousands ahead.

 

It's a personal decision but I would not do it for a Toyota. Your Li batt is likely more reliable and in any case covered for 8-yr 100000 miles (10-yr 150000 in CARB states). There is no common way to extend the 8-yr warranty on your battery. Rather you are talking about extending warranty on the more usual items. On a reliable Toyota, almost hard to imagine what that would be...on Gen2 a lot of folks used the extended warranty to replace leaky water pumps, but I don't think that made the warranty pay off. That pump is now electronic and less leaky, apparently.

I guess everyone has to spend the obligatory 30-minutes speech about all manner of treatments. The answer is no.

 

It's unusual - here the "finance manager" is a stunning looking lady with enticing eyes - I said NO as she started, kept reinforcing NO as she came to various punchlines, and I walked out unscathed.

The tint and Paint Protection I DID have installed, I organised myself afterwards - got the 2 for the price of only one at dealer's rates.

I don't think extended warranties are very good value at all. Particularly on the battery - on a car with an 8/10 yr warranty on the battery anyway. Unless you can predict what 8-10 yrs holds down the track, there could be such changes in technology you might be saying to yourself in 2024 that this dinosaur of a 2016 car HAS TO GO and be replaced by the one with the FINALLY perfected Flux Capacitor.

 

Don't forget the dilythium crystals Jim!

 

No extended warranty is a good idea. You will be better served taking the price quoted and saving it just in case a major component failure after the warranties expire. Ask the finance manager if (s)he has so little faith in Toyota's reliability that he would buy the warranty. If they say yes, then let him buy it for you.

 

Mine tried to sell me rust-proofing. My experience is that cars (at least here unless in absolute beachfront locations or driven on beaches etc) haven't rusted in 25 years - and told her so, and then asked if PRIUS now rust? She then said "TOYOTA recommend it" - Hmmm, I'd love to see the reality of that statement.

 

Don't get the extended warranty. Nothing will probably happen within the short extension warranty mileage.

 

I don't usually go for extended warranties but did let them talk me into it. He said it is easy to have a $ 3000 bill because of labor to get to many common components and the price of electronics. Mine cost $1556 and went to 120,000 I believe. If you want more details I can get the contract out of the glove box.

 

I was mainly concerned about all the hybrid stuff... But I have the 10-yr, 150,000 factory warranty (or is it 100,000?) because I'm in California.

I declined the $1,500-$2,500 extended warranty. I usually sell a car at the 10-yr point, so the long factory warranty is perfect. (And that $1500 will buy a lot of movie tickets & popcorn.)

 

I believe you are referring the the traction battery warranty for California. The factory warranty is much shorter on other things.

 

Yes, that is correct. My first Prius, and my main concern is the hybrid components. Toyota provides the excellent 10-yr warranty for that.

For non-hybrid parts, the factory warranty is 3-yr/36,000 miles? I'm satisfied with that.

 

Rust proofing? That does sound a bit dishonest. Nobody mentioned that to me. I wonder where they (supposedly) spray it.

Apparently, my dealer was on shaky ground, and went out of business/got sold 4 months after I bought my car. There goes my "free tires for life", and the free "lifetime oil changes", and the "free car washes" anytime you wanted.

 

I find it hard to believe they would remove all the plastic panels to get to and metal parts they "might" rustproof.

 

I'd recommend doing this yourself, if you have a floor jack, safety stands. The sooner the better.

With all the plastic panels and finicky bit's it's very labour intensive, still worthwhile for DIY. Use some sort of wax/oil spray-on sealant, for the most part it's best to brush it on, don't just spray willy nilly. Also, back out and soak any small secondary bolts/screws you can reach; they're terrifically rust prone.

 

I appreciate your insight and all you contribute here.
Is it true that Gen 4 has many more aero coverings under there and that is the model you are referring to?
I see own a older one is why I ask.

 

3rd gen has about the same amount of underpanels, a little different for sure.

I raised just the back first, did what I could reach there, then repeated for the front. With the back I just needed to remove some small panels, to get at some suspension pieces. That said, because they'd never been removed, the bolts holding them had practically rust-welded.

With the front I took off the full engine under panel (it's not hard, I do that with every oil change). Though on fourth gen there's a much better oil change access panel. It's really just time consuming, trying to reach in, coat everything you can get to.

Nuts and bolts in particular seem rust-prone. Also weld areas on suspension components. We're similar climate, lol: lots of rain.

 

Ok I understand. I suppose I should get to it before a winter exposure. Today is really the first wet day off driving it. Bought in June. Probably raining at your place too.
The last few winters we have had a lot of chemical deicers become the norm around here. I have noticed a lot more underbody corrosion on my 97 suburban.
Impressed with your preventive maintenance mindset. We have enough disposable mindsets already. Haha.

 

I have been under there and opened the small one to plan a Oil change. I bought the heavier duty 12000 GVW rhino ramps and seem sturdy enough. I have jack stands but did not see where I could place them with all the panels hiding everything. Do you think I should try harder to use the jack stands?