2007 Recommended Services - Do I need these?

What dealership is this? I want to have my Valve adjusted for $399.95.

I would listen to your local dealer's advice. You should also not do these "maintenance" items on the road. Don't want to be stranded if done wrong.

 

I'm located in SoCal but I have yet to bring my Prius into a dealer since getting it from another owner a few months ago at 101k. Its a 2005.

Services with mileage intervals are as follows:
Transaxle Fluid Drain and Fill - most say every 60k miles
Engine Coolant - 5yrs or 100k followed by 50 k intervals
Inverter Coolant - 5 yrs or 100k followed by 50 k intervals
Timing Belt, Water Pump, Serpentine Belt - 90k miles
Brake Fluid Exchange - every 2-3 yrs due to age of fluid
Clean MAF and Throttle Body - 15-30k? I clean it more often since its easy to do
Spark Plugs and PCV Valve - 120k

The Coolant services are being overcharged even for a Toyota dealer. Some dealers in the Inland Empire will do BOTH engine and inverter for under 200. Armed with SLCC coolant and a Lisle funnel you can do both for under 50. Inverter is super simple and engine is pretty simple as well.

A cheap brake fluid "exchange" would be to suction out the reservoir and replace it with new DOT3 fluid. Not an exchange or fluid but better than nothing that cost less than 10 bucks. For the Prius you need to use Techstream to properly bleed the prius brakes.

 

The coolant exchanges should be under the recommended maintenance on the Prius and are standard due to the coolant fluid "life". I would be wary if your home dealer is unaware even after bringing it to their attention specifically.

 

The coolant change is recommended at 120,000 miles, but even at 100,000 the OP has 10,000 miles to go and this is not critical. The valve clearance check is nothing more than a check for valve noise. They are not going to adjust the clearances based on the price quoted if the other ripoff prices quoted are anything to go by. Most Prius never have the valves adjusted in there lifetime.
The brake fluid change although it gives piece of mind is not a desperate item.
My advice is steer well clear.

John (Britprius)

 

Check out the pdf form from the Canadian Prius Owners website. Preventative Maintenance is all up to the owner and designed to prevent issues from happening.

Change both coolant at 80k miles intervals.
Change transaxle fluid at 60k miles.

You need to go to Lexus 400h's owners manuals to find the brake fluid change intervals since they are missing from any toyota manuals. Brake fluid by chemical makeup has a limited life based on time and humidity. If the car were in a dry non-humid environment then the fluid might be able to be extended a bit. But its only $7.50 a bottle so why even risk it?

 

Jamie, you can wait a little for the coolant flushes, but other than that, most of the stuff they recommended are not needed. However, you mentioned you brought the Prius in for lightbulb change and I just wanted to point it out that is a very "do-it-yourself" job and there is a very good tutorial on YouTube on how to do it.

My dealership quoted me around $300 to change my drivers side HID bulb two years ago, per the recommendations on the forum, I bought the OEM bulb on Amazon and installed it myself. Took me 10 minutes

 

welcome to priuschat jamie, you're home dealer is a keeper and very unusual. heed their advice. all the best!

 

The OP is not being charged $7.50 for the brake fluid the dealer in question is asking $129. This is not a required item as far as Toyota is concerned, but I do agree a check on it's condition or a change is not a bad idea. The same applies to the transmission fluid (oil), but the coolant first change is a much longer interval.
However non of these items are desperate in the middle of a road trip at a dealer charging ripoff prices that he is unlikely to be able to return to in the event of any problems.

John (Britprius)