Dealer Add-ons and Extras - are they worth it?

Kirstie_H

Pinstriping, paint sealant, fabric guard... are these items worth the price? Ask your questions here!

bowled_over

I purchased a new Honda CR-V. The dealer tried to push the benefits of sthg called Auto Butler Vehicle Protection Program which includes applying 10 six monthly applications of paint sealant and fabriguard (no leather) over five year period for $800 upfront.

Based on previous owners experiences, do any of you use such a protection, is it really required and is it really good (value for $800)

danf1

Auto butler is good protection. The main reason that it works is that it is reapplied every six months. The cost seems quite high to me. I'd offer them about half that amount and you should be able to get it.

lhess

dealer add-on is that they are doing it to make more money. And, before you salespeople jump on that comment, there is nothing wrong with that - profit is what makes the free world turn. Buyers need to weigh the cost of the dealer add-on as opposed to doing something similar themselves. I may pay a dealer for an add-on that I am uncapable of doing myself (like pin-striping) or maybe it's very time-consuming and I don't have the time, but things like spraying scotchguard on the seats, I think I can handle that for the cost of a can of scotch guard and 20 minutes.

My fear of things like this Auto Butler, they actually apply paint sealant every six months? Who makes sure the car is absolutely clean and they're not just applying a layer of gunk over road grime? My opinion is that once they sell the car and have the money, they really don't care what they are sealing in on your car. I would pass on that add-on and just wax it a couple of times a year myself.

danf1

Whoever is reapplying the sealant should first wash the car. Auto butler machines are extremely expensive, around $35,000, and the replacement applicators aren't cheap either. So it is in the dealers best interest to make sure the car is clean, as it will prolong the life of the applicators. Auto butler provides a warranty on your paint against acid rain, bird droppings, tree sap etc... If any of the afformentioned affect the finish of your car, Auto butler will remove the damage and if necessary repaint your car for you. If you don't have a garage and don't like to wax your vehicles, it is a good program. The fabrigard is basically the same as Scothguarding yourself, so I would pass on that part in order to lower the price.

And of course the dealer is making money by selling it to you. If we weren't making a profit, we wouldn't be doing it. That said, it is a much better program than most of your mopn'glow one time miracle waxes that are offered at most dealerships.

jhs70

dealer add-on is that they are doing it to make more money.

BIngo, and they make LOTS of money on this stuff. Only the consumer can tell if they want or need this stuff. A good dealership will present these offers and let the consumer decide for him/herself whether they need/want them. The bad ones force sell them, and we've all been there at one time or another, haven't we? Me, I don't need any of this stuff. I'm convinced I can go without, do it myself, or find it MUCH cheaper elsewhere. But that's just me.

lhess

is when the dealer has decided to go ahead and do an add-on (like pin-striping) and then just tack the price on the car. At that point, it's a matter of paying for it, even if you would have passed on it otherwise, if you want the car. I consider that the same as a dealer "bump sticker" and I walk away from dealerships that use "market adjustment" stickers. I see nothing wrong with add-ons if the dealership is honest about them and gives you the choice of buying them or not buying - don't already have them on the car.

I just bought an RX 8 and have added some accessories. I've worked a deal with the dealer to get a cost plus 10% plus installation deal on these. I just paid $291 for the rear wing, installed. You can bet they would have added about $500 to the price of the car had that spoiler already been on there when i bought it.

cadillacmike

And don't forget the mop n glo stickers that some dealers put on the cars while they are still on the trailers and still have the protective plastic sheeting on them

chiefjs

I am buying a CRV from Bock Honda in Massachusetts and the saleman gave me some brochures on some protective packages. He said to look them over let him know if I am interested, but did not give a price.

One is called Resist AllPlus+ that is a clear protective film with two options. The Leading Edge Kit protects the nose and hood of the vehicle. The Headlight Kit protects the lights.

They also have a ResistAll stain barrier for the interior and a paint sealer protector.

Finally, they are offering GuidePoint, a stolen vehicle recovery system that uses satellites rather than the Lojack RF. I believe he said this costs about $1,000, but there are no addtional charges.

