Dealer tried to sell engine flush and TB cleaning.

[stchman]

Took the girlfriend's car in for the free oil change over the weekend at the local Chevrolet dealer (she has a 2014 Malibu).

First thing they wanted to do was to sell her a "Lower Engine Cleaning Additive" for $59.95. They told me it was for cleaning the crud that builds up in the crankcase and should be done every 15K. Basically what they do is add an additive, high idle the engine for 15 minutes, then change the oil and filter. That sounds an awful like like an "engine flush".

I read the owner's manual for her car and GM states this:

Quote:
Engine Oil Additives/Engine Oil Flushes

Do not add anything to the oil. The recommended oils with the dexos specification and displaying the dexos certification mark are all that is needed for good performance and engine protection.

Engine oil system flushes are not recommended and could cause engine damage not covered by the vehicle warranty.

Hmm, so they want to do something that GM says specifically NOT TO DO!!!!!

They then tried to sell her an "Air-Fuel Induction Service" for $144.95. What they basically do is to clean the throttle body. Nowhere in the manual does it state that the throttle body needs periodic cleaning.

 

[eljefino]

You were expecting anything else?

 

[hattaresguy]

That's how dealers make money. I bet a good number of elderly people go for it, because their 1958 Buick needed it...

 

[stchman]

I can see the TB cleaning. Maybe that needs to be done, maybe not, but GM specifically states that engine damage could result if oil flushes/additive are used and such damage is not covered under warranty. The dealer changes the oil and filter every 5K on her Malibu so HOW MUCH crud could be in the engine?

What would happen if their engine flush would do some kind of damage and the engine needed warranty work? I do realize that this is remote, but if GM said they would not fix the engine as the flush did the damage, who would pay?

 

[Olas]

Even McDonalds try to upsell the large meal, it's capitalism. Probably shouldn't generalise but a lot of women would buy it straight away becaus they simply don't know any better.
You're lucky to have the knowledge that allows you to make an informed decision and not get scammed but most folks in the motor trade are targeted to earn commission and it has to come from somewhere

 

[mrsilv04]

It is probably something similar to the BG products.

https://www.bgprod.com/services/fuel-air-induction/

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: stchman
Took the girlfriend's car in for the free oil change over the weekend at the local Chevrolet dealer (she has a 2014 Malibu).

First thing they wanted to do was to sell her a "Lower Engine Cleaning Additive" for $59.95. They told me it was for cleaning the crud that builds up in the crankcase and should be done every 15K. Basically what they do is add an additive, high idle the engine for 15 minutes, then change the oil and filter. That sounds an awful like like an "engine flush".

I read the owner's manual for her car and GM states this:

Quote:

Engine Oil Additives/Engine Oil Flushes

Do not add anything to the oil. The recommended oils with the dexos specification and displaying the dexos certification mark are all that is needed for good performance and engine protection.

Engine oil system flushes are not recommended and could cause engine damage not covered by the vehicle warranty.


Hmm, so they want to do something that GM says specifically NOT TO DO!!!!!

They then tried to sell her an "Air-Fuel Induction Service" for $144.95. What they basically do is to clean the throttle body. Nowhere in the manual does it state that the throttle body needs periodic cleaning.



Do you really think a free oil change comes with no strings attached? As soon as they start to see some miles accumulating its time to sell, sell, sell the services. That's why I tell them to keep the free oil changes and free NYS inspections, and only go in for warranty work.

 

[stchman]

Originally Posted By: Olas
Even McDonalds try to upsell the large meal, it's capitalism. Probably shouldn't generalise but a lot of women would buy it straight away becaus they simply don't know any better.
You're lucky to have the knowledge that allows you to make an informed decision and not get scammed but most folks in the motor trade are targeted to earn commission and it has to come from somewhere


So the engine flush [censored] has to be something that does pretty much nothing inside the engine to avoid damage.

I've always said things like engine flushes and filter magnets are designed to separate people from their money.

 

[Nate1979]

I would report the engine flush to GM corporate because they were suggesting something forbidden in the manual.

For the TB cleaning, the manual only gives you the minimum amount of maintenance. It doesn't mean there isn't other services that could be done to make it run better, keep it cleaner, etc.

 

[stchman]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
It is probably something similar to the BG products.

https://www.bgprod.com/services/fuel-air-induction/


I wonder does that [censored] actually DO anything other than generate revenue?

 

[Kestas]

This is why women should avoid interfacing with dealers. Men are around to kill spiders, open pickle jars, and to interface with the dealer service guy.

 

[TonyKnows]

Find another dealer. Service Advisors are pressured from their managers to sell profitable services. I'm not saying ALL DEALERS or auto service centers operate in this manner, but in light of your detailed explanation, I would look elsewhere.

 

[bdcardinal]

Usually the person doing services is pretty low on the totem pole and the snake oil companies, BG, Moc, Wynns, train them to upsell that stuff. They don't know any better because they either don't care or they have never been to school.

I rip our snake oil guy constantly. The brainwashed snake oil people are the most fun to make fun of. Especially when I get to completely obliterate their claims. It is just like when I worked at Sears, they don't like smart employees who can think on their own.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
This is why women should avoid interfacing with dealers. Men are around to kill spiders, open pickle jars, and to interface with the dealer service guy.


A real man wouldn't be talking to the dealer service guy. j/k.

 

[Mr Nice]

When you work on commission you have to sell these [censored] services.

 

[stchman]

When my girlfriend bought her 2014 Malibu she insisted on getting the extended warranty with the service thing. I advised her against it, but she wanted it. I told her I would do the oil changes as her Malibu us a snap (oil and filter right on the bottom).

I have always thought that extended warranties are complete [censored] and a vehicle normally has very little to zero failures up to 75K miles. If failures do happen then they usually happen during the 3/36 warranty. If something goes wrong, it is usually only a couple of hundred bucks which is far less than the cost of the [censored] extended warranty.

 

[Kawiguy454]

They are incentivized to blow thru as many services they can in a day. Including a few make believe ones.

Dealer = Scammer ...Until they find a way to incentivize quality work the speed rejects will rule the equation and my opinion wont change.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979
I would report the engine flush to GM corporate because they were suggesting something forbidden in the manual.

Exactly, it is clearly stated in the factory owners manual NEVER to do this! They are violating their franchise agreement by grossly contradicting GM factory service instructions willfully, trust me, this store KNOWS they should NOT be offering this service to you but only care about ripping you off at the risk of damaging your vehicle which also could result in GM voiding the factory warranty!

Again this is why $tealerships get the reputation they deserve as this is quite common behavior.

 

[djb]

Originally Posted By: stchman
I have always thought that extended warranties are complete [censored] and a vehicle normally has very little to zero failures up to 75K miles. If failures do happen then they usually happen during the 3/36 warranty. If something goes wrong, it is usually only a couple of hundred bucks which is far less than the cost of the [censored] extended warranty.

You are missing the real scam of extended warranties.

It's not that they cover things unlikely to happen ("volcano insurance"), it's that they don't pay out when something does go wrong. They often don't cover the things the salesperson claims, and even clearly covered problems are denied.

A typical insurance business pays out about 50% in claims. An extended warranty often pays out less than 10% in claims, with 50% going to commissions. This is a horrendously bad deal for the consumer.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
You were expecting anything else?
Yep. The Ford place around here pushes fuel treatment to combat the effects of ethanol in your flex fuel vehicle.