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Date:         Fri, 20 Sep 2013 13:14:51 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Friday, update on Prius electronics rant
Comments: To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <TVmQ1m01l3iUoqR01VmSsX>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hi Jim, Would not that part be a part of the hybrid system? If the vehicle is under 100K miles, that should be covered under warranty. Of course, if over 100K, then you are dealing with a Toyota poker faced claim that they've never heard of the problem happening, and too bad it is not under warranty.

And that antifreeze is half water, so you paid the equivalent of $80 per gallon, or at least that is the case here. No straight antifreeze. Well, the price is cheaper here, I think I paid something like $25 per gallon. I foolishly asked "why?", knowing that the real answer was that water is cheap. The parts department at my local dealer said that they find that most people who do their own work don't know to dilute the antifreeze, or they dilute it with tap water, and either one fouls the cooling system. Sure, that's the reason, we are all stupid. Well, I guess we are, to be taken in by Toyota. All new Toyotas require synthetic oil to keep the warranty in force. Really?

But it is not just Toyota. My brother just bought a Mazda. The oil change interval is listed as 7K miles. But, his dealer attached a rider to the warranty, stating that Mazda requires a 4K mile oil change interval for cars that live in Dallas, Texas because of the excess heat. My brother asked about the mild winters, can he go to 7K miles if the change interval does not include summer. Nope, 4K miles for all cars of that model in Dallas.

Good grief!!

mcneely

---- Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote: > My wife's prius had the water pump go out. No, no, not THAT water pump, the > separate electrically operated one that cools the inverter that the big > battery feeds. I don't remember what the dealership wanted to fix this > KNOWN problem that should have a been a reacall, but it was over a > thousand. I found some possibly-competent local shops (oxymoron) that would > do it for under a thousand. I found a new pump on ebay for $108 shipped and > that, with a Haynes manual and a saturday morning, did the trick. Oh, and > the dealer did get $40 for a gallon of that orange antifreeze they say that > you have to have. > > Jim > > > On Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 12:03 PM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote: > > > Some of you may recall my rant about the "multi-function display" going > > out in my Toyota Prius, and the exorbitant (extortionist) price for > > replacement ($6.3K new, $2.9K rebuilt). > > > > I got a used unit, allegedly from a low mileage Prius, and to avoid > > possible electronic glitches during installation had a dealer put it in. I > > paid $175 (including shipping) for the unit, and with a "loyal customer > > discount," got it installed for $99 (one hour labor at $125, discounted). > > It works, at least for now. > > > > But another thing to irritate the customer (me) popped up. After I had > > already bought the used unit, but before it was installed, one of the > > dealers I'd spoken with about this called me, and said they had a repair > > program. They would remove the unit, send it to "the factory," where it > > would be rebuilt, and install it, all for $375. I certainly would have > > done that. That option should have been offered up front. I would have > > had to drive around with a hole in the dash, and be without air > > conditioning (not a trivial thing in Oklahoma in September), heat, and > > audio (or at least their full functions) for ten days or so, but would have > > felt better about a repair with a Toyota warranty than a used unit of an > > electronic component known to be failure prone. > > > > But oh well. For now, I have a functioning unit. > > > > mcneely > >

-- David McNeely


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