Car Maintenance "Inspections" -- worth it?

threepeat

New member
Sep 20, 2004
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So my car is up for its regular maintenance check, and the bill for oil change + brake "service" + tire rotation + "inspection" = $274.

My Google search tells me the brake service involves lubricating some parts, so let's say that costs $50. Another $50 for the oil change and $100 for the tire rotation. That leaves about $74 for the inspection.

I have read lots of stories about inspections being scams. Wondering if anyone out there has any thoughts or opinions on value for money?

Thanks!
 

luvsdaty

Well-known member
Tire rotation shouldn't cost $100? usually it's free when you buy a complete set of tires.I usually do my own maintenance so i can't help you out with the other stuff. All i can say is if the mechanic says you need to repair a lot of stuff, get another opinion,maybe ask if you can see the old parts to.
 
Aug 15, 2006
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Don't forget there are also alot of environmental and recycling levies that get added on, plus the beloved HST! So if the $274 is the bill after all of those fees and taxes, it might not be so bad.
 
Jul 29, 2010
75
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6
temple of poon
So my car is up for its regular maintenance check, and the bill for oil change + brake "service" + tire rotation + "inspection" = $274.

My Google search tells me the brake service involves lubricating some parts, so let's say that costs $50. Another $50 for the oil change and $100 for the tire rotation. That leaves about $74 for the inspection.

I have read lots of stories about inspections being scams. Wondering if anyone out there has any thoughts or opinions on value for money?

Thanks!


Well just to give you some perspective I just took my car to Midas and they did everything you mentioned. It was the "Winter Package", it cost
me a whopping $49.99.
 

mercyshooter

Ladies' Lover
Aug 5, 2007
2,135
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Well just to give you some perspective I just took my car to Midas and they did everything you mentioned. It was the "Winter Package", it cost
me a whopping $49.99.
Dealership usually do more to prevent unexpected "accidents" so they have a higher QA in my opinion. garages charge less because they don't "get deeper" unless you know that garage and they recommend you to go check every 5k such as canadian tire. I found this kinda scam and unnecessary. so i either go to the dealer or a garage that i personally know of.
 

vancity_cowboy

hard riding member
Jan 27, 2008
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on yer ignore list
yeah, there are no crooked car dealerships out there... :pound:
 

sevenofnine

Active member
Nov 21, 2008
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i take the cars to meinkie its like twenty two dollars for an oil change or something,
they actually loose money on that price, but while they have the car up on the hoist they do an inspection hoping they can find something wrong with it.
and if they do the car is under warrenty it goes back to the dealer
dealers are just a rip off, they charge like a shit load of money for everything, and the car is new.


im kind of old school. change your filters and oil but other then that, don't touch a dam thing until it falls of the dam car, if it works don't touch it until it has to be fixed, well brakes, but other then that just leave it.

i have driven and owned cars since i was like fourteen, and my job involves heavy equipment, my opinion,
shops dealers want your money, most things are over maintained, do the basics and do visual checks on belts and hoses but other then that run it until something breaks.

and do some of the maintance you self.
i mean like my kids car, it was like almost a hundred bucks in labor to change a light bulb on that thing, like a two dollar light bulb, but one hundred in labor
 

poorboyv6

Member
Sep 7, 2006
308
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What kind of car do you own is the first question.

Some cars need to have the slides for the brake caliper cleaned and lubed from time to time to prevent uneven pad wear or to remove brake dust that has built around the caliper. The best thing to do is find an enthusiast forum for you car and surf around there to find out if your car is one of those needing this.

$20 oil changes use the cheapest oil and filter possible. Your engine will still likely last as long as keep the car, but I wouldn't want to be the next owner because there will be sludge build up in the rings. As well, it's important to change it on time with a cheap oil change because of the already reduced oil filtering and lube capacity.

The level of trans fluid shouldn't change. There's not even a dipstick on a lot of new cars for it. Same with power steering fluid. Usually the only way the level of these change is if you have a leak.

