| jhayes |
Question for all of us MDX owners.
I just had a 30K service interval done and it set me back close to $781. (Holly crap!)
The dealer recommended service schedule included:
Change Engine Oil & Filter
Vehicle maintenance Inspection
Check & Top Off Fluids
Inspect Tires & Set Pressures
Rotate Tires
Perform Fuel System Tune-Up
Replace Cabin Filter
Perform Transmission Flush
Perform Coolant System Flush
4 Wheel Alignment (As Needed)
Replace Spark Plugs (As Needed)
Adjust Vales (As Needed)
Replace Fuel Filter (As Needed)
Check / Replace Air Filter (As Needed)
Service Differentials / Transfer Case (As Required)
Road Test
All of this for the fine price of $595.16
But wait, it gets better. In addition to the base price above.
$79.95 - four wheel alignment
$31.95 - Air Filter, installed
$20.83 – Transfer case Fluid
Now I trust my dealer. They have always treated me right in the past.
So why is it when I look at the maintenance schedule in the manual it states:
120,000mi – Replace engine coolant
45,000mi – Replace transmission fluid
45,000mi – Replace transfer fluid
105,000mi – Adjust valves (otherwise only if noisy)
I normally drive under the normal conditions scheduled maintenance. That is:
More than 10mi per trip
Not driving in dusty / dirty conditions
Not towing
Not in freezing conditions
So what gives, are the dealers using this “Wynn’s” service as an easy way to sell unnecessary services, or did they really do what the MANUFACTURER recommends.
Now that I have done the research AFTER, I think I will still have a talk with the service manager over this one.
What kind of prices have you seen for a 30K job? |
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| eurohazard |
What gives is: You've been had!
The "dealership" is going to recommend those services of course. They get payed for them.....by you.
Many people tell the dealership exactly what services to perform. I am one of them. I refuse to pay for a "dealer" recommended checklist because it's always above and beyond what is really needed. |
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| phins2rt |
quote:
Originally posted by jhayes
Question for all of us MDX owners.
I just had a 30K service interval done and it set me back close to $781. (Holly crap!)
The dealer recommended service schedule included:
Change Engine Oil & Filter
Vehicle maintenance Inspection
Check & Top Off Fluids
Inspect Tires & Set Pressures
Rotate Tires
Perform Fuel System Tune-Up
Replace Cabin Filter
Perform Transmission Flush
Perform Coolant System Flush
4 Wheel Alignment (As Needed)
Replace Spark Plugs (As Needed)
Adjust Vales (As Needed)
Replace Fuel Filter (As Needed)
Check / Replace Air Filter (As Needed)
Service Differentials / Transfer Case (As Required)
Road Test
All of this for the fine price of $595.16
But wait, it gets better. In addition to the base price above.
$79.95 - four wheel alignment
$31.95 - Air Filter, installed
$20.83 – Transfer case Fluid
Now I trust my dealer. They have always treated me right in the past.
So why is it when I look at the maintenance schedule in the manual it states:
120,000mi – Replace engine coolant
45,000mi – Replace transmission fluid
45,000mi – Replace transfer fluid
105,000mi – Adjust valves (otherwise only if noisy)
I normally drive under the normal conditions scheduled maintenance. That is:
More than 10mi per trip
Not driving in dusty / dirty conditions
Not towing
Not in freezing conditions
So what gives, are the dealers using this “Wynn’s” service as an easy way to sell unnecessary services, or did they really do what the MANUFACTURER recommends.
Now that I have done the research AFTER, I think I will still have a talk with the service manager over this one.
What kind of prices have you seen for a 30K job?
jhayes,
Did Jordan Acura do this to you?
I did the 30K ala carte. I think I had the oil change, vtm change and tranny flush done (it didn't need the tranny flush but I felt it would be a good precaution. they stated they do ONLY flushes now. No drain and fills). I think the 30K ran me about $300 including flush.
