Two years/25K of service is complimentary on my RAV4h but I just do the services at home. I bought a bunch of SuperTech Full Synthetic 0W-16 on clearance at WM for $3.50/5 qt jug. I can do an oil and filter change for less than the fuel costs to drive to the dealer and back.
Consensus on taking advantage of complementary OC's?
- Thread starter sohccammer427
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Not to veer too off subject but is it possible, when buying a new car to negociate the price of these "free oil changes" into the deal? I mean, it's $200 worth of oil changes. Would a dealer be willing to remove these oil changes and reduce sales price to reflect that? I'll be buying a new car soon and I have no desire for a free oil change that takes me more time than if I just did it myself.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
RAM came with lifetime O/L/F and we have used it zero times other than to take advantage of the free labour. Wife brings the truck in with a FRAM Ultra and M1 EP 0w-20 on the passenger seat and we have a specific tech we deal with who does the work. He also did the first OC on the Jeep, but I can do those now that I have the right filter tool (as a result of the leaking filter saga) as SRT's don't get free oil changes.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
I’d rather just do it myself and I tend to shop vehicles in the big city, but live in a small town …
And, come on man … isn’t the underside the most interesting part of a vehicle … ?
And, come on man … isn’t the underside the most interesting part of a vehicle … ?
That frankly can happen at any point when someone touches or comes near your vehicle, let alone perform service on it.
I'll agree with you on that.
In 1993, I had a brand new Ranger pickup. It needed its first OC.
A brand new WalMart TLC opened in our town. I took the truck in.
I was watching in the window while a rather rotund, vertically challenged gentleman performed the OC.
I paid, and went out and walked around the truck. The fender that he was leaning over had the paint ground off of it.
I went in and demanded to see the Manager. I took him out to the truck and showed him the damage.
He said "Looks like a paint defect to me." I told him that "Let's go inside and I'll show you the defect."
He knew where I was going with it and told me that all their staff was required to wear a protective belt type of thing to protect the vehicles they service.
I walked over to a pony wall that separated the service area and called the guy over. No protective sash. He even had the red paint that matched my truck ground into his big, brass belt buckle.
Cost Walmart $193. to repaint my fender. Fortunately, my FIL owns his own auto body business. He did an excellent job of matching it up.
Point is, anything can happen. Not everything can be prevented.
If you pay for something, you should use it. Or, negotiate it out of the price.
You can and I have.
When I bought the Accord, I was offered four "Free" oil changes.
Told the salesman that meant nothing to me, as I was not going to drive 3 hours round trip for one.
They knocked $100. of the price.
On the other side of things, in 2008, I bought my pickup used from a dealer that was caught up in the financial crisis of the time.
Got a fantastic deal on it. They offered me three free OC's on the truck. Would knock nothing else off (Price went from 9K to $5600, plus I negotiated another $100. off of it.)
Then they said, what vehicle did you come up in? I pointed to my wife's van.
He gave me another card for three free OC's on our Odyssey van.
Again, the distance meant that I would probably never use any of them.
Given the financial condition of the dealership(s) (Chevy/Buick/Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep,) I knew they weren't worth the plastic they were printed on.
Ninety days later, both dealerships were done.
A perfect scenario would be if the dealership would just go ahead and provide you with the oil and filters when you took delivery of the vehicle, if that was what you wanted. But that probably won't happen. I wonder if the dealership bills the vehicle manufacture back for the parts and labor? If so it's another profit maker for the dealer.
I love my dealer and know the people that work there. Went to high school with my preferred tech.
My time is still worth more than a free oil change. It'd take hours just to save $35.
My time is still worth more than a free oil change. It'd take hours just to save $35.
My CPO '11 Regal when I bought it in 2014 came w/ 4 oil changes/tire rotations, at any GM dealer. The dealer where I bought its predecessor, the Park Avenue, had always treated me well, so I brought the Regal there. All changes/rotations were done quickly, no upselling, no errors.
They still offer their $50 special, oil change and tire rotations, so I plan to use them now and then -- if I'm right up against the OC time, and I can schedule it the same day when I have my hair cut close by.
They still offer their $50 special, oil change and tire rotations, so I plan to use them now and then -- if I'm right up against the OC time, and I can schedule it the same day when I have my hair cut close by.
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On brand new cars it shouldn't be an issue. They will use OE filter and oil, and probably won't try to upsell anything for at least a couple of oil changes. As someone else stated, the intention is really for you to become comfortable with using their service department and keep going there.
There are three situations where this goes awry where I work...
1. Wheel lock key for locks installed during PDI is missing and tires have never been rotated before.
2. The wait time is entirely too long. 3 hours on the first visit does not make a good impression.
3. (Rarely) Vehicle falls off lift or is run into lift. Both major lifting incidents I remember happened on almost brand new cars.
But generally, it's uneventful.
There are three situations where this goes awry where I work...
1. Wheel lock key for locks installed during PDI is missing and tires have never been rotated before.
2. The wait time is entirely too long. 3 hours on the first visit does not make a good impression.
3. (Rarely) Vehicle falls off lift or is run into lift. Both major lifting incidents I remember happened on almost brand new cars.
But generally, it's uneventful.
It’s about $75 in parts(filter/508) on our 2018 Tiguan so paying the $90-$100 or getting for free is no brainer.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2025
Either way you still have the warranty I always do my own.
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