Minute amounts of coolant does evaporate or leak into the engine of cars over time, a top up here and there is not uncommon.

Brake fluid goes down as the pads wear. Some places top this up, but as long as it is above the minimum level, I'd leave it.

They have to remove the tires to inspect the brakes, so rotation should be kind of a freebee.
 

badbadboy

Well-known member
Nov 2, 2006
9,576
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In Lust Mostly
Dealership usually do more to prevent unexpected "accidents" so they have a higher QA in my opinion. garages charge less because they don't "get deeper" unless you know that garage and they recommend you to go check every 5k such as canadian tire. I found this kinda scam and unnecessary. so i either go to the dealer or a garage that i personally know of.
yeah, there are no crooked car dealerships out there... :pound:
I used to just do as the dealership recommended. One time as a test I left my washer fluid empty and noticed my coolant was low too. I never said anything and on their check list they checked off both items as "OK". I took the advisor to my car and showed them what they had missed. This dealership totally refunded my money based on these two items.

BUT next time I went they said I had this leak and the cost was $2000 to fix it. Smelling a rat, I took the car to another dealer, not telling them anything and low and behold "no problem found".

That was the last time I dealt with a dealer except for warranty related stuff.
 

Very Veronica

Banned
Aug 2, 2004
1,770
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Vancouver
I have a toyota 4runner & have been going to the same independent shop twice a year for 10 years, oil change/check-up costs me $50. Rarely have other issues but i bet the dealer would find something. Avoid em imo.
 

mercyshooter

Ladies' Lover
Aug 5, 2007
2,135
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Vancouver
I used to just do as the dealership recommended. One time as a test I left my washer fluid empty and noticed my coolant was low too. I never said anything and on their check list they checked off both items as "OK". I took the advisor to my car and showed them what they had missed. This dealership totally refunded my money based on these two items.

BUT next time I went they said I had this leak and the cost was $2000 to fix it. Smelling a rat, I took the car to another dealer, not telling them anything and low and behold "no problem found".

That was the last time I dealt with a dealer except for warranty related stuff.
Haha. I hear ya. My point is that most of my dealership maintenance is warranty related. :) And by the way I buy European (BMW, Volvo, etc) or Japanese (Acura, Honda, etc) cars. They are more reliable. Canadians, holy shit. Sucks in QA! Lots of ridiculous recalls.
 

mercyshooter

Ladies' Lover
Aug 5, 2007
2,135
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Vancouver
Going to a Mr. Lube or similar place isn't a recipe for savings. That chain in particular is notorious for ripping people off with "fuel filter" replacement that never happens, fake transmission fluid replacement (they show you an unbelievably dirty fluid sample (which didn't come from your car) and then sell the replacement), a good friend recently went in for an oil change and drove out 400 poorer, then took the car to her reg mechanic who assured her the fuel filter hadn't been changed etc. She is in the midst of a BBB complaint.
Another reason that i don't go to a garage that I don't really know. you only change fuel filter and clean fuel injectors every 96k and use the recommended fuel grade or higher.
 

myselftheother

rubatugtug
Dec 2, 2004
1,275
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vancouver
Haha. I hear ya. My point is that most of my dealership maintenance is warranty related. :) And by the way I buy European (BMW, Volvo, etc) or Japanese (Acura, Honda, etc) cars. They are more reliable. Canadians, holy shit. Sucks in QA! Lots of ridiculous recalls.
If you get the manufacturer's oil change package to go along with your warranty, it does help, especially in the higher end cars Like BMW and Mercedes. Me, I take mine to Mr. Lube and never had any issues with their service, but avoid Canadian Tire like the plague....too damn crooked, especially the one that used to be in New West...took my Camry in for a oil change, and they told me that all my belts needed replacement and that my alternator was undercharging and needed replacement as well. Bullshit, I said, just replaced the belts the month before, and the alternator was fine as I demanded to see the report, and for them to do a proper retest of my alt which turned out to miraculously to be outputting where it's supposed to be.

