Unnecessary Maintenance?

Cabin filter is a ripoff buy your own at an auto parts store $10-$30
Oil change seems a little strong. $50-75. max $100
Wheel alignment maybe if it pulls funny or strange tire wear.
Tire rotation maybe if it was never done.

 

The prices that your mechanic quoted you are outrageous. Find a different mechanic.

Toyota publishes a maintance schedule for your Prime. Follow the schedule, not what your mechanic recommends.

 

have you used this mechanic previously for other cars? seems like a ripoff artist.

as mentioned above, tires and wheels (other than rotation every 5-10k) only if you're seeing an issue.

oil and filter, follow your maintenance schedule, miles or time, whichever comes first.

air filter every 30k (check every 5k) and cabin filter every 15k. mine filters are very clean, i just tap it out and put it back.
at those prices, i'd ask a dealer for a price if i needed service.

 

The wheel alignment is a joke and doesn't need to be done - unless your constantly bashing into the curbs and running over giant pot holes. You should be able to feel the difference going down the highway. Car will pull to one side or lots of vibration.
I get an alignment check / adjustment whenever replacing a set of tires. IMHO; that's the only time it should be done; since you no longer have abnormal rubber wear and everything is pretty much symmetrical. Most big box stores and clubs will do the tire rotations and flat repairs for free. Added benefit to buying tires at Sam's, Costco, American tires. Air filter changes, you can do them yourself. Watch a YouTube video. Ditto for oil changes, but you can pay someone only 75% of the price quoted - that would be fair and on the high side. At the same time you need to make sure they're putting in the correct quality oil and filter into your car. Crappy oil and filters will shorten the life of your engine.

Hope this helps....

 

I had to look where OP is from because maybe he's from Canada where the cost are higher but still not as high. Nope, good old USA. Way too expensive.

 

Do not go to Toyota for service unless you think Toyota will be paying them for the service, such as a recall situation.

Find a regular mechanic. You'll save a ton and your car will thank you.

 

The wheels are already balanced. You would notice if they weren't.

 

If you have used the mechanic before ask why he thinks you need an alignment and balancing or take a close look at your tires yourself, looking for abnormal wear patterns.
Is his price for the oil change the same as previous? If so, why are you hesitant now?

 

And it's way too expensive for a rotation and balancing. Here (Canada), it's $80 for swapping the tires on their rims, which also includes balancing.

 

Wheel alignment...only when you see uneven wear on your tires (you look at the tread occasionally, right?) or the steering wheel pulls to one side. Don't do it when you buy new tires unless you have uneven wear or the car wants to pull to one side.

Tire rotation--every oil change.
Tire balance--when you feel the vibration of imbalance or you see cupping on the tire tread.
Oil & filter--by the book, 10,000 miles, that cost seems way high.
Air filter--by the book, sooner if you drive very dusty roads with the engine running.
Cabin air filter--do it yourself. Take everything out of the glove box, then follow the youtube video. It is not critical, but your heating & air con systems will blow air better.

 

By "air filter" you mean engine air filter? If anything that is easier to change, compared to cabin filter. Check them both, see how they look. And when you've got them in hand, you'll likely think "why not replace this myself", only as needed of course.

FWIW, I finally changed cabin/engine air filters on ours, a bit past 90K kms. The cabin filter was semi-grubby; the engine filter still looked near-new. Just figured it was time.

 

re: Costco tires - only if you bought the tires from them - free lifetime balance & flat repairs or replacement. American tire stores will do free flat repairs, but they're a franchise - so your mileage will vary. Be ready for the hard sell or excuses - it all depends on the owner's honesty and integrity.

 

Does Firestone offer free balance and rotation if you buy their tires? I'd like to get a lifetime alignment from them and have them do the balance and rotation at the same time. I've got like another 10K miles before replacing my tires. I didn't mean to hijack the topic, but just wondered after Biomed01's comment.

 

You'll need to check with your area Firestone shops. The last I've heard, they were a mixture of corporate and franchise shops. While franchise shops are suppose to abide by corporate shop rules - sometimes they don't. You can probably get your way by ratting them out to the corporate office, but would you really trust them working on your car afterwards?
Pick your battles...

FWIW; alignments really doesn't move unless your hopping sidewalks and curbs all the time. Your more likely to get a leaky strut and need it replaced; that's an automatic alignment.

 

The hardest part of changing the cabin air filter is emptying the glove box and putting everything back so it fits again lol. It's literally a few minutes job. Charging $100 for that is insane!

 

And engine filter is easier. With both, just take a look at them, check their conditions. Pros will just slam in a new one, on a schedule, regardless of condition, and charge you say $50 minimum for labour.