1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Very shameful -- differential fluid concern. $150 reasonable?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by cyberpriusII, Feb 20, 2015.

  1. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    1,135
    1,560
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I feel ashamed and contrite :oops:

    I really have wanted to change out the trans/diff/whatever that fluid is. Wanted/planned to do it myself, but...

    Dealer wants $150. Sounds about right for a dealer.

    Independent wants around $100. They want to put in a "do-all" brand of fluid. Is that O.K.?
     
    #1 cyberpriusII, Feb 20, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2015
  2. writes123

    writes123 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2014
    92
    23
    0
    Location:
    Riverside, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    most PC members say no to anything but Toyota WS fluid. I personally have used a multi-vehicle low-viscosity ATF fluid which is also ATF WS compatible with no negative results. Then again I change mine every 5k just because it's so simple and so cheap for the fluid. It only takes 4 quarts. Even if they charge $10 a bottle (which is way overpriced), that's $40 + tax for fluid. Add 2 washers for the drain and fill bolt. Those are all the parts you need.

    Check out: Toyota Prius: How to Change the Transmission/Transaxle Fluid - PriusDIY.com

    very detailed and has all the parts and steps with pictures.

    easy as an oil change. I'd say $80 max with genuine fluids if I were to give a mechanic a go at it.
     
    cyberpriusII and wjtracy like this.
  3. writes123

    writes123 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2014
    92
    23
    0
    Location:
    Riverside, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    also, dealers may pricematch other dealers or mechanics. I remember seeing ATF drain and fills at Toyota dealers for $75-80 with coupon/service specials or $100 max. Definitely would recommend not paying more than $100 at dealership.
     
    Dino33ca likes this.
  4. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2011
    1,355
    486
    0
    Location:
    District 6
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Dealer or independent - INSIST that they fill your car's transaxle with Toyota ATF WS fluid. Accept no substitutes.
    It is fairly easy to change out the 4 quarts of transaxle fluid. The retail price of ATS WS is about $9 US per quart.
    So the "stealership will be charging you $100+ for 15 minutes of labor.

    I'd steer clear from the independent shop.......unless you have been there before or know someone who has and
    have been satisfied with them.
     
    cyberpriusII likes this.
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    ask them how much for labor and pick up the fluid from toyota on your way. and watch them do it.
     
  6. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Toyota WS only...$100-$150 is fair market...Go to the Dealership. Good news is you get a real mechanic. They don't let the express guys do this one.
     
    cyberpriusII likes this.
  7. sorka

    sorka Active Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    1,004
    194
    0
    Location:
    Merced, CA
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    Limited
    Only use Toyota WS ATF. I buy it by the case for $6 qt shipped. It takes 4 qts. That's $24. I've changed it 4 times in 190K miles. It only takes 10 minutes. It's way simpler and faster than any regular automatic transmission fluid change. There's no filter to change. It's even simpler than an engine oil change. Nobody should pay a delear $100 in labor. That would be insane.
     
    #7 sorka, Feb 20, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2015
    cyberpriusII likes this.
  8. Yakoma

    Yakoma Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2014
    470
    121
    0
    Location:
    ATL-ish
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Well, unless you're in Iowa in the dead of winter and you don't have a garage. :confused:
     
    cyberpriusII and uart like this.
  9. uart

    uart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2009
    4,215
    1,200
    0
    Location:
    Australia
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Agree with all of the above. For the small price difference it's not worth using anything other than the WS ATF.

    Yes, you can obviously save some money if you do it yourself, but if you can't then I don't think $150 is too outrageous for the dealer to do it.

    Plus OP might need to buy a few tools to get it done. Obviously the funnel and clear plastic tubing, but possibly also a 24mm socket and 10mm hex key socket and a breaker bar if everything is tight.
     
    Merkey and Yakoma like this.
  10. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,309
    3,586
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
  11. Dino33ca

    Dino33ca Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2013
    168
    34
    0
    Location:
    British Columbia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Our dealership charges about $110. I know Aamco transmissions will do this fluid change as well and they charge slightly less using the same Toyota Ws atf, but I just to to the dealership to sit in the lounge, use their wifi, and enjoy their cookies....
     
    Britprius and Aaron Vitolins like this.
  12. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,910
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    $110 is a lot of cookies. I wish we had US prices for oil products in the UK as 4 ltrs of WS ATF in the UK costs $78.:eek:

    John (Britprius)
     
  13. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2005
    3,831
    1,824
    1
    Location:
    Trumbull, CT
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    LE AWD-e
    But you get "free" coffee at the dealer (mine doesn't have cookies, but only charges $100 for an ATF drain/refill).

    JeffD
     
  14. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    1,135
    1,560
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Everyone, it's CyberPopsicle again --

    Thanks for all the tips/help/advice. As always, highly, highly appreciated.

    All questions answered quite well! Now, just some decisions. I may check into some more independent shops, I may go with the dealer (yuck). I may wait.

    I hardly drive at all and I suppose waiting until the polar bears retreat back northward in -- what -- June, won't make much difference.

    I am feeling guilty as this was something I was really planning to do myself last summer -- even bought the 3-ton low-profile floor jack and jack stands. But each day that was the day, I put it off. That was while I was in temperate, but rainy Oregon.

    Now, I am in Iowa, and while the temperature right now is a toasty 25F or -4C and yesterday was bikini weather at 39F or 4C, tomorrow it is getting back to a more reasonable 9F or -13C.

    So, that warm spell put me in a DIY mode, but I am quickly coming to my senses and shrugging that off -- rotating tires last weekend was bad enough in the 14-degree (-1oC) afternoon.

    Except for a $20 HomeDepot socket and screwdriver set, and a tiny 24mm visegrips, I really have no tools...well, there is always the standard set of fluttering eyes and hair flips, but those are reserved for real issues, such as running out of Pinot Noir on Saturday evening.

    Thanks again. So, it's Toyota fluid only, avoid this independent shop anyway, Toyota dealer is high :whistle:, but would probably work if nothing else comes along -- or -- move back West where I will probably put it off all summer once again...;)

    Kris
     
  15. stonerider

    stonerider Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2014
    107
    19
    0
    Location:
    Lompoc, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I paid my Toyota dealer $175 to do the tranaxle oil change a few months ago, this was for my wife's Prius. About a week ago, I did the exact same work on my Prius. It's a brain-dead, easy thing to do, can't believe they're charging $100+ for this job. You just need a way to lift up the front of the car (I used a floor jack and a stand), a 24mm socket and a 10mm hex key, and A FUNNEL with a 2-3 feet clear tubing. Like someone said above, this is easier than an oil change.
     
  16. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Fact...most people do not work on their own cars "at all" these days...any work. I would also venture to say the Prius crowd does so at an even lessor rate.
     
  17. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2011
    1,355
    486
    0
    Location:
    District 6
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    "Most people" is a difficult number to pinpoint. I'd wager that at least half of the Priuschat membership have some experience with auto maintenance . While automobiles have unquestionably become more complex since the Model T, there are still a lot of things average Joes (and Jos) can tackle with relative ease and simple tools. Changing out transaxle fluid on a Gen 2 Prius is a perfect example.