Confessions From the Dealership Service Department


A former dealership service advisor spills his secrets about how consumers are often overcharged or pay for repairs and service they don't need.
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A former dealership service advisor spills his secrets about how consumers are often overcharged or pay for repairs and service they don't need.
Comments
As for the $0.50 to turn the lathe on? The same could be said for an MRI machine or a dialysis machine. It's the knowledge that the operator has in performing this "seemingly easy task" that you are paying for and you expect it done correctly by a professional.
As for the "selling" to "boost" profits. I agree with you that many car dealerships will do this, this is why they don't take you to your car to show or educate you. However, I totally disagree with you on this from our perspective, the independent repair shop owner. We believe that it's our job to make sure that our customers have the best running cars that are safe. If I don't point out problems or potential problems, then I am not doing my job. Just as a doctor is not doing his job if they don't point out your health issues. Educating a customer on why their car needs a coolant flush and a new hose is the same as a doctor telling you why you should quit smoking and start exercising. I'm going to point out the problem, educate them on it and let them make the decision. Then if they blow a radiator hose on the highway to Grandma's house, it's on them and not us for "missing" that.
We're the professionals at diagnosing and repairing vehicles. Go to a professional auto repair facility in your home town, they don't want to sell you a car, they want you to keep and maintain your car for a long time.
Sincerely,
Jim Seidel
President
Carolina Tire & Auto
.
Whenever someone tries to give us the 'heads up' or help us to have a good life people like you pop up.
MAYBE, just maybe you are an honest person BUT the intelligent of persons would know IF they are honest, fair & reasonable you would not need to respond to this comment. Since this article is able to viewed to such a wide geographic audience...it would NOT affect your own business and YOUR customers should 'know you' and be personally satisfied with your work ethic. And most of all you should know since, as you say, you are in the business it is COMMON PRACTICE to oversell, upsell services or parts to customers.
My brother and a best friend confirmed the unethical practices widely described here 35 years ago. I have looked for the signs of the 'cheating' and at the right moment caught them in the act!
It is actually worse than described here. Some mechanics with the same vehicle as yours will exchange the parts from their cars with yours. They will also say they replaced an expensive part but all they really did is clean off your part.
Closed carburetor systems resulted in cleaner oil in engines. The service centers STILL advise to change the OIL after 3 months or 3000 miles. $ months & 4000 miles TODAY would be more appropriate AND would be in line with being less OIL dependent. They will never give up their $$$ to help their own Country.
I recently was leaving a 'shop' after reviewing oil changes - an employee began to tell the manager how much they would lose...the manager said to him - "be quiet wait until He leaves"!!!
Yes Folks do read and follow your manual, the author of this article deserves a 'standing ovation'.
What you refer to is an EXCEPTION. You should have known better than to attempt to dissuade Folks from the value of this article.
You reveal yourself 'negatively' by focusing on a very small element of the article which distracts folk from the intent of this well written article. Plus you missed your opportunity to add written support in your comment which many of us looked for.
Invariably many auto repair shops betray a TRUST!
By NOT TAKING US TO SHOWUS???!!! I guess YOU feel WE are too ignorant to know the difference?!
You said - "it's a shame Edmunds printed this in this website'..
did you notice the author of this honestly written article, let me help you: by Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor, Edmunds.com
I have said enough I will now let the JURY make their decision.
I have Been an automotive Dealership Technician for 15+ years, ASE certified MASTER TECHNICIAN, WITH L1. P1, C1 CERTS AND ALSO POSSES A CALIFORNIA STATE SMOG TECHNICIAN LIC.
This article is Part of the Problem with the way Comsumers view Auto repair. These shops are few and far between and they do not last long. You have never turned a wrench for a living to don't tell me how flat rate is a rip off to the customer. I just got done doing a blower motor on a bentley that took me 40+ hours. Book time pays 20 hours. So is the customer a Thief to me because I worked 40 and got paid 20 hours??? You are basically saying all repair facilities are fradulent. Thanks Pal! like are jobs are not hard enough with you slandering the industry. I like when customer Know alot about their vehicles. Because I feel like I can talk to them in a technical manner and the easily understand recommended repairs, not just think we are ripping them off because of a bunch of burnout has ben writting acticles like this. You should consider being retrained. Cars evolve every year. Just because you were in the game does not make you an expert.
Pointing out that I had changed the trans oil 2200 miles earlier didn't discourage him.
Your probably one of those guys that also show the front passenger rotor first, to show "how worn it is" knowing that is the one that wears fastest. So them you can fool them yet again into getting the service.
The honest truth,
If it takes you 40 hrs to do a 20 hr job, which has been padded by double due to "book rates" then you should probably seek less certification and more wrench time. Anyone that has 15+ years of experience should be able to beat the
so after 1,000.00 later we got the car back and now week later I smell gasoline when car is in operation, AC dispenser warm air spontaneously. also CD player isn't work like prior visit to the dealer service dept.
1. Problem with A/C shutting down occasionally. Dealer wanted to recharge A/C to start for $200.00. I declined as I was there for oil change . Local mechanic saw that radiator coolant was low which causes engine to heat up which cause A/C to shut down. Repair Cost some free water.
