Why You Should Do Your Maintenance At The Dealer
Jason Lancaster | Apr 28, 2010 | Comments 23
This week’s earlier story about Tundra air induction pump problems highlighted a common concern that many vehicle owners have: Where do I take my vehicle for maintenance and repairs? If your car or truck is 8 years old or newer, often times the best answer is the dealership. Here’s why:
Manufacturers keep secrets. Manufacturers are legally allowed to keep status codes and repair manuals secret, and often times a vehicle that’s just two or three years old can’t be diagnosed by an independent shop because the independent doesn’t have access to the manufacturer’s documentation. On vehicles that are less than 5 years old, independent shops don’t always have the right equipment to diagnose your car correctly (especially for the more complicated problems).
Dealers have tremendous resources. Answer these two questions before your next oil change:
- If your independent shop screws up and forgets to tighten lugnuts, or forgets to put your drain plug in your engine, can they write you a check for a new vehicle? Do they have insurance to cover any accidents their mistakes might cause?
- If your independent repair shop can’t figure out what’s wrong with your truck, can they call the engineer in charge of the system?
The answer to question 2 of course is ‘No,’ and often times the answer to question 1 is ‘No’ as well. While every shop carries some sort of liability policy, a lot of the smaller shops don’t have the best insurance, nor do they have a lot of cash on hand. Auto dealers, on the other hand, are required by both the manufacturer they represent and the state they do business in to carry comprehensive insurance, and dealerships are significantly more likely to have cash to pay for their mistakes.
Dealers aren’t any more expensive than independents. OK – the guy down the block that changes oil for $30 cash is definitely cheaper, and if you want to take your $20k-$50k vehicle to a guy that changes oil in his driveway be my guest. However, if you compare pricing at your typical independent chain (like Midas or Jiffy Lube), often times the costs are the same as those you would find at a dealership. Dealerships might be a little higher on some things, but often times they provide services that Midas and Jiffy Lube do not (like free loaner cars and high-quality waiting areas with free capuccinos, etc.).
Dealers are less likely to lie to you. A lot of people believe that independent shops are more honest than dealers, but a comprehensive study conducted by AutoMD.com found that independent shops change their pricing from day to day. In Chicago, for example, AutoMD found that every shop they contacted changed their price quote for the same service over the course of a few days.
Think about it – who has more to lose by lying to customers? The guy who works out of an abandoned gas station, or the corporation that owns a $25 million dealership complex? If an independent shop gets a bad reputation, they can always close and move somewhere esle and start over. However, if a Toyota dealer gets a bad reputation (for example), Toyota (or any other manufacturer) can take their franchise away and bare them from ever owning a Toyota dealership again.
To be clear, all shops will lie to some customers sometimes. At worst, dealers are no worse than the independents.
After warranty assistance. A lot of consumers don’t know about it, but After Warranty Assistance (AWA) can be a life-saver. Every new car dealership has the discretion to “warranty” a portion of repairs that aren’t actually covered in the interests of customer service. For example, if your Tundra loses an air induction pump and it’s no longer under factory warranty, your local Toyota dealer has the discretion to pay for some or all of the repair as a sign of goodwill (known in the business as AWA).
This, obviously, is a tremendous benefit. Even if the dealership charges you a little more for your normal maintenance (and they often don’t), all it takes is one repair covered by after-warranty-assistance to earn back your higher expenses.
Dealers don’t just hand out AWA, however. They have a limited amount of funds that they can give away, and they usually don’t grant AWA to people that don’t do all their service at the dealership. So, all the more reason to do your vehicle maintenance at your local dealer.
The dealer specializes in your car. Can it be any simpler? They see hundreds of cars just like yours every month. Your independent? Maybe…but most likely no. He or she probably sees a different make and model every day, and as a result they don’t know as much about your vehicle as your local dealer.
Reasons You Might Not Service Your Car At A Dealership
1. It’s more than 7 years old or has more than 70k miles. After 7 years, your dealer can’t provide AWA. Also, enough time has gone by that the independents now have access to full diagnostic info and notes. On older vehicles, independents are a lot more likely to have the knowledge they need, and often times they’ll use cheaper parts and have lower labor costs. Once a vehicle is 7 years old, it’s on the downhill side of life anyways, so OEM parts aren’t as important, and you’re not going to lose as much if the independent shop screws up your vehicle.
2. You have to. If you can’t get your car serviced at the dealership because it’s too far away, or if you just can’t get to the dealer because of a schedule conflict, it’s better to get your truck serviced by an independent than not serviced at all.
3. You’ve found a great independent shop. This isn’t intended to be a slam of all independent repair shops – there are a lot of great ones out there. If you’ve found a good one, then by all means use them. Just understand that you’re choosing not to work with the manufacturer…which means they may not work with you when something goes wrong.
