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Dealer 30,000 mi service recommendation
- Thread starter Whimsey
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Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by A310
What's wrong with using conventional oil in your wife's eco-boost?
Exactly - Motorcraft's conventional oil meets the spec (presuming it's the same spec that our 1.5L Ecoboost calls for).
Yep.
Originally Posted by A310
What's wrong with using conventional oil in your wife's eco-boost?
Exactly - Motorcraft's conventional oil meets the spec (presuming it's the same spec that our 1.5L Ecoboost calls for).
Yep.
Originally Posted by Whimsey
-Change oil& filter (up to 5 qts, synthetic blend oil extra), though it takes 5.7 qts.
-Rotate & balance FRONT TIRES.
-Replace engine air filter.
-Replace fuel filter.(don't think there is one except in the gas tank?)
-Replace in cabin air filter.
-Replace all wiper blades.
For $700, that's the actual work that they'll do. Inspecting things for free are almost a given since they're already there working on things (including brakes since they're doing a tire rotating).
The fuel filter is the odd one. Is that common at 30k miles ? Is it labor-intensive ? Dare I say it, how will you know if they really did it.
-Change oil& filter (up to 5 qts, synthetic blend oil extra), though it takes 5.7 qts.
-Rotate & balance FRONT TIRES.
-Replace engine air filter.
-Replace fuel filter.(don't think there is one except in the gas tank?)
-Replace in cabin air filter.
-Replace all wiper blades.
For $700, that's the actual work that they'll do. Inspecting things for free are almost a given since they're already there working on things (including brakes since they're doing a tire rotating).
The fuel filter is the odd one. Is that common at 30k miles ? Is it labor-intensive ? Dare I say it, how will you know if they really did it.
My $0.02:
- The other dealers have talked to enough high end / German dealers and are convinced they can squeeze more money than ever from routine service.
- Demand may be outpacing supply, the business will have to increase yield from their Service Dept. (i.e. they simply cannot afford $20 oil changes).
- The sales departments have done a good job selling service contracts (Now easily wrapped into the vehicle financing). They actually sell those contracts by intimidating you with how much basic service costs and how much you will save by committing now and add in some kind of "Protect your investment" BS.
- Each year technology advances and intimidates more people to go to the dealer for everything.
- Do-it-yourselfers are a dying breed
- A $5-600 service not including full synthetic is stupid and whats up with only balancing the front wheels?
- The other dealers have talked to enough high end / German dealers and are convinced they can squeeze more money than ever from routine service.
- Demand may be outpacing supply, the business will have to increase yield from their Service Dept. (i.e. they simply cannot afford $20 oil changes).
- The sales departments have done a good job selling service contracts (Now easily wrapped into the vehicle financing). They actually sell those contracts by intimidating you with how much basic service costs and how much you will save by committing now and add in some kind of "Protect your investment" BS.
- Each year technology advances and intimidates more people to go to the dealer for everything.
- Do-it-yourselfers are a dying breed
- A $5-600 service not including full synthetic is stupid and whats up with only balancing the front wheels?
What I would do and what I have been doing for the most part last 5 years or so:
- Required services are still clearly spelled out in the manual. Dig thru it... assess your time and abilities...
- Forget the $600 service. Do what you can and have the dealer or independent a-la-carte' the rest.
- I bet in 30 minutes you can do a couple of those checks yourself and change a few EASY things yourself (i.e. wipers, engine filter, cabin filter). and cut that bill to $200.
- Chances are the same dealer also runs an express lube or some kind of branded service that focuses on oil changes but also includes some kind of multi-point inspection. I'd look into that hard. Ford dealers are pretty common if yours does not I bet the one one in the next town does. (Also don't forget about Mercury or Lincoln dealers).
- Required services are still clearly spelled out in the manual. Dig thru it... assess your time and abilities...
- Forget the $600 service. Do what you can and have the dealer or independent a-la-carte' the rest.
- I bet in 30 minutes you can do a couple of those checks yourself and change a few EASY things yourself (i.e. wipers, engine filter, cabin filter). and cut that bill to $200.
