Hi all - Tried posting this on Reddit and the auto bots shut it down every time. I'm looking for a hybrid Specialist (independent mechanic) or a hybrid shop in Maryland. I just read about the HyrbridPit (or HyrbridPitStop) on another thread, and I am jealous. That's what I need. There are a ton of hybrid vehicles in MD (and the DMV), I find it hard to believe we don't have one. Yet I've been researching various places for weeks and have come up empty. What do you experts have? Thanks!
Is it anything in particular you're thinking to have done? For general maintenance, most any competent automotive shop will do. Hybrid vehicles are still cars, and they're increasingly common. I'd say Toyota qualifications are equal in importance to hybrid, say a shop that has access to Toyota's technical info and has Techstream. What's the miles on it?
Just over 120K. I ended up going through the dealership, which charged me an arm and a leg. I'm also not entirely sure that they cleaned the EGR like I asked. They wanted to only do the 120K, but I wanted a few extras done for preventative reasons and because the car is new to me. Would really love to find someone reliable in the area that knows hybrids well and knows why I am asking for these things.
Assuming the Prius v is similar to gen 3 Prius, 120K miles service includes spark plug replacement, a more in-depth brake inspection, engine air filter replacement. Did they note EGR cleaning on the invoice? What was the bottom line cost? EGR cleaning alone can run $600~900 USD through independent shops that routinely do it. (Attached is a spreadsheet translation of the US 3rd gen Prius maintenance schedule, extrapolated to 240k miles, excel and pdf versions). Dealerships tend to talk down to owners asking for EGR cleaning, saying it's not necessary without a code (P0401 IIRC) or cold start shakes. The latter typically means the head gasket has blown, it's the sound of an engine trying to "digest" coolant. Too, they typically will only replace components, don't "stoop" to cleaning, And that's very expensive, and totally unnecessary. So they're really the last place to go for EGR cleaning. Still, ANY competent mechanic can do that chore, there's nothing intrinsically "hybrid" about it. For a sense of what's involved there's 3 EGR-related links in my signature. (on a phone turn it landscape to see signatures). Hands-down the best way to clean the EGR is DIY, if possible. If that's not happening, hopefully someone will chime in with an independent, common-sense mechanic in your area.
