What's with the dealers?

most techs won't deviate from the repair manual specs unless requested by the customer- something about not getting fired...

 

I'm guessing it really just comes down to experience... It's easy for them to do a Camry - they've had 30 years experience on them! But the Prius is very new, a little different, and not too many people know about all the particulars.

If everyone takes the 5 minutes to educate their tech on things like you did, then they'd all get better a lot quicker than their current guess and check method of customer dissatisfaction.

 

I think each dealership is suppost to have one Prius tech-- Toyota trained one or two, depending on the size of the dealership. I understand that in order for the dealership to sell prii, they need at least one tech... But often, the tech isn't in certain days, or they are so backlogged from the many prii that need to be serviced, that other techs service the extras. Often there are prius specefic procedures that they dont know...

Good luck...
DES

 

My Prius tech did not know that the backup beeper could be turned off????

 

This is precisely why the *independents* have to come up to speed
on hybrids of all kinds, especially the prius.
.
http://www.auto-careers.org/schedule.html
http://www.artsautomotive.com/Hybrid.htm
http://www.veejer.com/hev.html
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FishHawk @ Nov 13 2006, 06:50 AM) [snapback]348111[/snapback]</div>

I'm surprised about overfilling the oil, since that is not good on any car, but I can understand why they might only set the tires to the manufacturers' recommendation.

 

<_< In shopping for my just delivered 2007 Touring Edition, I had one "Internet Salesman" assured me that the ONLY LEATHER was "Port Installed." His dealer had several Prius in stock including one Package 5 (Port Installed Leather) and one Package 6 (Factory Installed Leather) and we wanted to make a real comparison. I suggested he check the "Package 6", after which he discovered I was right. The "port installed" is easy to spot due to a little tag "Liquicell Comfort" - a thin pad installed under parts of the port installed leather. The Factory Leather included a leather-wrapped steering wheel and vinyl armrests and center console cover, different in some ways from the Port Installed. We insisted on the Factory Installed. Many of the Prius in stock in Texas have port installed leather and Package 5. If you do the port installed, a couple of other things are different.

We are in the "Houston Texas Distributer" 5-state area. I understand that Packages vary from region to region, but this is the case here.

I must comment that the original oil-level was exactly on the "FULL" mark, unlike the 'normal' overfill times past.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Beryl Octet @ Nov 13 2006, 01:02 PM) [snapback]348232[/snapback]</div>

Apparently the shop manual still says to add four quarts, which is an error. 3-1/2 is usually the most that will fit, and exactly 3 works perfectly well (as well as most convenient for those who supply their own oil).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 13 2006, 08:16 AM) [snapback]348131[/snapback]</div>

I respectfully beg to differ with that statement - at two dealerships I have specifically asked for them to leave the tire pressure alone and to not overfill the oil. My requests in both instances were ignored. On one hand I wish that I were ignorant and could just take in the car, have it serviced and never know the difference. Since I do know the difference and have had my requests ignored at two different dealerships I think that this is a huge issue for Toyota. Our very special cars should not be placed at the mercy of people who are going to treat them like "any other Toyota."

It is Toyota's responsibility to educate their technicians to properly take care of our cars. Otherwise, they should put up a large banner attesting to the fact that the facility is not "Prius safe."

End of rant.

 

rfred: i agree that is a problem.

when there is no specific customer request, most places will stick to the specs: 35/33 in the tires and 4 qts of oil as listed in the repair manual.

however if you request something they should respect that. that's not toyota, that's the dealership in general or the service writer or the tech. somewhere in that line of communication anyway. have you let them know this happened?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 14 2006, 09:03 AM) [snapback]348756[/snapback]</div>

True, I've asked the service tech to use my oil and to put in only 3.5 quarts. I got a bit of feedback as to why I wanted less than the recommended amount, but they did what I wanted (except the first time and I haven't used them since then).

I don't even ask about the tires. I'll just change it later.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FishHawk @ Nov 13 2006, 06:50 AM) [snapback]348111[/snapback]</div>

I think some of it has to do with Prius owners thinking their vehicles are like spaceships that require all this extra care when doing things like inflating the tires or changing the oil. They aren't, changing the oil on a Prius is just like changing the oil on a Camry. Dealerships are ignorant to things like oil capacity and tire PSI because they just are ignorant to those things, always have been. Has nothing to do with the Prius specifically.

 

I found a Dallas-area dealer service department who will follow my "by the numbers" written instructions exactly without arguement. If you're looking for good Prius service in this area, PM me and I'll share the information. It happens that the Assistant Service Manager has very good knowledge of the peculiarities of the Prius, a reputation gained through recommendations of the Prius Meetup Group which formerly met monthly in the Dallas area.

I *NEVER* say anything like "Do the 10,000 mile service." Rather, I provide a "by the numbers" list of what I want done, provide my own oil (3½ qts Mobil-1 5W30), Instructions on tire pressure (was 40/38 - but may change in my new 2007 due to different tires), their oil filter, tire rotation and any other needed work, like SSC's or TSB's. After all, it's MY CAR, MY MONEY, MY WARRANTIES, etc., not theirs. I feel safe regarding the Warranties since I keep good records and copies of all applicable items.

