Servicing - go to the dealer?

[CoryM]

Interesting about the video.


From my experience, it is far more common for sketchy shops/dealers to sell people work they do not need, than it is to sell work and not perform it. Was the cabin filter just grey, or did it have a bunch of junk in it? The reason I ask is some cabin filters are impregnated with carbon to absorb smells. They are grey when they are brand new.

The typical cab filter service interval is 2yrs/24k KM. If you drive dusty roads or park under trees it can be far less though.

A/C services are not needed and, far as I have seen, not part of any manufacturer's required service. What they typically do is inject a can of top-up refrigerant which is not required and potentially harmful (A/C refrigerant is meant to be a set amount. Adding more than spec can damage the system. Also the top-up can are often not the correct refrigerant). If your car is losing refrigerant, it has a leak and should be fixed properly. Not topped up. They also typically inspect your cabin filter, and spray a deodorant in there. Unless your a/c smells like shoes, it's not required.

Does this dealer also sell oil additives with every service? And did they charge labour to replace the cabin filter?

Cheers.

[tarkus]

Originally Posted by CoryM

From my experience, it is far more common for sketchy shops/dealers to sell people work they do not need, than it is to sell work and not perform it.

True, and IMO authorized dealers are the biggest culprits, since they make a nice fat profit margin on the parts. I think my experience with the not-changed fuel filter was probably nontypical. The same dealer also tried to sell me a replacement starter motor for a starting problem, despite the fact that the current one was turning the engine just fine. The actual problem was fuel not getting to the engine.

Originally Posted by CoryM

A/C services are not needed and, far as I have seen, not part of any manufacturer's required service. What they typically do is inject a can of top-up refrigerant which is not required and potentially harmful (A/C refrigerant is meant to be a set amount. Adding more than spec can damage the system. Also the top-up can are often not the correct refrigerant). If your car is losing refrigerant, it has a leak and should be fixed properly. Not topped up. They also typically inspect your cabin filter, and spray a deodorant in there.

Totally agree. The deodorant thing is pretty funny, though. Great tune up! LOL


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