I did the other stuff myself (rotate tires, cabin filter, etc). I know they try and push the package deals there. Luckily I learned from this site to stay clear of those.
I think they probably used the severe maintenance schedule. Worst case you know not to do this again. Good luck and let us know how it goes! |
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| mdx99 |
These are the only works needed, the rest is ..Nothing done...
Change Engine Oil & Filter
Rotate Tires
Perform Fuel System Tune-Up....?? no tune-up required for modern day engine, they probably just add a $3 bottle of fuel injector cleaner..
Replace Cabin Filter
Perform Transmission Flush
Perform Coolant System Flush
Differential fluid change
$31.95 - Air Filter, installed
$20.83 – Transfer case Fluid
Look like $300 the most!!! since you have the 2 flushes, the rest is in stealer pocket.:eek: |
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| frainc |
I bring in the maintenance book and tell them to follow this and then sign off it. This way you don't get to pay for those inspect stuff that I wonder if they even check it that close.
My 7500 mile service was only around $45 instead of the $139 that they tell customers to get. |
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| mgmdx |
quote:
Originally posted by jhayes
...Now I trust my dealer. ...
:14:
That's a HUGE mistake.
quote:
Originally posted by jhayes
...What kind of prices have you seen for a 30K job?
Check this previous discussion thread to get your answer:
http://acuramdx.org/forums/showthre...=&threadid=6437 |
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| JimH |
I believe you have established the highest $ amount paid ($ 781)
for the 30K service and probably the highest dealer profit for this work item. |
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| jhayes |
"Perform Coolant System Flush"
From what I saw in the manual, the cooling system flush is not due until 120K. Do you have any valid reason the system should be flushed at 30K?
"Did Jordan Acura do this to you?"
Yes!
I plan on calling Mike in the morning. After that Wes Jordan if need be.
More to follow. |
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| phins2rt |
quote:
Originally posted by jhayes
"Perform Coolant System Flush"
From what I saw in the manual, the cooling system flush is not due until 120K. Do you have any valid reason the system should be flushed at 30K?
"Did Jordan Acura do this to you?"
Yes!
I plan on calling Mike in the morning. After that Wes Jordan if need be.
More to follow.
Keep us posted.... :lurk: |
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| JL_SS |
| Wow, $781 and vaseline was not included...........:eek: . |
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| cp_ssrebba |
learned that you should say i want this this services done and not asking them to do 30K or 15k service.
Now i ask them to do whatever things that are on manual. Otherwise they will sometimes even replace wind shield wipers and charge you. |
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| jhayes |
I just got back from talking with Mike Morales, Service Manager at Jordan Acura. I explained my concerns about how this service was presented as the 30K service.
I conveyed my point that they should have informed me here is the “Acura Scheduled Maintenance”, and here is what the “Dealer is Recommending” in addition to Acura’s based scheduled maintenance. These additional offerings should be presented based on facts like testing of the coolant and reporting of the findings before assuming that it should have been flushed or based off of other Acura TIDs that recommend a different change interval than what is currently listed.
As I said before, I trust my dealer to keep my car running as it should, and I should not have to worry about any “Stealer” tactics. I want to be informed when things need to be addresses, like that of the 4 wheel alignment. At a cost of $80, it can save me having to purchase tires in 10K vs 25K
I won’t discuss the exact resolution, but Mike made things right, and I am still a happy customer / client of Jordan Motors.
I'm sure some of you out there may think that all dealers are out to grab as much cash as they can, and yes some do. I believe scheduled and preventative maintenance are good for your car, and in these times of rising fuel costs, anything I can do to keep my fuel economy up is a plus.
This was never about the actual services preformed, just the amount of work done vs what is required by Acura.
The guys that work in the Service department are top notch as far as my experience has been, and I would recommend them to anyone having a problem with their X or any other serviced vehicle. |
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| eurohazard |
| Glad you're happy. You sound like the perfect customer! |
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| JeffK |
Dear jhayes:
I have been following your saga and I am truly amazed!
