Car dealers and the games they play.

[pb4uski]

Next time, I'd pull out the manual and ask where that recommendation is in the manual. I ditched American cars in 1992 and switched to Honda. In 2011 I switched to Subaru. I've not experienced these tactics with Honda or Subaru.

I have with Subaru.

 

[pb4uski]

Do the dealerships still send salesmen into the service waiting area? Many years ago a friend was waiting for his car to be serviced. It was likely about 2 years old. Friendly salesman walks in, strikes up a conversation, asks friend if he was ready to trade in and buy a new model. Friend takes the bait, has one selected, etc.- and then finds that (of course) he doesn't get to keep his current loan and monthly payment. Everything has to be cancelled and re-written. Friend backed out.

I suppose it works once in awhile if you get someone so enamored of the idea of a shiny new car that they go through with the sale.

That happened to a friend. He was in having an oil change and walked out with a new truck. He was telling me about it like he took the dealer to the cleaners since his monthly payment was lower than it was before.

I asked him how many payments he had left on the old loan... about a year. I then asked him how many months the new loan was. I could almost see the gears turning in his mind as he was seeing that it wasn't him taking the dealer to the cleaners but the other way around.

 

[Beldar]

In over 50 years of driving I have yet to have to use the emergency brake while moving.

Not to drift the topic but the brakes failed one day on our 1989 Accord, the parking brake allowed me to pull over. Master cylinder failure (transient). But in the shop the next day.

And to be OnT; we once had our Miata in the dealership for some collision work. Upon picking up the car the service rep handed us a list of recommended services, one of which was to replace the cabin air filter. I asked him to show me on his computer where the filter was located, he couldn't.

Of course not, the car doesn't have one! So buyer beware.

_B

 

[JoeWras]

Cabin filters are a gift from the gods to the dealers.

 

[harley]

We're talking about an emergency brake, right? If so, the above sounds like an overreaction to me. In over 50 years of driving I have yet to have to use the emergency brake while moving.

Never had to slow down with a cop behind you without having the brake lights come on? The ebrake has saved my butt a few times. Long ago, of course. I'm the picture of a law abiding old man now.

 

[pb4uski]

Never had to slow down with a cop behind you without having the brake lights come on? The ebrake has saved my butt a few times. Long ago, of course. I'm the picture of a law abiding old man now.

My point was that post #53 was excessively dramatic.

 

[Sunset]

All other stories aside, why would you endanger self &/or family? WORSE some stranger if the brakes fail. There is time to run the car into ground as they say but avoiding brakes repair may prove to be pennywise - pound foolish ?

He said the brakes were fine, but the ebrake (emergency brake) was soft.

I don't even use mine in 8 years of driving my current vehicle so the ebrake really is not needed for stopping, just parking in some places, and not a dangerous thing.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I took my truck to the dealer today to get the oil changed and tires rotated. They ran a good deal on it so no issue there. However, the game they play is the "recommended" service suggestions. Standing there, he said my truck was due for a fuel injection cleaning. I said no thank you. My truck is a 2021 with 25K miles on it. When I pick up the truck, he says that he wrote the recommended services on the receipt. Fuel injection service $199 and a new one - flushing the brake fluid $160.

So, I get home and look in the manual for these recommended services. The fuel injection service isn't even in the maintenance schedule. The brake fluid service is in the maintenance schedule but it's based on years - 5 years.

Isn't this some sort of fraud/deception? I know better, but does the average person? I don't think so. I feel that if the dealer says "recommended", it should be based on the manufacturer's published maintenance schedule.

I lived most of my life in Arizona and never heard of brake fluid flushes. When I moved to Hawaii I started getting hit with that suggestion. I asked around including the mechanic where I work who takes care of a fleet of vehicles. He and others recommended I have it done. Brake fluid is hygroscopic (attracts and absorbs water which can then rust your brake lines). I did have it done and honestly, I'm still skeptical but apparently it is a thing in humid climates.

