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.

[Cummins12V98]

dodge guy wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Something to think about. The factory dealers usually have two grades of oil filters. Guess what, for the free oil changes for life or their specials you are getting their bottom of the barrel filter.

If I had any of these oil changes done I would pay the difference in filter costs to get their best!

Dealers only have one grade of filter. parts stores have up to 3!

That's not what I have found.

Then you found a bad dealer. dealers should only stock their brand filters. when I was with Chrysler the only non-mopar filter was for the Cummins engines. same with Ford! the dealer is cheaping out if they are stocking non oem filters!

I did not say "Brand" I said "Grade". The Cummins filtration company Fleetguard provides filters to Mopar. They make two grades of filters.

So like I say ask when getting a dealer oil change ask if they are using their "BEST" oil filter or not.

[JALLEN4]

monkey44 wrote:
Another issue -- dealers at one time had plenty of work keeping up with the maintenance on vehicles they sold. NOW, most do not have the same requirements, no points, plugs, rotor etc every 'xx' miles ... so, once the truck sells, we now have 100,000 mile plugs, electronic ignitions, and most of the general maintenance items are now absent.

What's a dealer to do - well, make up some 'check and adjust' periodic maintenance so it can keep its mechanics busy ... brakes now last twice or more as long, and other items that once wore out, don't. So, here we have mechanics with nothing to do ... and equipment that costs a fortune to buy and maintain.

Nothing against good mechanics here, we need them when we need them -- but to schedule periodic maintenance to 'look' at things that 'ain't broke' makes no sense --

That is really not entirely true. The modern vehicle is better built and does require less maintenance. On the other hand, the number of new vehicle dealerships has decreased dramatically, the number of vehicles in operation has increased dramatically, and the average age of vehicles in operation are far older requiring more work. In addition, the time for repair has increased with the advent of computerized controls and more complex diagnostics. Good shops are not standing around looking for something to do and the dollar volume they do is far higher than 30 years ago.

Many dealers do suggest more frequent maintenance intervals than the factory manual. This is simply because they see first hand the problems encountered when the service intervals are lengthened by the manufacturer in attempting to convince the consumer the vehicle is cheaper to operate and less time consuming. In many cases, the manufacturer has shortened service intervals from the level of just ten years ago because of these problems.

Like many other things, this can be carried too far by certain dealers. But simply because theyrecommendationomendation does not mean they are out to take advantage of the consumer. Anybody who flies a plane would be quick to realize that visual checks are important and are a necessary part of pre-flight. Seldom to vehicle owners take the time to actually inspect their vehicle when they drive it and rarer yet is actually putting the vehicle on a lift to do the job right.

[dodge_guy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Something to think about. The factory dealers usually have two grades of oil filters. Guess what, for the free oil changes for life or their specials you are getting their bottom of the barrel filter.

If I had any of these oil changes done I would pay the difference in filter costs to get their best!

Dealers only have one grade of filter. parts stores have up to 3!

That's not what I have found.

Then you found a bad dealer. dealers should only stock their brand filters. when I was with Chrysler the only non-mopar filter was for the Cummins engines. same with Ford! the dealer is cheaping out if they are stocking non oem filters!

[Cummins12V98]

dodge guy wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Something to think about. The factory dealers usually have two grades of oil filters. Guess what, for the free oil changes for life or their specials you are getting their bottom of the barrel filter.

If I had any of these oil changes done I would pay the difference in filter costs to get their best!

Dealers only have one grade of filter. parts stores have up to 3!

That's not what I have found.

[dodge_guy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Something to think about. The factory dealers usually have two grades of oil filters. Guess what, for the free oil changes for life or their specials you are getting their bottom of the barrel filter.

If I had any of these oil changes done I would pay the difference in filter costs to get their best!

Dealers only have one grade of filter. parts stores have up to 3!

[monkey44]

Another issue -- dealers at one time had plenty of work keeping up with the maintenance on vehicles they sold. NOW, most do not have the same requirements, no points, plugs, rotor etc every 'xx' miles ... so, once the truck sells, we now have 100,000 mile plugs, electronic ignitions, and most of the general maintenance items are now absent.

