Tires for Life

[BrianTheDog]

Okay, so I've read all of these different topics on tires, and it occurred to me that no one has mentioned "Toyota Tires for Life." (If so, sorry... I missed it.)

Is anyone else familiar with this program? Is it a nationwide (US) thing, a southeast thing, or just dealer's choice?

Here's how it works: As long as I take my car in to the dealer for the regular services (within 1,000 miles of each service period), and as long as I don't let the tread wear down past the arrow on the tire sidewall, I get free tires for the life of the car (paying for labor only).

Yeah, it sounds like a good way for the dealer to get more money from me through servicing my car. But since I haven't taken my car in for its first service, I don't know how much I'd be paying them vs. how much I'd pay to go somewhere else, like an Express Lube. (I can change my own oil and filter, but I'm concerned about voiding my warranty.)

Any thoughts on whether this program is worth going to the dealer service dept every 5k miles? BTW, the dealer is 50 miles away.

[tumbleweed]

Originally posted by BrianTheDog@Nov 7 2005, 04:54 PM
(I can change my own oil and filter, but I'm concerned about voiding my warranty.)

[snapback]152197[/snapback]

I think you need have no fear about changing your own oil. Just make sure you do it right (not to difficult) and keep the receipts for the oil and the filter. I buy the filter from Toyota along with a new drain plug gasket. I document the oil change mileage and date in a notebook and sign my name to it. You don't have to do that but I want to keep a record anyway. Check out the Magnuson Moss Waranty Act, it lets you change your own oil and a lot of other things without voiding your waranty. Just do a Google search for Magnuson Moss.

What kind of tires would the dealer use? Most people on this site want to upgrade to something else.

[Seaside Harry]

I don't know how common this "deal" is, since we did all our Prius shopping via email. The only time we set foot on a dealer's lot was for our initial test drive and final purchase (at a different dealer from the one where we test drove).

The test drive dealer did happen to offer "free tires for life" and we had plenty of time to read the brochure while waiting for the salesperson, who was 20 minutes late for our previously scheduled test drive. (We'd have gotten up and walked out, but this place was 5 minutes from our house and the next nearest Toyota dealer is about 30 minutes away.)

In this case, it wasn't any kind of Toyota-sponsored promotion. They offered the exact same thing at their Dodge dealership next door. Also, the offer didn't simply require that you have all the manufacturer's required services performed at the dealer's shop--you had to follow this dealer's "recommended" maintenance schedule. This not only meant service every 3000 miles instead of every 5000, but also included all kinds of additional stuff not included in the Toyota Passport.

I've long since tossed the brochure, but I guestimated that I'd only need to get around 10,000 miles out of a $500 set of tires for them to be cheaper than the "free" ones. I plan on stopping by this same dealership to pick up a new Prius brochure, so I'll grab their "tires for life" thing again while I'm at it and post the details.

[Knueppel]

Originally posted by BrianTheDog@Nov 7 2005, 07:54 PM
Okay, so I've read all of these different topics on tires, and it occurred to me that no one has mentioned "Toyota Tires for Life." (If so, sorry... I missed it.)

Is anyone else familiar with this program? Is it a nationwide (US) thing, a southeast thing, or just dealer's choice?

Here's how it works: As long as I take my car in to the dealer for the regular services (within 1,000 miles of each service period), and as long as I don't let the tread wear down past the arrow on the tire sidewall, I get free tires for the life of the car (paying for labor only).

Yeah, it sounds like a good way for the dealer to get more money from me through servicing my car. But since I haven't taken my car in for its first service, I don't know how much I'd be paying them vs. how much I'd pay to go somewhere else, like an Express Lube. (I can change my own oil and filter, but I'm concerned about voiding my warranty.)

Any thoughts on whether this program is worth going to the dealer service dept every 5k miles? BTW, the dealer is 50 miles away.

[snapback]152197[/snapback]

Hi,

Here in Tampa the dealer we purchased our car from - Courtesy Toyota - has the same program. Seems to me that becomes simply a question of how much one would have to spent at the dealer for all required maintenance service and compare that to what you would pay if you had it done by someone else or yourself. If you assume that your tires last 30K miles and cost $ 400 the answer will become obvious very quickly.

