Dealership Cost... What do you think?

[HowAboutThis]

I like our local Subaru dealership. They seem honest and do good work. Just scheduled all the work below for $1470.

Brake fluid flush, tire rotation, coolant exchange, spark plugs, PCV replacement, transmission fluid drain and fill, differential drain and fill.

I still haven't found an independent shop that charges less and the dealer uses OE parts and fluids

 

[gman2304]

I still haven't found an independent shop that charges less and the dealer uses OE parts and fluids

You’re not looking hard enough……

 

[maduroman]

Brake flush appx 200
Rotation is usually free
Coolant appx 225
Plugs , not sure on that one maybe 300 maybe
Trans and diff 400?
Still 1470 seems kinda high
Only a drain and refill on trans ???

 

[HowAboutThis]

You’re not looking hard enough……

Could be. I search at the mid to larger local shops when I compare. Labor rates and parts seem to all be about the same, quite honestly.

 

[dishdude]

How many miles are on it? Plugs last forever anymore. I just paid $200/ea to change the coolant and brake fluid on my XTS at the dealer. Does seem a bit high but nothing too crazy.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Brake flush appx 200
Rotation is usually free
Coolant appx 225
Plugs , not sure on that one maybe 300 maybe
Trans and diff 400?
Still 1470 seems kinda high
Only a drain and refill on trans ???

Just looked up a local indy that everyone says is "cheap" I had do the 60K mile service 5 years ago. It included brake fluid, CVT fluid, spark plugs, and an oil change for $847.99. I'm guessing 2025 pricing would be $1000 or more but was going to call them tomorrow just to see. And that doesn't include a bunch of things the dealer is doing this time around. Do the cheap indys you all speak of have shops, employees, and multiple bays? Or are these miracle prices I can never seem to find that people talk about here like a friend or neighbor's back yard shop? Not that there's anything wrong with that, I've just been unable to find anything cheaper for most things I try to compare at local shops that are moderate to larger in size.

 

[HowAboutThis]

How many miles are on it? Plugs last forever anymore. I just paid $200/ea to change the coolant and brake fluid on my XTS at the dealer. Does seem a bit high but nothing too crazy.

125K. Subaru says plugs every 60K for some silly reason. My Toyota is like 120K or something. My old Honda was also 120K intervals for plugs. For whatever reason, Subaru likes fresh plugs or something. And they're a pain to get to (from my experience), require a lot of cussing, and multiple runs to places to find strange angled extensions that you know you have somewhere but don't seem to fit this time around.

 

[Electromotive]

I like our local Subaru dealership. They seem honest and do good work. Just scheduled all the work below for $1470.

Brake fluid flush, tire rotation, coolant exchange, spark plugs, PCV replacement, transmission fluid drain and fill, differential drain and fill.

I still haven't found an independent shop that charges less and the dealer uses OE parts and fluids

In my locale there is a highly reputed independent shop going back several decades with several locations. One of their advertising campaigns on local radio/television refers to paying dealership service prices vs their "dealership alternative" service prices. The couple of times I got estimates for service/repairs from this independent shop, the dealership was cheaper by a considerable amount.

 

[dkryan]

I like our local Subaru dealership. They seem honest and do good work. Just scheduled all the work below for $1470.

Brake fluid flush, tire rotation, coolant exchange, spark plugs, PCV replacement, transmission fluid drain and fill, differential drain and fill.

I still haven't found an independent shop that charges less and the dealer uses OE parts and fluids

I don’t see a question from you regarding your post.

1. “You like the local dealership
2. They seem honest, and
3. Do good work”

You still haven’t found an independent shop that charges less and you seem to be happy the dealer uses OE parts.

With all due respect, what’s the problem?

 

[HowAboutThis]

How many miles are on it? Plugs last forever anymore. I just paid $200/ea to change the coolant and brake fluid on my XTS at the dealer. Does seem a bit high but nothing too crazy.

Same dealer did my Toyota coolant for like $165 last summer and brake fluid flush was like $130. I did my own plugs on the 4-cylinder Toyota in 15 minutes. I thought that was reasonable. Everything costs more when they work on a Subaru, for some reason. Must be the book hours listed or something. Cause it's the same labor rate.

