What happened to "just an oil change"?

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I took my car to a local garage today for an oil change. They used to do just that, but now they include what they term a "12-point inspection and tire rotation." I told them I just had it inspected and the tires rotated. It's almost like they do this to look for things to fix. I managed to talk them out of rotating the tires, but they did find a bad air filter (the mechanic said it looked like a mouse nest) and replaced that ($46).

They also said my battery was very bad and that the brake line on the rear driver's side was all rotted away. The battery started the car even through the coldest part of the winter here. But I do believe it about the brake line - another garage mentioned this to me a few years ago. Today's garage said they couldn't help me with that, I'd have to go to a Honda garage.

Looks like it's going to be an expensive year for car maintenance.
 
It seems every time we take our car for service, they always find something wrong and it is usually quite expensive. We have discount coupons for some service. It almost makes us wonder about trading for another car.
 
@debodun you said “today’s garage”. Don’t you use the same garage all the time? Especially for just an oil change, which there are plenty of quick stops who only do oil changes; at least there are where I live.

Finding and using the same garage, consistently, would eliminate constant upsell tactics, although it does sound as if your car does need some work done on it.

After husband passed and I had to start all over again, finding good mechanics, etc., I had to ask around but it was knowing who to ask that was key, as we all know opinions are like a—holes ——— everybody has one.

My car is a 2002, only has 79K miles on it, and no payment. There is no way I am going in debt for a car that AI is going to tell me how to drive it.
 
I take mine to the dealership where I bought it, and they advise me of anything it needs, but I don't necessarily follow all their recommendations - for example, a cabin filter - I usually pass on that.

But one time, I took it in for an oil change, and I told the service adviser to put in a new battery since mine was 3 years old. He came back in a few minutes and said the battery checked out fine, I should wait longer to replace it.
 
debodun said:
They also said my battery was very bad and that the brake line on the rear driver's side was all rotted away. The battery started the car even through the coldest part of the winter here. But I do believe it about the brake line - another garage mentioned this to me a few years ago.
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Why on earth are you taking a chance on brake failure!?!?
Hopefully your procrastination won't result in some innocent person's death...
 
debodun said:
I took my car to a local garage today for an oil change. They used to do just that, but now they include what they term a "12-point inspection and tire rotation." I told them I just had it inspected and the tires rotated. It's almost like they do this to look for things to fix. I managed to talk them out of rotating the tires, but they did find a bad air filter (the mechanic said it looked like a mouse nest) and replaced that ($46).

They also said my battery was very bad and that the brake line on the rear driver's side was all rotted away. The battery started the car even through the coldest part of the winter here. But I do believe it about the brake line - another garage mentioned this to me a few years ago. Today's garage said they couldn't help me with that, I'd have to go to a Honda garage.

Looks like it's going to be an expensive year for car maintenance.
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I view these things they do as a form of upselling. Our car is relatively new and low mileage. I recently took it in for tire rotation, that is included with the purchase of the tires. The young man inspected my car and before entering the work order started questioning me about my windshield wipers, when my struts and brakes had been checked, and alignment of the vehicle. While my tires were re-balanced and rotated I watched as this occurred with every customer. I looked at their online price list and found that they had some prices that I view as inflated. I wonder how many uninformed customers end up with a sizable bill when requesting a basic service.
 
I used to do most of my vehicles’ maintenance. Oil changes and lubes were easy. Many of today’s vehicles do not have any grease fittings, which means, they don’t need lubricated. My wife’s Mercedes has 00 fittings. The front suspension and steering parts are all sealed.
Makes my life easier.
 
oldman said:
I used to do most of my vehicles’ maintenance. Oil changes and lubes were easy. Many of today’s vehicles do not have any grease fittings, which means, they don’t need lubricated. My wife’s Mercedes has 00 fittings. The front suspension and steering parts are all sealed.
Makes my life easier.
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The key words there are "today's vehicles". My car is 24 years old.
 
raybar said:
I have been going to the same shop for nearly 30 years. Family owned, same father and son running it, and mostly the same mechanics.

Never tried to sell me any unneeded product or service, and even told me a couple times that I didn't need what I ask for.
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I don't think small business owners practice upselling. What causes us to beat a path to their door is good service at a fair price. I too patronize such a shop and they have at times told me they could provide service but it wasn't needed at that time. That's why I go back again.
 
debodun said:
I took my car to a local garage today for an oil change. They used to do just that, but now they include what they term a "12-point inspection and tire rotation." I told them I just had it inspected and the tires rotated. It's almost like they do this to look for things to fix. I managed to talk them out of rotating the tires, but they did find a bad air filter (the mechanic said it looked like a mouse nest) and replaced that ($46).

