So what do you really need to have done?

[FishHawk]

Beside the oil being changed regularly and the trans axle fluid changed what really needs to be done? I work as a shuttle driver at a Honda dealership and found out that the service writers are on commission. So they're just salesmen who scare people into getting unwanted service. Oh I forgot tire rotation should also be done along with a yearly alignment especially after the winter. The rest is just inspections which they do anyway.
Do most of you agree? FishHawk

[ScottY]

Why not just follow the maintenance book that come with the car?

[tumbleweed]

I agree with FishHawk. Oil and filter plus checking the fluid levels, tire pressures, etc. Toyota actually does not recommend changing the PSD fluid, they thought it would last forever. Some of the experts here have looked at the gears and had the oil analyzed and I believe the consensus was that it should be changed. I plan on doing mine at 30K miles.

Tire rotations are another thing. It doesn't hurt anything but your pocketbook, if you do your own or can get them done free no problem. If you have to pay someone to do it I think 5K miles is way to often. I will check the tread wear and decide based on that rather to rotate them and how often. I normally don't rotate tires until they get 30K or so on them, then I swap them front to back so they will all wear out at about the same time. Some people say you need to take them off anyway to look at the brakes. I have never done routine "brake inspections" as often as 5K miles on any vehicle yet and I don't think I'll start with this one. Unless someone has a better reason than "the book says you should".

[galaxee]

well, yeah...

i don't know how it works everywhere, but techs at DH's shop works in teams of 3. each team has their own service writer, and the service writer makes a percentage of whatever work the techs do. so the writer is definitely trying to upsell anything he can get not only for his own commission and to bring in more money for the dealership, but to keep the techs happy by bringing in more work for them.

sometimes it's warranted, sometimes it's total BS. don't be afraid to ask for only what's in the warranty manual. then if the tech sees something else that should be addressed, they can ask you first.

[Blackfang]

Not all of us are salesman, some of us got tired of getting our hands dirty and the starving winters I am blunt and to the point. I don't need to live off the upsell, but it is nice.

Yes at most dealerships (I have worked for Ford and Toyota) the team has 3-4 techs and a writer. The writer based off the dealerships pay plan can earn a certain dollar amount per labor hour he writes. This is on top of a comission.

I can easily live off my base salary as do most writers. However if I see something like not having atleast 2 alingments per year and excessive tire wear shows, I sell it. Alignments once a year doesn't work in my area as the roads are crap. I try and push scheduled maintences at 15, 30, 45 and 60k with oil changes and rotations at 5,10,20,25,35,40,50,55, etc. I even tell them if they do the schedule services they wont see me trying to sell them a flush after 60k because the fluids should ALREADY be good as they have been changed twice.
The only flushes I sell are Power Steering and brake(mainly because it is hygroscopic) which by nature attracts water and can lower the boiling point of the brakes and corrode the seals. Other than that, it's just repairs.
Tires, I always recommend a rotation if its past 5000 miles just because thats the old tire rep for Michelin/BF Goodrich side of me. I have seen some get 80k out of a set of Michelins.

However the maintenance book is just a basic maintenance. Heck some don't even discuss changing timing belts on some models, yet it is recommended, but not in the book. It is just a guide not the bible.

However, let me put this into your persepctive, put yourself in my job where you are offered bonuses for everything, you wouldnt take the time to upsell something that is marginal to needed. Going from 34k to 75k a year?

Now if a person can do their own maintenance I am 100% all for it. There is nothing more proud than working on your own car. Just being in the dragracing hobby and working on cars does it for me. Heck I always try and tech my customers something, so they can do it for themselves because they may not always have a dealership around.

[galaxee]

i *thought* you were a writer.

and hey... don't rub in the whole base pay thing... or the lean winters... they suck enough

[Blackfang]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Jul 27 2006, 07:11 PM) [snapback]293522[/snapback]</div>

i *thought* you were a writer.

and hey... don't rub in the whole base pay thing... or the lean winters... they suck enough
[/b]

I started out as an apprentice tech and realized I hated winter. I ended up moving up front because the money was more stable.

[DaveinOlyWA]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tumbleweed @ Jul 27 2006, 02:12 PM) [snapback]293417[/snapback]</div>

Tire rotations are another thing. It doesn't hurt anything but your pocketbook, if you do your own or can get them done free no problem. If you have to pay someone to do it I think 5K miles is way to often. I will check the tread wear and decide based on that rather to rotate them and how often. I normally don't rotate tires until they get 30K or so on them, then I swap them front to back so they will all wear out at about the same time. [/b]

i rotate my own tires every 5000 miles. front to back. HIGHLY recommended to do so with MAX intervals at 10,000. rotating tires every 30,000 miles is NOT very wise