Toyota Dealer in SoCal wants $7600 to replace the short block!!!

Tim- Just go get a refurbished (used) motor and post an ad on craigslist for a mechanic. Once fixed either keep the car + go to Jiffy Lube every 5K or sell it.

You really cannot argue with folks on this forum (or get lots of sympathy) when you aren't sure if you haven't been preforming the most basic procedure of car maintenance (i.e. oil change) in the the last 20 - 30 K.

Don't know what else to say...........
Your situation sucks.
b

 

The whole thing with your dealer is a lesson for all, including me, who just trust and take what they dish.

Wear happens gradually, it shouldn't have all of a sudden been a big change.

A mechanic can diagnose an engine with worn bores, and many other things, without teardown.

Even 30K no oil change should not ruin the short block IMO. I've seen and heard of worse maintainance with no such effects.

Rebuilding a 4 cyl. short block shouldn't cost nearly that much. I bet it can be done under a $1000.

It all sounds dubious by the dealer.

I think I would take them to court on this one, almost half the price of the car for a short block is amazing.

 

For some strange reason I can't resist responding to this post.

Here is the scenario as I see it;

1. The owners never changed or checked the oil in their Prius. They only did the 30k services. So they had new oil at 30k and at 60k. Now at 86k the engine has been consuming a bit of oil and now the poor oil change routine has caused the engine to fail.

2. The owners agreed to pay $3500 dollars to have their problems "diagnosed".

IMHO, it is a "fact" that the poor oil change routine caused the engine to fail. It is not a "theory." 30k oil changes with regular dino oil is not OK.

I cant imagine any dealer asking for $3500 with a straight face for diagnosis. I also cant imagine anyone actually agreeing to such a number.

I would not fix the car I would trade it in at the dealer. He is likely to absorbe a bit of that $3500 in the trade in negotiations.

This was an expensive lesson, but you have surely learned that cars need their oil changed. For most cars the oil level needs to be checked periodically too. If this was an Audi you would not have made it to the first 30k miles.

Good luck in the future.

ps Oh, I just re-read some of the details. The $3500 was to dissassemble and reassemble the engine. It was not simply for diagnosis. I wonder what the cost was just for the diagnosis.

 

I had to toss my 2 cents worth in... buy that darn eBay motor! It's a steal! A completely TOYOTA assembled long block is way better than anybody rebuilding that motor in yours. Especially with only 20k miles that puppy is just broke in new.

Tow it straight to a recommended honest mechanic who knows Toyota and Scion... does NOT have to be a Prius expert. The ICE is basically same as a Scion RNR (remove and replace) job. I had a Tercel motor RNR complete labor, $500.00 granted I would expect to pay more on a Prius job.

Then contact the California Bureau of Automotive Repairs and report those idiots in San Bernardino, try to get mediator or arbitration involved. Give them the black mark they deserve. :angry:
http://www.autorepair.ca.gov/stdPage.asp?B..._Complaints.htm

Lastly THANK YOU for informing me Toyota of San Bernardino SUCKS! I almost bought my wife's '07 from there, wound up in the High Desert due to my wife liking gold vs. the blue one I had ready to roll. SOOOOooooo glad I didn't give them my business. I'm so mad I'm feeling like driving down there and venting full volume on the service manager, and I don't even know you! Frick!

Best of luck no matter what you wind up doing! Strap in for the Santa Ana winds coming up this week end too.

 

Tim, good luck with your Prius and glad to hear the house and wife are both OK. Did the dealer tell you to come back for an oil and filter change at 600 to 1000 miles? You should do this even if it wasn't recomended to remove any machining and assembly debris.