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.

[Ron3rd]

Tachdriver wrote:
Nobody mentioned muffler bearing repacking here.

You also want to rotate the air in your tires.

[Tachdriver]

Nobody mentioned muffler bearing repacking here.

[2012Coleman]

Just be sure to top off your blinker fluid before you bring it in....

LOL! 😛

[Dave_H_M]

Burbman. I can beat that. If you are traveling through Taylorville, IL, you can stop in at Bob Ridings Ford and have the oil and filter done for 19.95. And i did not have to start that story with "once upon a time." :W

[BurbMan]

Tvov wrote:
I tell people over and over, find and USE a local independent repair garage so that they get to know you... it will pay for itself just in not paying for unneeded maintenance and "repairs"! If you keep records of work done and materials used (make sure correct oil and products are used), you will be fine if you need warranty work.

Agree 1000% with this. When we moved to Louisville I tried a couple of local places and I couldn't find anybody who I felt I could trust...or that I felt knew what they were doing, so I just do my own work now. I actually got a Christmas card from Rock Auto last year!

[BurbMan]

There was a big article in Car & Driver last year about the dealer's "recommended" service. They give you a laundry list of stuff they do, most of which is "check and adjust"....so beyond the oil change, no actual work is being done.

I offered to change the oil on my daughter's Honda Fit when she was home at Thanksgiving. So apparently the only place that you can get the 0W20 oil is at the Honda dealer, so 5 qts of oil, a filter, and copper drain plug gasket and I am out the door for $46 and change....

I ask her where she has it done at home (NJ) and she says they go to the dealer, he only charges $29.95 for an oil change.

So the name of the game at the dealer is to use the oil change as a loss leader....get the car up on the rack and see what else you can sell the customer, since most cars need something....if if they don't need any repairs, then they need a 15,000 mile service.

Dealer service depts operate with revenue targets, and most of those flow down to the "service advisors". Their #1 job is to sell work, period, end of story.

I agree with the OP, it's easier to go to the dealer and get an oil change and tire rotation at those prices than to do it yourself....but always be on the lookout for the upsell, and the fugazy stuff like disc brake adjustments. Just be sure to top off your blinker fluid before you bring it in....

[2012Coleman]

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

Agree whole heartedly - why didn't you produce your owners manual and ask the rep to point out where it stated clean and service the brakes and all that other needless work? I hate it when those people think I'm dumb - I would have cut him off at the knees.

[Dave_H_M]

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

My thoughts exactly. What a rip. I see the local
Toyota dealer running this scam all the time, especially with the elderly folks.

They must have had me pegged for an easy and tried to whip a $300 "service" on me. I raised so much dust that they must have put a note in the computer to leave this old geaser alone since they never mention any of those required services any more. :W

[Tvov]

My local dealer has a "lifetime" free oil change program... IF, and only IF, you follow the dealer's own maintenance program. The dealer's program is much more "comprehensive" than the manufacturer's recommended maintenance, and you end up being at the dealer multiple times a year. If you skip one of their maintenance "checks" (which of course cost money), the free oil changes are no longer available.

It is not really a "scam", as it is all written out and explained, but most people just assume that if they don't do the dealer's program then they will lose the manufacturer's warranty... and the dealer doesn't contradict this, unless asked directly.

My favorite is "needing" to have a re-alignment done when I get new tires. If I know my alignment is fine (vehicle ride is fine and tire treads have worn evenly), there is no need for alignment, and the service writer will hem and haw before conceding it is not "mandatory" for tire warranty. My local car dealer offers very competitive tire prices, because of making money on the "add-ons".

And let's not even start talking about "nitrogen filled" tires...

Another big problem I have with having work done at a dealership is that at most dealerships, you no idea who will be working on your truck. It could be the 50 year old mechanic with decades of experience, or whoever else happened to show up for work that morning. Most mechanics today are paid as a type of "sub contractor", and get paid a set price for work -- the faster they work, the more money the make on each job. This is not conducive to taking the time to make sure everything is done correctly.

I tell people over and over, find and USE a local independent repair garage so that they get to know you... it will pay for itself just in not paying for unneeded maintenance and "repairs"! If you keep records of work done and materials used (make sure correct oil and products are used), you will be fine if you need warranty work.

[dodge_guy]

owenssailor wrote:
I was at our dealer today. They immediatly said I needed an oil change since the monitor was down to 15% I asked why. The service writer said since I was there I might as well get it changed.

Later the service manager informed me that I should get it changed at 20% left. When I pointed out that the manual says to change within 1000km (600 miles) after oil change warning comes up his reply was -"well I can show you lots of engines that got wrecked"

He didn't like the suggestion that they were simply ripping of consumers to pad their profits.

They are right! change the oil sooner! if you wait till 0% you are just waiting for the motor to destroy itself! The Oil Life Monitor is a marketing gimmick that is used to make it seem as if the car will run forever with nothing more than an oil change every 12k miles!!! the manuf. has nothing in the car beyond the warranty, so if it needs a new motor they are not paying. I can guarantee you if they had a lifetime warranty or some kind of stake in the car, that Oil Life Monitor would either go away or be reprogrammed for shorter oil change intervals!

Change your oil at most every 5k miles!

[APT]

Ron I agree that doing my own oil changes is not worth my time or money for similar service costs. I had similar experiences with a lease car I just turned it. Oh you need a new filter, fuel system cleaning, and an o-ring for the oil filler cap. All by 30k miles. I have had fuel system/injector cleanings on past vehicles, at 75k+ miles, not 30k or 15k. Change the oil and move on.

[shelbyj]

Its ironic, when you buy a new car the salesman says "All you need to do is change the oil for the first 100k" then when you go get an oil change they say "oh btw you need this this and this at 15k"

Most dealers will take you for everything they can.

[mtofell1]

Great topic.... and I'm preparing for the pressure from the service manager. I just purchased the Lifetime Maxcare warranty for my new Ram truck and plan to have oil changes and such done at the dealer just to keep everyone happy. I've been studying the manual and am very aware of everything that is required. Other than that, I won't be doing any "optional" maintenance. I can't wait for the first threat of denying coverage on my warranty. I'll just ask them to please put it in writing so I can have my attorney look it over with warranty contract.

[owenssailor]

I was at our dealer today. They immediatly said I needed an oil change since the monitor was down to 15% I asked why. The service writer said since I was there I might as well get it changed.

Later the service manager informed me that I should get it changed at 20% left. When I pointed out that the manual says to change within 1000km (600 miles) after oil change warning comes up his reply was -"well I can show you lots of engines that got wrecked"

He didn't like the suggestion that they were simply ripping of consumers to pad their profits.

[Tachdriver]

Sounds like the sales guy who quoted me $7,000 for a new HVAC system (which I needed) at my home. Told me that if I did not do the $25/month maintenance program that if I had a problem the MFg may not honor the warranty.

I ended up going with an upgraded HVAC system for $5900 and no service plan and their service plan was less than $200/year.