Getting Your Prius Serviced

galaxee · Feb 23, 2006

Seems with the new round of Prius owners we have showing up here, we're running up on time for our newfound Hybrid Synergists to head into the shop for that breathless first maintenance point. As evidenced in a number of other topics here, there is some general concern regarding which dealer to pick, how to know the good from the bad, etc.

So I thought I'd put together a little spiel for those of you looking for advice. I'm not the tech. My best friend (read: husband) is the tech. I hear about all this stuff daily. Nightly, really. Without further ado, ten steps to good service.

Step One:
Decide what exactly is a "reasonable distance" you're willing to drive to get top-notch service (versus average service that's nothing to write home about). Maybe you want to stay in town, maybe you don't mind the extra 10-20 minutes of driving to go somewhere you can trust. This is your first decision.

Step Two:
Locate all the dealerships within your preferred range. Maybe pick up the numbers of one or two that are very close to but just outside of your range, just in case.

Step Three:
Ask around about these places. At work, at social gatherings, if you see another Prius owner in a parking lot, wherever. (this is where Prius Clubs are absolutely fantastic... and who knows, maybe there's a Prius Tech in your local club!)

Step Four:
Rule out the places where people have had bad experiences in general. If someone complains their car wasn't fixed right... well that's probably the tech, not the service department, although how the issue is handled will give you a gauge on the management of the place.

Step Five:
Move on to the places that you've heard good things about/haven't heard bad things about. There are some things you want to know since you are driving what is most likely the most technologically advanced vehicle out there. First, how many of their techs are Prius Certified? This is a big issue, as many tiny dealers or dealers in low-density Prius areas don't have one on board. Next you want to know about these Prius Techs. How long have they been Prius certified? This isn't a deal-maker or deal-breaker, as there are plenty of perfectly qualified and educated people out there who have only been certified recently. Conversely, there are Prius Techs that have been certified for years and just don't give a damn about the cars and would rather pass them off to someone else. Another thing to look for is the volume of cars that the service department takes in daily (aka will you have to wait 2 days for them to get around to your car vs do they have no experience due to low Prius volume.) Ask about any special awards or recognition that they've received from Toyota or elsewhere. ASE has a recognition program for shops that have a certain composition of ASE certified staff. While this isn't everything, it's definitely a sign that the individuals have made some effort as ASE cert's are voluntary, stressful, time-consuming and expensive.

Step Six:
If you're happy with the way the service place sounded over the phone, stop by for a visit. Tell them you're looking for a place to have your Prius serviced. Most places by now know that Prius owners are a particularly thorough breed. You may get a very nice welcome, they may treat you like you don't exist. Note that. Check out their facilities. I never thought about this, but someone in another thread mentioned that the waiting room is important because they have kids and want them in a decent area. See how the staff act toward customers, how they interact with each other. I'm sure there are tons of other things you can look for based upon what your needs are.

Step Seven:
Ask if you can talk to one of their Prius Techs. Now this may not go over well if, say, they're swamped and the poor techs are each juggling 3 tickets. That's understandable. However, if they have a guy who's not busy, just go chat with him, ask him about his credentials (most are proud to list them off to you) and why he likes to work on the Prius (that's a getter right there- will probably catch 'em off guard.) Note how he talks to you- half the tech's job is CUSTOMER SERVICE. He may be a wizard with a wrench but if you don't like the way he talks to you... think twice. One of DH's coworkers is the only other person on the face of this earth who is allowed to touch our car- absolutely brilliant, but a real smart@ss, and has lost customers for his abrasive personality.

Step Eight:
Continue until you've found a dealer and a tech that you feel good about. Schedule your service appointment and evaluate your choice. How expedient was the process? How were you treated? How long did it take? (not including time required to order any special-ordered parts, things beyond their control, etc) Did you have to bring it back for anything that was unsatisfactory ot not fixed correctly? Did the tech leave the car clean, with all settings the way you left them, etc? This is what you should use to evaulate your experience, along with any other things you can think of. If you're unhappy, try a different tech or a different dealer the next time. Keep note of who did your service and who to stick with or avoid. (most work orders contain the tech's name)

Step Nine:
Once you find a competent, customer-friendly guy who cares about doing things right and doing them efficiently... or just someone you feel you can trust if that's all you want... stick with him. Make a note with your service records whether you were satisfied or not so you remember. If you are happy, stick with that tech. It will get you consistent service, you will know who's under your hood, and your tech will know what you demand of your car (just to the grocery store once a week, all over the country or anything in between) so he can work accordingly. Tell him you will be asking for him, it is an honor to him to have earned a regular customer.

