2017 Yaris USB and oil question

[RutherfordmanX]

First I would like to say thanks everyone for tips with buying the 2017.
OK so I have a few questions. First can you leave a cord plugged into the USB port all the time without any issues. I listen to music from my phone and charge it while commuting so I have no reason to really unplug the cord unless I am required to. Now on to the oil question. The dealer has offered a lifetime power train warranty with the car at no cost if it is serviced per the book by a certified technician. On my 08 I did all my own oil changes using Castrol GTX and at 378,000 miles I was using a little oil but not much. I will be doing an oil change every month and a half with my drive. I am going to look and see what the difference is cost is from doing it myself or letting the dealer do it but do you think it is worth giving up the do-it-yourself for the warranty? Also is synthetic worth the cost since I will change it so often? I understand I may be opening the door to alot of opinions

[IllusionX]

Over here, warranty is valid as long as you document your DIY maintenance.
Just a date and mileage on the oil purchase invoice suffice.

Check with your dealer, they might have special packages for high mileage drivers.

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[WeeYari]

Originally Posted by IllusionX

Over here, warranty is valid as long as you document your DIY maintenance.

Yes, but the OP is talking about a dealer option warranty, not the factory warranty. Dealer is providing the lifetime powertrain purely as an incentive to force the vehicle owner into their shop.

Also, there is no harm in leaving the USB cable connected.

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[scylla]

I have been seeing these "lifetime power train warranties" offered quite a bit these days even on used vehicles. Could it be modern power trains are getting so reliable it is worth the risk to the dealer to get the oil change dollars?

For me, if the warranty offer was free, and the price of the oil change was within a few bucks of what a DIY would cost I would go for it. Convenience matters a lot to me these days.

As to synthetic, at Walmart or Napa where I buy my oil, the price difference between synthetic and conventional is so small I don't even bother with conventional these days. It is the price of a good filter that seems a tad pricey.

[WeeYari]

Originally Posted by RutherfordmanX

if it is serviced per the book by a certified technician

This does not necessarily mean only the oil changes are performed by the dealer. My take is all of the scheduled maintenance visits must be performed, many of which will run several hundred dollars.

[scylla]

Originally Posted by WeeYari

This does not necessarily mean only the oil changes are performed by the dealer. My take is all of the scheduled maintenance visits must be performed, many of which will run several hundred dollars.

I'm seeing $50 engine air filters in RutherfordmanX's future.

[Kalispel]

IMO - Not worth the hassle/commitment to dealership service, especially considering that the drivetrain/engine of the Yaris is among the most bulletproof of any car ever made.

[tmontague]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

IMO - Not worth the hassle/commitment to dealership service, especially considering that the drivetrain/engine of the Yaris is among the most bulletproof of any car ever made.

Agreed. The reason the dealer does this is to increase business. They are a business and in the interest of making money, they wouldn't be handing out free warranties. No different then a lottery is in the interest of making you money

[scylla]

The devil is in the details, or rather the fine print at the bottom of the warranty. I have never signed up for an extended warranty so I have no idea what the requirements are. Find out what is required under the contract and their prices vs your cost to do it yourself to find out if it is worth it.
If you got the car from a local dealership with a reasonable person in charge rather than a stickler for rules or a money grubber it might be good to use them.
Remember it is a no cost warranty, so not much risk there.

[bentjazz]

I also have a lifetime powertrain, and I go into the dealer for all of my scheduled maintenance. Costs around $29/oil change for me, which is worth it because I don't change my own oil and in addition to changing my oil they give my car a good once over to see if everything is hunky-dory. The dealer also told me that if I change my oil on time, no need for synthetic.

[RutherfordmanX]

$50.00 engine air filter I don't think so. I get a few free ones and some tire rotations so I got some time to think about it. I am going to go through the book and call them on the prices for various things. I did all my own maintenance on the 08 and she did fine so it is not a big deal to me either way. My wife has an 08 jeep JK which came with a factory lifetime powertrain warranty to the original owner and they let me do my own maintenance. Dealer knows I do things by the book so he doesn't question anything. It has around 150,000 miles on it and is on its 3rd transmission (for free). They put a factory heavy duty cooler on it right before they put the last transmission in. I keep it because of the warranty The road we use to live on was very steep and pretty bad. It ate Jeep transmissions for lunch but the Yaris ran the road every week day at least and was still going strong when I had to leave her

[IllusionX]

Even the extended Toyota warranty doesn't need you to commit to a dealer...

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[iA_b4_07HB]

If you change the oil on time (5,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first - and the time is just as important as the miles, since it corresponds closely to short trips with little to no heat to burn out water and fuel contamination) then yes - you don't need synthetic for pure lubrication. BUT synthetic is less volatile - fewer fumes - so it keeps your engine cleaner (this is so important to GM that they are now specifiying full synthetic - dexos2 - oil changes for all their cars, even the most mundane). Also, there is a cool video explaining how conventional oil thins out over its live (the Viscosity Improvers shear down and can't do their job as well anymore) vs. full synthetic maintaining a more consistent viscosity without the need for VI's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYkg0oDUXs8

Originally Posted by bentjazz

I also have a lifetime powertrain, and I go into the dealer for all of my scheduled maintenance. Costs around $29/oil change for me, which is worth it because I don't change my own oil and in addition to changing my oil they give my car a good once over to see if everything is hunky-dory. The dealer also told me that if I change my oil on time, no need for synthetic.