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Service costs at 50K

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Oatflake, Mar 16, 2017.

  1. Oatflake

    Oatflake Junior Member

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    Hey everyone - I just got my car back from my local Southern California dealer's service at 50K miles and I was rather surprised to see that the total for rotating tires and an oil change is about $100 including tax. The breakdown is $70 labor and $25 parts.

    First of all, is this the normal price of dealership oil changes these days? It seems quite a bit higher than what I recall in the past, but maybe I'm out of touch and inflation has really taken off recently.

    They recommended a bunch of other things, but I said no - here's what they quoted the prices should be, and they also seem quite a bit higher:

    Engine air filter - $34.95
    Fuel induction (what is this?) - $150
    Cabin air filter - $49.95 (this I know is a ripoff; I just replaced it myself less than 2 months ago so I know they probably didn't even look at it)
    Front and rear wiper inserts - $37.50

    Has anyone serviced their cars at places like Pasadena Toyota or Longo Toyota recently and can confirm whether this is what dealers like this charge now?

    And yes, I know I could go to an independent mechanic who should be cheaper, but in the past I've gone to both of these dealerships and they *used* to be very competitive to the local mechanics. Maybe even the local mechanics charge more now?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It's not too far out of line, including tax. And:

    Consider what it'd be like to do it yourself. Tire rotation in particular can be a back breaker. I appreciate the pros have the know how, nice heated garages, air tools and full lifts, but that stuff, and wages, business licenses and so on, doesn't just fall out of the sky.

    Even the dealerships can screw things up, the horror stories abound, but you're odds of getting a properly done job are at least better, compared to the cut-rate places.
     
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  3. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Longo charges a lot more than other dealers. Best to sign up for their services via email. You'll get a bunch of service coupons.

    Glendale Toyota has lots of great service coupons on their site, if you can drive there.
     
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  4. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    amazon.com/EcoGard-XA10014-Ecogard-Air-Filter/dp/B00I8IKICQ Amazon charges $12 for the Engine air filter.

    Fuel induction is a buzzword for ripoff (boat payment for the Dealer) You may someday need throttle body cleaning, but you will know it. Just based on this, I would look for another mechanic amazon.com/Aervoe-590-Carb-Choke-Cleaner/dp/B002CXDHBM Amazon charges $3, when you really need it in 100,000 more miles.

    amazon.com/EPAuto-CF10285-Toyota-Premium-Activated/dp/B014TYRQUY Amazon charges $8 for the cabin filter

    amazon.com/Toyota-Prius-C-2012-2014-Wiper-Blade/dp/B00O0D9MQG Amazon charges $42, more than your dealer.
    amazon.com/Toyota-85214-52060-Rear-Wiper-Rubber/dp/B00KTKPK4M

    All of these (other than throttle body cleaning) are easy DIY 5 minute projects.
     
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  5. Oatflake

    Oatflake Junior Member

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    Thanks for the quick responses. Yeah, I can do the cabin air filter, wiper blades myself easy-peasy. I'm not looking forward to doing oil changes and tire rotations myself - I used to do that on a Mini Cooper and I've got one too many gashes in my hand from reaching under the hood to want to do that again. Plus where I live now I don't have a place to jack up the car so I have to go find an open parking lot, and they don't like strangers working on their cars.

    I figured the throttle body cleaning is something I can put off - the car runs fantastic and I get as good gas mileage now as I did the first week.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you don't need throttle body cleaning and you can do the engine air filter, it's easier than the cabin filter.
    a hundred bucks for synthetic oil and tire rotation is probably a fairly average price in populated areas. that's about what i pay at the local mobil station.
    considering that the oil is only every 10k, that's not bad compared to dino oil every 5k.
     
  7. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    Took my wife's Avalon in today. 45k service. Tire rotation was $28 !!! Alignment was another $80. Total $118 and the first bill they presented me was $160.. When I questioned it, they "oops, entered it wrong". This with a free lifetime oil change. I went in expecting an oil change. Bah dealers.
     
  8. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    $100 is about the going price for 0w20 oil and rotation in my area. There are occasional coupons that bring it down to $70 which is what local mechanics charge. Ignore the $20 or $30 sale prices. When you get there, they'll say late model vehicles now use synthetic 0w20 oil which doubles the cost to $50. The sale prices are for conventional oil in older vehicles.

    It's the sign of the times. I'm dreading when all cars use LED headlamps. My halogen headlight bulb cost $7 each. The current Corolla LED headlamps which are standard are hundreds of $'s to replace. Toyota claims they are lifetime headlamps. Tough pill to swallow if I am that outlier with a failed headlamp.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Tire rotation is often the "loss leader" at dealerships. They price it low, and make it up on other services. But more realistically: that is a good price. I can appreciate the dealership has lifts, air tools, heated service bays and so on, but none of that grows on trees. I'd suggest:

    Try doing a tire rotation on the Avalon yourself. I think the wheel/tire size is getting up there? and the lug nut torque might be higher? Here's my DIY drill:

    1. Partially loosen all lug nuts, with the car on the ground.
    2. Chock rear tires, release parking brake.
    3. Raise the front and settle on jack stands.
    4. Raise the rear and settle on jack stands.
    5. Spin off the lug nuts and remove wheels. (See pic, for what you do if the wheels stick. They often do.)
    6. Bring backs to front and fronts to back, and install wheels, lug nuts partially tightened.
    7. Jack up rear, remove jack stands, lower to ground.
    8. Chock rear tires.
    9. Jack up front, remove jack stands, lower to ground.
    10. Torque all lug nuts.

    At the end of this, especially with the Avalon, you will be feeling it. Back and knees starting to complain, and in northern climes getting chilled.

    To deal with stuck on rims, one lug nut on, very loose at top, then:

    IMG_6433.JPG

    That's a Honda Pilot btw. The wheels and tires on that are significantly heavier. I could barely get them back on. It's one thing to get it off the floor, but then you are holding it in the air, desperately trying to connect at least one wheel hole (typically at the top) with a lug. More than once I had to give up, drop it back down. Using a small pry bar under the tire to help with the lifting was what I resorted to finally. It's not easy.
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Mar 17, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2017
  10. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    I have to laugh at your description. In my younger days I used to change/rotate all my cars' tires. Still have the tools, just not the back. Trying to think, of my last 5 cars I've had to change a tire exactly once. It had snowed. First car in the line couldn't tell where the edge of the road was and went off the road and hit something. All the sheep followed carefully in the ruts the first car made including my wife and, when she called and I arrived, there were 5 cars within 200 feel all with right front tires with side wall punctures. I was the only one changing a tire in the snow. All the rest were desperately trying to call someone.
     
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  11. mrswylie

    mrswylie Junior Member

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    There's something to be said about self sufficiency - even if you choose not to exercise it at times.
     
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  12. famoussd

    famoussd Junior Member

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    I paid $105 for my 50K maintenance at the dealer (Culver City).