Hi,

Just bought a new 2010 civic 2 weeks ago. Included in the price of the car was Life time Oil Changes. I went to the service desk and saw they have a pamphlet that shows service packages in 5000 mile intervals, each interval cost like $79 with the price increasing as the milage increases (ex 10k miles service = $109.99, etc.)

I looked at the package and most of the items were things like "check car horn, check head lights for proper functionality, with rotating tires as part of the package"

My question is do the dealer service advisors usually pressure you to go with one of these packages if you say you just want an oil change? I highly doubt it worth the money especially if I already got $400 price thrown into the car for life time oil changes, if all i'm paying for is for them to honk my horn and turn my headlights on to make sure they are working.

 

Depends on the dealership. Mine never pressured me on any services.

 

Lucky. My dealer was all on the jock strap about service. but they stopped when I went in for a third gear fix and flipped out when they changed my oil without permission. 20 mile old Royal Purple. It was the special kind too. The bottle had iron man on it.

 

It really depends. My dealership didnt force anything on me. I made them include the care free maintenance for 3 years.

 

Dealership are like any other business. They're trying to make money anyway they can. They'll always throw stuff at you in the chance that you'll cave in and get it.

 

just tell them u do everything else urself like tire rotates, filters etc.. and they wont bother u anymore

 

I was at a Honda dealership for 7 years, and to be honest with you the services are straight up waste of money...let me explain to you

5k service, they do oil change, rotate tires, lube door hinges, check battery lights, and belts...reset tire pressures $79+tax

but think about it, when you go in for an oil change, all fluids are topped off already and lights are checked, tire pressures are checked, and seriously the battery needs to be checked at 5000 miles? So most dealers charge $35 for an oil change, so basically you paying $39 for a tire rotation

15k service even worse....all of the 5k service, and install an air filter and cabin filter..whoopie $150

man 30k service all of the 15k service with a transmission service on top of it $275 yeah so basically not worth it

When you go in, just ask for an oil change and tire rotation, I don't see them charging more than $20 for a tire rotation

and when you hit 15k, buy your own filters, and change it yourself, you can do both within 1 minute

and when you hit 30k, just ask for an oil change, and trans service, maybe a rotation.

this is my best advice...

 

A friend of mine bought a new Accord a few years ago and the dealer gave him a pamphlet with the ‘service interval’ printed on it. So, shortly after getting it he asks for a ride to the dealership. A few months later, again he needed to bring it in. The third time he asked me I finally asked him what was wrong with the car that it was in the shop so often. He said it was just being ‘serviced’ and showed me the pamphlet. These jokers were doing oil changes every 3 months (very few miles between each visit), replacing plugs/filters at 6 months, and doing all sorts of other unnecessary stuff on the car and charging him $150/$220 or more each time the car was in there. Unbelievable, but people fall for this stuff so they keep doing it. I bet the plugs and other parts they take out of those cars (if they even really replace them) find their way to the tech’s cars.

 

I will bet they didn't do anything at all, and just kept raking in the bucks.

My niece recently had a run in with toyota, she bought a new corolla and had been sending it back for oil changes ever 3K.

She had to go away and she took the car to the local guy that did her cars before she got the toyota,when she picked the car up he asked her why she drove a new car 9K and never changed the oil.

The dealer was charging her for oil changes he never did, I don't trust dealers never have never will.

 

That's why when I hear commercials about some cars with 'free maintenance for 3 years' I cringe.

 

Yeah can you imagine what you would get FREE, bulk crap oil, and a cheapo filter what a deal.

When I was buying my new tacoma last year the salesman told me he would give me the first service free, I said drop the price I don't want any of your free stuff.

before I got the tacoma I had a chevy truck, I had back for the free state inspection for life I got with the truck.

It took them 2 hours, a waste of my time, then they charged me 40 bucks for the emissions sticker that comes with the inspection sticker in Pa.

The guy that normally inspects my cars charges me 35 for the 2 stickers.

so it costs me more money and wasted more of my time, and then I got a nice big grease spot on my seat.

So much for free I can't stand it.

 

Thanks for the advice, always good to hear from someone that used to work there.

 

Unless it's the '98-'02 Accord - You aren't going to do the cabin filter on that car in a minute...maybe 1/2 hour if you have actually done it before. But I agree, the services are a waste of money.

