Yaris hybrid service costs - high :-( dealer or independent

[Ricey155]

Just scanned 13 pages of threads and nobody has moaned about the cost of a service :-) so I'll start.

Collected the TYH yesterday and its got 11320 miles on the clock born 22.12.15 and had its last service 11th Jan 2017 at 6500miles. Listers Nuneaton full service is £295 I guess this includes looking at the hybrid system for 30 seconds @  £45 (sales guy said they don't check it other than look at it, I guess that's till you buy it and find a £45 charge for tea and biscuits. 

Am I right in thinking the Battery needs to be checked every 12-13 months to keep the warranty going 1yr extra 10,000 miles up to 10years? the rest as long as it's serviced on schedule using correct parts, filters and oil by an independent garage, you're covered by Toyota's warranty? 

£1500 for 5 years servicing @   £295 is a lot of repairs down the line. 

If you know the score and have been through all this, please do share it's very much appreciated. and saving money (which is why we bought it would be great) 

 

Rant shared :-) 

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

This has been covered at length on previous threads.

Prior to April 2016, Toyota operated a fixed price service scheme that offered the Intermediate, Full and Full+ services together with service options. Service options were things such as brake fluid change, which are supposed to be carried out every two years. So owners often had the situation where they were booking, for example a full service, and finding there were additional items to be done at additional cost that were required by the service schedules. See https://www.toyota.co.uk/owners/service-mot-maintenance/servicing.json

In April 2016 Toyota revised both the service costs and the services - and the majority of the service options were included within the revised service schedules. 

Toyota also included a cheaper service regime for vehicles over 5 years of age called Essential Care. 

As regards the Hybrid Health Check (which is where the hybrid system and Battery are checked for correct operation, etc), this is done free of charge at each service by a Toyota dealer.  If owners have their car serviced elsewhere, they can pay a Toyota dealer to carry out the Hybrid Health Check. The extended Battery warranty only comes into effect when the hybrid components/battery warranty expires (5 years/100,000 miles on new vehicles first registered from April 2014). See https://www.toyota.co.uk/owners/warranty/toyota-warranty.json

Once one's vehicle reaches five years of age, one can take advantage of the Essential Care scheme provides a silver service (intermediate) for around £100 currently, and a gold service (full) for currently around £180. This is similar to schemes other manufacturers offer for vehicles outside the new car warranty - and cheaper than some.

Toyota's service intervals are either 1 year or 10,000 miles, whichever occurs first - so by the sound of it your car has been correctly serviced on the time basis. 

Yes, as with any manufacturer, one can have one's car serviced by a VAT registered garage, rather than within the franchised dealer network. However, should a warranty issue occur for which correct servicing may have had a bearing on the issue, it would be down to the owner to prove that the correct service schedule and parts of sufficient quality had been used. Servicing outside the dealer network would usually deny the owner any goodwill help from the manufacturer in the case of major repairs, etc outside of the new car warranty - this is the case with any manufacturer, not just Toyota. 

Also outside the franchised dealer network, any required customer service campaigns or recalls won't be actioned - these would need to be done within that manufacturer's dealer network.

At the end of the day, one would expect service costs to be looked at by the prospective purchaser before the purchase of any vehicle, and certainly with the 21 new vehicles I have bought from the likes of Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Hyundai and Toyota, I've checked the servicing costs before purchase. From my experience of other Japanese/Korean marques and ignoring service packs which Toyota don't offer (not service plans), Toyota's service costs are competitive despite last years cost increases and schedule changes. 

As always the choice is with the individual. 

[Heidfirst]

It's also worth investigating a Service plan - I have just bought a new pre-reg Avensis & 3 services (2 interim & 1 full) plus 1 MOT was £369 - at full retail on an individual basis on Toyota's fixed price regime that would be £759 at today's prices & those may/will rise over the years.

It's a no-brainer for me but I know that my dealer's service plans seem to be particularly cost effective.

[monkeydave]

check this out

https://www.toyota.co.uk/owners/service-mot-maintenance/servicing.json#?utm_source=ToyotaOwnersClub&utm_medium=ForumLinks

says free hybrid inspection (model dependant though)

i would just pay as you go as once they got your money they dont need to try as hard and its only £1085 for 5 years on my yaris as there is only two major services and three intermediate

also i dont like to buy service plans as what happens if you get a lemon car and get rid of it

[Heidfirst]

40 minutes ago, monkeydave said:

also i dont like to buy service plans as what happens if you get a lemon car and get rid of it

In my case they roll unused over to your next ... Having said that the car will still be in warranty for 2 years longer than the current service plan.

[Ricey155]

cheers all :-) 

Frosty I was told the cost of a service as I asked when I visit listers but didn't realise that a car that's done 14,000 would really need a major service. I've never heard anyone needing to replace brake fluid after 2 years. unless their system and parts are that bad. 

Money for old rope as per usual. 

[Heidfirst]

13 minutes ago, Ricey155 said:

Frosty I was told the cost of a service as I asked when I visit listers but didn't realise that a car that's done 14,000 would really need a major service. I've never heard anyone needing to replace brake fluid after 2 years. unless their system and parts are that bad. 

It's done on a time or mileage basis, 1st service is Interim, 2nd service is a Full.

