So, I dropped the car off this morning for an oil change and tire balance. $19.99 for oil swap and tire rotate. Threw the 16's in the rear and told him to balance those and go ahead a put em on for winter (he's taking the others off anyway, so why no let him put the uglies back on??).

Just got the obligatory "up sale" call and thought I'd share:

-Have you considered changing your rear shocks? Looks like they have about 142k on them.
-The cabin air filter should be changed about every 50k and is due.
-You might want to consider a 3 part upper intake cleaning as it'd improve fuel milage up to 10%!
-You are due for a power steering fluid flush...


Really? Since when do they install KYB shocks as factory equipment? The air filter is snow white since it's not that old. Pass on the intake part...go ahead and try the power steering Let me know how that works out.

Can't hate on a guy for trying to do his job, but damn........

 

I'm not even going to ask if they know how to reset the oil life reading..........

 

LOL! That's too funny.

 

I would love to be there for the power steering flush.
Good opportunity to see just how honest the shop is. Authorize the flush, and see if they charge you for it or tell you they can't find the reservoir like they should. If they charge you, then....

But I do have to say, Any shop that does not try to up sell, are not doing their job. And they are not looking out for your, or their best interest. But they need to only call real issues. But a HHR power steering flush is just shocking.

Sir! Your brand new shocks look old, and should be replaced since they have been on the car since new.

 

My father worked for Midas right around the time I was born...like 25 years ago...he said it made him sick, the amount of good parts that he threw away on a daily basis. Upselling is apart of the business, its too bad that customers get screwed on this every day.

and as for the power steering fluid, I would have told them to change it, and see what they do....just to test them. Sounds like a good lawsuit if they charged you to change it, and it doesn't exist

 

I better get out there and check my power steering fluid level.

 

My buddy suggested that I tell them to do it, as well. it should be done and I plan on picking it up around noon. I think I'm going to ask them how they planned on doing said fluid change, just to hear the answer.

 

In the late 70's I worked for that muffler shop chain for 1 week.. I was taught how to squirt oil on shocks & then call in the customer & show them the "leaking shocks" & many other $$$ schemes..

I had to quit..

 

I have had similar with my Ion and Big O. The tech sent it up for upsales but luckily the sales person did not price out the undoable items. But they did give me the upsale list that the tech wrote up. It contained the PS fluid as well as the "timing BELT". I honestly think that the only reason that they did not include those two items in the upsale pitch was because they could not find the book times for said items. If they could of they would have.

 

Knowledge is power. It is unfortunate that companies use unethical practices.
And for them to call off a ps fluid change on an electric steering system just goes to show, they are dishonest. Just to come to that conclusion, the ps cap would have to have been pulled, and the fluid examined. And with no such parts under the hood, it would be interesting to see how they came to that conclusion.
I know a lot of people seem to have issues with using dealerships for service, but here is what I have found working for both dealers and automotive chains, and even a small mom and pop businesses.

1. You get what you pay for.
2. Dealerships are usually competitive on pricing Both services, and hourly rate.
3. Factory trained techs trump a mechanic who has to run to the computer to read Alldata to perform work on your car.

I can go on and on, but these are the biggies for me.
My dealership I use has a shop rate at or in some cases lower than other small or chain shops. I might find a rate $10, $20 less per hour, but I find that those shops are horrible, and the mechanics may or may not even be ASE cerified let alone factory trained.The techs at the dealer know my car, as they are trained to work on it. I actually save money too. I have spent money on several hours of diagnostics, only to be told the shop could not find the problem. Took the car to the dealership, and in less than an hour, I had the problem figured out. And they even charged me just a half hour since they were familiar with the issue. So while some may knock the dealerships, my wife and I both agree that for a correct diag, and repair at a competitive price, the dealership is the only way to go for us. Our dealer as many do will install customer supplied parts, and will get aftermarket parts to save me money if cost is a factor. And then price match to boot.