Cheers,

Tom
2005 Prius - Tideland Pearl
Tampa, FL

[BrianTheDog]

Okay, so I should have read the details again before posting my question. It's at the wear indicator arrow or below, not above. And it starts at 16k miles. To avoid any confusion, I've copied the text of the program exactly as it appears on the certificate (including the bold text).

From the "Lifetime Tire Program" certificate (aka Tires for Life):

"You have purchased a new or certified used Toyota which means this Dealership will replace any tire(s) on your vehicle when their tread depth is at the wear bar indicator, 3/32", or below, due to normal wear and tear. Tires will be replaced by like tires. Serra Toyota-Scion reserves the right to replace tires with tires of their choice. Tire brand may not always be the brand from original purchase date. Owner does have the right to pay the difference to upgrade from the dealers replacement price. Owners must have 100% of the minimum required factory maintenance performed at Serra Toyota-Scion. Each service must be performed at Serra Toyota-Scion within 1,000 miles of each interval as outlined in your owners manual and an alignment performed every 15,000 miles in order to maintain your eligibility for the Lifetime Tire Program. Tires must be replaced at Serra Toyota-Scion. No tire reimbursement will be made for tires purchased elsewhere. You will be responsible for mounting and balancing any tire(s), disposal fees and taxes. All vehicles must have a minimum of 16,000 miles from date of sale before they are eligible for tires replacement under this agreement. This is not an insurance or road hazard policy. This guarantee covers the tires on your vehicle for as long as you own the vehicle for normal wear and tear. Tires are warranted for defects by the tire manufacturer only. Labor is not included. Dealer will pay up to $100 per tire for 17" and larger tires."

The bottom of the certificate includes a maintenance record that the service department fills out at each service. It is spaced at 5,000-mile intervals, from 5k through 120k mile services.

[naterprius]

See my thread on why buying new Michelins and getting free rotate and balances is cheaper than paying for rotate and balances at your dealer!

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=12259

Pros and Cons are being discussed.

Nate

[keeponrunning]

Brian,
I hope you get this.... I see where you are from and where you are talking about going. Unless you have a few thousand extra dollars to spend do NOT go to Serra. They are charging 2000 over MSRP for a Prius (that will buy you tiers for life right there :-)

If you read my post
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=9...hl=hoover&st=40

you can see what kind of service I received at Hoover Toyota just down the road from Serra.

Not only that when I asked at Serra about them charging 2,000 over MSRP, I was told 'YOU people will pay anything we charge to get your hands on one of these. It's non negotiable, if you dont want the car we have a list of others willing to pay whatever we put on the sticker'. Is this REALLY the type of place you want your $$ going? Also this should tell you how Serra feels about it's customers!

Go to Hoover, you will feel a huge difference in the whole experience, and the charge MSRP, and I believe they have a few IN STOCK now. Its the first time I ever bought a car from someplace where I left feeling truly 110% satisfied with the entire transaction.

Andrew

[BrianTheDog]

Originally posted by keeponrunning@Nov 8 2005, 11:49 AM
Brian,
I hope you get this.... I see where you are from and where you are talking about going.  Unless you have a few thousand extra dollars to spend do NOT go to Serra.  They are charging 2000 over MSRP for a Prius (that will buy you tiers for life right there :-)

[snapback]152548[/snapback]

Keepon, thanks for the info, but it's too late. I already got the car. And yes, I paid over MSRP. Since I don't live in B'ham, I didn't know much about the dealers there. Serra is the closest B'ham dealer to me, just under an hour drive.

Tried my local dealer first, then next closest, then next next closest, and finally Serra just to test drive a Prius. Wanted to get it from my local dealer (a friend works in Accounting there), but the sales mgr pi$$ed me off. I told my friend why they lost the sale, and she said I wasn't the only one.

Wish I'd known about Hoover a few weeks ago, but such is life. I won't dwell on it, because I my car!