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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Explorer / June 2005Dealer being reasonable?
Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer XLT V-6 SOHC (69,000 miles) off at the dealer this morning for what I thought was a slipping serpentine belt. Calls me a few hours later and tells me that it was actually the pulley and arm (???) that controls the tension in the belt and that it would be about $375 to fix. OK, I think to myself, seems reasonable and I recall something similar on a car I owned previously. Then he tells me he noticed that I need new stabilizer links ($170) and tie rod links ($200). Not what I was expecting, but it didn't seem totally unreasonable given the age and mileage on the car. But what made me start to question his honesty was when he told me I needed a new air filter, transmission/differential fluid change, coolant flush, etc. I've been religious about getting major services done at a Ford dealer every 15K miles, so I know a lot of that was done at the 60K mile checkup. He backed off on those items in a hurry when I mentioned that the 60K service had been performed by their sister (same owner) dealership in another town. But the fact that he brought it up makes me question his overall honesty and the need for the stabilizer links and tie rod end links. Anyone have an opinion about the liklihood of those needing replacement given the age/mileage of the vehicle? Most of my driving is of the "short-trip" variety in NYC suburbs rather than highway. Thanks! Here's what I'd do: Approve the serpentine belt repair plus pulley and arm. Its likely a legitimate repair job. Do not approve the stablizer links and tie rod links based on your distrust. Take your vehicle to the other dealership next time you're doing a basic oil change, and ask them to look at the tie rod links. Suggest the last place you asked for a oil change told you they needed replacement (imply a 3rd party, not a Ford dealership). If the dealer agrees with that assessment, its probably legitimate, if not you know who to trust in future. Unfortunately until you find an honest mechanic you have to play these machiavellian mind games. You can also take the down time to do your own research, confirm what the symptoms of problematic rod links are and try to diagnose yourself. Note: suggesting air filter replacements is second nature to most dealers, it doesn't qualify as a scam but its doubtful he actually checked. > Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my > dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > given the age/mileage of the vehicle? Most of my driving is of the > "short-trip" variety in NYC suburbs rather than highway. Thanks! Stabalizer links were part of a recall (don't know if your's is involved, if it was you would have received info in the mail) during the Firestone tire recall. Something about the link bolt possible breakage. If by tie rod links they mean tie rod ends, replacing these on my truck cured a front suspension knock over bumps issue. >Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my >dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >given the age/mileage of the vehicle? Most of my driving is of the >"short-trip" variety in NYC suburbs rather than highway. Thanks! > Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my > dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > think to myself, seems reasonable and I recall something similar on a > car I owned previously. I don't know how much Ford gets for new tensioners, but NAPA has them for about $60.00. Assuming Ford gets $100 for them, the dealer is charging $275 labor for a half an hour job. I'd go somewhere else. H >> Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my >> dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > labor for a half an hour job. I'd go somewhere else. > H I'd second this. Tensioner and belt should be about $50 total at a discount parts house. Labor should be 1/2 hour max (I can't imagine the book time is more). Total cost <$100. Quite a premium for the dealer charging $375... Auto parts are much like furniture, cuts of meat, generic drugs and any number of other comparisons. I can buy brake pads for 10 bucks.... whether I would actually use them or not is up for conjecture. More and more independant shops are opting for OEM parts because of comebacks. For the original poster.... Most shops will perform a cursory inspection..... both looking for the opportunity to make a sale and averting a catastrophic failure for the consumer. Repairing a concern while it is still i it's incipient stages is usually much cheaper than leaving it until it is too late and too inconvenient. I often recommend diff or trans services based on mileage only to find that these services have been performed in a reasonable time span before my recommendation. If I don't know the service history of the vehicle, how can I do otherwise??? Is there a chance of oversell? Yep.... But that's not restricted to dealers... this is a societal problem and there's no simple fix. Most of the people pissed about oversell could be accused of oversell in their own jobs. Profit is a heady subject.... Each and every one of us feels we deserve high income - we just don't wnat to contribute to someone elses high income. Preventive maintenance could be viewed as oversell. FWIW..... if I had a dollar for every time I told someone their brakes were getting thin only to have them get mad at ME......... Can you be sure that I have never shut my mouth thinking that a known jerk-off deserves to buy new rotors???? I'm surprised they didn't recommend cleaning the fuel injectors. That seems to be one of the favorites. I have never had mine cleaned and have never seen any reason why they might need it, but it is often recommended by the service writer. I quit buying new Fords at the dealer closest to me because their service department was forever recommending work I did not feel I needed. Scams such as "the technician looked at your Explorer and determined the fuel injectors need cleaning". Now how in the world did the technician do that I wonder? Jim, your comments? Have you found legitimate need to clean injectors and what were the symptoms? And is the cleaning stuff they run through them effective? >Auto parts are much like furniture, cuts of meat, generic drugs and any >number of other comparisons. I can buy brake pads for 10 bucks.... whether I [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >have never shut my mouth thinking that a known jerk-off deserves to buy new >rotors???? > >> Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my > >> dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > parts house. Labor should be 1/2 hour max (I can't imagine the book time is > more). Total cost <$100. Quite a premium for the dealer charging $375... Belt, alone, for my wife's 01 was $47 at a quality local parts house. I'm sure I could have found one cheaper, but it probably wouldn't have been a Gates. H >> >> Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my >> >> dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > Gates. > H Even if the parts were a hundred (and they aren't - check around), that doesn't justify a dealer charging $375. No way, no how. > Was just hoping that someone might have an opinion as to whether my > dealer might be trying to take advantage of me. Dropped my 99 Explorer [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > given the age/mileage of the vehicle? Most of my driving is of the > "short-trip" variety in NYC suburbs rather than highway. Thanks! I had a Ford dealer tell me I needed all new radiator/heater hoses. The ones in there were about a week old. This was when I was getting a bid for a rebuilt transmission. I have not been back since. I had a mechanic I used to go to (I moved since) who, every time he walked through the door, had another $600 worth of repairs he'd found that I needed. For the most part I already knew I needed some repairs or I would not have been there. But hey, that's how he makes his money. On my 15 year old car I'm sure he could find something wrong with just about everything. Great advice. Thanks very much everyone! |
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