Prius Service / Repair Bills

[Surv1v0r]

This is a suggestion; I believe that if taken up, it could be of benefit to prospective Prius purchasers such as myself. If the thread is deemed inappropriate by the administrators, please feel free to delete it.

When you visit a dealer and ask about running costs, the salesperson will (understandably) gloss over service and repair costs. I have certainly not been able to glean details on real-world costs.

The details that I would be interested in are:

• model and year
• mileage
• date
• parts used and cost
• sevrice minutes and costs
• main or independent garage

plus anything else that you feel would aid understanding.

Would people be willing to post details of their service bills? I would be happy to try to summarise the details in this opening post.

Duffryn - 2010 Prius T4

2 Michelin 215/45R17 tyres fitted recently by Toyota dealer for £106.99 each + VAT.
Fixed Price full service for the quoted £209
- plus £39 for brake fluid replacement
- plus £90 for aircon service (breakdown of the aircon service charges - Labour 1.10 @ £46.17 = £50.79; Element Air RE @ £14.71; Air Con Treatment @£9.50, the whole lot plus VAT = £90)!

"gen2" reports having been quoted £460 by a Toyota dealer to have two front wheel bearing replaced at 40k miles on a 2008 Gen2 Prius T Spirit. LINK

[aCactus]

As toyota do fixed price servicing why not get a quote...

http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/generic_editorial.jsp?navRoot=toyota_1024_root&fullwidth=true&noLeftMenu=true&forceText=%3cnone%3e&edname=Owners-Service-Servicing&id=Owners-Service-Servicing&zone=Zone+Ownership&sr=Mall

[Peter Sale]

I don't think this would work, as there are three generations of Prius I can't see how it would help you.

Other than the good suggestion above, why not ask about a service plan - that would help understand your running costs for the next however many years you wanted to plan.

As for using an independent garage, I wouldn't advise this for a couple of reasons 1) they don't understand the Prius and would spend longer on it and 2) It is not unknown for an independent to drain the oil with the car in 'Ready' thinkng it was off only for the engine to start ....

[FROSTYBALLS]

If you're looking at a service plan, you can use the Fixed Price Servicing costs to negotiate the service plan.

[Surv1v0r]

As toyota do fixed price servicing why not get a quote...

Use your vehicle registration number and a few details about your car to get your free no obligation quote.

A bit tricky for a prospective purchaser, considering a Prius ;)

Still, thanks for the link, it certainly offers some help although I am not sure how useful it is in terms of unexpected "issues".

I don't think this would work, as there are three generations of Prius I can't see how it would help you.

Other than the good suggestion above, why not ask about a service plan - that would help understand your running costs for the next however many years you wanted to plan.

As for using an independent garage, I wouldn't advise this for a couple of reasons 1) they don't understand the Prius and would spend longer on it and 2) It is not unknown for an independent to drain the oil with the car in 'Ready' thinkng it was off only for the engine to start ....

I take your point about the three generations which is why I mentioned "Model & year" - every little helps.

I agree about independent garages. Despite having used a quite fantastic independent to service my Picnic and various other cars for many years, if I were to buy a Prius I would with genuine regret have to stop using them.

[Chris Dance]

I have a fixed price service plan for my Prius Gen 3. I would never trust an independant garage with any Toyota Hybrid. Toyota service is the best as far as I am concerned. I have owned various models by other manufacturers and in most cases the servicing and repair left a lot to be desired.

[Peter Sale]

unexpected "issues". ?? We don't have those ...well hardly any.

My advice would be that you research this forum and the one on priuschat - you will then see that there are very few issues other than the 12v Battery failing after 5 years.

It appears that you are nervous of a Prius - don't be, you will enjoy it as we all do.

[Cyker]

Well, that is why they are called unexpected issues!

It's not like the HSD is immune to such things!

I seem to recall we had one person's water pump fail and another who had an issue with the HV cooling vent being blocked up with dust or something?

(I think the pump was covered by the warranty, can't remember the cooling vent. Think they just vacuumed it out )

The HSD is much like my D4D in that regard - Nothing ever goes wrong with it, but if it did it'd probably be expensive to fix!

Still, two 'unexpected' problems in the whole forum out of all HSD owners is hard to beat!! The HSDs are in no danger of losing their most reliable car status any time soon :D

[Opifex]

That about says it all really.

