Car dealers and the games they play.

[Redbugdave]

On the brake fluid...you can buy a tester for checking your fluid. Many on Ebay for under $5.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/363553954910

 

[athena53]

+1
It's funny watching these guys work the lady customers in the waiting room. I don't know how they sleep at night or look themselves in the mirror in the morning. Standing rule in our house, if the wife takes her car in and the service guy recommends anything, she dials my number and the guy has to talk to me.

Sad but common. I still remember sitting there, heavily pregnant, and the guy at the front desk preparing the bills said on the phone to the mechanic, "You replaced all four struts? Did the customer agree to this?" This was a tire franchise and supposed to be a routine tune-up but they told me I needed struts. Now I have resources-my brother and two friends who really know car maintenance- and they're my go-to people for maintenance questions. I've also found repair shops I can trust including my current one. I will be forever grateful to the guys in the big, cavernous place with all the pictures of cars they'd kept running over 200,000 miles, who told me to replace the timing chain in my 1991 Toyota Camry because it was near the end of its life. A less-informed friend knew nothing about it and her engine was destroyed.

Cleaning the fuel injection systems, I question the need and still haven't gotten a satisfactory answer as to why this even needs to be done on a vehicle with less than 50K miles.

Is that like an engine shampoo? Someone called Click and Clack after they'd paid for one on the recommendation of a Goodyear franchisee. I think they fell on the floor laughing.

 

[Momoney293]

I took my 20 y/o low mileage truck in recently to have the brakes inspected at an independent repair facility. They inspected the brakes no charge and said they were fine. I told them the ebrake was soft and didn't seem to hold well. They said the ebrake cable was out of available adjustment and I would need a new cable. They quoted $515.00 for the cable P/L. Haven't done it yet but that is what it seems to cost after checking around. That was a bit of a shocker. I avoid parking down hill and park front wheels against a curb when I can

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 ?

 

[RetMD21]

I took my 20 y/o low mileage truck in recently to have the brakes inspected at an independent repair facility. They inspected the brakes no charge and said they were fine. I told them the ebrake was soft and didn't seem to hold well. They said the ebrake cable was out of available adjustment and I would need a new cable. They quoted $515.00 for the cable P/L. Haven't done it yet but that is what it seems to cost after checking around. That was a bit of a shocker. I avoid parking down hill and park front wheels against a curb when I can

I had no idea it could cost that much!!

 

[Car-Guy]

I took my 20 y/o low mileage truck in recently to have the brakes inspected at an independent repair facility. They inspected the brakes no charge and said they were fine. I told them the ebrake was soft and didn't seem to hold well. They said the ebrake cable was out of available adjustment and I would need a new cable. They quoted $515.00 for the cable P/L. Haven't done it yet but that is what it seems to cost after checking around. That was a bit of a shocker. I avoid parking down hill and park front wheels against a curb when I can

Why not replace it yourself? If you need help, try DIY UTube videos.

 

[Mansderm]

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.

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.

 

[CRLLS]

I go to the dealer for regular oil changes when the car is under warranty. I follow the owner's manual for what items need to be changed that would affect any future repairs. For instance, cabin filter is not one of them. Last year I bought a Hyundai and got 3 years free oil changes. My issue is the sticker in the window says I should get an oil change a hile ago, the car says I need to "service" the car in about 600 miles, when I log into my personal Owners.Hyundai.com site, they know who sold me the car and my car uploads data to Hyundai including my driving styles. They list what my dealer recommends should be done in about 1500 miles from now. I am 100% certain that is not part of the "free" service that Hyundai gave me,

 

[FedRetired50]

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

 

[aja8888]

I'm not too sure how to rank these in order of the worst to the least worst?

Auto dealerships
Lawyers - ambulance chasers
The IRS
Telephone scammers
your ex

 

[RetMD21]

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.

My local Honda dealer reduced the price of oil changes and started pushing changes of other fluids at the same time. To be fair it was part of one of these multi brand mega dealers and they were probably just aligning with the others.

 

[ERhoosier]

...... I've not experienced these tactics with Honda or Subaru.

You are VERY lucky to have found good dealers over the years. se doing routine maintenance without customer agreeing to upsells. National consumer groups have documented such tactics at various dealers for basically ALL mass-market automakers. Many folks I know drive way out of their way to avoid such "stealerships" (to use a prior poster's term). In today's US car industry the automakers do not have control over individual dealers' conduct.

