Ploys Dealerships Use To Encourage Unnecessary Auto Repair Work
November 17th, 2010 Muscle CarsPloys Dealerships Use To Encourage Unnecessary Auto Repair Work
Once you find a trustworthy, experienced auto mechanic, keep that person’s card on file. You’ll find it’s literally worth its weight in gold over the long run. Why? Because an honest mechanic would rather send you away without performing unnecessary work than recommend services your car doesn’t need. And this can mean thousands of dollars in savings over the years.
Most mechanics are truthful and hard-working experts who want to help keep your vehicle in good condition. To do that, they’ll recommend replacing certain parts that appear on the verge of failing. Some dealerships, however, will encourage maintenance services and replacement parts that are unwarranted. This article will reveal a few of the most common ruses used.
Premature Brake Pad Replacements
A lot of dealership technicians will warn you that your brake pads have worn down to the point that only half of the wear material is remaining. They will then recommend replacing them, along with a mild suggestion that neglecting to do so may put your safety at risk.
There is no need to replace your brake pads unless the friction material wears down to approximately 15 percent. At that point, they can still safely stop your vehicle. The reason to replace them is to avoid letting them wear further.
Replacing Your Oil Earlier Than Necessary
Even though most engines can operate well on the same oil for 5,000 miles or more, dealers continue to recommend earlier changes. If the technician notices your last oil change was over 3,000 miles ago, expect him to encourage you to change it.
There are a few circumstances in which changing your oil at 3,000 miles is a good idea. For example, if you only drive short short distances (i.e. less than ten minutes), or you consistently drive at high rpms, change it more often. If you drive normally, refer to your owner’s guide for the recommended service interval (every vehicle is different).
The Dealership’s Maintenance Schedule
One of the reasons dealerships push drivers to have their oil changed early is so they can find other things that “need” to be addressed. Following the oil change, many technicians will recommend a list of additional service items. This list may include a complete tune-up (see below), engine flush, transmission flush, and other maintenance work. These items are part of the dealer’s maintenance schedule, which, while sounding like an official list, is not.
The best approach is to decline the list, and refer to your owner’s manual. Let it be your guide to the work you should have done.
A Complete Tune-Up
Tune-ups were once an important part of maintaining a vehicle. The mechanical parts of the engine would slowly lose time, and need to be “tuned” back into sync in order to improve the assembly’s performance. Today’s cars operate via instructions from the powertrain control module (PCM). This is your vehicle’s computer. It controls the idle speed, amount of fuel allowed into the engine, spark timing, and other tasks.
Unless you drive an older vehicle equipped with mechanical engine parts, you can safely say no to a tune-up.
Correcting The Wheel Alignment
This service item is easy to foist upon unwary consumers because wheel alignment problems are nearly impossible to detect with a casual glance. Dealerships know this, which is the reason they often recommend the work.
Be wary. Look at the treads of your tires. If they are wearing on one side, or you notice an odd wear pattern has developed, there is likely an alignment problem that needs to be addressed. If the wear pattern appears uniform, however, your tires are properly aligned.
There are many other ploys dealerships use to encourage unnecessary maintenance and repair work. As mentioned earlier, always follow your owner’s manual. It’s the best way to avoid paying for unwarranted work while ensuring your vehicle remains in good operating condition.
Tags: Car Maintenance, Car Repair