First, there are so many threads out there about dealer's ripping off customers at 7,500 and 15,000 miles.
Now we can add the 30,000 mile rip off. In fact the higher the mileage the bigger the ripoff!
I honestly can not understand how you can trust a dealer who has ripped you off the way your dealer did.
Of course everyone wants a reliable car - that is why we either bought or leased an MDX.
But you are really kidding yourself when you think that you have improved either reliability or economy when you have been taken to the cleaners!
I think you should face up to what happened - you were soaked.
Normally one learns from his mistakes - you on the other hand have become an apologist for the stealing done by your dealer.
Your dealer has gained from this experience; many of us on this board have gained - now we know what not to do. It is a shame that only one person has lost.
As Howard Cosell said "Sorry, I have to tell it like it is".
JeffK |
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| mdx99 |
quote:
Originally posted by jhayes
As I said before, I trust my dealer to keep my car running as it should, and I should not have to worry about any “Stealer” tactics. I want to be informed when things need to be addresses, like that of the 4 wheel alignment. At a cost of $80, it can save me having to purchase tires in 10K vs 25K
I won’t discuss the exact resolution, but Mike made things right, and I am still a happy customer / client of Jordan Motors.
Glad but sad to hear that you are happy to pay some $700 for 30K service. As for alignment, all you need is to check that the thread wear on the tires are even or not, that tells you whether you need alignment, no need to pay for inspection, paying $80 for unnecessary work won't help your MDX. I still have my original tires with perfectly even wear on the threads with 32K miles on them and they are not even half life yet! I myself have learned a lots from this board and smarter everytime I need to take my car for service.
Nevertheless, it's only $$$, what's important is that you are happy.
:) |
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| richkuan |
I believe the most important thing is that you are happy and you think your car is happy.
But, things are not always what we think the way it should be. For example, you like steak, you always eat the most expensive one since you think it's good and healthy to your body. The fact is, you will get heart disease by eating too much steak. Again, vitamin is good to your body, so you eat 20 tablets of various vatimins each day, you are so happy and proud of taking care of yourself so good, until your liver got killed.
Same thing here, doing un-necessary maintenance may not do anything good to your vehicle. On the contrary, it even will harm your car. Why, you must ask. The harm lies in the techs that take apart your vehicle to perform the maintenance. It doesn't matter how good he is or how much experience he has, more or less, the components will not be put back exactly the way they should be. I can always tell if an engine ever went thru major repair or maintenance by just looking at it. Something will always not be right, always.
And, mechanical stuff will work fine as long as it has good lubrication. The less you disturb it the better.
Again, to me, most of the stuff your dealer listed are meaningless and I doubt the money you spent will do anything physically good to your car. But, as long as you are happy and have peace in mind, nobody will complain, we are just trying to save you couple bucks so you can do more meanful stuff, like take a vacation. And, you also will become very popular in the dealer by keeping your trust on them, they will treat you like a VVIP since they will be financially depend on you.
One of my friends had an 92 Accord EX. About 3 years ago, the dealer somehow convenienced him that the car needs to have the timing belt replaced every year. And he was so happy and so proud of himself that he is the only one among thousands of owners that can do the maintenance right. He had to spend over $1500 each year on regular maintenance. He was treated so differently in the dealership. Other only have water while waiting, he can have a small cube with drinks. He looked us down as if he was the only one that really knows cars. Until one day the engine underwent severe damage shortly after the timing belt was replaced. No body knows what really happened. But he learned his lesson the very very hard way. And he never ever mentioned how he performed the maintenance on his car.
Wasting your money doesn't mean your car will be more happy. Over-maintenance will not do anything good to your car. |
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| mdx99 |
| Be aware! Every dealer has their own agenda for 30K service, I just received a flyer today from a nearby dealer, the 30k service coupon wants $289 for essentially oil change & transmission service and the rest is check.....this & that, note that the transmission service is not even flush type, mostl likely just drain & fill, not including differential oil change either. ....ripping off that's for sure! |
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