Step Ten:
Spread the word. Help people avoid bad places and point the business to the good places. This sends a message to the bad places that they need to get their act together, and rewards the places that are doing good business.

There ya have it. Ten steps to good service. Feel free to comment, question, add ideas, and the like. I guess we'll call this Version 1.0...

Frank Hudon · Feb 23, 2006

Attn Danny or Evan this has to go in the knowledge base. Thanks Galaxee.

darelldd · Feb 23, 2006

Great tips.

I'm very fortunate to live very near my dealer, and the Sr. Service tech is the guy who does all the EV work, and the Prius work. I got to know him through my Rav4EV, and wouldn't take my car to anybody else!

Hanlees Toyota, Davis, CA. I don't like much else about the place, but the Sr. Tech is awesome, and really cares. Before I bought the Prius, I asked him if he'd like to have a chance to talk me out of the purchase. But he's thrilled with the Prius, and that's all that I needed to hear.

Spunky · Feb 23, 2006

These tips are great, Galaxee! Thank you for posting them.

I have a "flip side" question: what sort of behaviors and questions would a good tech like to see from us Prius owners?

ScottY · Feb 23, 2006

Originally posted by galaxee@Feb 23 2006, 12:47 AM
...
Step Seven:
Ask if you can talk to one of their Prius Techs. Now this may not go over well if, say, they're swamped and the poor techs are each juggling 3 tickets. That's understandable. However, if they have a guy who's not busy, just go chat with him, ask him about his credentials (most are proud to list them off to you) and why he likes to work on the Prius (that's a getter right there- will probably catch 'em off guard.) Note how he talks to you- half the tech's job is CUSTOMER SERVICE. He may be a wizard with a wrench but if you don't like the way he talks to you... think twice. One of DH's coworkers is the only other person on the face of this earth who is allowed to touch our car- absolutely brilliant, but a real smart@ss, and has lost customers for his abrasive personality.
...

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After I had my 15k service at the dealer where I bought the car, I drove a block away and decided to check the oil level. I discovered that they overfilled the oil by maybe less than quarter of an inch. That time, I brought my own oil and filter to them (3 qt. of Mobil 1). So I know that is not supposed to happen. I wanted to talk to the tech that serviced the car, but they directed me to the service writer. He bs me with something like.. oh, it takes time for the oil to go thru the system to settle to the right level. I know that's bs because I changed my oil at 5k and 10k. This time I will do my own oil change and have an oil analysis done on the old oil. If they didn't use the oil I provided, they'll be hearing from me.

My point is, sometimes it's difficult to talk to the tech that serviced your car.

galaxee · Feb 23, 2006

Originally posted by Spunky+Feb 23 2006, 09:00 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Spunky @ Feb 23 2006, 09:00 AM)</div>

what sort of behaviors and questions would a good tech like to see from us Prius owners?

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this depends heavily on the circumstances. if it's just an oil change/tire rotation, probably nothing. just hang out for a bit and he'll do the job in the order which it was received. if you're picky about tire pressures in front/back, mention to him (or the service writer) you would appreciate having the pressures set to X and Y.

if it's a bigger job, say a nasty wiring snarl that's causing some intermittent problem, and the guy needs to drive it for a couple of days things get a little pickier. i know it's not a problem with owners here on PC, but noone likes to drive a car that's full of trash, that smells like old fast food, that's just filthy inside. my DH's policy on this is he will tolerate about anything but if the smell makes him wanna wretch he turns it down.

they can't really expect you to just give them the car and mind your own business until you get a call that it's fixed, so most of them don't mind getting a follow-up call a couple days later to see what's going on. DH gives his personal cell phone number.

one thing- you don't want to talk down to the guy. a lot of people do this, whether they realize it or not. but if you PO my hubby, he will refuse to have anything to do with any of your vehicles ever again. and if you lost the shop's best di-ag guy and you need something nasty diagnosed and fixed... you're stuck with whoever else is left.

oh, and another thing. it's not a big deal if you hang out and watch him work for a minute or 2, but sitting in front of the observation window (if there is one) till the job is done will stress the guy out. while they understand you're concerned about the service your car is getting, it also places a lot of stress on the tech (think fishbowl effect) and ends up causing more errors than if you weren't watching his every move.

<!--QuoteBegin-ScottY@Feb 23 2006, 09:34 AM
sometimes it's difficult to talk to the tech that serviced your car.

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i agree, and this depends largely on the dealership you go to. some places won't let you go back and just ask a simple question, and will send you to the writer instead. that's typically not a good trait in service departments unless the tech had an appointment show up or is working on some huge job that's due by the end of the day or something.