 

[Osprey]

I am about to bring my Subaru in for 36,000mile service and dealer wanted to do brake fluid flush. I looked in the manual for the car and maintenance schedule says to do it every 30,000 miles. Is this a new maintenance task not done in older cars? Or is it not necessary?

 

[EastWest Gal]

We're talking about an emergency brake, right? If so, the above sounds like an overreaction to me. In over 50 years of driving I have yet to have to use the emergency brake while moving.

I had to do that once. Scary as h*** but it worked. It was in a Mustang borrowed from my dad which I had failed to maintain when I was young and stupid. I managed to get it perfectly parked in the apartment parking spot then filled up the brake fluid. Got it serviced very soon after.

 

[frank]

I had to use the emergency brake once in my 50+ years of driving. the abs module went bad and built up pressure that caused a brake line to burst. I was going home from work and going downhill to a stop sign, lucky for me there was no one in front of me or coming from the other direction.

 

[pb4uski]

My Subaru has an electric emergency brake... essentially an on/off switch. I've never attempted to use it while moving.

I have had cars with hand brakes that you could partially apply the emergency brake.

 

[Turbo29]

Timely thread as I had my Mazda serviced yesterday. Typical stuff, but they recommended 4 extra things, including wiper blades front and back. I knew we didn't need blades, so on pickup I told him I just replaced the blades last week (not true but) and the manager was there too. I had fun with both of them before leaving.

I had the opposite experience when I had my Mazda serviced today. They changed the oil and did an inspection. The inspection said that the wiper blades were checked and were fine. I was ready for them to tell me I needed them replaced as they are starting to shred but they said they were all fine.

On the other hand I just replaced my battery 10 days ago. The shop said I'd better get a new battery as my current one was about to fail imminently. I looked at the test results on their printout: The battery tested at 650CCA and was supposed to have 880CCA. The problem with that is that the new battery I had just installed was rated for 650CCA; it tested at 100% of it's rated capacity. The OEM Mazda battery for that particular vehicle is only 550CCA; the battery I have was bigger than required. I have no idea where they got the 880CCA number from.

 

[folivier]

Living in south Louisiana I've never flushed my brake fluid. Never had a problem.
About wipers, I bought a set from a local auto parts store for my Tahoe. Went to install them and it was only one. For $32.00!! Next day I was at a tire store getting new tires for my trailer. Salesman asks if I needed new wipers? They had a sale for $8.00 each. Sure, got all three for less than the one I returned.

 

[Out of Steam]

I am about to bring my Subaru in for 36,000mile service and dealer wanted to do brake fluid flush. I looked in the manual for the car and maintenance schedule says to do it every 30,000 miles. Is this a new maintenance task not done in older cars? Or is it not necessary?

It's a relatively new task, mainly since ABS has become common in braking systems. Fresh fluid reduces the possibility of damage to the control solenoids, as well as corrosion of calipers.

Explained here. Two years is probably overkill, but 3 years/36K miles is reasonable. Time probably matters more than miles here.

 

[Osprey]

It's a relatively new task, mainly since ABS has become common in braking systems. Fresh fluid reduces the possibility of damage to the control solenoids, as well as corrosion of calipers.

Explained here. Two years is probably overkill, but 3 years/36K miles is reasonable. Time probably matters more than miles here.

Thanks, very helpful information!

 

[DrRoy]

Many years ago, I took a less than one year old car in for an oil change. They recommended that I replace all the belts and hoses. I said no. Some years later when I sold the car @ ~180,000 miles, it still had those same belts and hoses working fine.

 

[JoeWras]

My Subaru has an electric emergency brake... essentially an on/off switch. I've never attempted to use it while moving.

I have had cars with hand brakes that you could partially apply the emergency brake.

I had to try it as an experiment on my Subaru after I bought it. This is from memory. I'd try it again, but at 14 years, I don't want to break the brake.

