Car servicing and main dealers approach

Rows Grower

R.O.R wrote: »

I'd say your sense of smell is a good bit off there Henry :pac:

Sounds Kia like to me.

OP - what is on the service schedule in the manual for the service it's due? Might be due what the dealer suggested, but realistically it's probably the service advisor upselling.

If that's the case, the service advisor has probably been told to do that, and may well get commission on it. Happens in all walks of life - not a shakedown necessarily - ever been offered the additional insurance with car hire, or fries with your burger?

Yeah, that's exactly what the OP said it was.

God bless your hearing.

E30M3

R.O.R wrote: »

I'd say your sense of smell is a good bit off there Henry :pac:

Sounds Kia like to me.

OP - what is on the service schedule in the manual for the service it's due? Might be due what the dealer suggested, but realistically it's probably the service advisor upselling.

If that's the case, the service advisor has probably been told to do that, and may well get commission on it. Happens in all walks of life - not a shakedown necessarily - ever been offered the additional insurance with car hire, or fries with your burger?

Dealer sets the service interval for 15k klms or 1 year, service schedule in the manual is 30k klms or 1 year. These interim 15 k service were a fluids top up I understand and a check when the car was on the Service pack but outside of the service pack they are an oil and filter change and I was recommended Air Filter and Fuel Filter and pollen filter.

The issue I have is that what was recommended is not what the Manual outlines as being necessary for the car or to maintain the warranty and I wasn't made aware of that but sensed an unnecessary upsell. That's when I declined all additional work and checked the manual and subsequently e-mailed the distributor to confirm what was in the manual was still the current recommendations.

Based on Manual to maintain warranty
Service every 24 months or 30k klms (Oil and Oil Filter)
Air Filter after 4 years or 60k klms
Fuel Filter after 4 years or 60k klms

On my car

Air and Fuel Filter were changed at 60k klms service for the first time

At the 90k klms service which was outside the Service Pack (November 2019)
Oil and Oil Filter
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
(Recommended a Pollen Filter which I declined and changed myself)

At the 105k klms Service in August 2020
Oil and Oil Filter changed
Recommended
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
Pollen Filter
Front Brake Pads and Discs and Brake Fluid Replacement
Rear Wiper

No reason was given for the recommendation for Air and Fuel Filters after 9 months and I did query. I declined all additional work and have the car booked in on Monday re the Brake work.

I feel that many people go with these recommendations and therefore the Main dealership has a responsibility to maintain the car to manufacturer recommendations and not deviate from that without giving the customer a reason and the choice. I was given the choice but no explanation. Had I gone with all these recommendations I would have been looking at over €700 for an interim service. I had no difficulty with oil every 15k klms rather than a top up and would actually insist on this if asked. However Filters that the Manufacturer recommends be replaced after 4 years or 60k klms the Dealership is recommending changing after 15k klms and 9 months?

Rows Grower

E30M3 wrote: »

Dealer sets the service interval for 15k klms or 1 year, service schedule in the manual is 30k klms or 1 year. These interim 15 k service were a fluids top up I understand and a check when the car was on the Service pack but outside of the service pack they are an oil and filter change and I was recommended Air Filter and Fuel Filter and pollen filter.

The issue I have is that what was recommended is not what the Manual outlines as being necessary for the car or to maintain the warranty and I wasn't made aware of that but sensed an unnecessary upsell. That's when I declined all additional work and checked the manual and subsequently e-mailed the distributor to confirm what was in the manual was still the current recommendations.

Based on Manual to maintain warranty
Service every 24 months or 30k klms (Oil and Oil Filter)
Air Filter after 4 years or 60k klms
Fuel Filter after 4 years or 60k klms

On my car

Air and Fuel Filter were changed at 60k klms service for the first time

At the 90k klms service which was outside the Service Pack (November 2019)
Oil and Oil Filter
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
(Recommended a Pollen Filter which I declined and changed myself)

At the 105k klms Service in August 2020
Oil and Oil Filter changed
Recommended
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
Pollen Filter
Front Brake Pads and Discs and Brake Fluid Replacement
Rear Wiper

No reason was given for the recommendation for Air and Fuel Filters after 9 months and I did query. I declined all additional work and have the car booked in on Monday re the Brake work.

