[rj.parker]

Most service advisors are on a commission and most dealer mechanics get paid by the job based on book hours, not by the timeclock. The service advisors are not mechanics; lately I am seeing young girls doing that job. Dealer mechanics make more if they can shortcut book time. You figure it out.

The best thing to do is to read and understand the scheduled maintenance guide. You then understand what the engineers deem necessary and when. As far as tires goes, 5,000 mile rotations are important to ensure even tire wear. There is a reasonable argument for flipping them on the wheel periodically although the dealer won't recommend this because there is no book price for it.

The best thing to do is to find someone independent to perform routine service and recommend any services beyond the guide. In many cases a good independent shop has a better mechanic than the average dealer shop. Look for a clean well organized shop with good references. Most maintenance has nothing to do with the hybrid systems other than fan filter, inverter coolant and transaxle oil which anyone can do. There is usually one exceptional shop in every town, often owned by an ex dealer mechanic.