Observation on Dealer “Service Packages”

[Ron3rd]

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.

[brulaz]

Ron3rd wrote:

...
You can walk into any dealer and ask, "How much is your 15,000 mile service" and they'll give you a price with a bunch of stuff that, while it won't hurt anything, you don't really need. Every dealer I've ever dealt with, and I've owned every major brand, US or import, works the same way.

Sometimes it may be the person you're talking too. Just took our car in for service (oil.filter,inspect) and spotted the gal I previously had a big argument with over an unneeded brake service. So I avoided her and went to another service rep and was stunned when he suggested a simple/cheap oil change and inspection based on the kms driven.

With F150's dealer, there's never been a problem with over-selling. In fact I became so worried about how little I was spending on maintenance that I started asking for full synthetic oil.

[Cummins12V98]

campigloo wrote:
Another little something you may want to watch. I thought I had a good dealer too. I took my 6.7 diesel in for an oil change. Everything seemed to be good, but that time I decided to check my oil when I got home. After an really tough 6 mile no load ride home on a 0% grade, the oil was just as black as when I brought it to them. The filter looked brand new. HMMMMM. When I started it to take it back and complain, the change oil light came on. When I got back to the shop, I got the standard "diesel runs dirty" line. Not worth a major fight, just informed them they would never see me again.

I can tell you I drain my 6.7 RAM/Cummins overnight and after starting letting it fun for a couple minutes the oil is BLACK!

[Ron3rd]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
IF service writer had told me that line I would have asked to see his documentation that it is a 'required service' and compare his documentation with that in my owners manual.....that is IF he produced any documentation vs hemming/hawing.

And this is a dealership you like :H

Biscuit,
Yes we do like them, they're very nice folks there, but they operate like all other dealers. You can walk into any dealer and ask, "How much is your 15,000 mile service" and they'll give you a price with a bunch of stuff that, while it won't hurt anything, you don't really need. Every dealer I've ever dealt with, and I've owned every major brand, US or import, works the same way.

[ib516]

[Ron3rd]

gmcsmoke wrote:
a throttle body on a DI engine? that's new.

Are you referring to the Traverse V6?

[gmcsmoke]

a throttle body on a DI engine? that's new.

[TrooperTaylor]

campigloo wrote:
Another little something you may want to watch. I thought I had a good dealer too. I took my 6.7 diesel in for an oil change. Everything seemed to be good, but that time I decided to check my oil when I got home. After an really tough 6 mile no load ride home on a 0% grade, the oil was just as black as when I brought it to them. The filter looked brand new. HMMMMM. When I started it to take it back and complain, the change oil light came on. When I got back to the shop, I got the standard "diesel runs dirty" line. Not worth a major fight, just informed them they would never see me again.

That's about right !! Your oil will be black in your diesel. I change the oil in my 6.7 CTD myself and it is always black when I check it right after I run it down the road a few miles. That is normal for my truck. I have to reset the oil change light too or else it will come on.

[spoon059]

I get lifetime oil changes and seasonal safety inspections included in my sales price. Those thieves at the dealership LOVE to pile on additional charges. My wife dropped off her car around 15K miles and they tried to upsell her all kinds of stuff. I think it was around $350 or so. Basically all they offered was an oil change (no charge) and "check" a bunch of stuff and injector service, etc etc. Well... the seasonal safety inspections check all the things that they check. Luckily my wife called me and I came in. The crook service advisor was telling me that we NEEDED this package. I showed him my owners manual and asked him to show me where it was required. I laughed, asked for the no cost oil change and safety inspection.

Bunch of crooks...

[campigloo]

Another little something you may want to watch. I thought I had a good dealer too. I took my 6.7 diesel in for an oil change. Everything seemed to be good, but that time I decided to check my oil when I got home. After an really tough 6 mile no load ride home on a 0% grade, the oil was just as black as when I brought it to them. The filter looked brand new. HMMMMM. When I started it to take it back and complain, the change oil light came on. When I got back to the shop, I got the standard "diesel runs dirty" line. Not worth a major fight, just informed them they would never see me again.

[Old-Biscuit]

IF service writer had told me that line I would have asked to see his documentation that it is a 'required service' and compare his documentation with that in my owners manual.....that is IF he produced any documentation vs hemming/hawing.

And this is a dealership you like :H

[Dog_Folks]

The sad part is if you did not know vehicles, you would be out $329.00.

We have been threatened by a service writer that they would notify our "financing company" if we did not do the recall. (They just re flash the computer, which I do not want done.)

Two problems with that: 1.There is NO "financing company."
The truck is paid for.
Always was, since we paid cash, in full when purchased..

2.We know, personally, the owner of the dealership.

That lady is now "adjusting" her methods, in order to keep her job.

At another leadership, changing the oil,they could see that we needed $829.00 worth of brake work, without removing the wheels. My brother in law, the heavy duty truck mechanic pulled the wheels. Nothing wrong. Even the brake pads were good.

[Ron3rd]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

6. Conclusion: I’m not saying the Dealer is trying to rip anyone off.

If you won't, I will. Maybe not the dealer but the service writer or whoever you talked to is.

I would talk to his boss and see if this is SOP for this dealership. If he say's no, then ask what his is going to do to fix "the problem."

If he say's yes, I would personally never go to that dealer again and tell them why. You might also ask the service writer how they adjust brakes. :R

🙂
Good point Turtle; I'm gonna make an appointment for a disc brake adjustment.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

6. Conclusion: I’m not saying the Dealer is trying to rip anyone off.

If you won't, I will. Maybe not the dealer but the service writer or whoever you talked to is.

I would talk to his boss and see if this is SOP for this dealership. If he say's no, then ask what his is going to do to fix "the problem."

If he say's yes, I would personally never go to that dealer again and tell them why. You might also ask the service writer how they adjust brakes. :R

[mikeh449]

my oil change same oil as yours 7500 miles