I feel that many people go with these recommendations and therefore the Main dealership has a responsibility to maintain the car to manufacturer recommendations and not deviate from that without giving the customer a reason and the choice. I was given the choice but no explanation. Had I gone with all these recommendations I would have been looking at over €700 for an interim service. I had no difficulty with oil every 15k klms rather than a top up and would actually insist on this if asked. However Filters that the Manufacturer recommends be replaced after 4 years or 60k klms the Dealership is recommending changing after 15k klms and 9 months?

Looks to me like the dealership has a surplus of spare parts in stock that it is eager to convert into cash in hand rather than have to store as stock in hand that may never be needed or at least not needed for a long time.

It could possibly have been amassed from the manufacturer in lieu of payment for warranty work already carried out prior to the Covid 19 chaos and now that the **** has hit the fan they are trying to screw the customer rather than negotiate with the supplier.

Could also be something totally different too, strange times we are living in.

Toyotafanboi

Rows Grower wrote: »

Looks to me like the dealership has a surplus of spare parts in stock that it is eager to convert into cash in hand rather than have to store as stock in hand that may never be needed or at least not needed for a long time.

It could possibly have been amassed from the manufacturer in lieu of payment for warranty work already carried out prior to the Covid 19 chaos and now that the **** has hit the fan they are trying to screw the customer rather than negotiate with the supplier.

Could also be something totally different too, strange times we are living in.

At least that gives some kind of confirmation that you have no idea what you are talking about.

How did you even dream up a theory like that? The manufacturer giving the dealer filters in exchange for warranty work?

Probably paying the staff with magic beans too. Utter nonsense.

Rows Grower

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

At least that gives some kind of confirmation that you have no idea what you are talking about.

How did you even dream up a theory like that? The manufacturer giving the dealer filters in exchange for warranty work?

Probably paying the staff with magic beans too. Utter nonsense.

Seeing as you know the facts tell us what the real story behind this fraud is so.

PsychoPete

It sounds like a someone working in the service department made a mistake along the lines of putting the car down for a full service instead of a minor service. If they told the mechanic that the car is in for a full service then that's the work he's going to do

bucketybuck

Rows Grower wrote: »

Looks to me like the dealership has a surplus of spare parts in stock that it is eager to convert into cash in hand rather than have to store as stock in hand that may never be needed or at least not needed for a long time.

It could possibly have been amassed from the manufacturer in lieu of payment for warranty work already carried out prior to the Covid 19 chaos and now that the **** has hit the fan they are trying to screw the customer rather than negotiate with the supplier.

Could also be something totally different too, strange times we are living in.

What complete and utter garbage.

A surplus of service items in lieu of payment for warranty work?

If you had ever spent even just 30 seconds in the industry you would know how stupid that sounds.

Rows Grower

bucketybuck wrote: »

What complete and utter garbage.

A surplus of service items in lieu of payment for warranty work?

If you had ever spent even just 30 seconds in the industry you would know how stupid that sounds.

So why don't you enlighten us all there with your vast insider knowledge of the industry bucketybuck instead of plagiarizing other posters?

Rows Grower

PsychoPete wrote: »

It sounds like a someone working in the service department made a mistake along the lines of putting the car down for a full service instead of a minor service. If they told the mechanic that the car is in for a full service then that's the work he's going to do

Sounds like a pretty big mistake to be making for someone in such a responsible position.

Toyotafanboi

Rows Grower wrote: »

Seeing as you know the facts tell us what the real story behind this fraud is so.

I wasn't there. I dont know.

What i can assure you though is the dealer wasn't swapping warranty work for filters to ram down customers throats ffs.

Rows Grower

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I wasn't there. I dont know.

What i can assure you though is the dealer wasn't swapping warranty work for filters to ram down customers throats ffs.

Right, so you don't know but you do know.

Yeah, sound job.

Thanks for the clarification.

mgbgt1978

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

For example we've a fella in work, who seemed addicted to advising engine air filters every single service.

We ended up reviewing the stats on his VHC's versus other techs. This guy was advises far more engine air and pollen filters than anyone else. I never told him to and for the most part they are not on the inspection list for the first 5x services in the case of engine air.

