Those dealership (and repair chain) coupons boil down to one word...
"Upsell"
"Upsell"
What to do about car dealer ? (*** see Post 27 *** )
- Thread starter Narragansett
- Start date
I know it's a joke about the battery meme. But I once saw the results of a $10/hr monkey @ Autozone install the wrong battery in a woman's car. The terminals were reversed on the battery & he hooked it up & tried to start the car. It fried the computer & who knows what else.
In college, I worked at a Valvoline Oil Change place. They were paying out claims about once a month, claims costing hundreds of $$, sometimes thousands (for a NEW motor).
These quicky oil change places hire people off the street, train them for about 30 minutes & turn them loose. Stripped drain plugs, wrong oil filters, cross threaded filters, wrong oil filled and NO oil installed. All of that has been done by someone.
Know what a new motor costs for a modern car or truck these days? Not to mention the 8-10 hours labor of swapping them out? Nor are all claims honored by the quicky oil change places. Than what? Hire a lawyer, costing thousands of $$$?
All that because "my time is worth something".
And then complain about it when something goes wrong.
I'd bet mileage requirements. The gubbermint is filled with idiot bureaucrats who want nothing more than to destroy the auto industry.
Mileage requirements are why so many cars & trucks are 1/2 plastic & aluminum.
Jeff423
US Veteran
I've got a good local mechanic. He's honest and will let you supply your own parts, oil, etc. But he currently has a 2 1/2 week wait to get an appointment. Some repairs won't wait that long.
I only get my oil changed at dealers. I bring em my oil and filter. They charge me $15 to $20 and wash my vehicle. Every dealership I've went to (3-4 states) has given me the same deal, regardless of type of dealership and make of my vehicle, e.g., Toyota at a Dodge dealership, etc.
OP, did you sign an estimate before they started the work?
OP, did you sign an estimate before they started the work?
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I've been dealing with the same VW dealer for 14 years and I can't say anything bad about them.
The 1st 3 oil changes on my 23 Atlas came as an option on the car.
I buy my tires through them, best deals and with the VW Service Card I get zero percent financing and rebates. Plus they store my tires for me.
I've never felt pressured to buy anything.
I will say this is a mom and pop dealership. They are becoming rare as most are corporate megadealers anymore.
The 1st 3 oil changes on my 23 Atlas came as an option on the car.
I buy my tires through them, best deals and with the VW Service Card I get zero percent financing and rebates. Plus they store my tires for me.
I've never felt pressured to buy anything.
I will say this is a mom and pop dealership. They are becoming rare as most are corporate megadealers anymore.
smoothshooter
Member
I still change my own oil, though it gets more difficult due to my age. Not only does it save me money, but take the opportunity to look around for other potential problems while I'm under there. Using 6 quarts or Mobil 1 full synthetic and a Mobil 1 oil filter, it costs me around $45, but I've never tried to up-sell myself anything!
How do you get 6 quarts of synthetic oil AND a filter for $41 ?
My wife bought me a 2022 Nissan Frontier and her a Rogue "Sport" from the local stealership. In the 3 years we have had them they have not been back there. I have a "heavy equipment" mechanic with full service truck come to the house every Spring. Parts (oil-Castrol GTX 0-20 syn, Nissan filters oil and air) cost $150. He's under the vehicles maybe an hour, tire rotation every other change (we drive 5-6,000 mi/yr). When done I drop a crispy Benjamin in his hand, have enjoyed the conversation and I know he has treated my vehicles like his own. No cleanup either. Joe
Easy
Walmart has 5 qt jugs of Mobil 1 for $25, add another quart and filter for a total of about $40. This is what I do, except I pay a dealership $15 to $20 to change it.
kamloops67
Member
I used to change my own oil , still would but it's become a pain to dispose of the used oil
I would save the old oil in a couple old Jerry cans
Twice I had the used oil stolen by people thinking it was gas
Made me laugh , one of the times I saw the Jerry cans sitting on the curb about a block and a half from my home . I can only hope they poured some into their tank before realizing it wasn't fuel
Another time it was stolen from the back of my pick up
Just wish I could have been a fly on the wall to see their reaction when they realized they'd stolen garbage
I would save the old oil in a couple old Jerry cans
Twice I had the used oil stolen by people thinking it was gas
Made me laugh , one of the times I saw the Jerry cans sitting on the curb about a block and a half from my home . I can only hope they poured some into their tank before realizing it wasn't fuel
Another time it was stolen from the back of my pick up
Just wish I could have been a fly on the wall to see their reaction when they realized they'd stolen garbage
Autonomous
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We bought a new Mercury Cougar the second year Ford's OHC modular V-8 was out. The extended warranty lady sold me on a policy explaining the cam drive belts cause major damage if they break.
I find out that night the cams are chain driven... Go in the next day to cancel the policy. That is where it got fun. The warranty lady was very buxom, sultry and used to getting her way. She got really mad when I made her cancel.