 

[Ian S]

I follow the severe conditions service intervals for my 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe and have always had it serviced at the dealer. Part of the reason for that was there would be less chance of hemming and hawing for big drive train repairs during the 10 year 100,000 mile warranty. Anyway, it's out of warranty now but I still go to the dealer for service. Why? Because I'm no longer willing to get under a car to do oil and filter changes and the like. And because it's pretty cheap. I've just made a service appointment and have opted for their "enhanced" 75k mile service rather than the $50+tax oil and filter. The enhanced $163 + tax service includes the following:

Oil Change (Up to 5 Qts Conventional Oil) * Synthetic Extra

New Oil Filter

MOA Oil Additive

Top Off Fluids

Perform 27 Point Inspection

Replace Cabin Filter

Engine Air Filter

CF5 Fuel Additive

Tire Rotation

Battery Service

Complimentary Car Wash

The dealer uses semi-synthetic Quaker State. Fine for me as I only put about 3500 miles on between 6 month oil change intervals. My car has staggered tire fitment so no tire rotation is done. I will also be having them replace an inner fender liner at a later time. Their estimated cost is a little north of $200. Again, another repair I could probably do cheaper myself but requires me doing stuff I did when I was younger and poorer but no longer now that I'm older, richer and achier!

 

[Perryinva]

I have news for you “injectors never need cleaning” pundits. Gasoline may be a solvent, but only to things that are soluble to it. Injectors do get fouled, and depending on the quality of the gas you use and the detergents and additives, there can be varnish type gumming which partially clogs the fine spray ports or worse, prevents them from closing completely as fast as needed, which wastes gas, and robs power. Maybe you all drive old cars, but most newer cars use direct port injection which exposes the business end of the injector to the combustion chamber pressures and gasses, along with the build up associated with incomplete combustion.

That said, a car with only 12k miles certainly doesn’t need injectors cleaned, and the vast majority of injectors can be kept clean & healthy with a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank every 10k miles or so. Chevron Techron Plus and BG44k both get high marks for their cost effective results. Some cars, like Mini Coopers are notorious for throwing codes due to fouled injectors that injector cleaners will solve.

 

[athena53]

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.

 

[Music Lover]

How about:
"When I collected my new Toyota C-HR, I was told there was only one key as there was a shortage of chips to make them, and the spare key would arrive later."
"But when I contacted another Toyota dealer, they said they could supply a spare in seven to 10 days, at a cost of *approx £450."

Am guessing that is about US $900.- for a bloody key.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/ask-the-expert-why-cant-toyota-supply-my-new-cars-spare-key/

My wife's daughter lost the key fob for her Escape and contacted her aunt's ex who works at a Ford dealership. He told her not to get a replacement from the dealer as they were too expensive. He recommended an independent locksmith who charged $160 instead of the $450 the dealer wanted.

 

[HtownRose]

I get deals on oil changes from the dealerships I bought my cars from so that's where I get them done. Also nicer place to wait for it. They always give me a detailed print-out of recommended services which I then take to my guy who works out of a no-frills garage with no waiting room etc. Him I trust, many times he says the work is unnecessary.

 

[folivier]

Last time I had an oil change at a dealer was about 8 years ago. I negotiated 6 oil changes when I bought a 2 year old Mustang. Took it in for the first and last oil change and sat for over 3 hours before they finished it. Figured my time was worth more than the free oil changes.

 

[shafer9]

This is why I avoid dealership service departments.

 

[shafer9]

Never heard that. Stealing it.

 

[Zathras]

This year Car Dealers were saved from taking the ‘least trusted’ profession by Telemarketers!
https://stacker.com/money/americas-most-and-least-trusted-professions

Lawmakers actually beat both (not a very high bar though).

 

[JoeWras]

This year Car Dealers were saved from taking the ‘least trusted’ profession by Telemarketers!
https://stacker.com/money/americas-most-and-least-trusted-professions

Lawmakers actually beat both (not a very high bar though).

That's a great article because it is written by a journalist and they do nothing but point fingers elsewhere for the low standing journalists have.

Hilarious!

 

[Music Lover]

That's a great article because it is written by a journalist and they do nothing but point fingers elsewhere for the low standing journalists have.

Hilarious!

Journalists have certainly done everything they can to become one of the least trusted occupations that exist. Outright lies and fabrications are the norm instead of a rare aberration.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Yeah! I bet journalists get oil changes at the dealership!

 

[Aerides]

Can we get back on topic vs. turning this into another boring media-bash?

 

[pb4uski]

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 ?

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.