Typical cost for 5k, 15k and 30k service from Toyota

Two weeks ago the 30,000 miles items *shown in the scheduled maintenance guide*, not the dealer's "30K service", cost me $10.79 in dealer's labor. I supplied the engine oil ($16 from Target) and I replaced the engine air filter ($21 from the same dealer's parts desk), so the total cost was about $48.

 

I'm about two weeks out getting a 08 package 2, but I've been considering how to have service done. We live about 20 miles from and between Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, each of which has one dealer. The selling dealer is in Tampa, 400 mileas away. I am not averse to using Wal-Mart for normal oil changes (given that I understand they should not fully fill the oil), but I'm thinking I might use a 10-minute oil service place, or maybe my regular mechanic, who is good but who still has not opened the hood on a Prius (mine will be his first). Any thoughts?

 

Assuming that 15K are the annual miles driven

oil/filter
air filter
rotate tires ( your choice, I do it every 10K )

That's it...nothing more....you don't need more done, you can look it up in the manual.

 

Hi Fraser, welcome to PriusChat! :welcome:

There's nothing hybrid about getting routine maintenance done, take it to your local mechanic. The Maintenance Passport lists everything needed every 5000 miles. Get that done, with receipts to prove it and a note in the Passport for convenience, and you will have complied with warranty requirements. Search here for how to reset the Maintenance Required message and give the instructions to your mechanic so he or she can change the oil on other Prius.

Greenlv, normal 5000 mile service shouldn't cost more than about $50 for the oil and oil filter change and tire rotation at the dealer's inflated prices. At the 15K service, and every 15K miles, you need a new engine and cabin air filter, IIRC. The dealer will typically charge you outrageous labor rates for these simple services. A local dealer told me replacing the cabin filter would cost $60; I did it myself for $15 with little effort. The engine air filter is even easier to replace. I let someone else change the oil, since it can be a little messy, but replacing the filters are dead easy.

 

Our esteemed Galaxee has posted on appropriate Prius routine maintenance, and I hope someone will link that info to this thread. It is widely recognized that many Toyota shops will over-do and over-charge, if we let them. Better not.

In the ideal world, Prius (all car) drivers would know how to to their own engine oil changes, tire rotations and brake/suspension inspections, and all the other little stuff. This would get you to about 60k, where you might consider changing the transaxle fluid.

In the real world, Prius drivers are advised to control their maint costs with knowledge freely provided by Prius Chat. As Mr. Merchant suggests, the short-cycle maint matters can be done by any competent car shop. It's just a front wheel drive sedan, until the longer intervals, or unless you get an error light. If you want to throw money at the local Toyota shop in advance of problems, hoping for better treatment, it's your business.

 

Had my first (5,000 mile) service done where I bought the car. Oil change and tire rotation. The dealer, Metro Toyota, doesn't charge for the first oil change. The tire rotation was $18. I don't think I've ever left a dealer with change from a $20 bill in my pocket. Attn. other dealers! This is how you build a loyal customer base. Not like the Acura dealers where all service seems to start at $100 and go up rapidly from there.

Rotorhead

 

I bought my 2006 with 30K on it, since then I have done the 35K and 40K service.
the 35K cost me $79.99 (torqe bolts, rotate tires, oil) the 40K cost 103.89 (same as 35K but I had them put on new wipers)

 

When I bought my 2007 back in Oct I shelled out for the service plan. It turned out to be the difference between crawling under my car and getting dirty and sitting in a nice lobby watching tv, reading a book and drinking hot coco for an hour.

Don't know how much it cost and don't care, when they asked I said yes before he got to the price. SO now I have maint/service till 100,000 miles. THE DEALER DOES IT AND I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

With that said, when I got the 5k done it would have cost about $45. At least that's what he tried to charge me before I told him it was pre-paid.

Maint/service was free on my Jag and I got spoiled so when it came time to do it again I jumped. Sorry, no one will do anything to this car except the dealer, other than accessarize, that's all me.

