Hybrid Auris Touring

[Swerve74]

Hello anyone on here using a auris hybrid touring as a taxi ???? just wondering what sort of mpg you are achieving I'll be mostly doing a mixture of motorway and city driving.

[Smiling Taxi]

HI,

Only just got the Auris as a mini cab (and loving it!) so still running in, but mixture of city and A-roads I'm getting just over 64 mpg which, to be honest, I'm delighted with!

[Swerve74]

Thanks mate. I'm used to 36 mpg out of my vauxhall insignia auto 170 bhp so anywhere near 50 mpg would be a real bonus for me.

Just signed up for a 63 plate with 5k on the clock and pick it up next week. While I'm on can anyone advise as to the servicing and warranty. Can I get it done at a vat registered garage and use toyota parts and not nullify the warranty. I've been told that I can do this till the car is 3 years old and after that for the remaining 2 years it must be done at a toyota dealer. Please advise thanks.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

Thanks mate. I'm used to 36 mpg out of my vauxhall insignia auto 170 bhp so anywhere near 50 mpg would be a real bonus for me.

Just signed up for a 63 plate with 5k on the clock and pick it up next week. While I'm on can anyone advise as to the servicing and warranty. Can I get it done at a vat registered garage and use toyota parts and not nullify the warranty. I've been told that I can do this till the car is 3 years old and after that for the remaining 2 years it must be done at a toyota dealer. Please advise thanks.

Should be able to do it for the whole warranty, but after warranty runs out, unless you pay separately for the hybrid health check you won't have any comeback on the traction Battery failing. Where as if serviced at main dealer, or if you pay £40 ever 10k miles for the health check on its own, they'll cover the Battery for up to 12 months / 10k miles up to the vehicles 10th birthday.

Toyota do fixed price servicing, so might not be all that cheaper getting it done elsewhere?

[PeteB]

Going back 12 years or more, several Mk 1 Prius owners on the Yahoo group said they had written confirmation from Toyota that doing their servicing themselves would not affect their warranty as long as they did everything at the right time, documented it, and used genuine Toyota parts where appropriate, the correct oils etc.

I dare say they would be less willing to pay for out of warranty failures from their "good will" pool though, and as Jon says there is now the issue of the Hybrid Battery check that extends the Hybrid Battery warranty.

[FROSTYBALLS]

As regards servicing outside of the Toyota dealer network, if one had a problem outside warranty, Toyota would probably not make a goodwill contribution.

Also if you purchase a Toyota extended warranty for when the new car warranty expires, servicing will need to be undertaken within the Toyota dealer network to keep the extended warranty in force, as Block Exemption only applies to the new car warranty period.

Toyota Fixed Price Servicing costs - http://www.toyota.co.uk/caring-for-your-toyota/service-and-maintenance/car-servicing.json

Hybrid Health Check - http://www.toyota.co.uk/caring-for-your-toyota/service-and-maintenance/hybrid-health-check.json

When Toyota introduced the Hybrid Health Check, they said that if one renews the HHC just before the vehicle's 10th anniversary, cover can run for almost 11 years.

[Swerve74]

Thanks all. I've saved the links to fixed price servicing. I'm the type of guy that likes to get his hands dirty. And begrudge having to pay someone for a job that I could do in my sleep. But will have to bite the bullet me thinks. While I have your attention lads has anyone retro fitted cruise control on an auris as the one I'm getting doesn't have it. Thanks again.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

Thanks all. I've saved the links to fixed price servicing. I'm the type of guy that likes to get his hands dirty. And begrudge having to pay someone for a job that I could do in my sleep. But will have to bite the bullet me thinks. While I have your attention lads has anyone retro fitted cruise control on an auris as the one I'm getting doesn't have it. Thanks again.

PeteB has to his Prius, might be similar on the Auris? I'm sure he can shed some light :)

[PeteB]

I'm pretty sure it's the same switch on the Auris, although the trim parts may be different. Here's the parts they used on my Prius:

http://biwel.com/pmb01/Cruise-Control-parts.pdf

All Toyota Hybrids have had a fully working Cruise Control system fitted (in the UK at least), they just leave the switch off! Even the lights in the dash and fuse are present.

I was mighty annoyed when I found I'd done 10,000 miles not knowing this when I had my first Prius in 2002. What marketing bull ****.

I've since had the switches fitted to another Gen 1, a Gen 2 and my current Gen 3 T3 Prius.(Gen 1 & 2 also needed a different brake light switch on the brake pedal with an extra terminal, but Gen 3 systems, including Yaris and Auris, don't need this).

I've always had it done by my dealer (Dingles of Norwich), but any competent vehicle electrician should be able to do it, just need to know how to handle the driver's airbag without setting it off in your face!

[Swerve74]

Thanks Pete that sounds great. Much appreciate the info.

[Swerve74]

Btw Pete did you get the parts from Toyota or a internet suppliers.

[PeteB]

My dealer supplied all the parts.

[Swerve74]

Pete I'm trying to quote another post that is titled cruise control installation instructions but to no avail. There are pictures and part numbers on the post can you have a quick search to see if you can find it. Thanks Swerve74

If you put the highlighted wording in the search bar it is the first one in the list, page 1 of 51

[PeteB]

Hi Irving

You can cut and paste into a Quote box manually by selecting the "Quote" Icon on the lower toolbar at the top of the "Reply to this topic" box, e.g.:

Pete I'm trying to quote another post...

I've had a quick look, and it looks feasible, except it's on an older generation Auris - latest Toyotas Have a circular 'speedo with arrow ' symbol for the cruise control, with another "set" indicator to show it's not just switched on but active. The procedure might be identical on the latest models, but you never know!

