Dealership Maintenance Pricing - Local Variations

[CKN]

Dunno if that is from the owner's manual; this is what she sent me. I did a visual inspection of the undercarriage, brakes, etc during tire rotation and oil change service. As through as Toyota? Can't say.

But I can tell you as a young family raising 2 children, every penny counts. Christina was pretty happy.

It appears it's from the owners manual. The point I am making while the service may be "overpriced" it's also more than what you stated. And lifts and the associated overhead costs money.

 

[JeffKeryk]

It appears it's from the owners manual. The point I am making while the service may be "overpriced" it's also more than what you stated. And lifts and the associated overhead costs money.

Sure. And inspections are super important, no doubt. I would guess that most of us BITOGers do a reasonable inspection during an oil change service; I sure do. Dealerships are in the business of making money; I have no problem with that.

 

[The Critic]

It appears it's from the owners manual. The point I am making while the service may be "overpriced" it's also more than what you stated. And lifts and the associated overhead costs money.

Do you really think that stuff gets checked?

A quick visual inspection, followed by a check for the common upsells (usual to that model) is all you’ll get. I constantly do the same on jack stands, no lift required.

Less than 5 mins spent.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Do you really think that stuff gets checked?

A quick visual inspection, followed by a check for the common upsells (usual to that model) is all you’ll get. I constantly do the same on jack stands, no lift required.

Less than 5 mins spent.

Well, I'm pretty sure they re-torque every stinkin' fastener... Especially the oil drain bolt. Sometimes even over torque it at no extra charge! Ha!

 

[The Critic]

Well, I'm pretty sure they re-torque every stinkin' fastener... Especially the oil drain bolt. Sometimes even over torque it at no extra charge! Ha!

Mechanic’s torque if you’re lucky.

Otherwise, ugga dugga to spec.

 

[IndyIan]

Yes. Or go in and say, "I want these items done" instead of asking for the "XX,XXX miles service package." "We checked the fuel cap to make sure it still clicked" isn't always worth the extra package price. Or, ask what the package includes that's necessary. Our local dealer seems reasonably honest. Or at least as honest as a couple of independent shops I've gone to.

Yeah, our dealer wasn't quite charging California prices, but I still don't want a Service A, B, C, D etc for $1k+
I let them know they weren't really doing all the stuff they listed on the oil change "service A" I had been getting anyways, as I had to clean and coat the fuzzy battery terminals myself after looking at them after about the 5th oil change... So after a bit of discussion/negotiation with the service advisor about not getting a "service", and just doing the work and charging the time it took, I had the plugs done, CVT fluid, brake fluid changed, and diffs done for ~$900. Not great, but better than getting those done in a couple separate "services" of over $1k each, like they had planned out for you...
Also looking back through the receipts, its interesting that I was originally quoted $650 to replace the rear rotors and pads at 60k km as they "weren't worth servicing" and then when I did get them replaced at 100k it was $450....
I think they were trying to charge "what the market would bear" and realized their market was going to shrink by one soon with getting too greedy on the pricing...

I think with Subarus in particular, getting the CVT done at a dealer is a good idea to keep your extended warranty and they will presumably use the right fluid, but the rest of the car isn't complicated and any competent independent shop, or yourself, can do the rest, if the dealer is stuck on the "service package" pricing.

 

[D60]

I think the biggest wild card here is the brake fluid "exchange." We just had another thread here about how it's not necessarily uncommon for some shops (dealers?) to just suck out the reservoir and pour in fresh. Urban legend? One in 5000 shops? I dunno......

 

[The Critic]

I think the biggest wild card here is the brake fluid "exchange." We just had another thread here about how it's not necessarily uncommon for some shops (dealers?) to just suck out the reservoir and pour in fresh. Urban legend? One in 5000 shops? I dunno......

We used to joke that “Brake Fluid Replacement” meant suck out the fluid, “Brake Fluid Exchange” meant the real thing.

If you don’t mind sharing, how many hours would this take a experienced tech in a shop setting?

150% efficiency is easily attainable.

 

[MattPersman]

Those a b c service packages are great $ makers for techs and shops. It makes it easy for the good customers that do whatever we tell them to ask for.

Good customers want to take care of their car by the book many times and just pay the cost when they pick it up.

We as techs appreciate their business and trust for us to take care of their vehicle over its ownership. We have mortgages to pay too you know