Dealer service department BS "required maintenance schedules".

[Angry_Birds]

Stohlman VW-Subaru in Tysons Corner, VA

They also wanted to charge an hour labor to replace the cabin filter which is a 5 minute tool-less job.

Stohlman tried to **** my grandmother over big time. She's 86 years old and still sharp as a pin, but she really doesn't know much about cars. About 2 weeks before her 2009 Passat's lease was up (she had leased and done all maintenance at Stohlman), they told her that the tires and and brakes/rotors at all four corners needed to be replaced, it was a serious safety issue, the car shouldn't be driven if she declines the service, etc. Luckily I work right near by and drove over, and LOW AND BEHOLD, everything is well within spec.

[BRealistic]

Oh cool. Still a very long time after just 1 flush.
Better than the trans completely failing at around 100k that no amount of flush or drain would fix, hahaha.

My cousin's Odyssey had it's auto trans fail around 250k also but he had it replaced once. I don't remember when.

I was surprised the old Accord tranny lacked a filter.
He said the magnet did have some metal shavings, and did again when he changed it the 2nd/last time. But metal wear is normal, and if you lack a filter... it gotta go somewhere.

[BRealistic]

Stohlman tried to **** my grandmother over big time. She's 86 years old and still sharp as a pin, but she really doesn't know much about cars. About 2 weeks before her 2009 Passat's lease was up (she had leased and done all maintenance at Stohlman), they told her that the tires and and brakes/rotors at all four corners needed to be replaced, it was a serious safety issue, the car shouldn't be driven if she declines the service, etc. Luckily I work right near by and drove over, and LOW AND BEHOLD, everything is well within spec.

If they put that in writing, is there a legal case for fraud?

We still have some local dealerships that allude to not covering warranty work for vehicles bought at other dealers. I have as of yet to get them to put that in writing......

[WhistlerYOW]

Dealers are really horrific places to take your car.

I always wonder if they actually have any real mechanics working in them anymore. They seem to be great at changing oil and other fluids (for $200+).

But, any time I've asked them too look at or diagnose a real issue it is the most predictable thing in the world. Take it for less than a km test drive, come back and say "couldn't replicate the issue so we can't do anything about it".

And EVERYTHING takes them a full day around here. If I take my car to my mechanic for an oil change, he does that, a full inspection of the car, and has it washed in 45 min max.

I every time I ask the incompetent dealer about it they want me to leave other for 7 hours, pay twice as much, and take a shuttle that only goes one way.