Frank Hudon · Feb 23, 2006

"oh, and another thing. it's not a big deal if you hang out and watch him work for a minute or 2, but sitting in front of the observation window (if there is one) till the job is done will stress the guy out. while they understand you're concerned about the service your car is getting, it also places a lot of stress on the tech (think fishbowl effect) and ends up causing more errors than if you weren't watching his every move."
how right you are with this one. Best chuckle I've ever had was once when doing tune-ups in the dealer ship I get a motor home for a tune-up first thing in the morning on a vehicle that had just been driven 90 miles so was fully warmed up, bad enough to get your hands burnt all to rat but the owners start cooking bacon and eggs in the back! When I'm finally done, I offer to drive the thing out of the shop, to which I get this snotty "well I sure as hell know how to drive" fine whatever, so he finally manages to turn it around in the shop instead of backing it out, and cranks it hard to the right just as he got the front out of the door and low and behold he hooks the back of it on the door frame and tears the whole back wall off the motor home. Crash boom on the floor and there is the cupboards all neatly piled with dishes and pots and pans. After they finally left with the back wall on a flat deck and headed for the RV repair shop I was almost in hysterics I was laughing so hard. Most mechanics get their revenge on A holes in the end.

Spunky · Feb 23, 2006

Originally posted by Frank Hudon@Feb 23 2006, 02:46 PM
"oh, and another thing. it's not a big deal if you hang out and watch him work for a minute or 2, but sitting in front of the observation window (if there is one) till the job is done will stress the guy out. while they understand you're concerned about the service your car is getting, it also places a lot of stress on the tech (think fishbowl effect) and ends up causing more errors than if you weren't watching his every move."
how right you are with this one. Best chuckle I've ever had was once when doing tune-ups in the dealer ship I get a motor home for a tune-up first thing in the morning on a vehicle that had just been driven 90 miles so was fully warmed up, bad enough to get your hands burnt all to rat but the owners start cooking bacon and eggs in the back! When I'm finally done, I offer to drive the thing out of the shop, to which I get this snotty "well I sure as hell know how to drive" fine whatever, so he finally manages to turn it around in the shop instead of backing it out, and cranks it hard to the right just as he got the front out of the door and low and behold he hooks the back of it on the door frame and tears the whole back wall off the motor home.Â Crash boom on the floor and there is the cupboards all neatly piled with dishes and pots and pans. After they finally left with the back wall on a flat deckÂ and headed for the RV repair shop I was almost in hysterics I was laughing so hard. Most mechanics get their revenge on A holes in the end.

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Hoot, whoop, woo!!! Snorted tea up my nose!

galaxee · Feb 23, 2006

Originally posted by Frank Hudon@Feb 23 2006, 01:46 PM
After they finally left with the back wall on a flat deckÂ and headed for the RV repair shop I was almost in hysterics I was laughing so hard. Most mechanics get their revenge on A holes in the end.

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HA HA HA!!!

awesome! sometimes you don't have to show them who's the smart one... you let them show themselves :lol:

hobbit · Feb 23, 2006

I just wish there was some way I could sign off about the "liability"
issue and work *with* the tech there in the shop, just to learn if
not actually help out. My brake problem last summer [which I'll
eventually get a real writeup of out there..] was one of those;
I probably wound up understanding the prius' brake system better
than the tech, but only because he was pretty much starting from
ground zero on it too and not getting a lot of help from FTS. We
all learned quite a bit from that one.
.
_H*

windstrings · Feb 24, 2006

Originally posted by Frank Hudon@Feb 22 2006, 11:52 PM
Attn Danny or Evan this has to go in the knowledge base. Thanks Galaxee.

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that Galaxee's quite a gal!

StuartS · Feb 24, 2006

On Prius.co.uk we have a database where members can comment on specific dealerships and their servicing experiences. Perhaps a similar one should be set up on Prius Chat. This will assist members by pointing out the good as well as the bad service points, and I'm sure switched on dealers will also become aware of it's existance.

hdrygas · Feb 24, 2006

Originally posted by galaxee@Feb 22 2006, 09:47 PM
Seems with the new round of Prius owners we have showing up here, we're running up on time for our newfound Hybrid Synergists to head into the shop for that breathless first maintenance point. As evidenced in a number of other topics here, there is some general concern regarding which dealer to pick, how to know the good from the bad, etc.

So I thought I'd put together a little spiel for those of you looking for advice. I'm not the tech. My best friend (read: husband) is the tech. I hear about all this stuff daily. Nightly, really. Without further ado, ten steps to good service.