Your comments and opinions will be appreciated.

danf1

The Leading edge kit might be good if you do a lot of highway driving. The headlights I wouldn't consider because they are impact resistant plastic and I wouldn't want any film over them that could possibly discolor and block some light. The stain barrier is basically Scotchguard. Buy a can on your own and save a lot of money. The theft recovery sounds interesting, but expensive.

bobst

Chief, if your car is stolen, do you want it back or would you rather get the money from your insurance company and buy a new car?

lhess

why people spend so much money on products to recover a stolen vehicle. If mine ever gets stolen, I hope to never see it again!!!!!!!!!

Also, as to the protective film on the nose and hood, can't that discolor too?

danf1

I have no personal experience with the protective film, but have heard good reviews of it. I can't remember where I heard about it, but it has been a while.

nortsr1

If you go to the accessories forum and scroll down to front end protective bras and deflectors, there is discussion about same. All favorable...but....expensive.

lokki

Always remind me of the car bra conundrum:

Paint chips will make the nose of my car ugly. Therefore I will protect the nose. How? By putting an ugly bra on it that costs as much as repainting the nose of the car at 30,000 miles would.

The clear plastics are almost as weird IMHO. Like plastic slip covers on your leather sofa.

Did you buy the car to use or did you buy it for the next guy? It's not going to be pretty with all that junk on it.

Paint sealers from the dealer may work, but how many times could you have that car waxed at a car wash for $800?

I try to avoid all those dealer extras, and I agree with Ihess - go to the parts department and do some pricing before you agree to let the salesman tack anything on your car. The difference in the markup is amazing.

lhess

I don't like the bra thing or the other options that are out there to protect the front of your car. It makes me sick to see the new paint chips every time you wash, but I personally think they look better than a big black cover on the front of the car or the cheap acrylic covers.

Has anyone had any real luck with touch-up paints? It's available for my rx8 and I've thought about getting it (it's really cheap, less than $8, I think), but wasn't sure if i'd end up making a bigger mess of things. Any real talent involved?

bobst

Maybe that is because you follow other cars too closely.

isellhondas

Your "touch up" job can make the problem worse. The bras trap water and dirt that will abrade your paint. The clear film is expensive but it does work well.

bobst is right about following other cars too close. I see this everyday and I think about the rock chips those cars must have.

lhess

it's living in coal country. Coal trucks, gravel trucks...when something comes off one of those trucks, a good quarter mile won't save you!!

bobst

Here in Virginia, the trucks need to cover their loads to help stop rocks flying off into the road.

A few years ago, a state legislator had his windshield cracked by a rock falling off a truck, so he got a law passed to make them cover their loads. See, politicians can do some pretty cool things sometime.

mirth

...maybe we should stick some legislators with big health care bills...

cadillacmike

Not only trhat but when a dump truck lets loose with stones / gravel / whatever, either from its load (which is supposed to be covered here in FL too!) or from its tires, no mop n glo treatment is going to save your hood or grille or bumper.

and using a bra?? if you don't remove it to wash and wax the car, you'll ruin the hood wit it as well!

scottbishop

Statement: If my car is stolen I don't want it back?
Response You have no choice! Insurance companies are not in the business of buying you a new car because your a nice guy and you just had your car stolen. They are in the business of making money.

Where to begin...

1. The moment you drive off the dealers lot your car depreciates... imagine an invisible bubble around the dealership... you drive through it and you burst the bubble that was you cars value! BANG now you cars MSRP is meaningless as your car is now valued based off ACV or Actual Cash Value.

To put this plainly - you buy car for $20,000 - you drive off lot - car now worth $19,000 - you drive 5,000 miles and car worth $17,500 welcome to ACV

2. You buy Brand new $40,000 SUV with $6,000 in rims that cost the dealer $1,500 and you haggled down to $3,000 to show you wife what a hairy chested REAL MAN you are. The next morning you walk out you front door to an empty driveway and immediately run back in red faced crying to your wife that YOUR CAR WAS STOLEN.

**** NEWS BULLETIN **** Police recover stolen vehicles 65% of the time... though it is two weeks later with an average of $8,000 in damage.

POP QUIZ: Your an insurance sompany (hint: in the business of making money) and you have a $40,000 SUV with $8,000 in damage do you a.) total the car out and cut a check to the custom for $37K or b.) piece it back together

ANSWER: You lose either way.

IF YOU CAR IS STOLEN YOU WANT IT BACK IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DAMAGE AND WITH YOU PERSONAL POSSESIONS RETURNED.

kyfdx

Umm.... if you lease.. with GAP insurance... .none of the above applies..

dcarr

My dealer adds a twist that was not mentioned when I signed up for the Auto Butler service: unless I am also getting an oil change at the same time (for which I pay $29.95), it is up to ME to bring in the car all washed and clean and ready for the service.

