Why I Avoid Car Dealerships

September 05, 2012

Every once in a while, Susan and I will receive something in the mail telling us that there has been an automotive recall and that we need to take our vehicle to the nearest dealership so that they can correct a problem. We received just such a notice recently telling us of a defect in the airbag system that was causing some airbags to deploy when they were otherwise not supposed to. Naturally, this caused great concern, so we immediately called the local car dealership to schedule a time to drop off our vehicle in order to have the problem corrected.

Now, I’m glad that there is a system in place to monitor the safety of the vehicles we drive, and I’m glad that when there is a potential problem we are notified and able to get the problem fixed, but I hate having to take my car into the dealership for any reason. Cars are a commodity, and there are a lot of places that sell them, so there is a lot of competition—and a lot of information on the Internet—that makes it difficult for dealers to mark up the prices. This makes for a relatively small profit margin on the actual sale of a vehicle. Instead, dealerships make most of their money servicing the cars they sell, so any chance they get at performing service on a vehicle, they’re going to take it, and that’s where I have a problem.

Last Thursday, Susan and I dropped off our vehicle to have the problem with the airbag system corrected. When the dealership called us back to let us know the work had been completed, they also wanted us to know that our car had 60,000 miles on it, and as anyone who is responsible for maintaining a vehicle can tell you, there is a long list of “recommended” services that are performed at this milestone. Here is a list of the services recommended by the dealership:

  • brake flush = $99.95
  • fuel injector service = $119.95
  • tune-up = $119.95
  • power steering flush = $99.95
  • transmission service = $129.95
  • new air filter = $20.86
  • Grand total of recommended services = $590.61

These are important services, and I’m not suggesting that someone who owns a vehicle that reaches 60,000 miles should not consider having these services performed, but in this particular instance, the services HAD been performed, just not by the dealership. I have a mechanic that performs regular maintenance on all of my vehicles, so these services had already been taken care of earlier in the year. Now in the dealership’s defense, they had no way of knowing that these services had previously been performed, but in essence the dealership was recommending unnecessary services.

Apparently, this phenomenon is not that unusual. Perform a Google search on the words “unnecessary car maintenance” and a plethora of sites and articles on the subject will pop up. Here are just a few:

So how were Susan and I able to avoid paying $600 in unnecessary services? I boiled it down to three things:

1.       Regular communication

When it comes to the household finances, Susan and I talk regularly. We are a team, and each one of us has an area of focus. Susan handles a lot of the domestic spending, so when it comes to groceries and clothing, I defer to her. When it comes to house and car maintenance, she defers to me. Although Susan was the one on the phone with the dealership regarding the car, she made sure to check with me BEFORE agreeing to any services. This can avoid a lot of conflict, and in this case unnecessary work on the car.

2.       Regular schedule of maintenance

Susan and I use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule as a guide for what and when services are to be performed. That way we can anticipate whether it’s just a simple oil change and tire rotation, or something much more comprehensive, and adjust our budget accordingly. By setting aside money each month for car maintenance, we are able to save up for the months when more comprehensive services are scheduled to occur.

3.       Regular place doing the work

I realize that having unnecessary work recommended is not unique to car dealerships. That’s why I believe it is very important to find a place that has a reputation for doing good, honest work. For our household, we go to a small shop where the owner’s name is on the side of the building, and we have developed a personal relationship with the owner. He doesn’t try to talk fast, or speak over our heads. Instead, he takes his time, and we value and appreciate the work he does, often for a lot less than what the dealership would charge.

Whether it’s the car dealership, the gas station, or the local 30-minute oil changer, unnecessary work is being recommended every day. Protect yourself by knowing what your car does and does not need before you go in for service.