How to get the car dealer to charge appropriately for XYZ service

[Blankpage]

I take my stuff to the dealer. They work on that same car daily so less likely they're gonna screw it up.
Just don't be an idiot. Concord Toyota told me my Tacoma needed new rear brake shoes at the 30K service. They actually told me the shoes were worn down to 40% and recommended replacing. At 130K I still had never had to replace them. Well you expect them to try such stuff but I instructed them to not bother with that item and just do the rest of whats on the list.
Lube door hinges: they never touched them.
Inspect windshield wipers: I knew I had a bad one but they checked the box as having been inspected and found to be okay.

Women must get screwed (at auto shops)

 

[aminalmutha]

Yes I do. Now I'm not going to be so crazy to say that every dealership technician knows the car inside and out.

You're not the guy doing oil changes and "inspections", tho.

 

[aminalmutha]

Women must get screwed (at auto shops)

Totes.

Female relative went in for a trans flush and oil change. I tells her "just have them do the flush and oil change and THAT'S IT. Nothing else. Call me if they give you shit." This car was way out of warranty and not worth throwing money at anyways, but all it really needed was fresh fluids. I checked it out and while it was aging, it was in mostly good shape and didn't really need anything. No leaks, no weird noises, drove fine.

Calls me, "they say I need an intake manifold gasket.
Me: "No. No, you don't."
Calls me again: "They say I need a new timing belt"
Me: "that car doesn't have a timing belt. Get the fluids done and get out of there."
Calls me again: "They say I need new tie rods and an alignment."
Me: "Are they done with the car yet? Get out!"

Of course, the car is in the air and drained of fluids.

Calls again: "I need new brakes! They say they're worn out and I could get in an accident and it's going to be $1500!"

Me...

She got out of there with just the fluid changes, but had I not put a stop to that shit, she'd have been out more than the car was probably worth. I called them and tore them a new asshole after she left.

 

[TheRobSJ]

That reminds me, I need to get around to having the airbag replaced (recall) on my Civic. I wonder how long that'll take.

Is there a standard amount of time charged for any cabin air filter or something? I don't see how it would even take 5 minutes to look it up on youtube and do it on my Civic I mean

The driver airbag inflator is about a 15 minute job.

As has been said, a cabin filter is typically a menu priced item. Let's just say it's $80 for most vehicles. Vehicle A has a filter that lists for $25 and it takes 5 minutes to replace. Vehicle B's filter is $35 and takes 20 minutes to do. It's $80 either way. A shitty deal if you have A, but not so bad if you have B.

They will and have done an oil change for $75.

My neighborhood shop charges $45 OTD including taxes and fees. $5 labor. I have no clue how he makes any money or if he's really good, though he gets almost 5 stars on Yelp. The shop doesn't have free coffee or a waiting room or employees.

Those indies always do great on yelp. Meanwhile the dealers with all the amenities can hardly ever touch four stars. Price goes a long way it seems.

Many indies (not all, but many) can charge so much less and still make a little profit because they use the cheapest parts they can get. They'll even go so far as to save 15 cents but not changing the drain plug washer.

 

[Sharky]

Totes.

Female relative went in for a trans flush and oil change. I tells her "just have them do the flush and oil change and THAT'S IT. Nothing else. Call me if they give you shit." This car was way out of warranty and not worth throwing money at anyways, but all it really needed was fresh fluids. I checked it out and while it was aging, it was in mostly good shape and didn't really need anything. No leaks, no weird noises, drove fine.

Calls me, "they say I need an intake manifold gasket.
Me: "No. No, you don't."
Calls me again: "They say I need a new timing belt"
Me: "that car doesn't have a timing belt. Get the fluids done and get out of there."
Calls me again: "They say I need new tie rods and an alignment."
Me: "Are they done with the car yet? Get out!"

Of course, the car is in the air and drained of fluids.

Calls again: "I need new brakes! They say they're worn out and I could get in an accident and it's going to be $1500!"

Me...

She got out of there with just the fluid changes, but had I not put a stop to that shit, she'd have been out more than the car was probably worth. I called them and tore them a new asshole after she left.

For a similar experience, go to Wheel Works. Those guys are lying assholes. I called ahead and priced out new brand name tires for my wife's car. They strongarm her into a bullshit "alignment" and mount up four cheap Chinese knock off tires and another $100 for the alignment.

 

[TheRobSJ]

You're not the guy doing oil changes and "inspections", tho.

The standard routine stuff is really saved for the others, but they come get me if they find anything out of the ordinary (hey Rob this seal looks like it's leaking can you come verify this and stuff like that).

I still do plenty of inspections though. Car comes in with a check engine light, I'm still doing the basic inspection and checking the usual pattern failure stuff on whatever particular vehicle it is.

 

[aminalmutha]

The standard routine stuff is really saved for the others, but they come get me if they find anything out of the ordinary (hey Rob this seal looks like it's leaking can you come verify this and stuff like that).

I still do plenty of inspections though. Car comes in with a check engine light, I'm still doing the basic inspection and checking the usual pattern failure stuff on whatever particular vehicle it is.

I get that, but the litany of "inspections" called for at 30k intervals or whatever, based on my experience and knowing probably at least a half dozen mechanics in meatspace, the "inspection" of say, a rad hose at 30k is something like "yep, there it is".

 

[Blankpage]

I didn't know my car even had a cabin air filter. When did that device become a standard addition?