Bottom Line: When you weigh the risks associated with independent repair shops against the benefits of working with your dealer, it’s very hard to justify servicing your newer vehicle anywhere else. Toyota’s problems with air induction pumps are just a recent example of the importance of AWA, and when you sit down and compare the price of an oil change and tire rotation at Jiffy Lube to the price at your local dealer, you might just find the dealership’s pricing is pretty comparable. Maybe even less…
Filed Under: Maintenance Tips
It does cost to do the recommended stuff but in the long run you come out ahead. The dealer recognizes you quite well because you do everything there. They will go out of their way to make your stay comfortable and help with anything you need to keep you there. To me it’s worth it. Also having a dealer who offers a free Nav unit and lifetime warranty for all vehicles definitely helps also. That coverage keeps my sanity in check. Yes I have 84,000 miles and I’m over the AWA 70,000. I knew before I bought this truck of my travel arrangements my job has me doing. When I seen this dealer give Lifetime warranty I went in to check and then I looked it up on the internet. The only problem He offered the free Nav unit with each vehicle after I bought my truck. I’m still working on them for that just for giggles. I don’t need it but if they give it who can complain.
I think what this comes down to is trust. If you trust your dealer then you’re more than likely to spend the extra bucks for a relationship that can pay off in the long run. I’ve never had any problems with my Toyota dealer, but between myself and my family we’ve bought several vehicles from him. Since I had the Toyota service contract, it made good sense to have the dealer do the routine maintenance. On the other hand, I could also see how the economy could play into getting cheaper work or why folks prolong scheduled maintenance. times are tough right now and folks have to prioritize!
I do my own oil changes and tire rotations are done at my local gas/service station for 13 bucks. That is all I have to do in the 3/36K in reality as far as I am concerned. If I have a complaint on a part not working right or a rattle going on, I have been known to complain to dealer under warranty and often they can catch a leaking water pump or bad belt upon further inspection while they are researching my problem with the tundra. It is called customer service and good dealers try to see warranty repairs even if they are inspecting or diagnosing another problem.
Dealership have different skill level mechanics for different jobs. A lot of local dealership has high school kids changing oil. That doesn’t make me have a warm fuzzy. Took my truck in for a tire rotation and oil change. They changed the oil and said the rotated the tires. Funny part was one of the tires had a plug and I knew where that tire was. So after confronting them about not rotating the tires but charging $25 for it, they insisted they did it. I explained they didn’t unless they plugged another tire and pointed out how I knew they didn’t. Another dealer bent my dip stick and said that’s how all the dipsticks come. Called buff and asked to pull one out of the same/model truck and show me. They wouldn’t so I told them I would be in the waiting room until they figured it out. That manager came in with a new dip stick and aploygized. Dealers are a rip off and are concerned with the almighty dollar where a independant knows word of mouth will destroy their business. If its covered under the warranty the dealer can do it. If not they can not tough it!
Also the BS maintenance they say you need. Funny my owners manual doesn’t say anything another that. One of them is a fuel system cleaning and oil additives, owners manual says not to add them. Funny how the dealer true to do it. Kinda like they know if they break it you will bring it back and have to pay. Dealerships are a joke!
Sorry about that rant but the 2 local dealerships leave a lot to be desired!
I know how you feel Dean. Been there, done that! I’m no idiot and when they say I need this done or that with only say 10K on a 1 year old vehicle, I say no thanks. But, when they do an oil change and forget to tell me one of the 3 front clips are broken in front of my Tundra or they forgot to install the center clips when replacing my plastic step pad above the chrome rear bumper, I bring it up to them after I waste yet another day and gas money to show them they screwed up one week later and all they say is sorry. NO gas money or free oil changes my way for their screw going back to them. I even had a Dodge dealer when performed a TSB on a improperly tightened bolt holding the steering wheel on do a faulty repair on that one since 1 week later my steering wheel pulled off while luckily ONLY driving in a parking lot. Accidents happen, but a lot of these are careless works a 5th grader could do better. This why I try to do all my oil changes and easier repairs myself because if I bring it in, something else almost always go wrong and it is NOT just 1 dealer. I have talked to the mechanics and although some care, most do not care or have enthusiasm to do the job correctly with much thought. It is just a paycheck to them and could care less if I go back 3 separate times to fix it right the first time.
I know how you feel Dean. Been there, done that! I’m no idiot and when they say I need this done or that with only say 10K on a 1 year old vehicle, I say no thanks. But, when they do an oil change and forget to tell me one of the 3 front clips are broken in front of my Tundra or they forgot to install the center clips when replacing my plastic step pad above the chrome rear bumper, I bring it up to them after I waste yet another day and gas money to show them they screwed up one week later and all they say is sorry. NO gas money or free oil changes my way for their screw up going back to them. I even had a Dodge dealer when performed a TSB on a improperly tightened bolt holding the steering wheel on do a faulty repair on that one since 1 week later my steering wheel pulled off while luckily ONLY driving in a parking lot. Accidents happen, but a lot of these are careless works a 5th grader could do better. This why I try to do all my oil changes and easier repairs myself because if I bring it in, something else almost always go wrong and it is NOT just 1 dealer. I have talked to the mechanics and although some care, most do not care or have enthusiasm to do the job correctly with much thought. It is just a paycheck to them and could care less if I go back 3 separate times to fix it right the first time.