Also, I am sent a card in the mail and have essentially a month or so in which to use the service. Since it can take anywhere from an hour and a half to most of the day (depending on how busy the dealer is), this can be a real pain in the a** at certain points. At this time of year, dealers are overtaxed with tuneups, etc, for people planning on a long road trip--I don't get the sense that washing your car and applying something you've already paid for is tops on their priority list. The service does do a good job, though. And it probably lasts more than six months anyway (my vehicle is still shiny even though it is time to reapply). But, I think in the future I will not pay in advance, but see how much the service costs each time and get it just when I need it and have the time to drop my car off for a day.

goodfella499

I'll start with Auto Butler specifically and then comment on the other dealer add-ons.

Auto Butler is a fantastic product that has tremendous benefit to the customer--as long as the dealership employees are properly trained on the equipment, chemicals, and application process. My dealership sells Auto Butler and I personally had is applied to my own vehicle. I love it. However, you must make sure that the dealership is knowledgeable in the product. Yes, the dealership is supposed to thoroughly wash the car before applying the product. Not doing so will damage the finish instead of preserving it (even then though, the Auto Butler warranty that comes with the product would pay to fix the problem.) The catch is the cost. The person who said that the cost was $800 obviously is concerned about that number. Understandable. The question should not be (as with any purchase) how much profit there is, but whether or not the asking price makes it beneficial for you to own it. However, just to give you a clue without having all the other dealers on here send me death threats, my dealership sells 5 years of Auto Butler paint protection for $595 and 5 years of Fabric or Leather for $199--and we're still making a healthy profit on it.

Now, as far as the rest of the add-ons go, if you are going to a reputable dealership, you will usually find that any products they offer are, in fact, very beneficial to the customer. The car sales market is so competitive that we don't want you buying your NEXT car from the dealer down the street because we sold you pin-striping that peels or paint protection that doesn't protect. We usually do our homework and make sure that the stuff we sell is of high quality and actually does what it claims. The only issue is price. Again, you need to ask yourself if the benefits outweigh the cost--if the answer is yes, then buy it. If it's no, then don't. If all you're concerned about is how much money the dealer is making off it, then all I can say is that if everyone wasn't obsessed with buying the car at $1000 below factory invoice, then these products could be sold at a more reasonable markup. There are MANY, MANY times that we make more profit from selling Auto Butler and Security Etching than we made off the sale of the car itself. These dealer add-ons usually have a fairly substantial profit margin--but somewhere along the line, we've got to make some money.

eharri3

As someone else said, around Philly sometimes even several car lengths or a quarter mile doesn't save you. When those dump trucks are flying down the road with a flapping tarp that only goes a few feet down the side of the truck, the debris that comes out can fly quite a long way before coming to rest. It's why sometimes I want to say to heck with the 3m film, I want to get my whole truck Line-Xed or Rhinoed.

tig41

is there a site that has factory add on i have the part # just looking for a better deal

Kirstie_H

Hm... what vehicle are you looking to upgrade?

You will probably have better luck in our Sound Systems - Aftermarket & OEM Upgrades discussion.

mia13

Yesterday, Friday, I signed the agreement for my new car. I agreed to get the Simoniz Teflon treatment for $500!!!!(I could kick myself!!) The car is not yet at the dealer's as it has to be delivered from Massachusetts. Please let me know if I can call them on Monday morning and STOP this waste of money, scam and have them take off the $500 from my final cost. Am I binded by the contract? Please advice soon as I am losing it right now. Thank you!!!

rroyce10

..... Hmmm, this sounds familiar ....

My neighbor just bought $4,800 worth of furniture and paid $250 to have it Scotch guarded before it was delivered -- now it's delivered .. he now thinks it was a scam and he paid "too much" .... he did, but he shouldn't been stupid enough to buy it ...

It's not a scam .. it's just a very inexpensive product that can be done for $80/$90 .... in your case, you haven't taken delivery yet - so nicely get with the dealer and have that part removed and enjoy your new car .....



Terry.

