DIY or "Genuine Toyota Service"

[brandon]

I'm due for an oil change, and as I was perusing through old threads, a question began to nag at me.

Every new Prius (at least in the US) comes with this handy scheduled maintenance guide. Toyota recommends that service always be performed at an authorized dealer who can stamp your maintenance guide with the "Genuine Toyota Service" stamp. My question is, what is the real value of that stamp? Does having a maintenance guide full of those marks really help the resale value of the vehicle that much?

Don't get me wrong - although changing the oil in the Prius seems really easy, I just don't think the savings of DIY are worth my time and effort, especially when I would need to do the other stuff like rotate the tires, etc. I'll probably continue to get the oil changed at the dealer's service shop, but the question about DIY vs. "Genuine Toyota Service" still interests me. Pros and cons?

[aaf709]

I don't think the stamps are as important to resale as when something goes wrong and you want to take it in under warranty. The stamps prove you followed recommended maintainence.

If you change your own oil (or have it done at a oil change place) I recommend you keep your documents to prove it was done at the right time.

[hdrygas]

I take my car for the tire rotations and oil changes to my independent mechanic and he stamps and signs my book. He has his own stamps etc. I keep the receipts and he keeps my records as well. This came around and bit a dishonest car dealer. One of my prior cars transmission went out and needed to be replaced. I sold the car to one of the mechanic working there and got more than I expected too out of it with 190 K on the car. He got a used transmission put it in the car and sold it at auction. He also printed out my service records and put them under the passenger seat. My copies were in the glove box. Those old Ford Explorers did not have a 100 k digit it just rolled over at 99 k. The local small used car lot that got the car either rolled it back or drove it 15 k and sold the car as having 105 K on it. They missed the second set of repair record all of it from day one that was under the seat. The new owner found them realized the car had 205 k on it and as quick as you can say Attorney Generals Office that use car lot was empty. Keep your records use a established reputable independent mechanic that treats you and your car well and you will be fine not using the Dealer. However if you have a good Dealer and many are and they treat you fairly you are in good shape. My dealer has a express lube for that routine stuff and when I took the car in for the first time they screwed up the tire rotation. I am sure it was junior person and not a Toyota Technician who did the work. I don't know who did the NAV recall but that was fine. I just take my car for the simple stuff to my independant.

[jeromep]

And that's why I don't buy used cars.

Federal law, too bad I can't find or quote it, but a warranty cannot be voided if service is done by a party that is not the dealer or an agent of the manufacturer. That means that independant shops can do service and DYIers.

[tumbleweed]

Originally posted by jeromep@Oct 27 2005, 01:37 PM
And that's why I don't buy used cars.

Federal law, too bad I can't find or quote it, but a warranty cannot be voided if service is done by a party that is not the dealer or an agent of the manufacturer. 

[snapback]146371[/snapback]

It's called the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. Do a Google search and you can find out quite a bit about it. I am a DIY maintenance guy and I always keep recipts for things like oil and filters because it might avert some problems if something blows up. But, my reading of Magnuson Moss tells me you don't even really have to do that. Take a look and see what you think, I have no expertise in this area. Maybe there is a lawyer on her that could give us an opinion?