Step One:
Decide what exactly is a "reasonable distance" you're willing to drive to get top-notch service (versus average service that's nothing to write home about). Maybe you want to stay in town, maybe you don't mind the extra 10-20 minutes of driving to go somewhere you can trust. This is your first decision.

Step Two:
Locate all the dealerships within your preferred range. Maybe pick up the numbers of one or two that are very close to but just outside of your range, just in case.

Step Three:
Ask around about these places. At work, at social gatherings, if you see another Prius owner in a parking lot, wherever. (this is where Prius Clubs are absolutely fantastic... and who knows, maybe there's a Prius Tech in your local club!)

Step Four:
Rule out the places where people have had bad experiences in general. If someone complains their car wasn't fixed right... well that's probably the tech, not the service department, although how the issue is handled will give you a gauge on the management of the place.

Step Five:
Move on to the places that you've heard good things about/haven't heard bad things about. There are some things you want to know since you are driving what is most likely the most technologically advanced vehicle out there. First, how many of their techs are Prius Certified? This is a big issue, as many tiny dealers or dealers in low-density Prius areas don't have one on board. Next you want to know about these Prius Techs. How long have they been Prius certified? This isn't a deal-maker or deal-breaker, as there are plenty of perfectly qualified and educated people out there who have only been certified recently. Conversely, there are Prius Techs that have been certified for years and just don't give a damn about the cars and would rather pass them off to someone else. Another thing to look for is the volume of cars that the service department takes in daily (aka will you have to wait 2 days for them to get around to your car vs do they have no experience due to low Prius volume.) Ask about any special awards or recognition that they've received from Toyota or elsewhere. ASE has a recognition program for shops that have a certain composition of ASE certified staff. While this isn't everything, it's definitely a sign that the individuals have made some effort as ASE cert's are voluntary, stressful, time-consuming and expensive.

Step Six:
If you're happy with the way the service place sounded over the phone, stop by for a visit. Tell them you're looking for a place to have your Prius serviced. Most places by now know that Prius owners are a particularly thorough breed. You may get a very nice welcome, they may treat you like you don't exist. Note that. Check out their facilities. I never thought about this, but someone in another thread mentioned that the waiting room is important because they have kids and want them in a decent area. See how the staff act toward customers, how they interact with each other. I'm sure there are tons of other things you can look for based upon what your needs are.

Step Seven:
Ask if you can talk to one of their Prius Techs. Now this may not go over well if, say, they're swamped and the poor techs are each juggling 3 tickets. That's understandable. However, if they have a guy who's not busy, just go chat with him, ask him about his credentials (most are proud to list them off to you) and why he likes to work on the Prius (that's a getter right there- will probably catch 'em off guard.) Note how he talks to you- half the tech's job is CUSTOMER SERVICE. He may be a wizard with a wrench but if you don't like the way he talks to you... think twice. One of DH's coworkers is the only other person on the face of this earth who is allowed to touch our car- absolutely brilliant, but a real smart@ss, and has lost customers for his abrasive personality.

Step Eight:
Continue until you've found a dealer and a tech that you feel good about. Schedule your service appointment and evaluate your choice. How expedient was the process? How were you treated? How long did it take? (not including time required to order any special-ordered parts, things beyond their control, etc) Did you have to bring it back for anything that was unsatisfactory ot not fixed correctly? Did the tech leave the car clean, with all settings the way you left them, etc? This is what you should use to evaulate your experience, along with any other things you can think of. If you're unhappy, try a different tech or a different dealer the next time. Keep note of who did your service and who to stick with or avoid. (most work orders contain the tech's name)

Step Nine:
Once you find a competent, customer-friendly guy who cares about doing things right and doing them efficiently... or just someone you feel you can trust if that's all you want... stick with him. Make a note with your service records whether you were satisfied or not so you remember. If you are happy, stick with that tech. It will get you consistent service, you will know who's under your hood, and your tech will know what you demand of your car (just to the grocery store once a week, all over the country or anything in between) so he can work accordingly. Tell him you will be asking for him, it is an honor to him to have earned a regular customer.

Step Ten:
Spread the word. Help people avoid bad places and point the business to the good places. This sends a message to the bad places that they need to get their act together, and rewards the places that are doing good business.

There ya have it. Ten steps to good service. Feel free to comment, question, add ideas, and the like. I guess we'll call this Version 1.0...

