My dealer rant-

I went in yesterday to have the side air bag recall done, was time for an oil change, and I knew my front brakes were due. It’s winter; I didn’t have a place to do the brakes in the warm because I had a tractor in the shop, so I decided to let the dealer do it. I really hate playing the dealer service game, but sometimes I find it fun to just play along. The tech hadn’t had the car more than 45 minutes when my little service lady came up with this great look of concern. Joe, we’ve found a list of things that need to be dealt with today! I showed my concern, and asked what’s wrong, well Joe, you haven’t had your 110,000 or 120,000 service done, you need an engine air filter, cabin air filter, your front wipers are in bad shape and you need a fuel system service! We’re also recommending you replace the rotors due to the mileage and the wear and tear of running the brakes as long as you did. (only 126,000 miles on car) Gee, can you show me the rotors? I had seen them a week ago when I had tires put on it and they’re fine, nothing a light turning wouldn’t clean up. I walked back to my car and she asked the tech if he could show me how bad the rotors were. He had already set them beside the trash can in his bay because “no one would want to run rotors that bad” I asked him to get them up on the bench and lets see them. I asked what was to wrong with them? He showed me all the scratches and stated they were also below “spec” to turn. I asked what did they mic out at? He said, oh I just looked at them and could tell they were shot! I looked back to my writer and told her lets really measure them, and then just give them a cleanup cut. Wow, hard to believe, but there was plenty of meat left on them! He had the nerve to ask about all the other “concerns” he had written up the car for. I told them both that during the Christmas rains I had brought the car inside and had removed the front of the car to replace the headlights, replaced the XM antenna, and replaced both air filters along with all the wipers while it was inside. I also reminded her that if she’d bothered to read the service history, all the lubes, coolants, and spark plugs had been changed at 85,000 miles so it would most likely be another 6 years before they were due again. Nobody really wanted to talk any more so I went back to the waiting room for them to finish. My bill went from their estimate of just over $850.00 to $260.00. I am amazed though, this is a huge dealer working on who knows how many cars a day, I sat there just over 2 hours and I think only one person got just what they came in for, the rest paid for all kinds of crap they dreamed up. You know, not a one even questioned them or asked to see what they were talking about. We have a new dealer being built a lot closer to home, sure can’t wait to see if they are going to be a better place to spend my money.

Sad, I remember when I was a kid, my Dad would take the car in and they’d come back up and tell him, everything looks good, you only need oil and a filter, maybe an air filter next service!

 

Not really, It seems like that's what goes on most of the time these days in every service business. Customer service, knowledge and honesty are a thing of the past. Get on youtube and watch some of the stories from oil change places! and they stay open and making money! It was the time when you watched out for the independent shop who would take advantage of you, now it's the dealer who we are supposed to trust who is gouging us.