PS: next time you'll know better.

mia13

Terry, thanks for helping me calm down. I ended up calling the sales manager at home, as I couldn't wait until Monday. I told him I had changed my mind and that I did not want the Simoniz. He simply said "no problem, we'll deduct it from the final cost". I feel relieved, yet still nervous. I can't wait until this stress is over...I constantly feel as if I'm being taken advantage of, going over every conversation and all the paperwork, and also obsessed with surfing for any info I can find...I really need to exhale here!

I plan on calling the dealership first thing in the morning to verify. I'm lucky this time around, and yes, I'll know better next time. I plan on spreading the word about this too, so others can be prepared. Thanks again!

socala4

I'm not a big fan of these alleged long-life waxes. Like most semi-legit products, they do work to some degree, but tend to overpromise and underdeliver.

It comes down to this: your car's finish and paint need to be protected from the elements if it is going to last and maintain a fresh appearance, particularly if you have a darker colored car. Optimally, this regimen would include garaging your car as much as possible, washing it regularly, removing anything corrosive (bird dung, tar, etc.) as quickly as possible, and waxing it at regular intervals.

The frequency that you need to use a wax or sealant will vary depend on the conditions that your car endures, and a sealant should last longer than a wax (sealants are just chemical versions of waxes). But even if you use a high quality sealant and baby your car, you will probably still need to use a quality sealant at least 3-4 times per year.

So I would be wary of any product that claims that it needs to be applied only once or twice per year, as some claim to, and I'd be sure that whoever does the detail work can do so without leaving swirl marks, scratches, etc.. These long-life products don't work all that well, and it's false economy to skimp on protecting your car's finish by doing so too infrequently.

In other words, I don't see there being any substitute or short cuts around simply detailing the car on a regular basis. It's not particularly cheap if you pay someone else to do it, and it can be time consuming and tedious if you opt to do it yourself, but if you trade your cars regularly, it will help resale value and enhance its appearance.

mia13

Thank you Socola,

I will take your advice!!! As this is my very first BLACK car, I want to maintain the shine as long as possible!!!

Does a sealant just coat and protect your car without giving it a shine like wax does. Can I use both, a sealant and then wax on top? I'd appreciate any advice...I know I have a lot to learn.

socala4

Well, this isn't a forum for detailing, so I'll try to keep it brief:

-A wax and a sealant are the same thing, except a wax will be made of natural materials such as beeswax, while a sealant is a synthetic. You can put multiple coats if you like. Waxes tend to wear more quickly than do sealants because of their contents. In any case, the purpose of waxes and sealants are the same -- to put a protective coat over the paint to protect it from UV and the elements.

Some detail fanatics put wax on top of sealants because wax can arguably give deeper, nicer shine, but that isn't necessary to protect your paint. And despite popular belief, the main purpose of waxes and sealants is to protect paint, not to create shine.

Overall, you tend to combine waxes/sealants with polishes (mild abrasives) and/or glazes (which enhance shine) when detailing a car. Wax and sealant have a specific purpose of paint protection. Some products combine some or all of these functions, but a detailing afficianado would tend to go with seperate products.

Black paint takes A LOT of work to keep up, it is very easy to get scratches and swirl marks, and your average corner hand car wash will tend to work in ways that create both over the long run. You may not like this, but I'd advise that if you can, you wash it yourself every 1-2 weeks, using good quality soap, a sheepskin mitt, and a "waffle weave" towel for drying. Research the internet, and you'll find detailing fanatics who have lots of great advice on the subject.

Good luck and enjoy.

mia13

Wow Socala, Thank you, I really appreciate the time you took!!

joel0622

Lojack has been in TN now for about 18 months and there has been 37 activations with 36 recoveries. Pretty good record I think.

Imports are superior

carman32

I recently walked a Suzuki dealer lot and found that almost every new car had an added on paint protectant for $4999!! I couldn't believe it and wonder if this is common with Suzuki dealers? This made a $16,000 Forenza...$21,000!! Do people really pay this?

humblecoder

I doubt it is common. Any sane business person wouldn't price their product $5000 above the competition like that, especially on the low-end of the market, where people are more price sensitive. Maybe on a $250,000 luxury car, but on an economy car? That's crazy!