 

[HowAboutThis]

I don’t see a question from you regarding your post.

1. “You like the local dealership
2. They seem honest, and
3. Do good work”

You still haven’t found an independent shop that charges less and you seem to be happy the dealer uses OE parts.

With all due respect, what’s the problem?

It's in the title. "What do you think?"

I don't have a problem. But I often seem to hear about indy's being so much cheaper. So, I'm wondering what I'm missing or what people think/know in how to find these utopian auto shops?

 

[dishdude]

$1,470 for all that work at the dealer is fair.

 

[HowAboutThis]

$1,470 for all that work at the dealer is fair.

That's what I thought. And includes a shuttle to work, car wash, and full interior vacuuming. As well as snagging an orange juice, coffee, banana, and a couple granola bars in the morning before I shuttle to work Plus, the indy shop last time stripped the transmission and diff plugs and the dealer saw it during an oil change when they did their inspection, brought me back to show me the rounded heads, and asked if I had someone recently work on it. They wrote a letter, gave me pics, etc. that I took to the indy and they gave me gift cards to cover what the dealer charged me to fix it. So, there's that, too LOL

 

[clinebarger]

It's in the title. "What do you think?"

I don't have a problem. But I often seem to hear about indy's being so much cheaper. So, I'm wondering what I'm missing or what people think/know in how to find these utopian auto shops?

Likely depends on location & even the vehicle....If in a large Metro that's vehicle centric (DFW, Houston, Atlanta, LA, Phoenix etc), Independent garages have to charge more than their small town counterparts as Lease/Rent for a shop in a decent location is astronomical.

Deciding who works on your vehicle based on price alone can end badly, You're not buying a product!!

 

[ecotourist]

I still haven't found an independent shop that charges less and the dealer uses OE parts and fluids

OEM parts at an independent are an on again off again thing. The best independent I ever worked with (Volvo only, In Edmonton) would use OEM when they were the best but not OEM when they weren't.

I absolutely trusted them. Had our car serviced and repaired there regularly. If they said something was needed I had it done. It was almost worth sticking to Volvos just so they would take care of my car. But I had to own a BMW once in my life and they wouldn't touch it.

On the last day I owned that car (after 18 1/2 years, from new) I could have driven it anywhere. And it had been a very troubled car while it was under warranty.

 

[CKN]

To kee

OEM parts at an independent are an on again off again thing. The best independent I ever worked with (Volvo only, In Edmonton) would use OEM when they were the best but not OEM when they weren't.

I absolutely trusted them. Had our car serviced and repaired there regularly. If they said something was needed I had it done. It was almost worth sticking to Volvos just so they would take care of my car. But I had to own a BMW once in my life and they wouldn't touch it.

On the last day I owned that car (after 18 1/2 years, from new) I could have driven it anywhere. And it had been a very troubled car while it was under warranty.

Was that the Volvo you had 18 years?

 

[The Critic]

I like our local Subaru dealership. They seem honest and do good work. Just scheduled all the work below for $1470.

Brake fluid flush, tire rotation, coolant exchange, spark plugs, PCV replacement, transmission fluid drain and fill, differential drain and fill.

I still haven't found an independent shop that charges less and the dealer uses OE parts and fluids

Price seems low to me.

It isn’t a big secret that non-luxury brand dealerships tend to be cheaper on scheduled maintenance than most independent shops….as long as you skip the BG/MOC snake oil. They tend to do the work at a below market labor rate.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Price seems low to me.

It isn’t a big secret that non-luxury brand dealerships tend to be cheaper on scheduled maintenance than most independent shops….as long as you skip the BG/MOC snake oil. They tend to do the work at a below market labor rate.

I thought so. I don't think I've ever been upsold on that stuff there. Worst is they charge to much to replace an air filter so I just decline and replace on my own in 3 minutes.

 

[ecotourist]

Was that the Volvo you had 18 years?

Yes

 

[Dave Hess]

How many miles are on it? Plugs last forever anymore. I just paid $200/ea to change the coolant and brake fluid on my XTS at the dealer. Does seem a bit high but nothing too crazy.

Why not do it yourself ?

Just wondering….