Toyota Extended Warranty is it worth it for a 2010?

You obviously missed my post where I told the poster to check with his local mechanics to see what they charge for such maintenance.

But the poster said the $900+ was for lifetime maintenance. I have no idea whether they actually have that package, but I'll just assume that he was offered it. So, assuming that the Pruis lasts for 150K miles, according to your numbers, the cost would be about $600. However, who is doing the tire rotations? And who is checking the fluids? When given the free maintenance, who pays when additional fluids are needed? So maybe not having to buy the fluids is worth something. People have talked about changing the transaxle fluid. Is that included in the lifetime maintenance? If it's just oil change and car filter changes, then even I don't think it's worth it. Maybe more details are needed before just saying it isn't worth it?

FYI, quick phone calls around the Santa Monica area to various lube places, quote a minimum of $80 for the oil change. But they all say they do extra stuff, too for that price, so I'm sure you can get a little cheaper. So the prices will vary.

Mike

 

There is no such thing. The dealer made it up. I would bet it only covers up to 75,000 miles.

Sams Club or Wal-Mart will rotate and balance for the life time of the tire for $7.50 a tire. Even if you did not buy them there. Wal-Mart will do an oil change on a Prius with 0W20 for less than $50. There are many places that are less than $50 if you call around. Most places that do oil changes all will inspect fluids for free. I have 100,000 miles on my Prius and the only fluid I have ever needed was new oil and windshield wiper fluid. Both were always filled as part of the oil change.

Toyota does not recommend having the Transaxle fluid changed for 100,000 miles. This would not be covered under any pre paid maintenance package. I paid $50 to have my done by the dealer at 40,000 miles.

 

Whether there's a lifetime maintenance, I'll let the poster clarify, but that's what he said and I'm going with what he said. But can't the dealer gives his own lifetime maintenance, not for Toyota?

There isn't a Sam's Club or Wal-Mart in Santa Monica. And it can be a pain to be travelling all around when maybe the poster just wants to take his car to one place. I'm just saying that there are a lot of open questions which might make him lean one way or the other. Personally, I don't think I'd do it. But maybe the poster has his reasons.

Mike

 

If the dealer offered lifetime maintenance it would have to have a lot of exceptions. I put 300,000 miles on my last car. I doubt a dealer would have covered that. Replacing a timing chain is standard maintenance on many cars over 100,000 miles. Do you really believe that it would cover that?

I went to Wal-Mart’s web site. And entered Santa Monica there are 10 within 15 miles. I am sure there are many low cost oil change places very close that will put 0w20 in for less than $50.

I do have to admit is a lot easier to let the dealer sell you an extended warranty, extended maintenance, Teflon coating for the interior and exterior and the many other BS things a dealer sells. But if you do a little research you can save thousands.

 

And it takes about 45 minutes to drive there. Trust me on that. For many, it ain't worth it. I have a mechanic who specializes in Saabs, which is 1/2 block from where I live. I used to take my Explorer there once in awhile, but they charge way too much money. And I'm glad you are sure there are many low cost oil change places in Santa Monica, but I'm not sure at all. And if they exist, I don't trust them. You will find that most of the independent auto repair places in Santa Monica will "specialize" in either BMW or Mercedes, or the Saab guy near me. That means they charge more. If you drive to the Valley, you can find cheaper prices and even Toyota specialty mechanics. But there's a funny mentality here about driving to the Valley for much of anything. And again, it's about a 45 minute drive.

Mike

 

An oil change involves removing a bolt from the oil pan and draining the oil, then filling it back up to the right level.

 

If it is so easy that I should trust any business doing the oil change for a lower price (I assume that's your point) then why do so many people on this message board do their own oil change even with the free 2 year maintenance from Toyota? Personally, I trust the the Toyota dealership in Santa Monica that I go to and I have a few independent mechanics that I also trust. But many others here don't trust their local dealership or anybody else to do their oil changes.

Mike

 

The nice thing about a local mechanic is you can stand there and watch them do it. I watch them open the cheap plastic hatch and warn them it if you over extend it, it will brake over time. I watch them put 0w20 in the car.

