Idiot car dealership strikes again

[LVSteve]

That only works if you have the exact same tires now. Let's say I went from a 275/70/17 to a 305/60/17. What's the correct inflation number now as it changes with tire size.


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Well, then you are in guestimate country.

With chalk or a strategic puddle next to a dry patch, find out how much of the contact patch is actually making contact. Start with lots of pressure then reduce until the contact patch looks complete.

The other method is to look at the load vs pressure numbers for the new fancy tire and scale the pressure to suit the corner weight.

All this is wasted if the new tires are so different in mechanical stiffness that they screw up the handling regardless of pressure. Had that on a BMW in the 90s. Put the same size boots on but used Goodyears instead of Michelins. Steering precision went away and the back end would get evil under certain circumstances. Returning to Michelins flushed out the handling gremlins.

 

[Frank46]

I have my servicing done by one shop in town. Same one I have used for close to 20 years. Best thing he is my next door neighbor so I hand him the keys and he brings it back when he is done for the day. Wish I could say the same about one particular shop when I lived on Long Island NY. Brand new Toyota Corolla and the mechanic got grease on my tan seats. Owner told me to go someplace else when I complained. I told him where he could go in no uncertain terms. Had a detailer come over to see what could be done. Hour later and $50 had my seats looking good. Never went back to that jerk again. Friend of mine was a LT and his dad was the capt of the local fire house. I had mentioned what happened and they told me no one in the neighborhood ever takes their vehicles there. Funny story about both the LT and capt as they were our neighbors. If you want to hear about it,remind me tomorrow. Frank

 

[BigBoy99]

I learned my lesson the hard way many years ago about going to a dealership for service - unless it is for something under warranty. I've often heard that dealerships make more profit from the service shop than from selling cars, and I believe it.

See Post #33.

 

[steelslaver]

If I don't do the service myself I always check the level before driving away from the dealership. The last time I went in for the "Free" service I checked it and it was almost 2 inches over the full mark. Either they didn't change the filter or the Tech (when did grease monkeys become "Techs"?) doesn't know how to count! The worst part is when I showed the Service Manager his comment to me was "As soon as you start the engine the level will drop".

Needless to say I never went back.

There is nothing to count, They have a hose with a deal on the end that is SUPPOSED to tell how much fluid it released.

 

[steelslaver]

When I got my diesel pickup back after an oil change, I checked dipstick and it showed no oil! I showed it to the service manager and he said he would look into it. He said it just an "engine quirk" and it would be OK after I drove it a while but he did take the truck back into the shop and when it came back, the oil was registering on the dipstick.

I think the gas engine guy did the oil change on my diesel pickup. The oil sump on the gas engine takes about 6 quarts while the diesel oil sump holds 11 quarts. I just bet he was thinking gas engine when putting oil in my diesel engine. I've never gone back to that dealer.

Gas engines also take different oil than diesels. My old 7.3 holds 14 quarts. Cost me over $125 to change oil last time, doing it myself

 

[Greyman50]

Best friend used to be head of service dept for Large Mercedes dealership in N.C.. Guessing it was close to 20 years ago he told me the Average bill for service on any Mercedes was $900!!! hate to see what it is today. He said back then they used to check every light bulb , spare tire pressure as well.

 

[moosedog]

Anyone ever have a bent radiator rod or a muffler bearing go out on them?
How about rotating the air in the tires?

 

[kenjen]

I have a very close friend who owns a car dealership. We go back a long way. He confided in me, that he makes his living off the service department. He said, if he could somehow get everyone who purchased a new vehicle at his dealership to bring their vehicle back to his service department for all of the required service work, he could give the new vehicles away for free!

Why do you think they all offer free inspections. Gets you in there and unless the car is new, there is something that "could" be wearing or will be in need of fixing in the near future.