Politely asked him for a chat one day to get the suss on it. He said, he's being dilligent and if it's soiled, he advises replacement even if the manufacturer says let it run. You cant really argue with him on it.

It becomes a tough shout then internally, let this guy advise what may be right and cause havoc with the menu servicing and make the place look like a shill or tell him to stick to the intervals, mark partially soiled as clean and the car will suffer (negligibly).

Dont know what the point i'm trying to make actually is. Damned if you do and damned if you dont, i think.

Just to save me trawling back through loads of posts, you are a Service Manager /Advisor...not a Mechanic ?
Not having a go, just for clarification

khaldrogo

You do not need to have your car serviced in a main dealer to kee your warranty. Al you need to do is use OEM parts.

E30M3 wrote: »

Dealer sets the service interval for 15k klms or 1 year, service schedule in the manual is 30k klms or 1 year. These interim 15 k service were a fluids top up I understand and a check when the car was on the Service pack but outside of the service pack they are an oil and filter change and I was recommended Air Filter and Fuel Filter and pollen filter.

The issue I have is that what was recommended is not what the Manual outlines as being necessary for the car or to maintain the warranty and I wasn't made aware of that but sensed an unnecessary upsell. That's when I declined all additional work and checked the manual and subsequently e-mailed the distributor to confirm what was in the manual was still the current recommendations.

Based on Manual to maintain warranty
Service every 24 months or 30k klms (Oil and Oil Filter)
Air Filter after 4 years or 60k klms
Fuel Filter after 4 years or 60k klms

On my car

Air and Fuel Filter were changed at 60k klms service for the first time

At the 90k klms service which was outside the Service Pack (November 2019)
Oil and Oil Filter
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
(Recommended a Pollen Filter which I declined and changed myself)

At the 105k klms Service in August 2020
Oil and Oil Filter changed
Recommended
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
Pollen Filter
Front Brake Pads and Discs and Brake Fluid Replacement
Rear Wiper

No reason was given for the recommendation for Air and Fuel Filters after 9 months and I did query. I declined all additional work and have the car booked in on Monday re the Brake work.

I feel that many people go with these recommendations and therefore the Main dealership has a responsibility to maintain the car to manufacturer recommendations and not deviate from that without giving the customer a reason and the choice. I was given the choice but no explanation. Had I gone with all these recommendations I would have been looking at over €700 for an interim service. I had no difficulty with oil every 15k klms rather than a top up and would actually insist on this if asked. However Filters that the Manufacturer recommends be replaced after 4 years or 60k klms the Dealership is recommending changing after 15k klms and 9 months?

bucketybuck

Rows Grower wrote: »

So why don't you enlighten us all there with your vast insider knowledge of the industry bucketybuck instead of plagiarizing other posters?

Where do I start, pretty much everything you said was wrong?

A surplus of stock? A well run main dealer will have stock levels agreed with the manufacturer and buy back agreements in place. They may place a large exceptional order when getting a promotional price on certain parts but that most certainly has **** all to do with warranty. And convert their stock into "cash in hand"? Ignoring the cash part, do you really think a filter sold isn't replenished into stock again?

But this is the best part:

amassed from the manufacturer in lieu of payment for warranty work already carried out

Think about that for a second. You are saying that a main dealer has amassed a surplus of service items because instead of paying for warranty claims the manufacturer was giving them filters and brake fluid instead. It is hard to know where to start because that is just not how it works. At all. On any level.

The manufacturer is not some ****ing Del Boy who rocks up in a fur coat and tries to clear its warranty debt by doing a deal on a pallet of filters ffs.

Maybe you are right though, I haven't worked for every manufacturer. I would guess the number of warranty claims I have personally processed to be in the tens of thousands though, if that counts.

Toyotafanboi

Go away with your common sense, facts and real world info. You're getting in the way of this fella giving terrible advice.

Rows Grower

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Go away with your common sense, facts and real world info. You're getting in the way of this fella giving terrible advice.

Ehhh, I didn't give anyone any advice.

This is a discussion and I gave my thoughts and clearly stated they were just my opinion and I could be wrong.

