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Dealer maintainence recommendations

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by bison90, May 26, 2019.

  1. bison90

    bison90 New Member

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    I have a 2013 Prius. It is due for routine maintenance. When I called the dealer to schedule an appointment, I was told it would be $599 for an oil and oil filter change, tire rotation and balance, replace engine and cabin filter, transmission service (I think replace the fluid), engine coolant service (replace fluid), inverter water pump fluid replacement, fuel injection and throttle body cleaning, some kind of oil and fuel additive, wiper replacement, full health diagnostic check, tire and brake inspection, and full suspension inspection. My car is running fine, I am currently getting about 53 mpg, I replaced the tires at about 60,000 miles, and I hope to have the car for many more years. What is reasonable for maintenance at this point? I am assuming that the brakes should be due for replacement. I have no complaints about the dealer I have been going to. Should I be exploring working with a non-dealer service garage? Thanks for your input!
     
  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I like supporting local independent mechanics. Once a car has aged a bit I see little point in paying the dealer's shop rates. Employee turnover generally ensures that after a few years the dealer techs don't know your old car any better than the local independent. Some specific repairs would require special tools that the dealer keeps handy but an indie might not.

    The hybrid powertrain is a bit of a curveball. It is different enough that some indies will throw up their hands and say "thanks but no thanks" when you roll up, be ready for that. As always, local recommendations from friends and family count much more than anything you read on the internet.

    For the list you posted I wouldn't hesitate to take it to the corner garage. I would show up with jugs of Toyota coolant and transmission fluid bought at the dealer parts counter just to make certain the right stuff goes in.
     
  3. paphillyman

    paphillyman Member

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    Dealers will charge you out the ##@@!!! for anything . If you have the money and don't mind paying they will keep your car running good . But if you have any mechanical ability you could do all the things that need to be done and more. there is a load of info here and on YouTube especially videos made by NutzAboutBoltz .
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The one thing you don't mention in your post: what's the miles on it?

    I would suggest to check the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet, determine where you are in the maintenance schedule (miles or months, whichever comes first) and determine for yourself what's required.

    If that booklet is missing, you can download a pdf version from Toyota Tech Info, in the "manuals" tab, no charge for that.

    Here's a summary of the US schedule, in graph format:

    2010 Prius Maintenance Schedule (Canadian).jpg

    In addition to the items Toyota recommends, I would also suggest:

    1. Transaxle Fluid change: First change ASAP, then maybe every 60K miles thereafter.
    2. Brake Fluid change: tri-yearly or 30K miles, whichever comes first.
    3. Inspect clean Intake Manifold, throttle body, and full Exhaust Gas Recirculation circuit: if you've got anywhere close to 100K miles. Read up on this, consider DIY if possible.
    4. Oil Catch Can install: same caveats as #3.

    All that said, $599 is not a bad deal, IF the aforementioned brake inspection is a full inspection, not a 60 second visual look-over.
     

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    #4 Mendel Leisk, May 26, 2019
    Last edited: May 26, 2019
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  5. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

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    Actually, $599 sounds too cheap to replace so many fluids and do all the work on that list. Besides the oil change, I suspect they meant to say they would check the other fluids and top them off as necessary. Stick with the published maintenance schedule.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome to priuschat!
    i think you're covered above. follow the maintenance schedule that came with your car, throw in the tranny fluid, and speak with them about cleaning the egr circuit if you're near 100,000 miles.

    all the best!(y)
     
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  7. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    They’ve never heard of that :p
     
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  8. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    $599 seems like a great price for all of those items.

    There is very little difference in the labor rate between GOOD independent/specialty shops and dealers.
     
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  9. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    It’s not a bad price, but not fantastic. As far as dealer maintenance goes, it’s much better than most I’ve seen.

    1) They drain and replace the transmission fluid (no flush is needed or even possible): $100 - $125

    2) They drain and refill BOTH the engine coolant and the inverter coolant. It sounds like they’re doing this. About $125

    3) Oil and filter change: About $70

    4) Throttle body clean: $75. If they thoroughly clean the intake manifold while doing this, + $100

    5) Tire rotate: $50

    6) Pour stuff into gas tank: $10

    7) Inspect: Usually performed free by dealers

    8) Engine and cabin filters: $60-ish

    So I come up with about $500. And there are a few other things we’d do, sooner or later:
    1) Spark plugs. While doing this, clean out cabin air intake as best as possible
    2) Clean/replace PCV valve
    3) Clean intake manifold
    4) And our good friend, cleaning the EGR valve and EGR cooler, install oil catch can, but I doubt a dealer will install an OCC

    I think that’s about it.
     
