Don’t have the Haynes manual for the Prius, not much info online for the UK version. In a normal “major” service, what should I look at?

Done oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter is lifetime, checked plugs, checked cv joint boots, general check underneath to look for leaks etc. What else? Brake fluid is apparently supposed to be lifetime, but it’s controversial and in any case hard to change.

Did I miss anything obvious?

A Prius? Shirley a service is just a simple “turn off and on” again? 😀

(sorry…couldn’t resist)

Brakes?

I keep an eye on the brakes anyway.

Pollen filter, spot of grease on door hinges check straps. Condition of handbrake cables and any linkages.

Check straps? Earth straps or do you mean seatbelts?

Pollen filter and hinges – good shout.

have you considered the effect on resale value ?

Yes.

Yes.

so you don’t mind that it is going to trash it ?

It doesn’t trash it IME
keep receipts etc for the parts

It doesn’t trash it IME

not at all sure about that these days.

When you add in the yearly depreciation of having had an amateur tinker with the car I reckon there is not going to be a lot of saving verses having the car serviced by a decent independent.

Yeah but Molly’s Prius is years old, most of the depreciation has already occurred.

have you considered the effect on resale value ?

🙄

Must be something about battery straps and like people say, the additional weight must hurt the brakes. Never believe in anything lasting a lifetime. How do the manufacturers know how clean the tank at the petrol station isn’t? Same with gearbox oil being sealed for life. Total joke. By the time it goes wrong, it will be out of warranty. Like the wifes old Cooper S JCW. Supercharger oil isn’t refillable. Yes it is and there wasn’t much in there until I topped up. BMW wait for you to come to them asking for a new charger, rubbing their hands together.

Sometimes worth popping the brake pads out, that way you can check the sliders are free and the pads not stuck in the calliper carriers.

Just be careful with a pious there is some big voltages hanging about.

“Lifetime” consumable parts…

*shakes head*

have you considered the effect on resale value ?

just saying like – if you are going to keep the car for a long time until it isn’t worth much, then fair enough.

I have experience of that – I am on my 3rd Alfa – I gave the last one away for free 🙂

so you don’t mind that it is going to trash it ?

Nope.

additional weight must hurt the brakes.

What additional weight? Car weighs 1300kg. If you are thinking of the battery, it weighs 30kg, less than the 90kg gearbox it doesn’t have. It hardly uses any brake pad material at all, most braking is done by the motor.

Just be careful with a pious there is some big voltages hanging about.

Yeah all the HV stuff is colour coded orange.

May change the transmission fluid – it’s meant to be lifetime, but a lot of people say to change it.

It hardly uses any brake pad material at all, most braking is done by the motor.

All the more reason to check they are moving, see more problems with rear brakes than fronts for exactly that reason.

Yeah I’ve had to change pads and discs due to rust.

spot of grease on door hinges check straps

Check straps? Earth straps or do you mean seatbelts?

There was no comma there – ‘door hinge check straps’ are the things your putting a spot of grease on- the straps that keep the doors in check and stops them opening too far. Once upon a time they’d be a bit of leather strap now they’re the metal sprung doofer the makes the door stay put in different positions and prevents it folding back on its hinge – stick some grease on it so that it doesn’t sound like my ones 🙂

Macs got it check strap is the the jobby that holds the door open and stops it opening too far.

A can of spray grease in the following flavours

Copper
Silicone [dielectric]
General Purpose

Use the copper on brake pad backs, sliding pins, any threads that need protecting.
The silicone on electrical stuff, block connectors etc.
And the general purpose on everything else, door and boot hinges, bonnet catches etc.

just spend and hour or so going round lubing stuff.

Oh lol.. Thanks 🙂

Car is running a lot better now and seems to have picked up a few MPG and lost the misfire on “idle” (actually low load above idle speed) that it’s had since early on. I suspect there was moisture in the sparkmplug holes. Changing air filter may have helped the MPG but how bad can an old air filter be? It was just a little dirty to the eye.

Do all my own servicing….. check the service booklet , at most services there are many items as “Check” and a few as “Replace” ( such as Brake fluid at 3 years etc )
Mind you I have always bought Jap cars over the last 20 years…such as Mazda 323F ( 16 years without any major component replaced…..the battery lasted 14 years! ) and Toyota Yaris , now 15 years again without any mechanical failures…. always treat them to full synthetic oil .
Now running a RAV4 which once I was quoted £180 for a intermediate service , which basically is a oil and filter change , something I can carry out for £60 tops !

I do the same with the motorbikes I have over the years

Always keep the receipts and keep records , if you sell you might get less than top dollar, but who gets that anyway ? maybe only the dealerships who can offer warranties. Over the years still think I am hundreds of quid up, and have the satisfaction that I know the work was actually carried out , not just invoiced !

As i have learned to my cost (about £400 so far) copper grease should NEVER go near sliding pins. Use the Pagid high temp stuff, that wont break down into sticky goop that ends up binding everything together.