They also said my battery was very bad and that the brake line on the rear driver's side was all rotted away. The battery started the car even through the coldest part of the winter here. But I do believe it about the brake line - another garage mentioned this to me a few years ago. Today's garage said they couldn't help me with that, I'd have to go to a Honda garage.

Looks like it's going to be an expensive year for car maintenance.
Click to expand...
Well a "rotted away" brake-line would be a safety concern. Any garage that can repair brakes could repair the brake line, no need to go to the dealership for a royal fleecing.
 
Nathan said:
Well a "rotted away" brake-line would be a safety concern. Any garage that can repair brakes could repair the brake line, no need to go to the dealership for a royal fleecing.
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I agree with that thought. The only reason that I take our vehicle for to the dealer only is because of warranty validation. About a year after purchasing the vehicle a recall was announced that deals with the potential for a major power train issue. Our vehicle performs very well but I feel like that potential issue is worth the increased service price along with good records of the service to protect our position if something does happen.

I don't go to the dealer for tires and their maintenance, windshield wipers or other such routine items. I much prefer patronizing our neighborhood shop with reasonable prices and trustworth service.
 
I have never had any problem getting a mechanic just to change the oil, I usually take my own oil too, they just charge for the time it takes.

As for tyre rotation, personally I never get it done, will swap tyres front to back on the same side so they only spin in the same direction but swapping them side to side, nope, just wears them out quicker.

Mind you I do get my car serviced every 10000km but they only change the oil every 20000km so I get it done on alternate 10000ks and tell them not to rotate the tyres ever!
 
I used to take my car to the dealership for oil changes. Every single time, they'd come up with something extra I just HAD to get done....valve cleanings, this thang, that thang, every thang. I usually say, well, maybe next time and next time it would be something different and I'd not hear about the original thing, which shows me it didn't need to be done....at least not THEN.

Now I have a pretty good place I go to and they don't usually bug me about stuff.

For years, I had a great old mechanic named Virgil. Virgil was from Alabama and had an accent you couldn't cut with a sharp knife, but Virgil knew his business. He was so busy and had so many loyal customers, he didn't need to make up stuff.

I'd go in with a strange sound and Virgil would either say, "Waaal, Miz Jujube, Ah just cain't let you drive away with that car the way it is" and I'd know whatever it was, it needed to be done and it needed to be done raht now.

One time, I had a funny noise and Virgil said, "Waaal, Miz Jujube, it's your frammus calvenator by-pass hickydoo (or he said something like that) and it's gonna cost about $300 to replace 'cause it's hard to get to."

"$300!!!!" I screeched.

"Now hang on. It ain't dangerous and you're gonna need your bivalve thermidor running folderol (see above....I told you he had a thick accent) replaced in about 3000 miles and if I do the frammus then, I won't have to charge you hardly no labor costs and it'll only be about $30 for the part."

"Well, what about the noise?"

"Honey, you just turn that there radio to a good country station and turn it up real loud and that noise won't bother you none."

It was a sad day when Virgil retired. An honest mechanic is more valuable than rubies.
 
I blew a brake line in my 20+ year old pick up a couple of years ago. A dog ran out in front of me, I hit the brakes hard, and the extra pressure burst the line. I was going 45 or 50 mph, and it was an exciting experience for a few seconds.
 
debodun said:
I took my car to a local garage today for an oil change. They used to do just that, but now they include what they term a "12-point inspection and tire rotation." I told them I just had it inspected and the tires rotated. It's almost like they do this to look for things to fix. I managed to talk them out of rotating the tires, but they did find a bad air filter (the mechanic said it looked like a mouse nest) and replaced that ($46).

They also said my battery was very bad and that the brake line on the rear driver's side was all rotted away. The battery started the car even through the coldest part of the winter here. But I do believe it about the brake line - another garage mentioned this to me a few years ago. Today's garage said they couldn't help me with that, I'd have to go to a Honda garage.

Looks like it's going to be an expensive year for car maintenance.
Click to expand...
I put my car in for a 70,000 fixed price service. I was sent a video stating this, this, this and this need doing. Total cost would be over $1700.
I told them to do the service as agreed to, nothing else.
 
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