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  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Big question for me is what does that entail. If it's a traditional, full brake inspection, OP has a great deal. I kinda doubt it though. :(

    @bison90 may been gone?
     
  11. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Just curious, how did you arrive at those prices? What rationale are you using to determine what a fair price is?
     
  12. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    I just estimated. Some I’ve seen before. I guess when you consider it’s a dealership, if they’re reputable and they’re doing all four fluid changes and the other stuff, it is a great price.
     
    #12 Rebound, May 29, 2019
    Last edited: May 29, 2019
  13. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Those prices are actually fairly good but I am VERY suspicious that they will be actually replacing the transaxle fluid and coolant for both the inverter and the engine AND performing a proper throttle body and fuel injector cleaning, as well as the oil change and inspection of all the the other stuff.

    It's VERY likely that they will CHECK fluids, change the oil, squirt a $5 can of TB cleaner into your car's snout, rotate the tires, and change the 2 paper filters and THEN charge you $600 and MAYBE not try to strong-arm you into some more un-needed maintenance on the fly.
    The good news is that the filters, wipers, and oil probably DO need to be changed, and squirting the throttle-body cleaner into your intake might not hurt your mass air flow sensor - or - they may just pour a bottle of "whizz-bang" cleaner into your gas tank.

    The BAD news, of course, is that you're getting perhaps $120 of real-world maintenance for the low LOW price of $600.

    Double check what they are actually going to do. ;)

    If you really want to drive your car for "many more years" then you'll need to start reading some more maintenance posts in this forum, start checking your oil regularly, and look into investing some time into vetting a long term mechanic for your car or learning to do the maintenance yourself.

    If this dealership is REALLY going to do all of the stuff that they advertised for $600, then they might just BE that "long term mechanic" but my Spidey senses are telling me that they are NOT.

    Good Luck!
     
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  14. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    The regulars in this area of PruisChat are do-it-yourselfers. We’ve all done all these maintenance tasks ourselves. You can find a sticky thread here with the NutzAboutBolts videos, which show how to do all of these tasks yourself.

    The transaxle fluid change is a easier to do in a professional garage, but the other tasks just aren’t too hard at all.

    I started a meetup group in Northern California and we’d get together to do these things. Having extra advice, another pair of hands and somebody else’s tools is a big help.

    Many of us also do things ourselves because we want to be sure that the work is done correctly and the correct parts and fluids are used. The videos will show you how these things are to be done correctly. Maybe you can start a Prius owners group where you live — you only need to get together with maybe three people every other month, and you’ll get all of your work done and everyone else’s.
     
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  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Well marginally, assuming you mean raising and levelling the car. It's really not that hard though. I routinely raise the front, safety stands, raise the rear, more safety stands. Good for tire rotations, (4 wheel) brake work, brake fluid replacement.
     
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  16. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    I agree. Changing the oil in the transaction is no more difficult than changing the engine oil without a filter change, except that the undercover must come off, and you have to get the oil into a less conveniently located fill opening (by using either tubing extending from above, or some sort of pump).
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah I also take the cover off for oil changes, glutton for punishment.

    There are advantages to doing that: no wear-and-tear on that flap, and it allows a check of the CV boots, look-over for leaks.

    It may actually make the myriad underpanel fasteners last longer: you take them off before they're hopelessly jammed with grit, and cleaning them before reinstall further ensures they'll last.

    Ive had the cover off for about 18 oil changes thus, and maybe 4 times more, for various reasons.
     
  18. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    Inspection yes. Replacement no. Brake pads last a very long time due to regenerative braking using a motor/generator to slow the vehicle while charging the battery, thus using brake pads less.
     
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  19. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    ??? "transaction"?? That was "transmission" before mysterious transmutation.
     
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  20. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    I love it when we debate whether to change the brakes or just inspect it when we’ve yet been told how many miles the car has by OP :ROFLMAO: