In my travels around Ottawa, I've seen at least a half-dozen TCHs, either on the road or parked. I'm curious if any of the owners use this forum, and I wouldn't mind meeting local TCH owners. So, if you're living in or around the Ottawa area, speak out! It'd be fun to get together, but even if you don't want to do that, let's hear from you here.

--My hybrid came home!--
Ottawa owners check in here

Randy

I have a Barcellona Red TCH with the B-package. I love the car. Took delivery August 25, 2006. I couldn't get a dealer in Ottawa or surrounding area to even give me a deal so I dealt with an Internet company, CARS4U.COM and got what I consider a fair price. Since my wife drives it to work and the distance is less than 10km each way, the fuel usage is not as good as I would like. However on the road to North Bay or Toronto, it uses about 6.0L/100km at hightway speeds. I use Orleans Toyota and Bell Aire Lexus/Toyota for service since they seem to know how to service a TCH. I don't like the "Grease Monkeys" in the drive through pit working on it. The above mentioned dealers have a person (usually 2) that do all the work on hybrids and actually know that 0W-20 and 5W-20 should be used in these vehicles. The other dealers in Nepean and Kanata thing that 5W-30 is ok and one actually told me that Toyota does not recommend 0W-20 or 5W-20. That was a year ago so maybe they have been informed......

K. E. Turner
Nepean, ON K2H 1A1

Hey Keith, great to hear from you. I too am not getting the FE I'd like, also because of too many short trips. I'm trying various techniques I've been reading about, with some measure of success - most recently upping the PSI on the tires to 40. I haven't noticed a change yet (going by the MFD), but time will tell. I'm in Ottawa South (Bank and Walkley) and I've been using Bel-Air, where I bought mine, for service. I think they're OK, but I'm tempted to try others the next time I need to take it in. Did you get Nav with yours?

--My hybrid came home!--
Ottawa owners check in here

Randy

I didn't get NAV since I already had a Garmin NUVI 350 which I like very much. I bought an extended warranty which included the first four oil changes free. At Orleans, they showed me a service bulletin stating that Toyota would pay the dealer for the diffwerence between synthetic (0W-20) and non synthetic if the car came from the manufacturer with synthetic. Orleans is a good dealership and are jointly owned with Bel Aire. Bel Aire knew NOTHING of thedeal with synthetic at no charge so Itook the S.B. in and caused quite a ruckus!

Keith

[quote=..............service bulletin stating that Toyota would pay the dealer for the diffwerence between synthetic (0W-20) and non synthetic if the car came from the manufacturer with synthetic. ..............
Keith[/quote]

The big word seems to be 'IF' How do you know what oil came with the car??

Apparently Toyota thinks it came with synthetic (they told me all TCH's manufactured in Japan did). Why else the bulletin??? In any event, Toyota has paid for synthetic in my car three times! ONe more and I have hit for the cycle!

So maybe my TCH that was manufactured in Kentucky did not have synthetic oil?
I am wondering if you know what the TSB number is? I have checked the Tundra website which I thought I had all the TSB is for the TCH but can find no reference to the one your mentioning.

I'm sorry for the confusion I have caused by stating that it was a TSB.
It is a memo from a Toyota Claims adjuster and came from a secure toyota.ca/portal

I think the memo should never have been given to me from the confusion at Bel Aire Lexus/Toyota I observed. THe memo states

August 2006
To: All Toyota Service Managers
Cc: All Toyota Business Managers

Subject: 0W20 Motor Oil: ECP Claim Eligibility & Process

Effective August 8, 2006, Extra Care Protection claims for Oil and Filter Services utilizing SAE 0W20 Motor Oil will be accepted (provided the vehicle was factory filled with 0W20) and reimbursed at a set higher rate.

While it remains the customer's choice to select 0W20 motor oil or 5W20 motor oil if their vehicle was factor filled with 0W20, your dealership will be reimbursed at a premium rate of $49.95 if a 0W20 Oil & Filter Service is completed.

For proper reimbursement, please insure that when you edit the claim, the standard "COTCI..." part number is entered for the service (no changes here) and please enter $49.95 as the claim amount. The system will verify the eligibility of this vehicle prior to accepting the claim.

We trust this initiative adds value to ECP agreements and will contribute to customer satisfaction.

Best regards,

Jim Ellis. Manager, Service Marketing & Promotion

Ozzie Ercolani, Manager, Warranty Claims
__________________________________________________

As far as I can tell ALL TCH vehicles are factory filled with 0W20 oil. Mine apparently was since I have obtained three changes with 0W20 oil at no charge and have one more to go before I start paying through the nose! If someone will tell me how to attach this bulletin, I will be happy to do so and help cause more confusion at Canadian dealerships since Bel Aire was unaware until I gave them a copy and the Service Manager appeared "Hot Under The Collar" when it was handed to him!

[quote=keithet;........As far as I can tell ALL TCH vehicles are factory filled with 0W20 oil. Mine apparently was since I have obtained three changes with 0W20 oil at no charge and have one more to go before I start paying through the nose! If someone will tell me how to attach this bulletin, I will be happy to do so and help cause more confusion at Canadian dealerships since Bel Aire was unaware until I gave them a copy and the Service Manager appeared "Hot Under The Collar" when it was handed to him![/quote]

Thanks for the update, that's very interesting. I am still confused as to whether 0W20 oil is necessarily 'synthetic'.
Here's my story, when I went for my first oil change here in Toronto I requested 0W20 oil and was told they did not have it and always used 5W20 for TCH vehicles. When I asked how long it would take to get 0W20 oil, the service technician checked with the parts manager who said he did have 0W20 and produced a large unopened drum of it with a Nipon made in Japan label on it. The service tech., was agreeably surprised and said he would use it for all future TCH oil changes. I do not have extended warranty but was only charged the regular $34.95 for the oil change which included all the checking they do plus a free car wash. I came away happy!

Hmm... I wonder if I can get them to just give me the regular charge for an oil change then, when I specify 0W20, and have them absorb the extra $5 they've been charging me. Wouldn't hurt to try, anyway.

In any case, just to remind folks why I started this thread - I'm looking for TCH owners living in or around Ottawa. Check in here, and maybe we can get together from time to time, and brag (or in my case, sulk) about our respective FE's.

--My hybrid came home!--
Ottawa owners check in here

Randy