I'm in IL-- near chicago. I'd like know where there are dealerships that could install the block heater for me. NO one at three dealerships could tell me that they could even give me an estimate on it let alone do the work. In fact most of their prius techs kinda regarded my question as insane cause "the prius comes with one already installed that keeps that warm for 18-24hours after you shut your car off". Or the best one I heard from a prius tech "your car turns on to keep that warm"... without my keys, without me, my car is running.... wow! I think its kinda scary knowing that I could hand my car over to someone like that, and they give a bad name to other better techs/service places out there. I'd do it myself, but I have no jacks to work with to get the car up. I do however have heated garage/wharehouse space at work that I can use after hours. Its getting cold out and my MPGs SUCK cause of the cold starts. (last tank was 39.9 mpg) I'd love a pictorial guide on how to install it. If I knew for a fact that I could do it from the top down, I'd so be working on it tomorrow after work.
parrot_lady, do a search for Block Heater and check the search titles only radion button. Very long and informative thread. I just installed mine and none to soon as temps have dropped to the single digits. My MPGs still suck 45.2 and dropping but I think there's been some improvment. The block heater is a bit of bugger to install but there are some good descriptions and pics in that thread. Sounds like a dealer will charge you around 1.5 hours of labor to put it in. Don't know what that would translate into in dollars. Good luck.
Well I would suggest if you can't get a local dealer to do it go to a good local auto technician. If you do not know one Google Car Talk and look at their listener data base for your area. If you can not buy one at the local dealer, go to Canada. Yes our friendly neighbors to the North will get you one go to : http://www.toyotadepot.com/product_info.ph...products_id/144 . You will be on the road to better millage.
