Reached 55,000 miles - now what?

All it needs every 5,000 miles is an oil change and a tire rotation (which you should be able to get done for free wherever you bought your tires...). Oh, at 60,000 miles you should change the _______ fluid (I'm brain dead and can't remember if it's the transmission or transaxle fluid!). Oh well, someone else will weigh in on this thread and tell you for sure. That one is NOT listed at that interval, but experienced Prius owners have found that the fluid degrades enough after 60,000 miles that it's well worth the cost to have it done "out of interval".

Prius maintenance is extremely simple. Just take your warranty book into the dealer (or other mechanic) and ask for ONLY the items listed there. Most places do 1,001 things that aren't really necessary, only so they can jack up the price on you.

 

I never had any prepaid coupons. I just take synthetic oil for the to change (buy it at Sam's in bulk). They only charge me about $14 (then I do not have to deal with disposal or other stuff).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ehuna @ Jun 28 2007, 12:51 AM) [snapback]469229[/snapback]</div>

Is what really needed? Maintenance? That's necessary for the life of the car. of course.!! Or where to have it done? Your choice. The dealer can't rip you off if you don't let them. Don't let them sell you all their unnecessary maintence, additional services beyond what is required.

It's this simple. Oil /filter changes at 5k mile intervals, air/cabin air filter changes at 30K mile intervals, inverter coolant at 100K miles and, finally, spark plugs at 120K mile intervals. Repeat for the life of your car. Rotate those tires as you see fit and keep an eye on the brakes.

Couldn't be simpler.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ehuna @ Jun 27 2007, 11:51 PM) [snapback]469229[/snapback]</div>

I'm going to hit 55,000 on my 2006 (2/15/06) on the way home after work today. So far, I've changed oil at 5,000's and rotated tires at 10,000's. Changed air filters at 20,000's and gassed up before I run out.

I haven't been back to the dealer since I drove off the lot. I'm expecting the tires to go to about 70,000.

I had a flat tire a while back from a screw in the road. Otherwise, I've done it all at home myself. It's probably one of the easiest cars to self maintain I've had. It's a lot cheaper to do your own.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Jun 28 2007, 05:51 AM) [snapback]469314[/snapback]</div>

This is EXACTLY my experience, except that I just passed 36,000 in my 06. 5k with Mobil 1, 10K for the tires, even the screw (flat repaired). My tires look about 1/2 worn at 36K. I do blow out both filters with compressed air whenever I think of it, and have replaced them once ($21 at the dealer). Otherwise, never seen a dealer since new. B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Jun 28 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]469586[/snapback]</div>

You boys sure know how to hurt a girl! I 've been bringing my car in to the dealer every 2500 miles for service. My salesman said it was necessary to fulfill the warranty requirments. I get charged about $99/ service for the minor ones and $199/service for the major at 15k, 30k and 45k so far. I saved all the receipts. Will that help? I mean, can I stop them from the too often service requirments.? Thanks very much,

Shybrid

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shybrid @ Jun 28 2007, 02:21 PM) [snapback]469662[/snapback]</div>

$99 each 2500 miles!@?#

Wow, what are they doing? Can't be just oil changes, fluid checks, and tire rotations...

The warranty doesn't go void if you don't maintain your car. However, it doesn't cover you if it's proven that the fault arose because of lack of maintenance and you did not maintain your car according to the schedule in the manual. The schedule in the manual states every 5000.

What can you do to stop them from telling you you need to do this? Not a whole lot, and it probably won't work.
But you can stop believing them

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shybrid @ Jun 28 2007, 05:21 PM) [snapback]469662[/snapback]</div>

I really feel for you. It's people like you that pay for new dealerships! They are really screwing you over. Every 5K get the oil changed, and tires rotated. Should be less than $50, and more like $35. There is no major work at the mileage you mention. Other than inspections.

You could just find an independant to chage the oil and rotate tires.

As for that salesman telling you need that to fulfill the warranty, I think I'd have a few words for him.

The bad thing is, they do this to women the most. A lot of guys work on their cars, so they pick their targets.

 

Its common sale scare tactics, first they say how great something is then they try to scare you into the extended warranties and pre-paid maintenance.

Just like how Best Buy, Sears, and many others try to sell you the extended warranty. They will tell you "this flat panel tv is the absolute best, it cant be beat." You say "ok load it up", and then they "I recommend our extended free replacement plan, it guarantee's if anything happens in the next 3 years, we replace it for free." Then you say how much?" Then he says lets see for your $2000 tv it is $400 (it always seems to be an additional 20%). And you say "no thanks" and then they say "just yesterday I had a guy come in with that exact model and the power supply and plasma generator was shot and walked out the door with a brand new tv free of charge" you still say "no I still don't want it, that is too much" and they will say "Well I hope you are one of the lucky ones because these ones are known to fail in a year or two"

The truth is that these service plans only ever get used less than 12 % of the time, and most time they are still in the manufacturers warranty, so the store gets it reconditioned / repaired for free or at minimal cost paid for by the manufacturer because technically the stores insurance owns it and then they resell it as open box with 20 % off the current price. Which means they sold 2 tv's and you paid the profits for both.