What's a dealer to do - well, make up some 'check and adjust' periodic maintenance so it can keep its mechanics busy ... brakes now last twice or more as long, and other items that once wore out, don't. So, here we have mechanics with nothing to do ... and equipment that costs a fortune to buy and maintain.

Nothing against good mechanics here, we need them when we need them -- but to schedule periodic maintenance to 'look' at things that 'ain't broke' makes no sense --

[Cummins12V98]

Something to think about. The factory dealers usually have two grades of oil filters. Guess what, for the free oil changes for life or their specials you are getting their bottom of the barrel filter.

If I had any of these oil changes done I would pay the difference in filter costs to get their best!

[Wes_Tausend]

...

DW bought a new Corsica some years ago. Oil changes were so cheap we took it in somewhere rather than me do it.

DW liked the local Montgomery Ward service center because she could shop at the sizeable mall while she waited. Until she went out to the garage one next morning, and the oil was all over the floor. The kid had over-tightened and stripped the oil plug. I was out of town but told her where oil was and she re-filled it and took it back. Whatever they did, it then held oil. On the next change she took it to the Chevrolet dealer. The very next morning the oil was all over the garage floor again. I was out of town and she filled it with oil, took it back to Chevy and they said the pan was shot. One new oil pan later she was able to belatedly contact me as to what had been done. They did replace the pan at cost for $165 in the early 1990's.

My view was that I was not going to be somehow stuck with the bill in the end. It was the principle of the thing.

Back in town and furious, I met with the Chevy shop foreman and he said it was not their problem, the pan was toast when it came in. The old pan had been already picked up by a salvage yard. So I went to the Montgomery Ward shop and the foreman assured me that they would be good for it, but I would definitely have to return the pan. At the salvage yard, I thought I recognized the pan at the very top of a huge pile of steel that had been placed by magnetic crane. I estimate about 3 to 4 stories up. It was our pan. It took me a good half hour to work my way to the top with jagged stuff slipping and sliding down, but it would all be worth it when I got reimbursed.

I triumphantly presented the pan to the Montgomery Wards foreman the next day. Meanwhile he had talked to the store manager and the reimbursement was off. We failed to come back for the last oil change and were no longer valued customers. We were stiffed.

Wes
...

[mosseater]

I've been changing my own oil for many years also, but over the winter I just didn't feel like doing the dance in the snow, so I did the Motorcraft Fast Lube service. Overall, I was pleased with it. Only took 30 mins (on the dot!) and cost was about $12 more than I can do it for, so it was worth it.

Until I changed it this time and realized they over-tightened my pan plug, most likely with an air gun. There is no excuse for even a new mechanic not to know how tight 15 lb/ft "feels" even with a box wrench or socket. They run them in and let them hammer two or three times and call it good. Well, it's NOT good! It's BAD! There is no need for it. They're not saving any time or effort. And when they strip it out, I will be severely POed! So, not ssying I'm going back, but next time they will know I wasn't pleased with this tiny little fact.

At least the oil filter was properly tightened. Now, about those greasy finger prints all over my door panel....

I don't accept it from me, so I'm not going to accept it from them. With todays detail products, it would take about 15 cents and 30 seconds to do a quick wipe down of the door handle, window sill and steering wheel before the give it back to the customer. If they can throw away "X" dollars on the worthless floor mat, they can put it toward something useful. For the kind of labor rates they charge, the service should be second to none.

[pitch]

We get free oil changes on one of the cars. First couple of times in the service writer tried pulling the additional work thing. I just plain told him not to bother and he has been good ever since.

[covered_wagon]

deleted dbl. post.

[covered_wagon]

There are networks conditioning us to believe all baloney.

Just watch television for two minutes!

[BurbMan]

HA! Muffler bearings are sealed and don't need repacking!

[Supreme_Oppress]

I miss the days when you could pack your own muffler bearings. All the new cars use the maintenance free ones that cost 10x as much to replace.

[dodge_guy]

Tachdriver wrote:
Nobody mentioned muffler bearing repacking here.

Well you can buy one from Chrysler. they used to list a muffler bearing in one of the Dodge truck parts list from the early 2000`s!