Car Dealers High Prices for Service

S

Sandy

Registered
Everyone always says that about car dealers! But, boy are they ever wrong! Look what happened to me today.......

I get an oil change, oil filter & chassis/body lube at Maplecrest L-M in Union, NJ for $19.95. When I take in the Jeep to Chrysler-Jeep of Maplewood, NJ where we bought it, the price for the same service is $14.95.a couple times a year the Chrysler-Jeep place runs a special on this package for $9.95.

Well, my Cadillac dealer after 52 years at the same location, closed up this past June. (2003). I have been meaning to get that service done, but there is no longer any Caddy dealer nearby. I have neglected to do it, so with impending snow storm headed this way...I got busy this AM. I went to a local independant auto repair shop that was consumer voted one of New Jersey's "Top Shops" and is also recomended by AAA. They took in the Caddy and I walked down the street to the barbershop for a trim, and some usual B.S.
Upon returning the car was just about done. Here's a copy of the bill, and I had no alternative but to pay it!
Change Oil, and Oil Filter & Lubricate chassis/body
Adjust Tire pressure all around to 34 Lb/In
Price:-
$ 29.50
$ 2.45 (Additional 1 Qt. oil) More below on this.
$ 1.00 Grease for Lubrication
$ 1.00 To dispose of Oil Filter as per EPA Regulations
$ 1.00 To remove Hazardous waste (old oil)
$ 34.95 Total, pre Tax of $1.80

Now, they charged me for 6 Qt of oil (5 Reg + 1 Ex with Oil Filter)
then at the bottom of the page, they add one extra Qt for a total of & SEVEN ? Car only takes Six !

This I did not see until I got home & looked it over.....

$34.95 for what I used to get at the Caddy dealer for $19.95, up to and including 5 months ago, at a auto repair shop. They are more expensive than dealers!!
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

you get what you pay for. Dont save money when it comes to oil, my friend JUST replaced his engine last week because he has been changing oil in wal-mart.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

All 3 places used Cracker State Oil :)
BTW, I called about that 7th QT. oil. They said it was an oversight and an error, and to stop in for my $2.45 & tax back. I gotta find another Caddy dealer, for next Spring.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

I can't believe you let it out of your sight Sandy! You know better than that!

I always watch like a hawk when i get my oil changed, and i make sure they do everything, and do everything right. And i've been going to the same place for 7 years now (local independant lube shop).
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

It costs me $20 + the cost of oil and filter to have my oil changed. That's what I pay my brother to do it for me :) Nice to have a mechanic in the family, and he's even more particular than I am!
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

I will not do an oil change myself any longer. Too much of a PITA, i'd rather just pay someone. I either go to the local quick lube and pay about $50 (6 quarts of mobil 1 plus a filter) or i go to autozone and buy the oil (mobil 1 of course) and filter and pay a buddy to do it.

On the '78 Chevy i was driving last year (my winter beater) i never changed the oil. It leaked out at a rather rapid rate through the rear main seal, so i'd just keep adding oil and every month or so i'd change the filter. I also found out that a 350 chevy only needs about 2.5 quarts of oil in it to maintain oil pressure.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

I think an oil change is a far cry from regular service. The dealers keep the prices down on them to get you in the door. In many cases they make little to no profit on them. They make the big profits on the other bigger stuff. Bring the car in for an oil change, find somehting else wrong. Charge you out the butt for the repair. Think about it. $15.00 doesnt even cover their normal labor rate. You have not run into this Sandy because not much is gonna go wrong on a car with 5,000 miles on it. If anybody should know about loss leaders it should be you Sandy.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

Mileage on Caddy is 9,473 miles. Age is 10 years & 5 months & 1 week & 3 days.

I left it, because he & I (the owner) know one & other & he knows I am anal and it **IS** "safe" there. Tiffany pricing, withstanding. Problem is, they lose $$ on me, as they know they are not gonna find anything "wrong" ~ 2 Techs came over to peer underneath, when it went up in the air, and got all hot & happy over seeing the crayon marks put on by workers on the assembly line on the chassis; still bright & visable. Also, the owner is a Caddy fanatic and goes bonkers over nice or rare or unusual Caddies. He has a few 1960s "verts & a 2003 DTS. I took her for a ride afterwards, last ride of the year :) Snow will be in Jersey in 36 hours and best part is I FOUND ANOTHER GARAGE TODAY!
Everybody is now inside.... :) (Well,except J33P3RS).
greenKIN has FOUND a Crotch!! :) No more driveway dwelling!!
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

Sandy,

I may not be the brightest..but I have an idea. Buy several oil filters (3 or 4), and keep them in stock. Then when you need the oil changed, just go down to Maple. I'm 100% sure they could handle an oil change on a Caddy, plus you'll feel safe(er) leaving car with them, plus you can raid the donut/bagels on hand. Sound like a plan?? ~R
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

I think an oil change is a far cry from regular service. The dealers keep the prices down on them to get you in the door. In many cases they make little to no profit on them. They make the big profits on the other bigger stuff. Bring the car in for an oil change, find somehting else wrong. Charge you out the butt for the repair. Think about it. $15.00 doesnt even cover their normal labor rate. You have not run into this Sandy because not much is gonna go wrong on a car with 5,000 miles on it. If anybody should know about loss leaders it should be you Sandy.
Click to expand...

exactly.


I just pay $23 bucs for a case of Mobile 1 synthetic at autozone or what have you, and then pay $10 to my local lube joint, and they supply the Napa Filter.

$33 bucs total.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

I have a broken passenger side door handle. The dealer wants $75 for the part, $75 for the matching paint on it and $75 to install it for a total of $225 for this repair. I think I can get it done for $100 or less elsewhere. A nearby junkyard has a red Gen 2 and will sell the part for $25.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

Dealers cannot compete with junk-yard prices. This is of course common sence. You would not expect them to, I am sure.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

Yeah Sandy, why don't you take it to the LM dealer? Just cuz it's a Caddy?

My LM dealer charges me less than $10 after taxes when I bring my own supplies. I think it's great.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

Dealers cannot compete with junk-yard prices. This is of course common sence. You would not expect them to, I am sure.
Click to expand...

You're right, Sandy. My comments were not that I expected the dealer to be competative but more a reflection of my efforts to preserve my life of leasure. I'll live on a tight budget untill the market improves.
 
RE: Car Dealers High Prices for Service

Yea mobil one costs 28.40 at the local walmart and the extra half quart is another 2.50$ + the filter and tax. I end up paying almoust $40 per oil change. Not cheap at all. I change it on my Cougar for $7. 5 quarts of oil 5$ and 1.60 for filter.
 
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