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Very sound advice. Definatly a keeper. Change a few words and retitle it â€œHow to find a Doctorâ€. I would add that I have experienced a place where the Prius Techs are very good but the Management is a bit lax. You just have to let them know you intend to follow the book that came with the car not their service recommendations even it they are trying to save you money doing so. Yes I do want my tires rotated every 5K. Thank you. I will gladly pay for it. Maybe we should have a data base like the Car Talk guys on recommended service centers and techs. No complaining just, these are good people go there!

200Volts · Feb 24, 2006

I would also recommend taking it to the dealership for an oil change first, before any other services. Watch them do the oil change. Are they fast, slow, detailed?
At Tracy Toyota they will check and top off about 3-5 times to get the oil level exactly right, every time. To me that's a sign the dealership is hiring good people.

NewType · Feb 25, 2006

Originally posted by darelldd@Feb 23 2006, 03:06 AM
Hanlees Toyota, Davis, CA. I don't like much else about the place, but the Sr. Tech is awesome, and really cares. Before I bought the Prius, I asked him if he'd like to have a chance to talk me out of the purchase. But he's thrilled with the Prius, and that's all that I needed to hear.

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Interesting. I bought my car in for 5K service at Hanlees. The very next day, the car was smelling like a horriable beat-up sports car. The smell graduately decreases over months, but never truly go away. I still didn't have time to bring it back to recheck. <_<

My 10K service is coming up... I am thinking about going to a dealer in Sac...

Any suggestions?

rick57 · Feb 26, 2006

Bravo! Very thorough steps you have come up with,galaxee. I couldn't have done it better myself. Thanks for taking the time to put it together, .

As for talking to the tech,I have talked to many Prius owners here and I don't mind. When a Prius customer comes in for service work or to buy one,I am usually the one the writers/sales people come to for answers. And if I don't know it at that time,they know I will find out and get back to them, .

theorist · Jun 2, 2006

Wow. Wonderful insights. I didn't put this much thought into choosing my physician.

To help with steps 3 and 4, I find Consumers' Checkbook magazine very helpful. checkbook.org. It's basically a localized version of consumer reports. If you live in the San Francisco or Boston bay areas, or Chicago, DC, or Minneapolis areas, it has you covered. In the Boston area, I found summarized customer reviews on around a dozen different Toyota dealer service departments. They had surveyed between 50 and 200 customers for each one. I trust this more than relying on a small sample of my friends. (No, I don't have even 50 friends taking their cars to the same Toyota dealer.) It's much easier too. Depending on your area, they may also list complaints with BBB and/or governmental agencies for each repair shop. They also cover independent repair shops. If your area is covered, you'll probably find Consumers' Checkbook Magazine in a local library. If not, they're at checkbook.org.

mrbigh · Jul 27, 2006

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Feb 23 2006, 02:46 PM) [snapback]215353[/snapback]</div>

"oh, and another thing. it's not a big deal if you hang out and watch him work for a minute or 2, but sitting in front of the observation window (if there is one) till the job is done will stress the guy out. while they understand you're concerned about the service your car is getting, it also places a lot of stress on the tech (think fishbowl effect) and ends up causing more errors than if you weren't watching his every move."
how right you are with this one. Best chuckle I've ever had was once when doing tune-ups in the dealer ship I get a motor home for a tune-up first thing in the morning on a vehicle that had just been driven 90 miles so was fully warmed up, bad enough to get your hands burnt all to rat but the owners start cooking bacon and eggs in the back! When I'm finally done, I offer to drive the thing out of the shop, to which I get this snotty "well I sure as hell know how to drive" fine whatever, so he finally manages to turn it around in the shop instead of backing it out, and cranks it hard to the right just as he got the front out of the door and low and behold he hooks the back of it on the door frame and tears the whole back wall off the motor home. Crash boom on the floor and there is the cupboards all neatly piled with dishes and pots and pans. After they finally left with the back wall on a flat deck and headed for the RV repair shop I was almost in hysterics I was laughing so hard. Most mechanics get their revenge on A holes in the end.
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I was reading through this thread and I have to comment.
I work on a service facility also, I provide customers with a service everybody deserves, the best and the best I can give, on an specialized repair shop and on their residence and I dont have any problem if somebody piggy back over my shoulder to see what I'm doing; If you are confident in your job, you are not robbing or damaging anything or wasting your time in purpose, why to hide or be in the dark side?
side?

Blackfang · Jul 28, 2006

Great write up man!!

hwalker911 · Jul 28, 2006

I'm getting ready to have my first 5000 mile service. Has anyone here had thier vehicle service at Vann York Toyota in High Point , North Carolina ... If so, any comments?

Thanks in advance

Getting Your Prius Serviced

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Getting Your Prius Serviced

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