In my case:

• model and year: 2010 Prius T-Spirit
• mileage: 39,000
• date: May 2010
• parts used and cost: 3 key fob batteries, £11 each but cheaper on Amazon. Will need 2 tyres soon.
• sevrice minutes and costs: around £600 for a 4 year service contract.
• main or independent garage: local Toyota dealer
• Unexpected issues: gravel can get trapped in panels under the car. Have to remove 2 screws/panel to get them out, or half hour work for a dealer. Only happened once and I do drive along dusty French unmade roads quite often.

Oh, I nearly forgot, very occasionally you do have to put some petrol in. ;)

[Surv1v0r]

unexpected "issues". ?? We don't have those ...well hardly any.

My

advice would be that you research this forum and the one on priuschat - you will then see that there are very few issues other than the 12v battery failing after 5 years.

It appears that you are nervous of a Prius - don't be, you will enjoy it as we all do.

Thanks for that, I'll have a look at PriusChat.

To be honest, the only reason I am considering a Prius is because I have been so happy with my Picnic. Originally I always got it serviced by the Toyota main dealer from which I bought it but the services became so expensive for apparently so little actual work that I have gone to a local garage for quite a few years now and have come to trust them. (Incidentally, I am not knocking the dealer here, they do have an amazing showroom and free coffee). I asked the owner of the garage what he thought of the Prius and he said that he wouldn't be willing to work on one because they were too specialist. The Picnic is a fantastic people carrier and it seems to go on forever. However, it is somewhat long in the tooth and I fear that it will catch me out sooner or later.

That about says it all really.

In my case:

• model and year: 2010 Prius T-Spirit
• mileage: 39,000
• date: May 2010
• parts used and cost: 3 key fob batteries, £11 each but cheaper on Amazon. Will need 2 tyres soon.
• sevrice minutes and costs: around £600 for a 4 year service contract.
• main or independent garage: local Toyota dealer
• Unexpected issues: gravel can get trapped in panels under the car. Have to remove 2 screws/panel to get them out, or half hour work for a dealer. Only happened once and I do drive along dusty French unmade roads quite often.

Oh, I nearly forgot, very occasionally you do have to put some petrol in. ;)

I will definitely have a look at Toyota's service contract - £600 for four years sounds like a good deal - thanks.

Do you have any idea what the replacement tyres are likely to cost and do you rotate your tyres periodically?

[Duffryn]

Had 2 Michelin 215/45R17 tyres fitted recently by my Toyota dealer for £106.99 each + VAT.Can't be bothered to rotate wheels these days, and is it really necessary anyway?

Also had Fixed Price full service for the quoted £209..........plus £39 for brake fluid replacement.......plus £90 for aircon service!

And, as a previous poster said, I would not let anyone other than a Toyota dealer technician any where near my Prius

[johalareewi]

The fixed price service for a Prius is what you will pay. There isn't a lot to do at a service and there isn't anything expensive to change except the oil (0w20 about £50). Unexpected problems are covered by warranty.

Getting an independent to service a Prius is possible (lots of USA owners do it), but you could have trouble claiming under warranty without a Mr T service history, and the independent must be familiar with the ins and outs of a hybrid (like how to turn it off, and where the HV is etc.). I get Mr T to do my service but use my local independent to do routine stuff like tyres, etc.

[Surv1v0r]

The fixed price service for a Prius is what you will pay. There isn't a lot to do at a service and there isn't anything expensive to change except the oil (0w20 about £50). Unexpected problems are covered by warranty.

Isn't Toyota warranty for five years? I hadn't really planned on changing my car every five years.

[Joseph D]

The fixed price service for a Prius is what you will pay. There isn't a lot to do at a service and there isn't anything expensive to change except the oil (0w20 about £50). Unexpected problems are covered by warranty.

Isn't Toyota warranty for five years? I hadn't really planned on changing my car every five years.

Yes, but the warranty does not cover your regular servicing, which you will need to have done once a year (or 10,000 mi, whichever comes first) to keep your warranty valid. Just all the usual stuff - oil, air filter, pollen filter, Wiper Blades, tyres (checked i.e.), etc.

[johalareewi]

You can extend the warranty to 10 years.

[Surv1v0r]

"gen2" reports having been quoted £460 by a Toyota dealer to have two front wheel bearing replaced. He got a single faulty front wheel bearing replaced for £140 - problem solved. Car was a 40k miles 2008 Gen2 Prius T Spirit. LINK

I have to say that personally I would have been inclined to have both front wheel bearings done at the same time - to avoid returning in three months to have the other one done :(