Service Dept.

[Tideland Prius]

Not sure whether this should be here or in the dealer section.

I'm curious to know how your service dept. works. Do you make an appt. at a set time, bring the car in at that said time, wait for an hour (or what not), then drive off after it's done? or do you leave the car at 9am and pick it up at 5pm?

This is for either routine maintenance or a warranty repair

[DieselConvert]

I'm curious to know how your service dept. works. Do you make an appt. at a set time, bring the car in at that said time, wait for an hour (or what not), then drive off after it's done? or do you leave the car at 9am and pick it up at 5pm?

At two dealers' service departments 25 miles apart on the Calif Central coast, the only service I've received without an appointment (usually the next day) has been a demonstration of how to erase the "Maint Reqd" notice on the instrument panel (after I changed oil and filter 15,000 miles).

Equally simple questions have been referred by Service Managers to technicians, requiring an appointment. Answers are more easily found on this chat site, and I have more confidence in posts.

[Tideland Prius]

See, this is what happened to me.

3½ weeks ago, I took the Prius in cause the oil is overfilled, my glovebox release button had premature wear, my right rear bumper is bulging out and my left rear mudguard wasn't installed properly (factory defect). I was told I could come in without an appt. I did so and all they did was look at the problems then told me to make an appt. I did so and a few days later I left the car at 9am. 5pm rolls around and all they did was adjust the oil level. I'm like, what about the button, bumper and mudguard? "Oh it has to be ordered". They didn't do squat about the last two and had to get the general manager to take a look. "I'll order the bumper clips and mudflaps for you." 3 weeks later (i.e. today), took the car in, left it there. They did the bumper and glovebox button but not the mudguards. I phoned them and asked. Apparently they did remove it and fixed it back. Oh did they? it appears to be "fixed" back at its original position. If you took it out, wouldn't you fix it back correctly?

Anyway, the point is, it doesn't matter what the car's in for, it's in there from 9am to 5pm. Quite inconvenient if you ask me.

[silentak1]

Well @ Longo Toyota there are two ways...

Appointment
1) Call and schedule
2) Drop off (complimentary ride within 6 miles)
3) Pick up at scheduled time

Drive-in
1) Pull up to bay
2) Receipt will say at what time the car will be done. If it is not completed on time, then the dealership usually gives you a "free" oil change.
3) A little light coaster shakes when your car is ready for pick up.

For most warranty, most dealerships will ask you to make an appointment.

Oil changes & flushes do not require appointments (unless your dealer has 2-3 techs only).

[shocker]

I think it sounds like your shop. I have brought my Prius to three different dealerships before I found two that I have had positive service at. I need to have my 30,000 mile service completed and they said I was entitled to a dealer car for the day while they work on it. I would shop around. There are plenty of dealerships out there and people in this forum may already have recommended ones in your area. One of the ones I go to recieved positive comments from the forum.

[Tideland Prius]

So you actually set a time interval for the job. Mine is "drop off at 9am, pick up at 5pm" regardless of what it is - oil change, full maintenance, warranty repairs etc. Basically, the car sits on the lot until it's your turn. It may be done at 10am or it might be done at 4pm. All I am told is "It'll be done sometime between 9 and 5"

[shocker]

For basic oil changes they do not take appointments and guarentee that it will be completed in 30 minutes or next one is free.

For larger services they will provide you with a time that it will be ready by and will then provide you with a car service to and from your job/ home or a dealer car. I always ask and make sure that they will have the part for the service day and time.

Wouldn't you think that Toyota would have some kind of common standard for service practices. Again I suggest you shop around.

[baeckknit]

Actually for me, taking my car to a dealer for service is a new thing. When I had my Chevy, I took it to a local mechanic shop. So when I bought my Prius I asked a lot of questions about how the service department worked.

At my dealer (Frederick Toyota--Lebanon PA), I need to make an appointment for service and when I call, they ask if I'm planning on waiting or dropping off and picking it up later. I also will get a car to use if I need to drop it off.

For my first service, I had the time to wait for it and was in and out in about 45 minutes. I actually got there before they opened so I had to wait a little bit.

baeckknit

[Frank Hudon]

tideland what dealer. Granville Toy was really good with the wife's 2k1 and we've had good luck with Burnaby Regency or what ever they call themselves now. Their body shop is the best.

[Tideland Prius]

So the concensus here is I should be able to take it in, wait for them to do their thing (which shouldn't be long) and then badabing badaboom, I outta there?


Downtown Toyota Centre =(