Confessions From the Dealership Service Department

I don't agree with your opinion about turning rotors. In our shop we see pitted and glazed rotors all the time. Putting a brand new quality pad on this type of rotor will only provide the new pad more of an opportunity to squeak from the start. The very noise that people hate to hear. We bring customers out to their cars and show them the situation, explain the differences and what they may expect. We make a recommendation and then let them decide what route to take. Some don't mind the noise. As for the $0.50 to turn the lathe on? The same could be said for an MRI machine or a dialysis machine. It's the knowledge that the operator has in performing this "seemingly easy task" that you are paying for and you expect it done correctly by a professional. As for the "selling" to "boost" profits. I agree with you that many car dealerships will do this, this is why they don't take you to your car to show or educate you. However, I totally disagree with you on this from our perspective, the independent repair shop owner. We believe that it's our job to make sure that our customers have the best running cars that are safe. If I don't point out problems or potential problems, then I am not doing my job. Just as a doctor is not doing his job if they don't point out your health issues. Educating a customer on why their car needs a coolant flush and a new hose is the same as a doctor telling you why you should quit smoking and start exercising. I'm going to point out the problem, educate them on it and let them make the decision. Then if they blow a radiator hose on the highway to Grandma's house, it's on them and not us for "missing" that. We're the professionals at diagnosing and repairing vehicles. Go to a professional auto repair facility in your home town, they don't want to sell you a car, they want you to keep and maintain your car for a long time. Sincerely, Jim Seidel President Carolina Tire & Auto http://www.carolina-tire.com

Mr Reed you are 100% correct on everything you say. I have been in the car repair business for at least 30yrs, I have done the service manager gig and that is just not for me , so I have been turning wrenches for a very long time, and I beleive I'm good at it. Like you say in your article nobdy reads their owners manual. what I tell people is to put that owners manual in their bathroom, and pick it up and go thru it instead of reading the paper.

Finally, a litte bit of honesty goes a long way. Honesty is a bit of fresh air. I personally am really tired of hearing all of this and in my opinion more and more car ownders are realizing that profit is key for many places you take your car to for mantainence. I am sure there are many reputable places out there but more often than not it is profit that drives most everything. so the big question is, if the manual form the manufacturer says, change the oil at X miles. Do you stick with that or listen to the dealer that says you can but I wouldn't let the dirty oil hang out that long and perhaps go with XX miles. so who's right? as a person who does not make the care or knows all the spec, who is the consumer supposed to believe? All I ask is just honesty, I would rather come back to you who is honest and provide a reliable vehicle than come back to someone who just wants to make a buck!

It seems a shame that an article like this is even put in the Edmunds website. I work in the service business myself and have for a long time. There are plenty of problems, worn out parts etcetera that need to be repaired on a vehicle and there is no need for excessive maintenance to be sold to someone just because you perceive they can afford it. This article has a tendency to make it seem like all dealers are ripoff artists and will do anything to make a person let loose of their hard earned cash. Dont get me wrong I have personally encountered repair businesses that were the kind that give us all a bad name. Unfortunately articles such as this have a tendency to make all businesses of the same type become crooks. There are plenty of honest businesses out there that dont have to make a living by taking advantage of people.

trost79, Whenever someone tries to give us the 'heads up' or help us to have a good life people like you pop up. MAYBE, just maybe you are an honest person BUT the intelligent of persons would know IF they are honest, fair & reasonable you would not need to respond to this comment. Since this article is able to viewed to such a wide geographic audience...it would NOT affect your own business and YOUR customers should 'know you' and be personally satisfied with your work ethic. And most of all you should know since, as you say, you are in the business it is COMMON PRACTICE to oversell, upsell services or parts to customers. My brother and a best friend confirmed the unethical practices widely described here 35 years ago. I have looked for the signs of the 'cheating' and at the right moment caught them in the act! It is actually worse than described here. Some mechanics with the same vehicle as yours will exchange the parts from their cars with yours. They will also say they replaced an expensive part but all they really did is clean off your part. Closed carburetor systems resulted in cleaner oil in engines. The service centers STILL advise to change the OIL after 3 months or 3000 miles. $ months & 4000 miles TODAY would be more appropriate AND would be in line with being less OIL dependent. They will never give up their $$$ to help their own Country. I recently was leaving a 'shop' after reviewing oil changes - an employee began to tell the manager how much they would lose...the manager said to him - "be quiet wait until He leaves"!!! Yes Folks do read and follow your manual, the author of this article deserves a 'standing ovation'.

carolinatire, What you refer to is an EXCEPTION. You should have known better than to attempt to dissuade Folks from the value of this article. You reveal yourself 'negatively' by focusing on a very small element of the article which distracts folk from the intent of this well written article. Plus you missed your opportunity to add written support in your comment which many of us looked for. Invariably many auto repair shops betray a TRUST!

And carolinatire, By NOT TAKING US TO SHOWUS???!!! I guess YOU feel WE are too ignorant to know the difference?!

trost79 and those approving od HIS comment, You said - "it's a shame Edmunds printed this in this website'.. did you notice the author of this honestly written article, let me help you: by Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor, Edmunds.com I have said enough I will now let the JURY make their decision.

Buy a Haynes or Clymer shop manual, and to avoid really getting bleeped on emission related (check engine light) problems, an inexpensive OBD II code reader. If you don't know what set the "check engine" light, you are at the MERCY of the "stealer" -- you could have a loose gas cap OR whatever profitable "other" problem the commission fed "service writer" might "find". You get the code from the little reader, look it up and you know what component triggered the light. Tell a "service writer" you know the code is for of the "post cat air/fuel sensor" being out of spec, he/she is going to scratch you off the list of customers to be milked. Yes there are still honest dealers out there, usually in small towns were everyone knows wach other.