Replacing brake fluid every 2nd year is a fairly standard recommendation by car manufacturers (e.g. Ford went to that in 2000). You are, of course, free to ask for a test & if it is OK not have it changed.

[FROSTYBALLS]

36 minutes ago, Ricey155 said:

cheers all :-) 

Frosty I was told the cost of a service as I asked when I visit listers but didn't realise that a car that's done 14,000 would really need a major service. I've never heard anyone needing to replace brake fluid after 2 years. unless their system and parts are that bad. 

Money for old rope as per usual. 

All of the new cars we have bought have required servicing on the basis of 1 year or 10,000/12,000 miles, whichever occurred first - with the exception of a  1994 Honda Concerto which was 6 months/6,000 miles. That is from 1987 to date - 21 new cars from either Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda and Toyota. Similarly most of these also required a brake fluid change at 2 years.

Given the reliability reputations of these five manufacturers, I would suggest that their systems and parts are actually pretty good.

All of the cars from these manufacturers that we've had, followed the same Intermediate/Full service intervals as Toyota - ie intermediate service in years 1, 3, etc, and full service in years 2, 4, etc.

Obviously if you wish to cut corners, that is your choice.

 

[Ricey155]

Agreed your either with the plan or not. Manufacturers never lie and always looking out for us 🤔

I trust all of them I mean vw very honest German group, its not going to hurt profits if they say every 4 years? Pays your money takes your chance. 

Cycling is much the same theory change your chain twice via sprockets, yet I've had loads of chains and the sprocket is like new 12k in, I'll not be sucked into what they think is right based on marketing and profit good look to others wasting there money 💣

[Heidfirst]

Of course manufacturers are looking out for themselves - in liability terms - so they will play safe.

Bear in mind that not servicing to Toyota's schedule may invalidate your warranty (certainly goodwill), optionals like brake fluid less but it is reckoned that a huge % of cars in Britain are driving around with brakes not performing to their best.

Were you to have an accident where brake perfoamce was suspect & your brake fluid found to have too high a % of water that could also, I imagine, invalidate your insurance & also provide an avenue for prosecution. 

You can buy a brake fluid tester from ~£5 & make your own judgement as to whether it is needed or not.

[Berisford]

Russ, you won't get any sympathy from most on here if you criticise Toyota for anything, even if it is true!

The mantra is Mr Toyota and his dealers can do no wrong.

I'm with you on the service cost complaint, far too high. 

I had a chunter about it in April.....

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

If you're unhappy re the service costs, the simple answer, as Toyota Owners Club isn't affiliated with Toyota, is to complain directly to Toyota GB. 

We don't know whether Toyota even visit these forums and , if they do, they certainly won't reply to any post on these forums.

Having a rant on these forums will have no effect. 

[Ricey155]

Agreed no point venting my disapproval to you guys 👍 rant shared and off my chest 😀

 

Ligmo (Let It Go Move On) 

[Heidfirst]

On 07/10/2017 at 9:47 AM, Berisford said:

Russ, you won't get any sympathy from most on here if you criticise Toyota for anything, even if it is true!

The mantra is Mr Toyota and his dealers can do no wrong.

I'm with you on the service cost complaint, far too high. 

I had a chunter about it in April.....

 

& counter-arguments were put forward. You can never please 100% of the people for 100% of the time.

One of the reasons that fixed-price servicing options (not all dealers opt-in) were brought in was that people in e.g. London were fed up seeing that they were paying a lot more for their servicing than people in areas where dealer overheads (land, labour etc.) were a lot lower. As someone in one of the latter my servicing costs went up - until I started using service plans (but as I have said before my dealer's service plans appear to be exceptionally good).

[mrpj]

I regret, isn't hindsight wonderful, not taking out the service plan offered when I bought my car.

The fixed price servicing costs went up by their over excessive amount a few months afterwards.

[Peter S]

We took out the 5 year service plan at £20 a month, this included annual services an two MOTs.

[YarisHybrid2016]

I gambled on not taking out the service plan, and so far doing OK. In fact my last service was a lot cheaper than I was expecting; I had even requested they clean/disinfect the aircon as it was smelling, which isn't part of the service (it was definitely done as it doesn't smell nearly three months later - great!).

Is replacing brake fluid excessive every two years? I honestly couldn't tell you, but I do know that brake fluid is hygroscopic, and adversely affects braking efficiency over time. Only a lab test can tell if it is *really* required, but as much as they want to profit from you having work done, it doesn't benefit anyone to have work done that isn't necessary. On a global scale, it is pointless, and short of cartel behavior, surely a great selling point is maximum time between service intervals while maintaining high reliability? I'd suggest that it isn't in their interest to do things more frequently than necessary.

You could go to the other extreme of only ever doing work when things break, but the cost of that would far exceed the cost of regular maintenance, as well as much reduced reliability.

IMHO it is worth what I pay for the service. I couldn't even do some of the work myself, and it would take me a lot longer than a few hours. I'm happy! 

[Nitro234]

Still worth taking out the service plan, call around all the local dealers to get to see who offers the best price; when I got my Lexus the dealer I bought it from was cheaper than my local by a significant margin. The local dealer ended up matching it so happy days