We don't agree, that's cool.

You like to jump in to defend a big business that is ripping off a customer, that's your decision.

E30M3

The thread has moved in a different direction from my original Question. I'll restate it here

Sorry for all the detail but I'm wondering if I go to another Main Dealer for the same brand will I get the same approach?

Rows Grower

E30M3 wrote: »

The thread has moved in a different direction from my original Question. I'll restate it here

Sorry for all the detail but I'm wondering if I go to another Main Dealer for the same brand will I get the same approach?

I'd like to think not all Main Dealers are rip off merchants, best of luck.

McCrack

Go to a main stealer for service work, expect to get ripped off

PsychoPete

McCrack wrote: »

Go to a main stealer for service work, expect to get ripped off

Running a dealership cheap so of course it's going to cost more

lalababa

I have nothing good to say about main dealers. I don't know where d'attitude they usually display comes from , both in sales and servicing/repairs. All I can say is when they have it easy, they have it too easy, and when there's a recession they get tough.
In the end of the day someone has to pay for the large glass enclosed space at a prime location and the 2 receptionists and the gibbering 'I'm your best friend' salesmen and the manager s office, parts store, mechanics, and the inefficiencies of communication between the lot.

extra-ordinary_

I haven't read all the thread but have you challenged the dealership as to why they were performing unnecessary services on your car and charging you for same? Are they prepared to accept a mistake must have been made and a refund is now due or maybe there is some other explanation?

E30M3

extra-ordinary_ wrote: »

I haven't read all the thread but have you challenged the dealership as to why they were performing unnecessary services on your car and charging you for same? Are they prepared to accept a mistake must have been made and a refund is now due or maybe there is some other explanation?

I didn't authorise the work so it wasn't carried out but I questioned why it was recommended and got no explanation. Hence my trust issue.

wonski

Any car you bring to the garage will bring up some items that will be advised to change.

Not to say they have to be changed now of course, that's why they only recommended.

Main issue here is that when free servicing was carried out they sticked to the manufacturer schedule religiously, as soon as the customer is paying they recommend this or that even though it is due at next service not now.

E30M3

wonski wrote: »

Any car you bring to the garage will bring up some items that will be advised to change.

Not to say they have to be changed now of course, that's why they only recommended.

Main issue here is that when free servicing was carried out they sticked to the manufacturer schedule religiously, as soon as the customer is paying they recommend this or that even though it is due at next service not now.

And the key point is that they don't differentiate between what is due at this point and therefore recommended and necessary to maintain warranty cover and what is just 'recommended'

extra-ordinary_

E30M3 wrote: »

I didn't authorise the work so it wasn't carried out but I questioned why it was recommended and got no explanation. Hence my trust issue.

Did they not change the fuel and air filter at 90k when they weren't due until 120k?

E30M3

extra-ordinary_ wrote: »

Did they not change the fuel and air filter at 90k when they weren't due until 120k?

True

I was discussing my most recent experience this week but yes you are correct

extra-ordinary_

E30M3 wrote: »

True

I was discussing my most recent experience this week but yes you are correct

They must have a policy similar to how VW were described in doubling down on everything once they're not paying for it.

Would've thought a franchised dealer would know my car model requirements inside out and stick to the service schedule.

oleras

The €55 "streaky" wiper is a fav of mine, Renault dealer, almost every year, id swear she is fitting them herself on the side.

Old diesel

lalababa wrote: »

I have nothing good to say about main dealers. I don't know where d'attitude they usually display comes from , both in sales and servicing/repairs. All I can say is when they have it easy, they have it too easy, and when there's a recession they get tough.
In the end of the day someone has to pay for the large glass enclosed space at a prime location and the 2 receptionists and the gibbering 'I'm your best friend' salesmen and the manager s office, parts store, mechanics, and the inefficiencies of communication between the lot.

The large glass and fancy showrooms are driven by manufacturers requirements.

With dealers on the hook financially.

Heard a story of a now ex Seat dealer. Hed been a dealer for them when Seats were crap.

He gave up the franchise when Seat (as was industry norm) started demanding big standards for showrooms.

Someone new took over in the region as Seat dealer.

It's a mess for dealers