My dealer charged £135 (after a small loyalty discount) all in, and to me it was worth the peace of mind.

It also helped smooth the process when getting insurance quotes being able to say to the underwriter that the Cruise Control was built into the car, and an official dealer added the switch using official Toyota parts.

[Dutchguy]

I've been trying to get cruise control retro fitted to my 2014 Auris, but mr T will not do it as there 'is no official procedure' for it, so they do not know what to charge me. I could only have done this as an option when buying the car.

if I were to fit it myself it would void certain warranty (ECU) amongst others, so I am hesitating.

On the fixed price servicing, I got a quote for 2 year servicing, but that comes out much more expensive than the fixed price numbers. They informed me, that the fixed price does not include extras like brake fluid every two years, any transmission oil if required, or a AC service. I wonder what others have experienced on this.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The dealer is correct that things like brake fluid changes and air con services are additional items to fixed price servicing.

However, service plans should be negotiable and allow you to include what you want to be included - ie whether or not you want the brake fluid change or MOT's, etc included as part of the plan or whether you want to pay separately for the 'extras'. The same scenario applies to the air con service.

When I negotiated the plan for my current car, I based it on the fixed service plan costs, and it included a free brake fluid change at 2 years (which was an offer that dealer was offering at the time).

On my car transmission oil doesn't need to be changed until 4 years/40,000 miles,

As regards air conditioning, use of this all year round helps keep the seals lubricated, lessens the possibility of leakage, etc, and usually means that one doesn't need to have the air con serviced every two years if it still produces cold air from the system. Using air con in winter coupled with some heat, means faster demisting, and a quicker build up of temperature in the car.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

if I were to fit it myself it would void certain warranty (ECU) amongst others, so I am hesitating.

Who told you that? They're wrong.

[Swerve74]

Surely it's just a plug and play scenario it's not as if your having to go into the ecu and change any parameters. We have been informed that the cars come with the connections in situ so maybe this is just a money making option for Toyota. When you see the cost of the bits and that's to customers I can't believe that Toyota aren't fitting this as standard. The cost of parts to them would be probably £30.00 With the amount of cars they make.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Surely it's just a plug and play scenario it's not as if your having to go into the ecu and change any parameters. We have been informed that the cars come with the connections in situ so maybe this is just a money making option for Toyota. When you see the cost of the bits and that's to customers I can't believe that Toyota aren't fitting this as standard. The cost of parts to them would be probably £30.00 With the amount of cars they make.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK doesn't decide the specs.

The appropriate sales organisation for the country you're in decides what specification the models they sell have - hence why there are differences in both specification names, detailed specifications and options available in different countries. For example Toyotas sold in the Republic of Ireland tend to have lower specifications than thoise sold in the UK. Also the Republic of Ireland sells a van version of the Auris.

There are also differences in warranty - mainland Europe have retained the 3 year/100,000km Toyota new car warranty, whereas Toyota GB adopted the 5 year/100,000 mile new car warranty for the UK from July 2010.

So presumably Toyota GB (the sales organisation for the UK) have decided not to offer cruise control on the specification Auris you're going for.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

When you see the cost of the bits and that's to customers I can't believe that Toyota aren't fitting this as standard. The cost of parts to them would be probably £30.00 With the amount of cars they make.

You could say that about every option, and all those £30+ add up. Why not drop spec options and just force everyone to have a top spec car? Why - because this isn't what the market demands.

[Heidfirst]

"on the fixed price servicing, I got a quote for 2 year servicing, but that comes out much more expensive than the fixed price numbers. They informed me, that the fixed price does not include extras like brake fluid every two years, any transmission oil if required, or a AC service. I wonder what others have experienced on this."

That'll be Western then? I don't know why they do that but they do themselves a disservice as it makes them look dearer than Toyota's Fixed Price Servicing when they are not.

I know that when I took out my latest service contract (Arnold Clark, Bishopbriggs) it was a bit of a no-brainer as it included an Intermediate, a Full & 2 MOTs for iirc ~ 15% less than the fixed price Intermediate & Full would have cost separately.

[PeteB]

true, but they could make a lot more friends by offering the cruise control switch as a dealer fit option - it takes my dealer's technician just ½ hour to do, but then I've given him a fair bit of practice over the years!

It's a lot simpler (for a knowledgeable technician) to do and way quicker and cheaper than, for example, the dealer fit parking sensors or heated seats, both of which are officially listed.

[Parts-King]

Fixed price servicing does not cover brake fluid etc, they are recommendations and not part of the schedule, however all those things, MOT etc CAN be added into a service plan

[barrycoll]

Parts king brought to my attention to system of "Recommendations" used by Toyota (and maybe others?

My recent 2 year service with 12k on the clock, elicited the options of

brake fluid change

wheel alignment

a/c service and pollen filter change

new Wiper Blades

with the Wiper Blades, the need is obvious, but are the rest are just emotional decisions, or should they be part of the service plan?

For me, brake fluid seems strange, as the fluid should never be exposed to 'air' to become degraded in the first place, and other than a leak in the hydraulic line, just how does it ever absorb environmental moisture???

[Parts-King]

Moisture is absorbed through flexible lines and each time you take the brake fluid cap on. Moisture is particularly damaging to newer type braking systems with ABS, EBD, VSC etc as there are a lot of components in this systems

http://www.aa-academy.com/Training/Learning%20Zone/Brake%20Fluids.asp

Service plans can include anything you want, after all, you are paying for it over the duration of the plan