Prius 30K mile service prices

Well I paid 180 including my own oil. I did it at my regular automotive technicians place. He told me that I really should be using the brakes from time to time! :lol: We did have a minor glitch where he looked at the PSD oil and thought it looked too dark. He recommended it be changed until he called around and found out that it came that way. We are in a tough spot. New technology, new rules, and we are more or less reliant on the Dealers. Dealers have a bad name. Answer find one you can trust. Develope a relationship with the Technician working on your car. Meet him (or her) and shake there hand. Tell them your concerns and what you know. Send them to Prius Chat so they can see we are serious. Wacko, but serious. Talk to the technician after each service. What did the oil look like? Was that different from other conventional cars? How are the break pads doing. What do you think about the recommitted service intervals and why? I think that for the most part a good technician will spend 2 or 3 minutes with you and you will get better service. FWIW

 

I took my silver 05 pkg 6 this morning to the dealer for 30K they were charging $149.99 including the filters. Im fortunate the I got a coupon from them in the mail for $15 so I got a discount. I knew my cabin air filter is still clean so I told them if its not due for replacement I'll take the Parts home instead for spare since it's included already in the price which they gladly gave it to me after the service..they told me that the ATF is not due till 60k or even 100k because its a sealed system and even if i ask them to replace and drain the fluid it would still be clean..I argued that I drove alot 30K in 1 year (long driving) any type of oil will eventually lost their consistency due to heat but the service advisor said that not with the prius....is that true? ..thanks.

 

Man I'm glad I found this thread...


I just had my 25K service and was 'warned' by the service writer that "The Big One" was coming and I should expect about $300 for the next service. He mentioned servicing the transaxle filter/fluid as part of the reason for the high cost. Any truth to this at all?


Terry

 

Try this service.
Change your oil as you normally do. Get in the car and say (in a loud voice), "Prius, this is your driver. Is there anything wrong with you that I need to have serviced?" Listen for a response, perform any service the car tells you to do.

 

Went to Longo Toyota in El Monte, CA. I had the 30k service done with Mobil 1 substituted for standard oil. Replaced the engine oil and filter, cabin air filter, and engine air filter. With tax included, it was 163.85. Had it done on May 11, 2006.

 

I was dumb enough to buy the "service plan", what a jip, it is an oil change coupon book... They said "Aren't you going to maintain your new car?" I folded under the pressure and should be punished for it. I now have to bring it back to that dealer only and they try to get $300+ each time for great options like brake cleaning and transmission service. Oh ya, the Prius has a CVT, guess I don't need that. Have you noticed there is only Excellent and Poor on the dealer surveys when you are there. What ever happened to Fair or Good. Just because they get the oil in the right hole doesn't make it Excellent.

 

Dealerships don't make much selling cars. They make money off from the services on cars. So be carefull or these dealership will rip you off.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mbelofsky @ Apr 18 2006, 09:18 PM) [snapback]241837[/snapback]</div>

Those are ridiculous. Howabout

Oil and filters Free for Life..
Tire rotations: $20 per visit, or Free if you do it yourself or buy tires with it included
Engine flush: every 15K
Coolant flush: every 60K

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DeadPhish @ Jun 2 2006, 10:27 AM) [snapback]264619[/snapback]</div>

i feel like an complete dolt seeing what you guys are paying. i felt awfull about paying $750 for my 20k service and now i feel even more ripped off seeing how little you guys are paying

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cry4dawn @ Jun 2 2006, 12:47 PM) [snapback]264698[/snapback]</div>

May I ask what did they do for $750? According to the maintenance book, only things required at 20k are

• Replace engine oil and oil filter
• Rotate tires
• Visually inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs

If you are not sure, try this link, http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/owners.php
Select your car, year, and mileage. It shows you what's required.

 

Calling the 800 # WON'T make them stop their price gouging. I'm at the 45K service "SPECIAL". Special? Buahhhhhahahaha, yea for THEM is't special. Coupon says they'll relieve me of $149.88 And ONLY $298.88 when I get to 60K. Big O rotates my tires and inspects all that junk FOR FREE, besides knocking off 33% of the cost of the tires. Complain away, they'll apologeticly stroke you, then fleece the next poor slob.

gary

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tmorrowus @ May 5 2006, 02:31 PM) [snapback]250368[/snapback]</div>

 

I took my 2004 to Daytona Toyota for the 30,000 mile service today. I'm definitely glad I read this post before I went in. First off, I knew that the $300 charge most dealers charge for the service was way too high. Luckily, I got a coupon in the mail last week for an oil change with 19 point inspection plus engine air filter for $41.90; I took advantage of this. Additionally, I bought new tires at 27,000 miles so I didn't need them rotated or balanced (the dealer charges $40, but Discount Tire does it for free if you buy the tires there). I told my service advisor that I'd buy the cabin air filter and change it myself. He said that the 19 point inspection included with the oil change takes care of all the line items outlined in the maintenance guide. Can anyone verify this? Either way, he stamped my maintenance book right then and there after checking all the items that are supposed to be checked. Additionally, I also told him that the car makes a funny squealing noise in the rear at low speeds. I signed the estimate of $44.90.