That's why I have a hard time believing your story, carman32 (no offense )

rogscar

buying a new impala should get wax protection sold by the dealer?

tallman1

You could. Or you could pay a whole lot less and either have it done professionally or do it yourself.

ken117

There is one Honda dealer in College Park, Maryland who has come up with a cute little euphemism for its "rip off" sticker. This dealer refers to its practice of increasing its profits through the addition of overpriced add-ons as "accessorizing" the vehicle. This particular dealer has stated most of its clients appreciate its "accessorizing" improvements to the vehicles. The dealer also points out that one can always order a "stripped" vehicle. As a buyer of numerous Honda vehicles, I have yet to locate a "stripped" EX or LX.

isellhondas

Coming in late here but almost ALL Honda dealers do this.

We kept the accessories to a minimum adding the items that a lot of people wanted anyway such as splash guards on the EX's.

There are stores in this area that added so many expensive (and usually unwanted) items that we wouldn't do dealer trades with them.

Making a few extra bucks ins't a bad thing you know.

manypilots

We did paint/interior protection packages on the last two cars we purchased.
For the first car we purchased, we simply went to the detailing place the dealer out sourced the car to, at about half the price. The second car we bought, from the same dealer, we were offered a similar protection package, but this time with ding removal. We negotiated that price down by about a third, then took it.

gerald605

I'm a big fan of Auto Butler, but not at $800, and this comes from someone who religiously waxes his vehicles. My Auto Butler was thrown in to get me to make my purchase so my situation was a little different. After a few applications I was so happy with it that I negotiated my girlfriends Auto Butler protection for her car (VW) at my Honda dealership. We were able to get it at $250. I wouldve normally just waxed her car twice a year but at $25 an application, why? When you pick up your car you see the difference. Plus as mentioned, you get the paint guarantee that comes with it.

sisco1955

Auto Butler claims to protect the car finish against bugs, bird droppings, and acid rain. My wife had auto butler applied to her Hyundai Santa Fe Limited. A skunk sprayed corner of front bumper and stained finish. Took it to dealer and Auto Butler rep tried to remove it and failed. Told me to file a claim with insurance. Auto butler option cost $500. I recommend not to buy auto butler. Money will be better spent on insurance deducted.

Marlene

Don't waste your money! I paid for 5 years of exterior paint treatments and interior leather treatments. Half the time the dealership did not touch the leather. Plus, when the car came back to me after the exterior paint treatment, my husband had to spend the entire evening cleaning the excess debris off the finish that was left on the car. Also, I "[non-permissible content removed]"umed that I would get 10 treatments after I brought my car home because the dealer would provide a nice, new car finish when the car was purchased. Nope, the dealer used one of my treatments at the beginning when I took delivery of the car instead of providing this service that they should have. When I called the 800 number to complain, the customer service rep couldn't care less! Not a good way to keep customers happy and expect repeat business. I will NEVER waste my money again on this service.

DaGonz

When you are buying a new vehicle, here is a question to ask the finance guy ( the real "upseller" at the dealership...

Why do you not offer these same "great protection packages" on pre-owned vehicles?

kjost

Some dealers are forcing people to "buy" Auto Butler. Walked out on a $50k new car deal yesterday because they said they weren't making enough money on the car (they gave me the e-car price in an email) and demanded I pay $1,295 for tinting and underseal. I left. I don't do business that way. And I would bet they don't even apply the the stuff. The windows only had the manufacturing tint.
Who actually falls for it?

Michaell

kjost said:

Some dealers are forcing people to "buy" Auto Butler. Walked out on a $50k new car deal yesterday because they said they weren't making enough money on the car (they gave me the e-car price in an email) and demanded I pay $1,295 for tinting and underseal. I left. I don't do business that way. And I would bet they don't even apply the the stuff. The windows only had the manufacturing tint.
Who actually falls for it?

Apparently, enough people, as dealers continue to offer it....

Michaell

Michaell said:

kjost said:

Some dealers are forcing people to "buy" Auto Butler. Walked out on a $50k new car deal yesterday because they said they weren't making enough money on the car (they gave me the e-car price in an email) and demanded I pay $1,295 for tinting and underseal. I left. I don't do business that way. And I would bet they don't even apply the the stuff. The windows only had the manufacturing tint.
Who actually falls for it?

Apparently, enough people, as dealers continue to offer it....

When I leased my Jetta 3 years ago, the transaction was very straightforward.

I went back to the same dealer before my lease was up to view the current VW offerings. Every car on the lot had a $495 gizmo attached to make the 3rd brakelight "flash" a few times before holding solid. They said this was a non-negotiable item.

Pass.