One product I do recommend the warranty on though is the xbox 360 almost everyone I know has already had theirs break, I got lucky with mine it broke about 10 days before the 1 year warranty was up.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shybrid @ Jun 28 2007, 04:21 PM) [snapback]469662[/snapback]</div>

Wow.

First thing you should do is read the maintenance schedule.

Then you might want to add up all the extra work - all the 2500 mile interval service charges you paid.
Then pay UNfriendly visit to the manager of the dealership, bringing along a strong willed friend.
Ask them what they're going to do to make up for all the extra, unnecessary work they falsly convinced you was needed. Like issue a BIG refund check.

I'd also file a complaint with Toyota, regardless of what the dealership does when you complain. Phone and letter. Documenting how much they charged you on those unnecessary 2500 mile intervals.

I'd make a very strong complaint against that salesman - lieing to a customer like that is unacceptable.

And maybe get an attorney involved.

My maintence guide specifies maintenance every 5000 miles - if they told you otherwise, you have a different car than I do, or, someone lied to you...

And of course, never spend another cent at that dealership again.

FWIW, my 5000 mile service cost about $23.00

 

Just over 50K is when I decided to tear into things a little:
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/maint50k/ and following links.
If you're going to have someone else do maintenance, what you need
to do is go to your ol' hometown trusted independent mechanic that
you stopped going to after getting your Prius, and tell him "I found
out I don't have to keep going back to Toyota with this thing!" and
bring him up to speed on how to drive it and manage the controls ...
and from there on, it's just like any other car normal service.
Except the brakes will never wear out, if you're driving it right,
but they should be cleaned out / lubed every so often.
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pewd @ Jun 28 2007, 07:34 PM) [snapback]469797[/snapback]</div>

My dad recently went in for his first 5k service and they charged him $80. The manual says the regular maintenance should include the usual oil change and tire rotation, as well as checking bunch of fluids and looking inside the prius to make sure the regular stuff like the lights work. So will the warranty be voided if my dad asks them to do just the oil change and tire rotation.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nark @ Jun 29 2007, 02:50 AM) [snapback]469883[/snapback]</div>

That's what he should be doing, and no the warranty won't be voided. He can even take it to Wal-Mart or where-ever and do the same thing for $ 18.00. People need to realize that you tell the dealer what you want, not let them tell you what you need.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shybrid @ Jun 28 2007, 05:21 PM) [snapback]469662[/snapback]</div>

Wth have they possibly been doing at 2500 mile intervals . That is almost criminal. Yes you can stop this and I'd go up there with all the receits and raise cane, then call your local consumer advocate news station and get them up there for the dealer to talk to.

 

Your WS fluid looks quite dark to me, Mr. Hobbit!

 

When working on a girlfriends car back in the day I would make things up like, "hey it looks like you're low on blinker fluid."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(9G-man @ Jun 29 2007, 05:10 AM) [snapback]469947[/snapback]</div>

Thank you 9G-man, I am going to get the local television station involved. I will also send a letter to Toyota Consumer Care and expose this dealer for the schmuck that he is. Maybe it's just the salesman's fault, but I will go after them all. You guys have been great! I am new to Priuschat but will continue to check it daily so I won't be taken advantage of again.

Shybrid

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shybrid @ Jun 29 2007, 07:00 PM) [snapback]470320[/snapback]</div>

If me, I would get al those things you say ready, then present them to the dealer telling them of my plans. Maybe they will make it right. If they say it's your word against the salesman, point out that noe one in the service department told you otherwise either in 55k. They just kept taking your money!

Please let us know how this pans out.

 

Shybrid, I'm sorry to hear of your experiences but welcome to the site.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shybrid @ Jun 29 2007, 07:00 PM) [snapback]470320[/snapback]</div>

It's not just the salesman's fault, but also the service department. If malpractice existed in the automotive world, this would be a prime example. Lying to you about your warranty being in jeopardy if you don't change your oil every 2,500 miles is fraud. Now, it would be difficult to prove that, becuase I bet they never put it in writing and it will turn into a he said/she said debate. Of course, you can point back to your documentation and ask why they would change the fluid every 2,500 miles on a car that has a suggested service interval of 5,000 miles.