They wanted to charge me over $1000 for what they wanted to do....I asked to see the manager, and asked him what sort of a scam they had going on there? Lots of pensioners take their cars there, and I'm sure they were taking some of those old folks to the cleaners.
 

mercyshooter

Ladies' Lover
Aug 5, 2007
2,135
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Vancouver
If you get the manufacturer's oil change package to go along with your warranty, it does help, especially in the higher end cars Like BMW and Mercedes. Me, I take mine to Mr. Lube and never had any issues with their service, but avoid Canadian Tire like the plague....too damn crooked, especially the one that used to be in New West...took my Camry in for a oil change, and they told me that all my belts needed replacement and that my alternator was undercharging and needed replacement as well. Bullshit, I said, just replaced the belts the month before, and the alternator was fine as I demanded to see the report, and for them to do a proper retest of my alt which turned out to miraculously to be outputting where it's supposed to be.

They wanted to charge me over $1000 for what they wanted to do....I asked to see the manager, and asked him what sort of a scam they had going on there? Lots of pensioners take their cars there, and I'm sure they were taking some of those old folks to the cleaners.
I once got my car to change to new tires due to wearness at Canadian Tire. A few days later, I found out that the tires aint so shiny like those brand new dealership cars. And you know what they say? They said that the tires are brand new. We checked that the materials are all good. And then I told them about the shiness and the darker color. They said it's because of Armorall or something. I called it bullshit 'cause if this is the case, then all our new roads will have light colors too. They don't do final touchings to any materials! Yes, everything works fine as specified, but no protective measures to help extend its lifetime. Brutal! Another example of no QA.
 

myselftheother

rubatugtug
Dec 2, 2004
1,275
14
38
vancouver
I once got my car to change to new tires due to wearness at Canadian Tire. A few days later, I found out that the tires aint so shiny like those brand new dealership cars. And you know what they say? They said that the tires are brand new. We checked that the materials are all good. And then I told them about the shiness and the darker color. They said it's because of Armorall or something. I called it bullshit 'cause if this is the case, then all our new roads will have light colors too. They don't do final touchings to any materials! Yes, everything works fine as specified, but no protective measures to help extend its lifetime. Brutal! Another example of no QA.

I hate to say it, but you're right....on this one.
 

badbadboy

Well-known member
Nov 2, 2006
9,576
277
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In Lust Mostly
Haha. I hear ya. My point is that most of my dealership maintenance is warranty related. :) And by the way I buy European (BMW, Volvo, etc) or Japanese (Acura, Honda, etc) cars. They are more reliable. Canadians, holy shit. Sucks in QA! Lots of ridiculous recalls.
:pound:

I am really laughing hard at this post.

You may think you are getting better QA from these makers but seriously Dude, BMW, VW, Volvo, Honda and Acura are all models I have driven and they were all guilty for padding their bills. ACURA by far the worst. Got caught RED handed and it went up the tower to the top Service guy in Canada. Three transmissions "plus" all the extra stuff they felt necessary to go along with each $3500 bill (I paid for one and the other two were covered).

Sure they were all good with warranty related stuff but there was always some extra I had to question them over that was NOT covered. They figured since I was deducting all my expenses from my company I would just merrily approve their nonsense expenses.

At least when I drove a Chrysler for 10 long months they were honest when they tried to screw me over.

Don't think for a minute that any vehicle service centre are not in the business of making a profit off of you.
 

mercyshooter

Ladies' Lover
Aug 5, 2007
2,135
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Vancouver
one thing about new tires is you should check the date of manufacture on the tire(rubber being a natural substance) rubber does have a shelf life.
It's couple months old manufactured. And by the look of it, they don't look used to me. It's just the protective measure that pisses me off! Brutal QA!
 
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