I put my relationship with my service advisor so that anything goes wrong, that person is more interested in keeping the relationship than losing a customer. I also don’t take my vehicles into the dealership for anything but the oil change because I honestly just don’t trust some of their work. There are 3 levels of techs and most work goes to level 1 workers that are in training or recent graduates from the local tech school. What’s sad is that they can screw up an oil change/tire rotation and irritate you more than anything when you have to wait longer than 45 minutes for such a simple job. Fortunately, I haven’t had any major issues or needs for service. One of my vehicles is over 7 yrs and I do most of its work through two other independent shops that have done decent work, reasonanble labor rates in comparison to the dealer although once in a while I’ll take it to the dealer for an oil change because it’s quicker/closer. My 2nd vehicle is 6yrs/70K and just had it’s last trip to the dealership yesterday. And the Tundra will only be going to the dealership for oil changes because I don’t trust too many places to do it because of the canister filter and it’s barely driven that I can afford $32 when I have to take it in. It’s tires are rotated elsewhere b/c it’s aftermarket stuff and has a separate warranty. I expect nothing else to happen so really see no reason to go to the dealership unless I’m getting a code that someone else would be unable to diagnose. Plus when I get bored waiting around, I walk around the showroom and start thinking of other mods to do to the Tundra or buying a 2nd one to mod in a different manner…BAD! So no, I’m still not seeing the true benefits in my instances, besides the AWA which I’ve recently learned about from previous article.
Jason your statement above makes the right choice easy:
The dealer specializes in your car. Can it be any simpler? They see hundreds of cars just like yours every month. Your independent? Maybe…but most likely no. He or she probably sees a different make and model every day, and as a result they don’t know as much about your vehicle as your local dealer.
Dealer is a joke. Doesn’t know or respond to any questions regarding TSBs mentioned here (tailgate is splitting, 2nd radio still sucks). If it aint falling off broke, wanted to charge me to look at it. Yes I am under warranty. Bad vibes, must be pedal stress. Had much better luck with my Fords. Brought in my F150 w/ some low rev small rattle, engine replaced no problem. Toyota’s got a gut check now, its up to them. Love the product, dealer sucks. Next truck, well you guess.
Yes, Mickey, I go to a specific independent that works on Toyota/Lexus as their specialty although they do repairs on others as well. They can find the parts that are needed faster than other independents as well, their labor rates are fair, and they know what’s going on due to higher exposure to the make. I pay less for the parts and labor and to top it off, the Toyota dealership will not warrant work if I take the Lexus in for repairs even though it’s under their “umbrella.” And there’s no way I’m going to the Lexus dealership….that’s a TOTAL rip off as much as they are friendly and never had any problems with them while it was under it’s initial warranty.
Marko there’s more to your story than you are letting on. Hence you are under warranty for splitting tailgate and radio. Also the rattle replacement of a ford engine with no questions.
Mickey – You’ve got a great relationship with your dealer – that’s definitely paid for itself based on some of the work you’ve had done already.
Rich – Good point – if you don’t like or trust the dealer, then it doesn’t matter.
mk – I think you fall into the DIY (do it yourself) category. Dealers tend to look on that more positively than people who go to Midas or Jiffy Lube. Still, the math doesn’t lie – when a dealer hands out AWA, you’re probably not going to get any. Hopefully you won’t need any. 🙂
Dean – I think your comments are fair, especially about the sale of unnecessary maintenance services (dealers are universally guilty of that). However, I’ve seen these same problems at Midas, Meineke, and Jiffy Lube…everything you’ve described and more. I would wager that your local Jiffy Lube has a pile of dipsticks they forgot to put back into customer vehicles (almost all of them do). I’ve seen a few situations where independents royally screwed up and didn’t take accountability. I think we can all point to situations where any repair shop did something unscrupulous. My point is, at least dealers have the ability to take financial responsibility, and at least they can grant AWA. As for paying for stuff I don’t need…that’s on me. If I take the time to educate myself on my vehicle, I don’t pay for power steering flushes and the like.
TXTee – The fact you’re doing your oil changes at the dealership on a regular basis is enough to put you in the AWA eligible column. As for the rest, I think it really depends on the dealer. I’ve been lucky to work at places with good shops…and I wouldn’t go to a Lexus dealer for service unless I owned a Lexus (for all the reasons above).