When you press the button while moving, you get an irritating alarm. It takes about 1/4 second to engage. Here's where memory is foggy: I seem to also recall once engaged, you can sort of modulate it by keeping it pressed and then backing off. But it was tricky. All the while the irritating beep will sound.

Remember, this is just activating the rear brakes using a different system. A complete application at speed can cause a spin out, especially in wet weather. Any experiments should be done at low speeds in a wide open area.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We have used a "stealer" for the last 15 years. We lease our main daily driver, and it never gets out of warranty, all services are included with the Lease. They have never recommended anything to me other than upgrades that I simply say no to.

Now for any other car care, we do not go near them.

 

[street]

The last time I took a vehicle to a dealer for warranty work, the service manager told me I needed new wipers and new front brake pads.

I do, huh? You mean the wiper blades and front brake pads I *personally* changed 2 weeks ago?

... silence

A very similar thing happened to me. I take my pickup to a dealership because their oil changes are the cheapest. Anyway, last year they said I need new fluid in front deferential. About two months prior, I had a front seal leak and had it done by an independent and they changed the fluid in that gear box.

I didn't reply because it is always something that they want to work on.

 

[Out of Steam]

Many years ago, I took a less than one year old car in for an oil change. They recommended that I replace all the belts and hoses. I said no. Some years later when I sold the car @ ~180,000 miles, it still had those same belts and hoses working fine.

I recently changed the serpentine belt for the first time on my 170K mile Subaru, the radiator hoses are still original and still appear fine to both my independent shop and me.

I didn't know how easy a serpentine belt was to change. The job turned out to be easier than old-style belts.

 

[JoeWras]

Oh I read a new one today that stealerships are pulling.

It goes like this: car goes in for a brake pad replacement fairly early in the life (say 30k miles) of the vehicle. Driver is aggressive and hard on brakes.

Dealership won't do the service without replacing rotors and rebuilding calibers because of rust. Calls them "unsafe." They whip out a picture of the parts, which of course are rusty.

Mind you, the rotor surface is beautiful and shiny, but the rest of it is rusty, you see?

Yeah, yeah, I get it about not resurfacing rotors in this day in age. But some of this is getting ridiculous. And calibers also get rusty. Metal does that.

Nothing like charging 3x or 4x parts charge to pad the bottom line.

 

[djsander]

We had the maintenance minder come on and the code was oil change. That’s fine, we have a coupon. Also, knew we need a front end alignment (maybe) from when the tires were changed a few months back as the machine was down. Got those done and the only additional was the air filter, which people will say go to the parts store and dyi. Nope, I’m there they can do it.
The biggest issue is the mechanic tilted our seat way back, and changed the seat position as well as the mirrors. So, now I had to figure out which three switches change the seat and drive it a few times to see if it feels right. Wife and I are same hight so we don’t change them. The mechanic doesn’t need to lay out the seat like that or mess with the mirrors. Just do what your tasked to do. Your only driving it into the garage and into the parking lot.

 

[JoeWras]

The biggest issue is the mechanic tilted our seat way back, and changed the seat position as well as the mirrors. So, now I had to figure out which three switches change the seat and drive it a few times to see if it feels right. Wife and I are same hight so we don’t change them. The mechanic doesn’t need to lay out the seat like that or mess with the mirrors. Just do what your tasked to do. Your only driving it into the garage and into the parking lot.

Oh man, what a pet peeve. So true. I mean, seriously man! Drive it 100 ft. You don't need to mess with every setting.

 

[Sunset]

....
The biggest issue is the mechanic tilted our seat way back, and changed the seat position as well as the mirrors. So, now I had to figure out which three switches change the seat and drive it a few times to see if it feels right. Wife and I are same hight so we don’t change them. The mechanic doesn’t need to lay out the seat like that or mess with the mirrors. Just do what your tasked to do. Your only driving it into the garage and into the parking lot.

You are lucky the mechanic didn't change the radio station of your first saved station to his/her favorite station...