Toyota Care Plus

Up to you, but it's really just a lock-you-in money maker, in my opinion. But then, I'm doing my own maintenance.

The $300 transmission "flushing" is way off base. The Prius transaxle is not a traditional automatic in any sense. A drain of it's fluid get's almost all the fluid. Toyota Genuine ATF-WS is the spec, you really shouldn't use anything else. It's a simple operation. It IS a good idea to change the transaxle fluid, say around 25~30,000 miles, then every 60,000 miles thereafter, in my opinion.

Toyota's recommendation, apart from giving the ATF spec, is to NEVER change it. But it is cheap and easy to do, and it's your car.

They shouldn't be charging much over $100 for this. To be kind, the person you were talking to is likely not at all knowledgeable on the Prius transaxle, basically reading a script, doing his job.

 

Ditto what Mendel Leisk said. The staff doesn't know what he/she is talking about. Just going by the script given to them.
No such thing as a Transmission Flush for a Prius.

 

if you're keeping the car long term, the tranny fluid change is worthwhile as mendel said. so your cost outside of the deal is around $260., what about air filter at 30k and tyre rotate every 5k?

 

i think you might be wrong, if they are throwing in the tranny oil. but it isn't among toyota's recommendations.

 

The cabin and engine filters are ridiculously overpriced these days, a cash grab. Also, according to my Canadian schedule I was supposed to replace the engine filter at 48000 km's at the lastest. I checked it recently, I'm around that km now, and there is no way I'm going to change it: maybe the car's led a sheltered life or something, this west coast climate, but that filter still looks brand new.

And the cabin filter: I've blown the dust off it once or twice and re-installed, cannot get excited about it. We drive with just windows cracked, ventilation system off, half the time.

 

If you have only put 7,300 miles on your vehicle in 3 years of operation, I think you are much better off simply paying out of pocket for maintenance as needed and scheduled.

It is up to you, but an extension of " Toyota Care " for 2 years, on a vehicle that is essentially still new? At $300, seems like a bad investment.

You are likely to only need Oil Changes and perhaps cabin filter changes, all which can be done relatively cheaply.

 

understood, i just thought she mentioned it. and btw, you do a disservice to timeshare salespeople when you compare them to auto service people.

 

close one for sure.

 

I noticed the "Toyota Express" service some dealers advertise perform almost all of the inspection pieces at no charge. So synthetic oil change with those inspection should check the boxes for most services. I'll do my own air filters for 30k.