I find out that night the cams are chain driven... Go in the next day to cancel the policy. That is where it got fun. The warranty lady was very buxom, sultry and used to getting her way. She got really mad when I made her cancel.
WalMart. Dealer wanted $200+ to change oil in My 96 Powerstroke. Wally world with a Fram oil filter and Rotella was $78.
At 74 yrs. old I just got tired of crawling under our cars to do oil changes. But after the experience with the repair shop I decided to go back to doing our cars.
Both my Ford and my wife's Subaru turned out to be a real issue the first oil change I did on both after that shop did them! My pan plug was so tight I couldn't break it loose the next change with my 1/2" ratchet handle! It stripped off and I had to go get my 2 ft. breaker bar and barely got it off without stripping the hex head! I had to order a new pan bolt so I can replace it next oil change.
I knew what to expect on my wife's car and wasn't surprised when it also was way over tightened! I used the breaker bar on it right off and it went "snap" when it broke loose! At least the bolt head didn't get screwed up!
Both of the cars have aluminum pans, and I'm shocked they didn't strip those threads out too!
Both my Ford and my wife's Subaru turned out to be a real issue the first oil change I did on both after that shop did them! My pan plug was so tight I couldn't break it loose the next change with my 1/2" ratchet handle! It stripped off and I had to go get my 2 ft. breaker bar and barely got it off without stripping the hex head! I had to order a new pan bolt so I can replace it next oil change.
I knew what to expect on my wife's car and wasn't surprised when it also was way over tightened! I used the breaker bar on it right off and it went "snap" when it broke loose! At least the bolt head didn't get screwed up!
Both of the cars have aluminum pans, and I'm shocked they didn't strip those threads out too!
jdh
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22 Silverado with Duramax at the dealership $165 with fluids topped off and tires rotated. ($95 for 10 qt of Delavac and a filter if I do it myself. And DIY rotation of the 20 inchers is a giant PITA without a lift.)
24 Audi A3 at the dealership $390. And the Audi waiting room is no where near as nice as the BMW dealership, BTW.
24 Audi A3 at the dealership $390. And the Audi waiting room is no where near as nice as the BMW dealership, BTW.
Fram filters are what people use when they don't care about their engines.
Ever cut one apart, look inside? Local autoparts store had a Fram & Wix filter side-by-side, cut apart. The difference was startling.
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IMHO Wix are the only ones to use.
I have used Wix on everything, lawn mowers, cars, generators, etc.
Autonomous
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Get an oil vacuum pump and remove the oil through the dipstick. Our 2015 Subaru has the filter on top of the engine. Changes are a snap. You will not regret it.
Example:
[ame]https://www.amazon.com/DASBET-Extractor-Changer-Operated-Remover/dp/B07C1VJRXH/ref=asc_df_B07C1VJRXH?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80195681205772&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583795269552894&psc=1[/ame]
pittpa
Member
This is the oil change plug from my 2019 Mustang GT.
No overtightening involved. However it's a 10 quart oil change. I used to lease a Honda Accord. I bought a Subaru legacy and the Honda dealer continued to offer me great deals on oil changes.
then I bought my mustang and I took it there for an oil change. I asked them if they checked the rear differential lube because it wasn't checked off on the receipt. The service writer said no because if they pulled that plug some oil might leak out. SMH.SMH.
Because I have a Ford extended warranty, eight years 96,000 miles on the Mustang, I decided it was just as well to take it to the Ford dealer so if there was any question about the oil changes, they would have a record of it at their fingertips.
The first time I went there, I noticed that the bill was less than I thought it would be, but I didn't think much of it. Until I went out to pull the dipstick and it was dry. It turns out the mechanic assumed it was an 8 quart engine and rather than look it up or pull the dipstick, he put 8 quarts in and went on his way. I pulled back in the service area and the guy who came to put the additional 2 quarts was at least 50 years old. I assume he was the one that did the oil change or else the guy who did the oil change was hiding and went on his break.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalkk
No overtightening involved. However it's a 10 quart oil change. I used to lease a Honda Accord. I bought a Subaru legacy and the Honda dealer continued to offer me great deals on oil changes.
then I bought my mustang and I took it there for an oil change. I asked them if they checked the rear differential lube because it wasn't checked off on the receipt. The service writer said no because if they pulled that plug some oil might leak out. SMH.SMH.
Because I have a Ford extended warranty, eight years 96,000 miles on the Mustang, I decided it was just as well to take it to the Ford dealer so if there was any question about the oil changes, they would have a record of it at their fingertips.
The first time I went there, I noticed that the bill was less than I thought it would be, but I didn't think much of it. Until I went out to pull the dipstick and it was dry. It turns out the mechanic assumed it was an 8 quart engine and rather than look it up or pull the dipstick, he put 8 quarts in and went on his way. I pulled back in the service area and the guy who came to put the additional 2 quarts was at least 50 years old. I assume he was the one that did the oil change or else the guy who did the oil change was hiding and went on his break.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalkk
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