- Chances are the same dealer also runs an express lube or some kind of branded service that focuses on oil changes but also includes some kind of multi-point inspection. I'd look into that hard. Ford dealers are pretty common if yours does not I bet the one one in the next town does. (Also don't forget about Mercury or Lincoln dealers).
What about the blinker fluid top-up is that extra or is that included?
Originally Posted by Whimsey
I'm not posting this to pick on dealers but to show some of their absurdities when it comes to "service recommendations" . My wife bought a new 2017 2.3 EcoBoost Explorer in Feb 2017. We had a "free" dealer oil change at 2,000 miles, it was with "conventional oil" in a turbo DI engine
. Anyway the following is the email my wife got from her dealer today.
"30,000 mile Service"
"Starting at $699.95"
Nothing wrong with conventional in a DI Turbo engine as long as it meets Ford's specs. My SHO was on a diet of conventional (dealer OC's and I didn't pay for synthetic) from 0 miles to 70k or so following the indicator. Now I use ST Synthetic but no harm, no foul @ 129k.
The rest of that stuff is way overpriced! $700 for that is absolute robbery.
I'm not posting this to pick on dealers but to show some of their absurdities when it comes to "service recommendations" . My wife bought a new 2017 2.3 EcoBoost Explorer in Feb 2017. We had a "free" dealer oil change at 2,000 miles, it was with "conventional oil" in a turbo DI engine
"30,000 mile Service"
"Starting at $699.95"
Nothing wrong with conventional in a DI Turbo engine as long as it meets Ford's specs. My SHO was on a diet of conventional (dealer OC's and I didn't pay for synthetic) from 0 miles to 70k or so following the indicator. Now I use ST Synthetic but no harm, no foul @ 129k.
The rest of that stuff is way overpriced! $700 for that is absolute robbery.
Originally Posted by Speedbird001
- Chances are the same dealer also runs an express lube or some kind of branded service that focuses on oil changes but also includes some kind of multi-point inspection. I'd look into that hard. Ford dealers are pretty common if yours does not I bet the one one in the next town does. (Also don't forget about Mercury or Lincoln dealers).
Every Ford dealer around here runs that deal. I'd really, really hope the dealer in the OP doesn't because they'll do most of those for $40-50. Granted, for $40-50 they're not covering the cost of filters, wiper blades, etc. Around here, "The Works" costs $39.95 and includes synthetic blend oil, tire rotation and inflation, brake inspection, multi-point inspection, belts/hoses inspection, filter check, battery test.
- Chances are the same dealer also runs an express lube or some kind of branded service that focuses on oil changes but also includes some kind of multi-point inspection. I'd look into that hard. Ford dealers are pretty common if yours does not I bet the one one in the next town does. (Also don't forget about Mercury or Lincoln dealers).
Every Ford dealer around here runs that deal. I'd really, really hope the dealer in the OP doesn't because they'll do most of those for $40-50. Granted, for $40-50 they're not covering the cost of filters, wiper blades, etc. Around here, "The Works" costs $39.95 and includes synthetic blend oil, tire rotation and inflation, brake inspection, multi-point inspection, belts/hoses inspection, filter check, battery test.
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Originally Posted by StevieC
What about the blinker fluid top-up is that extra or is that included?
Well if you have to pay $11 for an external car wash after $700 for "that" 30,000 mile "service" I can guarantee the blinker fluid top up is extra
.
Whimsey
What about the blinker fluid top-up is that extra or is that included?
Well if you have to pay $11 for an external car wash after $700 for "that" 30,000 mile "service" I can guarantee the blinker fluid top up is extra
Whimsey
I remember working at a Honda dealership, at the time we were the number #1 dealership in the US for volume. The GM's philosophy was pretty simple and smart. He'd low ball Civics and Accords to boost volume and get better allocation for the more profitable units like the Pilot and Odyssey. He also felt the more cars we put in the road the more that would come back to the shop, for warranty work, service after the warranty, and a thorough hosing like some of the costs mentioned in this post. That is where the real money and profit is.
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