Observation on Dealer “Service Packages”
The wife has a 2 year old Chevy Traverse that she really likes and we always have the oil changed at the purchasing dealer, who we really like too. I’ve always changed my own oil but at $38.95 for 5 qts of Dexos Spec Oil, Filter, Tire Rotation with reset on the tire sensors with a scanner (which I can’t do), I quickly discovered I can’t buy the materials for that price and rotating tires is always a hassle so I just let them do it.
My theory on maintenance to keep the warranty in effect is to do all the REQUIRED maintenance in the owner’s manual. So here’s my point;
The last time I was in for the oil change, the Service Writer said, “Oh!, your overdue for your 15,000 mile service. (There is no “15,000 mile service in owner’s manual BTW).
So I said, “How much and what’s included”? He said, “$329.00 and we change the oil, clean the throttle body, change the air filter, and clean and adjust the brakes”. I said, “I’ll pass, just change the oil”. He said, “OK, but if there’s a warranty issue and you did not perform required maintenance, your warranty claim could be denied”. I said, “That’s fine, just change the oil”.
Here’s my reasoning:
1. Nowhere in the owner’s manual is cleaning the throttle body required at at ANY interval. Yes, cleaning the throttle body is sometimes required. For instance on the older Toyotas, you can start to get a rough idle is the throttle body needs cleaning and this is about a 10 job, done it many times myself. The wife’s Travers runs like new, so why pay to clean the throttle body now?
2. The Traverse is 4-wheel Disc brakes. Nowhere in the owner’s manual does it say, “clean and adjust”. I’ve worked on Disc Brakes for over 35 years and don’t know how you can “adjust them”.
3. The manual calls for “inspecting” the Air Filter at about 20,000 miles and clean or replace as necessary. I popped in a Wix Air Filter for about $15.00.
4. Oil and Filter Change: Yep, that’s required; see $38.95 above.
5. Aside from Oil and any required filters, there’s virtually no major maintenance required on the Travers until 100,000 miles.
6. Conclusion: I’m not saying the Dealer is trying to rip anyone off. I stick religiously to the “required” maintenance as set forth by GM and don’t pay for expensive or unnecessary add-ones that merely build profit for the dealer.
Just my 2 cents.
My theory on maintenance to keep the warranty in effect is to do all the REQUIRED maintenance in the owner’s manual. So here’s my point;
The last time I was in for the oil change, the Service Writer said, “Oh!, your overdue for your 15,000 mile service. (There is no “15,000 mile service in owner’s manual BTW).
So I said, “How much and what’s included”? He said, “$329.00 and we change the oil, clean the throttle body, change the air filter, and clean and adjust the brakes”. I said, “I’ll pass, just change the oil”. He said, “OK, but if there’s a warranty issue and you did not perform required maintenance, your warranty claim could be denied”. I said, “That’s fine, just change the oil”.
Here’s my reasoning:
1. Nowhere in the owner’s manual is cleaning the throttle body required at at ANY interval. Yes, cleaning the throttle body is sometimes required. For instance on the older Toyotas, you can start to get a rough idle is the throttle body needs cleaning and this is about a 10 job, done it many times myself. The wife’s Travers runs like new, so why pay to clean the throttle body now?
2. The Traverse is 4-wheel Disc brakes. Nowhere in the owner’s manual does it say, “clean and adjust”. I’ve worked on Disc Brakes for over 35 years and don’t know how you can “adjust them”.
3. The manual calls for “inspecting” the Air Filter at about 20,000 miles and clean or replace as necessary. I popped in a Wix Air Filter for about $15.00.
4. Oil and Filter Change: Yep, that’s required; see $38.95 above.
5. Aside from Oil and any required filters, there’s virtually no major maintenance required on the Travers until 100,000 miles.
6. Conclusion: I’m not saying the Dealer is trying to rip anyone off. I stick religiously to the “required” maintenance as set forth by GM and don’t pay for expensive or unnecessary add-ones that merely build profit for the dealer.
Just my 2 cents.
