Hi all' :greetings-wavingblue:
..with regard to the Corporate nonsense that thomebt was advised by the main dealer as to so called "additional items" termed as "recommended" by the Manufacturer. The term that Manufacturers use for items that are NOT subject to change/ replacement etc are generally tagged "check/ adjust or replace if necessary" and not RECOMMEND.
When the dealer advised thomebt that they do not change parts that do not need changing then how do they equate that to oil and filters etc that too may not require replacement BUT I'm sure they never advise customers, "we didn't change the engine air filter as upon inspection there was no need", the latter could be wholly relevant on cars that cover low annual mileages and not in desert conditions of course! Yet the dealer is using that same reason not to change the the pollen filter without bumping up their menu charge. That self same philosophy can be used in respect of brake fluid in which a quick and simple check could be done to assess its condition as opposed to the 'vague' "recommend" term now much loved by many manufacturers to facilitate the dealer con ! Toyota do a similar thing with the GT86 in which they "recommend" a rear diff oil change every two years/ 20k/ Full Service yet this too isn't included in their two year service :eusa-think: ,,surely if it was important with regard to either premature component wear/failure OR safety its importance of change would be equal to that of engine oil and wouldn't simply be a voluntary 'additional extra' also listed as "Recommended" would it ?? ! :crazy:
I know that I go on and on and on and on etc :sleeping-yellow: ,,,,its just that I'm passionate about folk being aware as that way they know when they are being bent over the Corporate service desk and getting more than just an alleged free coffee and a stamp in their service book !
Folk on car forums are often enthusiasts and are more likely to be aware and updated of trends/ Corporate scams as we expose and discuss them online, an example of this trend already pointed out are 'service plans' that do not include 'recommended' service items that owners would naturally assume they do when they check their service schedules.
Such servicing scams are bound to become more prevalent as Manufacturers increase vehicle service intervals and ECU's mean there are no distributor caps, rotor arms, points and condensers to regularly replace so the humble dealer has to generate profit from some source and they can't solely rely on £55 engine diagnosic checks that simply confirm the fault that you already know (engine temp sensor etc) and then add that £55 to the actual repair fee. ..Comrades Unite :clap:
.the big blue (..always a pleasure to vent my frustrations in-between having to take my Z' to a main dealer for a bend over and a FREE coffee) !!