The XJ6 is getting a full restoration and 350, maybe 383, upgrade all done by me-self. So it's not a lack of knowledge, it's a lack of wanting to.

 

Actually you do have to worry. I can't tell you how many times dealership service departments screwed up my vehicles in the past. Once they didn't tighten an oil filter and it was leaking oil, good thing I checked over their work when I got home or I would have had a blown engine. Another time they forgot to replace numerous bolts in the engine bay. And yet another time they even dented my car and tried to say they didn't do it. So yes you need to worry about a dealership working on your car.

Since most of the service on modern vehicles are just oil changes, I will be doing these myself until I can't turn a wrench anymore. Besides, it only takes me 20 minutes to change the oil in my Prius and I get the satisfaction of knowing it is done correctly.

 

I agree, and it really irritates me to pay top $ for lackluster service. Hence I DIY.

I owned a 1985 XJ6 VDP in the 90s and paid considerable $$ for a cosmetic restoration suitable for car show competition as well as significant engine work, being part of a Jaguar owner's club that scoffed at the aftermarket installation of American V8s.

That car was great when it ran, but otherwise a real PITA to work on. One example was the inboard rear disc brakes, which meant that I had to raise up the rear and crawl under the car to replace the brake pads, getting brake dust & dirt all over me. What a mess...

Another example was engine oil leaks from the valve cover; the British apparently still have not figured how to seal engines properly as I have heard that current generation Jaguar engines continue to suffer from engine oil leaks.

Prius is a much more enjoyable vehicle to work on, IMO.

 

*Always* check the oil level yourself immediately after an oil change (that is, before driving away) no matter who does it. Doing this can find some grievous errors before they cause significant damage.

 

Good advice. I had an oil change done, drove away, and the engine seized up at a stoplight.

 

i've gone 5K miles since my last oil change.
i checked the dipstick and the oil is as clean as new!
do i really need to change every 5K?
the ICE does very little work the way that i drive (avg 50mpg)...

 

In the US Toyota even asks for every six months regardless of distance. Toyota got burned in the 1990s by engine damage caused by low-quality US oil and 7500 mile change intervals. If you want to eliminate the possibility of voiding your warranty use the intervals called for by Toyota (not the dealer, mind you, but the Toyota documents that came with your car). Recall that oil changes are not only to replace broken down oil, they also remove accumulated water, fuel, combustion products, and suspended metals. If your oil looks nice and clean, be happy because it indicates that nothing is horribly wrong, but keep changing it.

Having written all that I will admit that after five years of every-six-months I have slacked off to once every 5k miles.

 

I could not agree with you more. I have had the same experiences.
Door ding...dirty car...
Few years back I went to pick up my new car (Sentra) from dealer service as it had a recall. Autoway. They really suck.
Got my paperwork and went out in the parking lot to pick up the car and as approaching I look over the car checking for door dings etc and see the hood is not shut all the way. I open the hood and there's the plastic fuse box cover sitting on the valve cover preventing a complete closure of the hood. How could the jack nice person who closed the hood not feel the obstruction..then drove the car out into the parking lot with the hood up..jeesh....oh and grease all over the seat too. Nice. At last he could have left some Snap On tools under there. Seen that too.
Dealer service really really sucks.
When I was a kid I worked as a runner at a really big car dealer in NJ. The sh*t I saw there I think has scarred me for life.

My 15K & 30K & 60K & 90K maint. will not be done at the dealer as this car really needs nothing but a tire rotation and oil changes. Didn't have to do my first roto till 13K miles. Do it myself so I know its done right. Oil change myself every 10K now with filter in between every 5k.
I got Redline 5-20 in the motor and Redline D6 in the trans. Brought the car up on Mobil One but thought I'd give Redline motor oil a shot. Car runs just awesome.

 

Wow really cool car but the Lucas Electronics complimentary dashboard fire really harsh's your high!

 

From lack of oil?

 

What excuses did they come up with? Any damage to the hood, trying to close it with that cover in the way?