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I change my own cabin air filters and engine air filters in the driveway. I buy the filters on Amazon. The cabin air filter takes about 1 minute and most of that time is emptying the glove box to get at it. The engine air filter is a bit more involved because you have to use a screwdriver to loosen a hose clamp on an air hose to get the cover off the plastic box with the air filter. That takes maybe 5 minutes the first time you do it.
I'd just replace both filters. I do oil changes at the dealership so I have proof they're getting done while the car is under warranty. The service rep comes out to the waiting room while I'm waiting for the oil change and tells me my cabin air filter and engine air filter are dirty and would cost $120 to replace. They even email and text me the link to a video clip of the tech removing my filters and putting them on the bench. They're pristine snow white. I said "no thanks". When the email came in with the link to do a review of their service, I flamed them and gave them the worst possible review and write up what happened. They email me a free oil change and tire rotation coupon. I responded back that I couldn't trust that dealership. If they were scamming air filters, there's no way I'd ever let them repair anything on my car where I was paying the bill so I was changing dealerships. I used the free oil change coupon but that's the last time I'm going to that dealership unless it's warranty work or a recall. Of course, at that oil change, they tried the filter scam again. Err, no. Those filters have 6,000 miles on them. They're fine.
I'd hate to have the OP as a customer. When you buy the part at the dealership you pay bust out retail. That's just the way it is. On-line they are competing with other on-line sellers but if you call them on it they will give you the on-line price which is exactly what happened here. Plus on-line sales don't require them to have to deal with people like this so they charge less!
OH SORRY chiluvr. (as in chihuahua?) I meant that for the Original Poster.
No, I'm fortunate I have a good mechanic right now. Right across from my office. I can drop it off before they open, walk across the street and pick it up at quitting time. Not a dealership.
I've had good and bad experiences at dealerships. Unfortunately, there are some vehicles that are best taken care of by dealerships. $$$$$
I'd hate to have the OP as a customer. When you buy the part at the dealership you pay bust out retail. That's just the way it is. On-line they are competing with other on-line sellers but if you call them on it they will give you the on-line price which is exactly what happened here. Plus on-line sales don't require them to have to deal with people like this so they charge less!
The way the OP posted I'm sure he went in there with an attitude already of "how is this dealer going to try to rip me off". Go in like that and you'll find any excuse to feel slighted.
I'm sure the parts dept is just glad to get you out of there hopefully to never return.
There seems to be a large number of posters here who may have missed the part in the original post that said that the lug nuts need to be removed in order to replace the hubcap.
If this is the case, it turns the job from something that could be a 5 minute job and not a big deal at the dealer into something that could take considerably longer and could be much more of a hassle for someone to have to do it themselves at home.
They aren't the real lug nuts, they just hold on the wheel cover. Any non-quadriplegic could change it in five minutes.
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It baffles me why so many people are on the dealers side here. I guess all of you guys have no problem with blindly and happily paying whatever prices they want to charge, without the thought of trying to negotiate the price ever entering your head. Well, good for you I guess.
Nobody is suggesting that anyone "blindly and happily paying whatever prices they want to charge", just that it's reasonable to expect to pay a small fee for the service.
Do you think the dealership is just going to eat this? No, when they start performing little rinky-dink services at no charge on a regular basis it's only a matter of time before they raise the labor rates to the paying customers to cover it.
The bottom line is that nothing is free and someone pays for it - whether it's the customer who is receiving the service, the service provider or the amount other customers are charged to make up for the person who thinks they are entitled to get things for "free"
The bottom line is that nothing is free and someone pays for it - whether it's the customer who is receiving the service, the service provider or the amount other customers are charged to make up for the person who thinks they are entitled to get things for "free"
So by your logic, if more people started paying the dealers whatever they wanted, they would decide that they're making too much money and would then lower their prices?
I don't know, maybe I just have a distrust for car dealers and I don't like them and try to avoid going to them whenever possible. Maybe I need to learn how to relax and let them have their way with me and then smile and tell them "thank you" when they're done.
They aren't the real lug nuts, they just hold on the wheel cover. Any non-quadriplegic could change it in five minutes.
I'll admit that I didnt know this. I was thinking these hubcaps might have been held on by the real lugnuts, which would have made it a little more of a hassle.
If the original poster nicely asked them to install the hubcap and they agreed, I still don't have a problem with it, but if he was being a big whiney douche about it, then it's a different story.
So by your logic, if more people started paying the dealers whatever they wanted, they would decide that they're making too much money and would then lower their prices?
I don't know, maybe I just have a distrust for car dealers and I don't like them and try to avoid going to them whenever possible. Maybe I need to learn how to relax and let them have their way with me and then smile and tell them "thank you" when they're done.
Bad example here because car prices are in fact negotiable.
But for some reason, no one gets all bent out of shape when you go to the supermarket and "pay them whatever they want". And you'd get laughed off CD forum if you suggested that the supermarket had to bring the food to your house and cook you dinner.
That's gross not net. Take an accounting course! No one pocketed $56.7 million.
But, but, but....I deserve $15/hr! The (insert excuse of choice) is why I can't move out of my folks house. They don't understand how hard it is to make it in this world! (Insert additional whining about anything and everything).
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I meant that for the Original Poster. 
