“I want the service”
I checked on the internet for a quote that sums up my experience that I had at the dealership the other day but I couldn’t find it. The quote is something like “Sell the car, but the money is in the service/parts.” It’s something like that. The meaning of the saying is that one may focus on the initial sale of the car, but the dealership makes the most money in the service bays. “Joseph, you are off your rocker!” I know, just go with me here.
Last week the idiot light comes on in my wife’s car “FLAT TIRE” bing bing bing. She immediately calls me and says she has a flat tire. I tell her they are run flats and to come home and I will check them. She rolls up in to the driveway and I walk around the car….no flat. I then fire up the air compressor and check the pressure in the tires. Yes, they were low a little, but certainly no flats. The light didn’t go off, so I took it into the dealership because it is still under warranty. This is where the fun begins.
ME: Yeah, the computer is telling me I have a flat, but there is no flat.
Dealer: OK sir, we will get that fixed and give you a call. I see you are due for the 40,000 mile maintenance. Would you like to take car of that now?
ME: If it’s covered under the warranty, then yes.
Dealer: Oh yes, I see it here that you are not due until 50,000 miles.
ME: Right.
About 1 hour goes by and the dealership calls me at work.
Without even taking a breath…
Dealer: Well sir, the computer was telling you that the tread on your tires is worn and that you need new tires. The back two tires only have 2mm left and the right front tire only has 3 mm left. The left front tire is fine with 5mm. Three tires is $1070 plus the alignment at $300 and tax is a total of just under $1500. I can have those tires here this afternoon and have your car ready by this evening. Do you for me to order those for you?
ME: ……………….
Dealer: Sir, are you still there?
ME: Are you telling me that the computer monitors the tread ware on the tires?
Dealer: It knows when it is off balance and that is why the signal went off. Shall I order the tires?
ME: No, I do not want you to order the tires.
Dealer: Are you going to go with someone like Discount Tire?
ME: Yeah, probably.
Dealer: Well, let me tell you that…
ME: Stop. I will have my wife pick up her car later.
Dealer: OK, we will have it ready.
Now, I have to hear my wife, “Well is it safe to drive?” What I wanted to say is “I used to drive until they blew up on the street” but that was OK for me, not for her. Here we go. So I start calling around and found the tires for about $108 a piece, balanced, mounted for about $500. I will check the alignment once the tires are on the car.
There are a few things going on here that we should all recognize. First, the dealership tries to bully you in to buying their stuff and let them install it. Obviously, you want them to do it if it is warranted. If there is no warranty and you are of the type that wants the work to be done “by the manufacturer” then look for the shops that have mechanics that used to work for the dealerships. Usually these shops are owned by those same mechanics that worked for years at the dealerships but for about half the cost. However, stay away from the “one size fits all guys” and go with the custom shops that only deal with your type of car. For example, Jiffy Lube…no, Brake Masters…no, Sun Devil Auto…(a local shop) no, Scott’s MotorWerks…(specializes in the German makers) yes, Grulicks…(specializes in VW, Audi) yes. Do you smell what I’m cooking here? Second, if you buy a Michelin at Discount Tire, or at Sears, or at Costco or at the Dealership, is it not the same tire? Meaning, find the best price for the same tire. Call Sears, Costco etc and let them battle it out. There are many people out there that think owning a nicer car means more money for upkeep, more money for oil changes, more money for brakes, tires etc. Here is what I’ve learned, Walmart has Synthetic Oil changes for $30, brakes can be bought online for cheap and installed for even cheaper and you already know about my tire purchases. Finally, be logical. How the hell can a sensor monitor the tread wear on the tire? Now, I know we put a man on the moon, but for real? Make sure you question the process and the procedure so you know what is going on. I can almost guarantee that the sensor goes off at a certain time interval to get you into the shop for some more milking of your wallet. I bet you that that same sensor will go off around 80,000 miles. This reminds me of one of my dad’s prophecies (big word huh?), he can’t stand it when people will sell you something “at cost.” “Who’sa cost, mine or’a yours?” He was always able to find the same product for cheaper, and that was back then without the internet. It used to kill me when my dad would tell the guys behind the counter that you can buy the tile cheaper from this guy downtown. Or buy the carpet from this guy on 9th Street. The look on their face was priceless.
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Sincerely,
Joseph Montenegrino
President
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