 

It's all about the upsale. And on the day your wife (if you have one) brings in the car, they will go for the kill.

Or pass on the BS that they won't do a TSB because you missed the B service. Afterall, you "failed" to service your car properly.

Service writer make $$$$ on selling more service. If they can't get $$$ out of you, they will drop you as an Advisor. And soon, all the Advisors will know, and no one gives a f^%^&% and do the minimum, when you need Warranty work for example.

 

I agree/disagree. I am a service writer and have been for almost 10 years (next month). The last 5 years have been at one dealer. I have the privilege that most of my business comes to me as referrals or previous clientele. I can stand at my desk all day and never be bored or slow.

However, that TSB if it applies to the vehicle I am going to complete it regardless of what your service past is. However, slam me on a survey.....don't expect me to go out of my way to help you ("at 36001, and my car is just barely out of warranty").

Yes, I keep track of every survey and can pull them up as needed. Yes, I will confront you on it as well.

Do I expect everyone to come in and do $500 worth of service? No, of course not. I am in the business to make money, whether it is a warranty/internal/customer pay IT DOES NOT MATTER, I make money.

Yes, there are people out there (like the guy next me, who will rip you front/back/sideways), the trick is to find one you trust and STICK WITH THE SAME ADVISOR. It makes all the difference in the world.

 

The best is when they try to sell u a tire for 400

 

I've seen you around here, so yes, I know we have some here on HT. I apologize for slamming "service advisors" in general as I know there are good ones too.

But the story about "not doing a TSB because a customer only did A service and was due for B" is a true story.

When I heard this from someone else, it does rub the wrong way for me because my dealer refuse to do a TSB because they don't feel anything was wrong (I won't go into that here). So I just have a bad taste for most of them.

I'll scale back a bit next time.

 

The local honda dealership got my mom pretty good on brakes last year...34 months into a 36 month lease they told her she needed new pads/rotors and that the calipers needed "servicing". I had a bitch fit with some jerkoff about that...i knew the rotors had some vibration but they simply needed to be cut, the pads had plenty of life and the calipers were fine.

They did cut her a good deal on maintenance from the get go...free maintenance and periodic services...tire rotation, check ball joints and brakes, oil changes, bumper to bumper warranty...it was an 07' accord ex sedan loaded and the new 08's were already on the lot, i think they were desperate to ditch the car.

 

I have been a service advisor for over 6 years with Honda. I
agree/disagree
The the OP take out your service history book and show them the "a" and
"B" services from the factory manual when they try to upsell something due
to mileage. There are no 5,000 10,000,30,000 mile services on your vehicle, maintenance is recommended through your maintenance minder system. It is your choice either way regardless of what service you decide to do.

I agree that some advisors pressure you into service you feel you may not need but remember it is the service advisors job to tell you what services are recommended by Honda. If you disagree simply say no...

Understand that some people really have no clue about cars AT ALL. These people see the value in checking ball joints, tie rods, brakes ETC every 10,000 miles or so.

My .02

 

Well said

 

I found that most of the "service packages" sold by a dealership only benefit the dealership. They get you back in and sell more services at inflated prices. "Free loaner car", but only with the whole service package, which is extremely expensive - more than pays them back for a loaner. Most 'services' are merely checking the car's conditions, with no actual changes taking place (like checking fluid levels, but not doing anything else). I had the brake fluid changed and the service order listed only one container of brake fluid as being replaced - and the master cylinder was nearly empty when I later checked it. That was nearly $100 for a poorly done job! I also had front struts replaced under warranty, and they refused to do an alignment, even though the Honda Service Manual calls to check it and adjust "if needed". Calls to the dealer to explain the discrepency went unanswered.
Bottom line - don't fall prey to the dealership's sucker service packages - they are overpriced and can be obtained much cheaper elsewhere. If you can do some of it yourself, the savings are considerable. I don't trust dealerships.

 

I replaced a rear lift gate handle on a Toyota Sequoia (general dealership story) which had been replaced by the dealership before. I was surprised to find that it had a paint splotch on it, a sign that the part had been removed from a wreck (used part). I suspect that used parts from the body shop division were being 'recycled' into the repair department and probably the new parts went elsewhere. I doubt that a dealership would condone this, but it shows the type of internal conspiracies that occur in a dealership. As someone mentioned in these posts, the good used parts removed unnecessarily undoubtedly have second lifes - maybe in your car!