Went to a Quick Lube Place ... Ugh ...

[salv]

Absolutely ridiculous. They need to go over a work order with you before performing service. We do BG services also. It is an excellent service. Even with the full synthetic 3123 that would be used because that is what is compatible with the Hyundai 6 speed AT, our shop charges $199.95. It is a flat charge for BG trans service. Hyundai Spec-IV fluid is over $100 for the 10 quarts that the flush machine uses. sounds like the coupon was for a drain and fill.
BG also requires that their fluid is used exclusively with their flush machine per their contract. If BG found out that your dealer was using another trans fluid, they would yank their products from the dealership.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Good point. Before I knew what was happening , they were showing me the air filter. It's not an easy task to get to on the Accord ... I didn't (nor did the car owner) ask them to do that. They also pulled out the cabin air filter.

They are good - In the time it took one person to pull apart the air filter housing and the cabin air filter, they had a new person there with another set ready to go.

I may end up doing the next oil change on this car ... not sure.

There's certainly no personal touch on these services.



Whose to say the air filter is even yours that they show you? How many people know what their air filter looks like who pull into those places?

 

[jfking106]

The one and only time I ever paid a quick lube joint to change my oil, they overfilled it by a quart. When I drained that quart out, the oil was jet black. Never again.

 

[fdcg27]

I think that the average non-car guy has no clue as to how easy and inexpensive an oil change really is.
For very little money, you can use a synthetic oil and a high tier filter, or coventional oil and a filter that will still be better than what the oil change place will use for even less.
Of course, almost everyone here does their own oil chnages, and most of us probably change it too often.
I'm guilty of this, although I am on a seven step program with the new Accord.

 

[artificialist]

My dad loved to change his own oil, but as he aged, back and muscle pain prevented him from being able to do it.

 

[JohnnyZ52]

I bring my oil/filter to a quick lube place...they are right near where I live, are friendly and cost was cheap. I live in a Cooperative so I can't work on my car at home. Their posted prices are a bit high...but they also advertise a $20 special for air filter and oil change. That's insane.

 

[NHHEMI]

I bring my oil & filter to the dealer. They charge me $10 to change it. That $10 includes all shop fees, disposal of the old oil & filter, checking and setting the tire PSI, and checking and topping off other fluids if needed. This dealer does all the work on my vehicle basically and does a good job. If something were to go wrong however they certainly can't say it was someone else who screwed it up.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: LineArrayNut
Here's my rant:

Got $149.99 coupon that said uses genuine Hyundai specific fluid AT trans flush at Gray Epperson Dealer in Cleveland TN. Called service and described car, engine, trans, required fluid (SPH-IV) and MADE HER VERIFY that the 1) price was good as described/needed/stated on coupon 2) had requisite fluid on hand.
Drove 1 hr to shop. They put BG flush in old fluid. Came to me and said that the real fluid would cost well over twice the coupon cost. Coupon only covered bulk fluid of unspecified provenance. Refused to tell me what bulk fluid speced at or manufacturer. As the bg flush was already in they said they would tell Hyundai that I was out of warranty if I drove off. Was about to punch the [censored] but just decided to bend over and take it. $360.82 out the door. sph-iv was $19.16/qt


I would have got on the phone right then and there to the car mfg( Hyundai )and told them what this dealer was trying to do. I would have started hollering so everyone in the dealership knew what they were trying to do as well. The term "law suit" would have come up the split second they tried to scam me into a $400 repair. I wouldn't have left until they did the work for the price agreed to before hand or I was hauled out in cuffs.

 

[badtlc]

here are my local experiences/options:

- Mazda dealerships in my area will change your oil and filter for $10 if you provide the oil and filter. Otherwise, they all send out $19.95 oil change coupons ($30-35 for full synthetc castrol edge 0w-20 bulk). I use them for my car exclusively. I have had good experiences.

- We have an independent shop that regularly sends out $20 oil change coupons. They use Shell oil and use a decent filter and have good hours. I use it lately for the Escape.

- We have a good year shop that I like because they use Kendal oil and car quest blue (Wix) filters. They regularly provide $19.99 coupons but their hours are very limited. I have had to stop using them because of this.

- I did have experiences with the local VIOC places in my area about 6 years ago. They were quick, professional but their prices were just too high. Their biggest perk was they provide FREE oil topoffs between oil changes. Nice perk for those who need to top off regularly like I did at the time.

 

[LineArrayNut]

Blanket response for all y'all above me.

I called the dealer and verified with the service writer that 1.) the coupon was for a machine flush, included all fluids necessary. 2.) gave her all the particulars of the car, engine, trans, and ESPECIALLY the fluid. Made her CALL ME BACK with the availability of the 12 qts of sph-iv. 2.) verified price of service with the requisite fluid 3 times: 1st phone call, second call when she called me, at service desk when presenting the coupon.

I'm a nuke worker with a heavy background check. Can't afford to get in any altercation at all. I was angry enough to punch someone, so I had to back off and capitulate.

I did call Hyundai, and the dealer called me (sounded like the sales side). Now I begin with the forums and BBB, angies list, yellow book etc. I gave both calls all the above. Nice noises were made but no substance so far.

The two pints of BG fluids "6600: BG Trans Flush Kit (which were a flush and a conditioner) cost me $40.50 Undoubtedly there's plenty of dealer markup there.

Labor was $57.45. The young tech looked floppy and frazzled but was knowledgeable and courteous.

Tax was 32.95. We have no state income tax so the sales tax is over 10%.

SPH-IV was 19.16 x 12 = 229.45

What really [censored] me off was the "service manager" denied me the right to ask Donna Pettit the service writer that I had verified the cost three times. He accused me of trying to get something for nothing. And refused to tell me anything about the bulk tank fluid besides that it was "synthetic, red, had never caused any problems in a trans", albeit there were 6 reman trans laying in the service bay... The guy was combative and asked a number of times for me to get out of his shop if I wanted something for nothing.

I guess the 149.99 was for a bulk fluid swap with no bg kit and no tax added till the end. They never would tell me exactly. I just got the h out of there before I punched somebody. I was getting loud and demonstrative, but it was doing no good.

 

[nthach]

I just took my car in for a oil change at one of the better local quick lubes, and for 6 quarts of Castrol GTX, a e-core Champ Labs/Fram filter and labor was $38. Yes I know, but I can't do anything strenuous for the next month due to a fractured elbow. I recently picked up a jug of Chevron Supreme and a Microgard/Champ at O'Reilly for $17 a month prior for another car.

And this place doesn't upsell you and they had their filters out on a shelf, all of them were Service Champ which are relabeled Champ Labs oil filters. And they use Castrol or Mobil, most others here use Amtecol or whichever they can cheaply get.