Marko – It sounds like your dealer isn’t very good. Are there any other dealers in your market you can go to for service? Also, as far as the TSB is concerned, if you add up all the different TSB for all the cars, trucks, and SUVs Toyota has made over the last decade, that’s hundreds of TSBs. It shouldn’t be surprising that your dealer doesn’t know about a particular TSB – it *should* be surprising, however, when they don’t take you at your word and look up the TSB. That’s inexcusable in my book.
Jason I use to be a DIY when I was in the Navy. It was cheaper to go to the shop on base where they had a lift and a drain barrel to catch the oil. They have that at the Mayport Naval Base here but it’s a 40 mile ride there just to do it. I just got lazy when I retired when it came to maintenance. I still do the simple stuff like change the filter on the Prius, but just wash my AFE and I change the cabin filter in the Prius and wash my DIY cabin filter I made. I definitely rotate my own tires because of these other clowns love to use that impact where I use a 4way. I also check my brakes at that time and the front end along with thread depth and air pressure. If I let someone else does the job I don’t get to see exactly what is happening. Yes I spend a little extra getting maintenance done at the dealers like flushing the tranny, rear end, radiator and cleaning of the throttle body etc. It may not be needed but like the Navy it’s called preventive maintenance. This is to avoid break downs. Like you mention I had jiffy lube do a tranny flush before just to get home and have tranny fluid leaking because they didn’t tighten the bolts to specs. I even had the Ford dealership didn’t tighten my oil filter once and oil was on my driveway. I took the truck back and the dealer cleaned underneath and did another oil change because I marked the filter to check. If something happened to the engine I have the paperwork covering my butt who done the change and the filter being loose. As far as having a great relationship with a service adviser, it’s easier to get things done with honey vice the other way. Does it hurt to get an extra sausage biscuit for the adviser when I bring it in in the morning? Nope but then you have an adviser willing to do anything for you. I’ve been burnt by other service advisers so I went out my way with Toyota advisers. So far so good. I look at it as an investment towards piece of mind.
Mickey – Very shrewd to be sure. Free sausage biscuits go a hell of a lot further than anyone would think possible, eh? LOL 🙂
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I concur with Mickey’s perspective, but I understand skeptics. To no one in particular: Admittedly, my perspective is tainted by nearly 10 years of dealership employment. However, I can attest to the fact that when screw-ups happened (and they happened regularly), the company that owned the dealership never hesitated to make things right. IF your local dealership is well managed, I honestly believe it’s the best possible place to get your late-model vehicle fixed.
What’s the vertic on flushing the transmission. There is a difference between changing he fluid and filter and flushing the tranny. Certain transmissions I know it can be catistrophic to the valve body’s. Well I’m glad to see the Navy has preventive maintenance. The other branches also do it. The only difference seems to be they follow the manuals, kind like a owners manual. Maybe that maintanance schedule in that owners manual is preventive maintenance? Could it be that engineers used a thought process and already identified the required (preventive) maintenance. But what do they know? When it says do this at this time, we do it. When it says something like additives to your fuel are not recommended. Fuel already has additives to clean the system. Changing differential fluid is the vacuum method just as good as the remove the cover and wipe it out? If people want to pay unnecessary maintenance so be it but if it was required why isn’t in the owners manual? If they didn’t list it in the owners manual usually there is a reason, but they just designed what do There know!
J – Still not taking the Lexus to the Lexus dealership when I have found a reliable alternative independent that gets the job done. The pricing through Lexus is beyond ridiculous and I just can’t see the point in it based on the age and mileage of the vehicle. I love not having a note on it and any repairs it needs are still way less than buying something else comparable new. =)
Anonymous first off it’s in the owner’s manual and what’s called the Passport to Performance Scheduled Maintenance Guide. This is for a 2007 Tundra. In the owner’s manual in chapter 6 page 519 has Vehicle Maintenance and Care. Also in chapter 7 page 525 for Do-It-Yourself Maintenance. The Passport has the every 5,000 mile maintenance required list.
So it goes from “It may not be needed but like the Navy its called preventive maintenance” to the last post of its needed.
Thanks Jason. A new deal(er) is in order. I will not go back to my local. Its a bother to drive an extra hour, what is good service worth anymore?
Anoymous – Transmission flushes that are done too frequently, power steering flushes and rear differential services that are never necessary…there’s a long list of CRAP that dealers sell that’s clearly not necessary or listed in the owner’s manual. The thing is, I think it falls on the consumer to know the difference between smart preventative maintenance and needless service. If people took the time to educate themselves, they would know what’s needed and what’s not. There are plenty of stories of small independent shops selling “blinker fluid” to little old ladies who should know better.
Marko – Good question. I don’t know the answer… 🙂
Marko the answer is “Piece of Mind”. That’s the price of great service.