Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: Johnny248
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I've NEVER had my oil changed at a Stealership and NEVER will. IF I HAD to not do it myself, I'd go anyplace but one.
They are NOT the place to get anything but warranty work done. (and I try to avoid that)
But to answer the question, the Ford stealership that I went to last week looking at cars had a $39.95 oil change sign up. Incl 4 quarts of oil (of course, each quart after that was "only" $6.99)
Bill
Thats a pretty broad statement. Because non-dealer shops send their techs to factory training all the time. And because all cars are just nuts and bolts. Right, tell that to the numerous people who bring their cars in to have them repaired here at the dealer when some other shop "tried" to fix their problems.
May be a broad statement but
something that I've DONE for over THIRTY years so
I've done what I stated.
Seen enough at stealerships to prove to me my mindset. Sorry but I call them as I see it. Maybe at where you work it is not that way but
EVERY place I've dealt with or visited has the problems.
Never had to have a vehicle "fixed" that was messed up by an independent service facility. And yeah all that factory training via DVDs (per the local Ford tech who messed up "fixing" my simple Taurus)
So since
I'm the one with the money I'll do with it what I want. Until I see different (just the fact of some stealerships thinking that $130 an hour is a FACTUAL labor rate
) I'll stick with what is working for me.
Bill
I have to agree with Bill here. Todays dealership techs are parts changers and if the code scanner doesn't spell a problem out their trouble shooting skills suck. Maybe in each shop there are one or two ace mechanics, the odds of finding out who they are or getting one to work on your car is slim, at least where I live. Having one of them actually change your oil won't happen, you'll get the green pea who knows little to nothing.
I had bad luck with dealerships, screwing up work, then lie, and try and cheat me. I found it quite funny when I had a van in for warranty work and wanted to take advantage of the $8 tire rotation. What they didn't know was I had marked the tires. When I picked the van up I checked and found they weren't rotated. I asked the service writer if the tires were rotated, he said yes. I asked him to please make sure, giving him enough rope to hang himself. He called the tech over that worked on the van, and as he looked me in the eye swearing he rotated the tires I told him B_S then showed him how they were marked. He looked and felt like a fool, and couldn't believe I marked the tires. I know all the tricks, they think everyone is stupid. At that point they said they'd rotate the tires. I said no way. I mean give the guy a chance to get back at me by screwing something up on purpose, no thanks! That cost them the sale of another vehicle, and any future business dealings, all for an $8 tire rotation. The truth is the general public is pretty stupid so they fall prey. I say let the dealers prey on someone else.
Having said that I've met a few mechanics on this board that are the exception, willing to share and help, and know their trade. Maybe that's because they don't live or work in the NY metro area, and there could just be some honest dealerships elsewhere in the country. I worked in 5 different dealerships as a salesman, and each store was a rip off, especially when it came to the shop.
I found 2 local shops I trust. If I have a project I don't want to tackle they get my work. These guys care, they have too. They don't have the backing behind them to screw customers over. They need their customers happy, and referring them more work. The dealers around here don't care, not one bit! I try and stay as far from the dealers as I can. JMO