There are many posts here claiming the dealer put the wrong oil in. Most dealers will not let you near the car while they are working on it.

Search Results for Query: wrong oil | PriusChat

 

Man after reading this I feel I got robbed. I just picked up my new 2012 Prius 4 last night and I feel I made a mistake now that I bought that extended warranty. I should have done better research but I was afraid with all the electronics I should invest in the extended warranty. I should have done better homework. You think my dealership will rework my paperwork?

Thanks again

 

Think of it as an Insurance Policy. If you got the money in the bank and can fix the car if some problem occurs than don't buy the extended warranty and you can invest that $1,000 in Apple or Toyota Stock and when and if the problem occur you got the money and if nothing happens you got the stock. You are insuring your own risk.
If you don't have the money for the repair and you don't want to borrow it if a problem occurs than take the warranty.
I suggest you keep your $1,000 and buy Apple stock and in 5 years or so you got the $ to repair the car or the down payment to replace it with a new Prius.
In general the Prius is a stable and reliable car but stuff can go wrong. There are people who have driven the car over 100,000 miles with routine maintenance and others who have replaced master brake cylinders for $3,000 soon after the warranty expired. In general most cars if driven with care and serviced can go 7 years and 100,000 miles without major or expensive problems just routine maintenance. At 150,000 miles the risk of battery failure increases. Expect an occasional $500 surprise here or there though. That is my opinion and that and a buck fifty can buy you a coffee at Starbucks.

 

Consumer report sends surveys to everyone that subscribes to their magazine. When you fill them out they ask you questions on all these topics and you rate your experience with your car.

Here is what the consumer report customers say about repairs on the Prius. A solid circle is no repairs. I bet the audio issues are a CD stuck in the radio. That is not always the fault of the radio.


A Prius is one of the most reliable cars you can buy. Consumer report does not recommended extended warranties. They claim they are not a good investment. They are experts in this area.

 

You've proved my point. I said I don't trust them and you took exception to that. Apparently, you don't trust them either as you "stand there and watch them do it" and "There are many posts here claiming the dealer put the wrong oil in." That was my point. So what was your point when you said "An oil change involves removing a bolt from the oil pan and draining the oil, then filling it back up to the right level" when responding to my post that I don't trust them?
Mike

 

do you think they will let me redo my contract? I want out of this extended warranty. I paid too much for it compared to other prius owners.

I just bought the car last night.

 

Well I went back to dealership and told them I wanted all this extended warranty stuff taken out and they did but in the process they tried to lower the price of the original price of the warranty. When the finance guy knew I had some solid information and I was dead set on not having any extended warranties he just gave up and redrew my contract.

Thanks all for all the solid information.

I must say that overall South Coast Toyota in So Cal was very helpful and I did get a killer price for the car.

 

I am happy it all worked out for you. That is great news.

 

joke? pencil prices? the side rattle alone took them 5 hours to fix, the oil change cover is 120+ i believe and labor, side mirror is like 250 and took them 2 hours to fix. the passenger side vibration and the side mirror vibrations are certainly not "minor" issues LOL

 

just lmk, and i will email you the invoices you seem to be a regular in this forum, and you probably know how to use the search function? i promise you a lot of people have these multiple issues (that includes me LOL). and now my prius just had its 3rd crazy engine knock, which naturally you would think i dont have this problem as well? LOL

 

You are wrong. This is the results of a national survey from Consumer Reports. The 3 gen Prius is close to flawless based on feedback from people that bought them.



You claim it took 5 hours to fix a rattling side mirror. You clearly went to a dealer that has no clue on what they are doing. How long does it take them to do a brake job? 3 weeks?

 

LOL so all of the people posting here having problems same to mine are not telling the truth? yeah LOL btw the side ratlle is a different issue, the mirror rattling is another issue and i clearly state that it took them 2 hours to fix. I can tell you, the tsb that the service adviser showed me the job of fixing the side rattle was not going to take 30 minutes nor 3 weeks for the brake job LOL.

 

Show me more then 2 people that have mirror issues. I read these forums all the time. I have never came across that.