 

[Yakoo752]

I take my stuff to the dealer. They work on that same car daily so less likely they're gonna screw it up.
Just don't be an idiot. Concord Toyota told me my Tacoma needed new rear brake shoes at the 30K service. They actually told me the shoes were worn down to 40% and recommended replacing. At 130K I still had never had to replace them. Well you expect them to try such stuff but I instructed them to not bother with that item and just do the rest of whats on the list.
Lube door hinges: they never touched them.
Inspect windshield wipers: I knew I had a bad one but they checked the box as having been inspected and found to be okay.

So do I. I go to Stevens Creek Acura. This last round was the 30k service and I got talked into the alignment add on. Sure, whatever. Come back and they hand me the keys saying here you go...

I ask for the alignment report. Somehow they can't seem to find it. So they had to rerack it and re-align it. Got that report and the rear is oos on the low side (-1.7 iirc)... not sure what to do.

I get a call 2 days later asking if I want to reschedule my appt since I apparently missed it.




even more not sure what to do

 

[aminalmutha]

I didn't know my car even had a cabin air filter. When did that device become a standard addition?

Been pretty widely used for 10 year or so, something like that. If you don't know your car has one, it's probably disgusting.

 

[Junkie]

The driver airbag inflator is about a 15 minute job.

As has been said, a cabin filter is typically a menu priced item. Let's just say it's $80 for most vehicles. Vehicle A has a filter that lists for $25 and it takes 5 minutes to replace. Vehicle B's filter is $35 and takes 20 minutes to do. It's $80 either way. A shitty deal if you have A, but not so bad if you have B.




Those indies always do great on yelp. Meanwhile the dealers with all the amenities can hardly ever touch four stars. Price goes a long way it seems.

Many indies (not all, but many) can charge so much less and still make a little profit because they use the cheapest parts they can get. They'll even go so far as to save 15 cents but not changing the drain plug washer.

Passenger airbag in my case. I don't have passengers very often so I'm not too worried about it.

What would you expect a dealer to charge to look up my radio security code? It isn't written down anywhere that I can find...

 

[TheRobSJ]

I get that, but the litany of "inspections" called for at 30k intervals or whatever, based on my experience and knowing probably at least a half dozen mechanics in meatspace, the "inspection" of say, a rad hose at 30k is something like "yep, there it is".

C'mon. I at least give it a squeeze!

I didn't know my car even had a cabin air filter. When did that device become a standard addition?

They started really showing up in luxury cars in the mid '90s.

It's quite disgusting to see one that's got at least 30k on it. Knowing that we've been breathing that shit all these years. I've seen people go so long and/or the filter is packed full of debris like leaves or whatever, that they bring the vehicle in with the complaint that the fan doesn't hardly blow anything out the vents anymore.

So do I. I go to Stevens Creek Acura.

not sure what to do.

even more not sure what to do

What to do...is to stop going there and start bringing it to my dealer. You know where.

Passenger airbag in my case. I don't have passengers very often so I'm not too worried about it.

What would you expect a dealer to charge to look up my radio security code? It isn't written down anywhere that I can find...

What year Civic?

 

[aminalmutha]

I'm sure she appreciates that.

 

[stan23]

Passenger airbag in my case. I don't have passengers very often so I'm not too worried about it.

What would you expect a dealer to charge to look up my radio security code? It isn't written down anywhere that I can find...

Radio codes should be free. Just be real nice to the SA, and be prepared to show reg for proof of ownership.

 

[nebulous]

I assume that $19 oil changes are subsidized by the dealer opportunity to sell add-ons.

Firestone once argued with me about synthetic oil being required for my car. I took the owners manual in to the shop and showed them where Toyota specified SAE approved 5wt-30. They had me sign a waiver for non-approved oil, which is BS.

 

[Blankpage]

Been pretty widely used for 10 year or so, something like that. If you don't know your car has one, it's probably disgusting.

I usually do whatever the dealer recommends so its likely been replaced. I only scrutinize the big stuff.

And those people driving in convertibles or with the windows down and motorcyclists. They must have the lungs of a smoker.

 

[aminalmutha]

Yeah, fuck those people.

 

[TheRobSJ]

Radio codes should be free. Just be real nice to the SA, and be prepared to show reg for proof of ownership.

Not free for all of them. Honda and Acura vehicles built before ~2003 have no easy way to get the serial numbers from radios and navigation units. The serial numbers must be physically read off the back of the unit. And doing that usually requires some work to dig them out of the car.

Newer vehicles? Yeah we can do some magic with buttons to make the serial numbers show on the display screen. Super easy.

 

[Junkie]

C'mon. I at least give it a squeeze!




They started really showing up in luxury cars in the mid '90s.

It's quite disgusting to see one that's got at least 30k on it. Knowing that we've been breathing that shit all these years. I've seen people go so long and/or the filter is packed full of debris like leaves or whatever, that they bring the vehicle in with the complaint that the fan doesn't hardly blow anything out the vents anymore.




What to do...is to stop going there and start bringing it to my dealer. You know where.




What year Civic?

07

Not free for all of them. Honda and Acura vehicles built before ~2003 have no easy way to get the serial numbers from radios and navigation units. The serial numbers must be physically read off the back of the unit. And doing that usually requires some work to dig them out of the car.

Newer vehicles? Yeah we can do some magic with buttons to make the serial numbers show on the display screen. Super easy.

I did the magic that was supposed to display the serial (hold down 1 and 6 while I turn the ignition to run) and it didn't work

 

[Yakoo752]

What to do...is to stop going there and start bringing it to my dealer. You know where.

Dude, I know

and my wife works right there (PAMF)

just getting her to drop it off before work, get shuttled to work, get picked up, and get it after work... is tough and this place is right down the block from the house