2. Rattle under engine compartment while idling. Dealer stated something serious in engine, $200.00 to open engine for diagnosis. $200 would go towards eventual bill. Declined offer and went to independent mechanic for oil change. Found rattle to be heat shield. Tighten health shield @ no charge.
These where dealerships where I had bought many Toyota's one for business and one personal cars. Had all my service done by them for over ten years
Nice way to treat long term customers
I don't know who even goes to the dealerships anymore. The only reason I would ever go is if my car was in warranty or for really critical jobs like a timing belt so it will be under warranty if it snaps. I would rather buy my own parts and find a mechanic via craigslist. I have been doing that for the past 2 years ( control arm, ball joint, brake booster, new brake pads, thermostat) for 2 cars and I think I have saved around $1500.
I told her that when she gets her next car, to let me know if anything breaks down because I will help her find an honest mechanic or go with her to the shop to make sure she doesn't get ripped off!
Here is just some examples:
Oil change -$30 (not even synthetic!)
window wiper installation- $22 (this was JUST the installation alone!)
fluid top off-$35
Sigh...
I get estimates for work ranging for 200$ to 3,000 on the exact same day. Each place has other things to say, and some drastically oversell and I always play the stupid customer. I'll be told things are so important that I need to leave the car there (6 months ago and haven't done his suggested work), and there will be people who appear to be completely straight forward and I get an identical work order sans one or two minor items on back to back shops.
You can't usually trust people who work on commission. I DO tend to notice, that mom and pop places, or as the article suggests the older guys, tend to be a lot more straight forward and honest, and mom and pops will many times have better prices.
The words "the manufacturer suggests" and "in my opinion" are excellent phrases to add to your vocabulary also...
I wont lie i did get payed well for what i do without the rip off and having very happy customers made me fell good. last point is my customers never had to make an appointment, i mean lets face it..they dont come to the dealership to see me they come or need to come because they have a problem or a fear about the car leaving them stuck, and i never turn them away somehow i will deal with it and thats why i have succeeded in this business for over 30 years. No appointment needed to see me.
Oh i forgot my advisers were not allowed to sell a job over $1000 before i looked at it first both the prices and the car, then approved it. My method takes a little time but it works.
Known as Peter Kay formally with the worlds largest auto group out of Jersey City NJ. Presently in South West Florida.
1. While there are many honest people working in the automotive service industry, there are also many willing to make a buck (as much as they can get away in many instances) off naive customers. To deny this is simply ridiculous as it happens in MANY different industries. To the honest people, I commend you for doing the right thing, as it will pay off in the long run with building and maintaining your business.
2. Over the past 20 or so years, I can look back and see that I was shafted at least 3 times by different dealership service departments for overpriced repairs that were either not needed or would have been SUBSTANTIALLY more inexpensive at an independent shop.
3. Our household has been going to an independent shop regularly for about 20 years, knowing and trusting the oldest tech for longer than that. We have known and trusted him for a long time. Few years back, a new service advisor seemed to begin advising additional services like tranny and radiator flushes, brake jobs, fuel filters, alignments, and the like, even though he clearly had access to all the service records on these vehicles. Long story short, it appears he doesnt try to "sell" me on their reccomendations as much now that he's sees me in there so often. Especially after I asked him questions like, "Didn't we just do that a couple oil changes back?".
4. Due to time constraints over the holidays, I took my kids "starter car" - an 01 Cavalier - into a quick lube type place to get an oil change yesterday. I checked the oil level and topped off the windshield fluid with -35 rated stuff due to extreme cold weather right now. The invoice listed that every check was fine but they added windshield fluid? I can't see any resivour leaks? I watched from inside the car the entire time and didn't see that happen. When I got home, I noticed the invoice listed in the comment section that the oil was LOW when I arrived.... I just checked it and it was fine. The CSR and the tech checking fluids up top did NOT mention anything about this??? As soon as I shut off the car inside the bay, they pulled out the laminated sheet showing the upsell on the oil I should consider. Why would I consider upgrading to a synthetic on a 13 year old car, so I cut the CSR off right away and told them to stick with the basic 5w-30. One tech tugged at the 6 WEEK old wipers and asked if I was happy with them. Ummm....yeah. They pulled out the air filter that had about 5-6K miles (all on paved roads) that looked dang near like it was out of the box. Showed it to me with a new one, and when the CSR looked me in the face.... just didnt even try to sell it to me, as she knew by the look on my face to not even push it. I asked what it would run next time for that air filter. $21.99 vs. 7 bucks next door at the fleet store (for the conveinance). While I was in the bay, I watched the same CSR convince the gal next to me that she needed new wipers. I could tell the gal had no clue as she agreed to have them replaced for $30. They told her a back up light on her Suburban was out and was a critical safety issue. $10.99 for that and 2 minutes labor for the same bulb I replaced on my Chevy truck this past summer for ....$1.89 per two pack. Yes, she was paying for the service/conveinance... and the piece of mind - if you consider a back up light a major safety issue. Bottom line on this one. If you have money to blow, no resources or time to do basic maintenance to your vehicle, by all means, go to these places as they will be happy to take as much money from you as they can convince you that you need to spend!
CLEARLY the person who wrote this has no idea what he is talking about. Working flat rate is perfect for the labor rate employees because the faster you learn something/repeat, the more money you make because you can complete the tasks faster. This has NOTHING to do with doing less work, this has EVERYTHING to do with efficiency as a technician.