Unfortunately, this Dealer's Internet Sales manager was somewhat too low on the trade value when I traded up to a 2007 Touring Prius - actually about $1,500 low and also would not discount the MSRP - I managed >$500 discount at another area dealer, so that's where I bought. I do plan to take my 2007 back for service when it's time.

 

Nightmare dealer customers lol. You guys can make something so simple so complicated...

Do yourselves a favor, just find a good service advisor that you trust, make him understand your needs, and let him maintain the car for you as per the manufacturer's specs. All this writing lists and BS like that is pointless.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SW03ES @ Nov 14 2006, 04:55 PM) [snapback]349101[/snapback]</div>

When I find that service advisor who listens to my requests, I'll be a happy man. Until then, I'll be a disgruntled customer. There are only so many dealers within reasonable driving distance of my home, so yeah, it's a nightmare. In case you haven't noticed, we've got a pretty special car. Not all dealers treat it, or their customers, that way. Fine if you think it's BS - what if you were being dragged through the muck?



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 14 2006, 11:03 AM) [snapback]348756[/snapback]</div>

The last time it happened the service manager stood there and told me that the level of oil in the car would be adjusted per my request (I didn't check the level until I got home.) Came home the second time, checked the oil level and it was still a quarter inch over the fill line. I don't have the free time to return to the dealer and get mistakes corrected. The only thing that I know they did when they should have been reducing the amount of oil in the car was that they took eight pounds of pressure out of each tire!

Pray for me when 10,000 miles rolls around...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FishHawk @ Nov 13 2006, 06:50 AM) [snapback]348111[/snapback]</div>

I recently asked a local dealer to program my new key. They programmed the immobilizer, but not the ECU. Cost me a trip back to the dealer. Their explaination for the non functioning smart key and remote buttons was that the FOB lost its programming ?!?

They also swore up and down that they could not cut the mechanical key as it needed to be laser cut in Japan. A quick trip to the local hardware store took care of this for 50 cents.

I agree. These dealers do not seem to have it figured out yet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rfred @ Nov 14 2006, 10:15 PM) [snapback]349275[/snapback]</div>

A pretty special car? I have one too, honestly I think you guys overinflate how "special" this car is. It is a car, and it has way more similarities to an ordinary car than it does differences ESPECIALLY when it comes to routine maintenance. Changing the oil in this car is NO DIFFERENT than changing the oil in a Camry or a Ford Escort. Get the oil changed at a gas station, guess what they can do it! Its not a Ferrari, its a $25,000 Toyota.

I don't mean to sound crass as I know and understand how special this car is to all of you. I am a car guy too, and I LOVE my cars. I have fired entire dealerships and demanded credits simply because dealers have washed my car when I asked them not to. I cart my own oil to dealer maintenances. I sympathize, but a reality check is in order here. Its not the space shuttle, and its not going to explode if someone overfills the oil a little bit or screws up your precisely calibrated tire pressures.

The reason you're not getting anywhere with the dealers is they think you're a nut. I know because I watched my fiance do this the first time we had the oil changed on the Prius, "Don't overfill the oil because it'll do this, the tires need to be this, what do you know about TSB blah blah blah" that she read on here. The people thought she was insane (it was also the last time she had anything to do with servicing the Prius). People don't respond to that.

What you need to do is sit down with the service MANAGER. Tell him this:

"I am looking for a long term relationship with a Toyota dealer for my sales and service needs, I've had some bad experiences in the past with your dealer and other dealers, and I really just want to lay out a framework for a relationship that can work for both of us"

This is important-"I realize that my needs are a little quirky and that I'm kinda picky, and I realize that this car is just another car to you. However, it is very important to me. There are some things I want to be sure get taken care of every time its in for service" (list your needs here)

"Now that you understand what my needs are, who do you reccomend I contact as my service liason (he may even suggest himself).

Thats the first step towards getting your needs addressed. Thats exactly how I met my Lexus service advisor after several very poor experiences that resulted in my car getting damaged at another dealer. The manager assigned me to him, and it has been terriffic. Not only do I no longer need to worry about my supplied oil being used or my car not being washed as per my request, he already knows. He knows exactly how I need to be handled.

Thats also an important part, we need to realize that we are weird and we need to be "handled". 99% of the dealer's customers don't care at all about how the service is performed on their car. Happiness is all about setting expectations. Now service is no longer an adversarial experience, in fact I look forward to it.

I also have a pretty good Toyota guy, not as good as the Lexus guy though. I don't doublecheck the oil levels and guess what? Mine still runs

 

SW does have a point, guys. you gotta be realistic here, and the prius is not so sensitive to every little thing that you're going to kill it with the manufacturer's spec oil volume.

but on the other hand, dealers should be able to handle a special request so long as it's not 10 lines of insanely picky little things on the work order.

i will say that unimportant things like oil 1/8" over the full line and such are blown way out of proportion here. if they tried to put 6 qts of oil in there, now THAT is a problem. 3.9... not.

 

Good God! I change my own oil, takes 10 minutes, and I also check my own tires weekly and air them with my $89 air compressor from Sears. I do not need any additional stress in my life worrying about the dealership not settingmy tires to exactly xx PSI or adding 1/4 quart of oil to much. Life is way to short for that.