Unfortunately, my dealer experience wasn't as good when I came back to the dealership. First, their courtesy shutttle stopped running at 4:00pm although their service department is open until 7pm. I couldn't get there until 6:00pm...I bummed a ride with a friend though. Unfortunately, this was after I called the dealership and they told me the car was ready; it would have been nice if they actually called to let me know it was done. When I get there, I see my Prius parked crooked in one of the aisle drives in front of the service area...they didn't even park it...or wash it. I walked inside and the cashier asked for $95. I asked why that was double the original estimate. She told me that I was charged $50 for them to clean and lubricate my backplate. First of all, I would think that would be covered under warranty...but then again I don't know what a backplate is. Does anyone know what a backplate is? Galaxee...if you read this...can you or your "DH" please inform me what a backplate is? Anyway, I didn't make a deal out of it, the cashier wouldn't be able to do anything anyway, but I am thinking of talking to the service manager tomorrow...does anyone think that's appropriate? I don't know if that's anal or not, but that wasn't on the estimate.

Finally, I went over to the parts desk and asked for the cabin air filter. The guy behind the desk quoted $34.95. I remember reading a lot of posts here about people discussing that price around $19. I told him that I heard it should be around $19 so he asked me where I heard that. I told him Priuschat...he gave me a blank stare and then said, "ok, I can give it to you for $19." Funny how that works, huh?

Overall...the cost out the door was $113.14. Definitely not bad at all in my book...but I'm going to see if they can take the backplate cleaning and lubrication job off...that would put it around $70. Even if I end up paying $113, I'm fine with that...I think I came away in good shape...I appreciate all the discussion on this topic...it saved me a couple hundred dollars...and that's a lot for a college student B)

 

This whole thread is just sad and depressing. Let's face it, none of the "oversights" by the dealers were accidents. I don't believe a single one of them was. Nobody is accidentally forgetting to read the line item that includes replacing the air filter. They didn't accidentally overcharge you for tranny work. It was no accident that the tires weren't rotated or that you were being charge extra for something to do with a back plate. I never did see an answer to what that is by the way.

How this industry continues to exist in the modern era of communication where the internet can expose even the most minor frauds is beyond me. Maybe I should start a site where people can rank dealer service departments. I wonder if there is such a site already in existence. Eventually, if word gets around that they will try to rip you off if you go to so- and -so dealership, maybe people will start going there. The owners will wonder what happened to their service department revenue, and they'll finally figure it out.

As they said in Network, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

 

The service on a Prius is really quite simple. Replacing the engine air filter doesn't even require tools! Nor does replacing the cabin air filter. You can do both in around 5 minutes.

Oil changes are a bit more involved, but still pretty easy. 15-20 minutes at most once you know how to do it.

Hell, you're not even supposed to change the plugs or the engine/inverter coolant until 100k.

I can see paying $30 for an oil change, or for tire rotations, but paying $80+ for service that you can do yourself in under 5 minutes with no tools doesn't make a lot of sense. The dealers want you to believe that this car is somehow difficult to service - nothing could be further from the truth. Regular maintenence on the Prius isn't any different than it is on any other normal vehicle. It's only when you have a problem that you might need the experience of a Prius tech.

 

Giving this thread a bit of a bump.

I just got "taken" at Sunnyvale Toyota on my 30k -- today. They first quoted me $350 so I explicitly asked if they do anything beyond what the prius '04 manual demands for a 30k -- they assured me they only do what is in the book.

Then he tells me $289. I figure they are the experts and, as they charged me something like $45 for the 25k servcie, I figured he was on the level. After reading this thread, it is obvious I have "SUCKER" written across my forehead in big letters.

In addition to their standard 30K inspection for $252.96 (which I now notice appears to be for all Toyota models they service) they also charged me $6.74 for an oil filter, $1.60 for a gasket, $2.60 for 5 quarts of oil, $2.00 for washer fluid (lame), and $18.69 for soemthing called an Element Sub-Assembly (which he didn't even mention).

I know this is just the typical story about "buyer beware" but it still sucks. I will definitely give the service manager a piece of my mind next week and give the toyota 800 number a call. I may even start making the very long trip to that independent shop in Berkeley.

Sadly, I vaguely remember getting reamed on the 15k too.

Why must auto service divisions suck so bad?

 

Today I called around for the 30k mile service and this is what was quoted to me:

Victory Toyota of Seaside, CA: $445 includes parts
Salinas Toyota, Salinas, CA: $484 includes parts
Toyota of Santa Cruz, CA: $415 includes parts
Roberts Auto Repair of Monterey, CA: $350. plus parts
Wayside Garage of Seaside, CA: $300 includes parts
Art's Automotive, Berkely, CA: $215 includes parts.

Then I asked Wayside for the price of the inspections not including the brakes and that was $40. I have a coupon for a $59.95 oil, filter, brake inspection, tire rotation and 27 point inspection at Victory Toyota.

So my plan is to get the $59.95 oil, filter, brake inspection, tire rotation and then do the pollen filter and air filter myself. If any of the items in the maintenance log are not completed by that, and I can't do them my self I will take it to the Wayside Garage for the remaining items.

 

I can't seem to find oem on eBay. Any suggestions here.
Thanks

 

I have 98k on my '07, and it hasn't been to a Dealer for service yet. I just have Jiffy Lube do the oil and basic (free) check-overs, America's Tire take care of the tires, and I do the 2 air filters myself. This thread is scaring me!

I do want to take it in and have the Dealer do the various recalls and bleed the (still original) brakes. They are 'barking' at high altitude from the air bubbles in the lines (that is another huge thread...).

FYI: There is an after-market cabin air filter that has a charcoal filter in it and so is better than the plain thin OEM Cabin Filter. Note that the Cabin Filter should be knocked clean about every 5-10k mi, since it accumulates leaves, dead bees, etc.; and the same with the engine air filter, which is easily clogged by pollen. Just pop it out and knock it against a curb, then it is good for another 10k.