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All dealerships do this. It is a way for them to make money. It is very easy to just say no. I do it all the time. They are always suggesting one thing or another. Just ignore them and follow your manual.
Thanks for the replies. I assumed it was pretty sketchy, as the car is a hybrid, and as someone pointed out, 30,000 miles on a hybrid is more like 22,000 miles on the internal combustion engine. That's NOT a lot of miles.
As per the manual, I only use top tier gas which hopefully would minimize any carbon build up.
I am wary (and weary) of dealerships engaging in questionable business practices, and I don't want to throw money at problems that don't exist.
Thanks again for the helpful responses.
And to the poster that suggested I should examine the engine for myself, I took four years of automotive technology in the 1970s at a vocational school. Problem is, cars have changed a whole bunch in the last four decades.
Thanks for the replies. I assumed it was pretty sketchy, as the car is a hybrid, and as someone pointed out, 30,000 miles on a hybrid is more like 22,000 miles on the internal combustion engine. That's NOT a lot of miles.
As per the manual, I only use top tier gas which hopefully would minimize any carbon build up.
I am wary (and weary) of dealerships engaging in questionable business practices, and I don't want to throw money at problems that don't exist.
Thanks again for the helpful responses.
And to the poster that suggested I should examine the engine for myself, I took four years of automotive technology in the 1970s at a vocational school. Problem is, cars have changed a whole bunch in the last four decades.
Yeah, they're just trying to turn a $40 oil change into a $216 oil change. I would never return there, but that is not to say that finding an honest and fair alternative is easy these days. More dealerships and independent shops do this than not.
The only exception I know of in my recent experience is the Hyundai dealer where I leased my Sonata. I've had it in for 2 oil changes and they haven't said a word about needing anything else. The first change was complimentary and the second was $39.95. You pay more than that almost anywhere else you go around here. So far I'm satisfied - and surprised.
All dealerships do this. It is a way for them to make money. It is very easy to just say no. I do it all the time. They are always suggesting one thing or another. Just ignore them and follow your manual.
My dealer does it with filters. They have the tech remove the engine air filter and cabin air filter, put it on the bench, and text a video clip claiming it needs to be replaced. Err... I just replaced them in my driveway a couple of weeks ago. No thanks. I slammed them on the online review they emailed me and got a free oil change out of it. I also fight the “severe service” oil change battle with them. 7 quarts of full synthetic should be just fine for 6,000 miles in a non-turbo low compression car. I don’t city drive. The engine warms up fully every day. The manual calls for dino oil so I’m already overkill using synthetic at the regular scheduled oil change intervals. I’m sure with oil analysis, I’m likely good to 10,000 miles.
The car is under warranty and they don’t gouge for oil changes but the up sell is ridiculous.
It is BS. Usually it takes at least 100,000 miles before a throttle body needs cleaning. I have had over 250,000 on some that still did not need cleaning. You will know if it does because the car will not idle at a steady RPM when the throttle body get dirty because it isn't metering the air well. The RPM will constantly go up and down about 200 RPM's while idling. All you have to do is buy a can of throttle body cleaner and spray the metering wires off. It cost less than $10 and takes 10 minutes to do.
All dealerships do this. It is a way for them to make money. It is very easy to just say no. I do it all the time. They are always suggesting one thing or another. Just ignore them and follow your manual.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffD
My dealer does it with filters. They have the tech remove the engine air filter and cabin air filter, put it on the bench, and text a video clip claiming it needs to be replaced. Err... I just replaced them in my driveway a couple of weeks ago. No thanks. I slammed them on the online review they emailed me and got a free oil change out of it. I also fight the “severe service” oil change battle with them. 7 quarts of full synthetic should be just fine for 6,000 miles in a non-turbo low compression car. I don’t city drive. The engine warms up fully every day. The manual calls for dino oil so I’m already overkill using synthetic at the regular scheduled oil change intervals. I’m sure with oil analysis, I’m likely good to 10,000 miles.
The car is under warranty and they don’t gouge for oil changes but the up sell is ridiculous.
The dealership I use for oil changes/tire rotations is good about NOT upselling the oil change - they always assume conventional oil - but, yeah, the upsell on cabin and engine air filters is unethical (I change my own and know that they do not need replacing when I have been told they do).
They simply lie about it.
Which is why the only thing I let the dealership handle is oil changes/tire rotation (free wash, too!). I have another mechanic for real work, whom I trust and recommend to others and drop off donuts on occasion (these guys like donuts).
If they had evenings or Saturday service, they'd get the oil changes, too.
Usually what gunks up the TB is if there is an issue with the engine that causes oil to get pulled into the intake track ahead of the TB. Each car is different in how the vac lines are routed, so it may or may not ever be an issue. But I've yet to encounter it on a fairly new, well-maintained vehicle in the modern era. (not that i'm a mechanic with a lot of exposure)
But I've worked on a bunch of 80's and 90's vehicles that did have an oiled up, gummy TB due to other issues. The TB cleaning was the least of the car's concern at that point.
I just say no to a lot of the dealer services they say my car "needs". I know they just go by whats in the computer anyway. I brought my car in for some warranty work once with a 1 week old air filter with the date written on it and they proceeded to tell me I was overdue for an air filter. Once the warranty is up, my car never makes it back to the dealer. Even getting an oil change there is a total PITA for me. Easier and quicker to do it in my well equipped garage.
My dealer does it with filters. They have the tech remove the engine air filter and cabin air filter, put it on the bench, and text a video clip claiming it needs to be replaced. Err... I just replaced them in my driveway a couple of weeks ago. No thanks. I slammed them on the online review they emailed me and got a free oil change out of it. I also fight the “severe service” oil change battle with them. 7 quarts of full synthetic should be just fine for 6,000 miles in a non-turbo low compression car. I don’t city drive. The engine warms up fully every day. The manual calls for dino oil so I’m already overkill using synthetic at the regular scheduled oil change intervals. I’m sure with oil analysis, I’m likely good to 10,000 miles.
The car is under warranty and they don’t gouge for oil changes but the up sell is ridiculous.
What bothers me about what you're describing is that some filters have gaskets that aren't designed to have the housing opened and closed several times (I guess once or twice might be fine), but they won't seal as well if some idiot keeps opening and removing the filter every 3-6K miles. I've seen this before and I just tell the oil changer that my air filter is fine and not to open the airbox.
How know it looks fine? Did you remove it and inspect the rear side of the valve?
You mean take off the air box duct and pull the throttle lever down?
It’s a bs scam. I have a truck with a TBI injection which is basically a glorified electronic carburetor and I have NEVER taken it off to do any cleaning to it. It still idles and feeds fuel just fine with 393,000 miles on it.
And that’s a wet delivery intake manifold. Most cars today have a dry manifold.
The only time there is a issue is if there is some fuel leak and it atomizes in the i take or if you use a oiled air filter like those open air ram intakes and you over oil it it will gum up the works.
I use regular air filters.
It’s a bs scam. Christ o e dealer tried to sell my wife a new brake job on all four corners when the pads still had 40% surface. And a timing belt that wasn’t due for at least 20,000 miles. The guy didn’t like talking to me over the phone.
What bothers me about what you're describing is that some filters have gaskets that aren't designed to have the housing opened and closed several times (I guess once or twice might be fine), but they won't seal as well if some idiot keeps opening and removing the filter every 3-6K miles. I've seen this before and I just tell the oil changer that my air filter is fine and not to open the airbox.
Never herd of that a air filter dose not have a gasket to seal it in place it just sits in the plastic compartment same as the cabin aura filter it just slides in and outthe only filter that has a gasket on it is the oil filter.
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