90,000Kms/54 Month service

[Skylarking]

I recall, albeit decades ago, I heard that the local country Holden dealer used to simply ‘change the oil and tick the boxes’. I took it as literal - as in just put a tick in all the checkboxes without actually doing the work.

I was at a Holden dealer in the mid ‘80s waiting to discuss my vehicle problems. Couldn’t help but listen to one rather upset customer who had paid for his rear shocks to be replaced and was asking how they actually did the job as he left the service keys with them and those servo e keys can’t open the boot… lots of service guys looking at each other not knowing what to say…

Such shitfuckery is up there with charging dead people for investment advice

 

[Terry57]

There are a million stories out there regards dodgy brothers ripping off us plebs. If ya ain't got a trusted mechanic it's like going to the Casio.

 

[Anthony121]

I asked the service manager once why all these tasks were on the job sheet as I knew you cannot rotate the wheels on the Redline and he said they come up as default on the service receipt. Not all tasks are performed.

 

[Ralphski]

Most dealers will try to find some extra work/repairs that may or may not need doing.
My std line when they inevitably make contact to say we also found ABC is leaking and XYZ is worn is "thank you for bringing those items to my attention, I will check them out when I get the car home".

Suffice to say the only time I go to a dealership these days is to procure spare parts.

You & me both....

 

[Skylarking]

I asked the service manager once why all these tasks were on the job sheet as I knew you cannot rotate the wheels on the Redline and he said they come up as default on the service receipt. Not all tasks are performed.

So the dealer should fix their system (or demand Holden fix the system) so the service items listed are variant specific. Else the current situation of listing tasks that aren’t required simply leads to sloppiness.

Currently it’s just a failure of process whichever way it’s cut and diced

 

[Anthony121]

So the dealer should fix their system (or demand Holden fix the system) so the service items listed are variant specific. Else the current situation of listing tasks that aren’t required simply leads to sloppiness.

Currently it’s just a failure of process whichever way it’s cut and diced

I've never taken the car back

 

[Skylarking]

I've never taken the car back

It all starts with seemingly small things and can end with serious issues if the service fosus simply becomes about throughput. So I can understand why you've not gone back.

Me, I still get service reminders from the idiots that fooked up my ABS recall and let me drive off with leaking ABS hydraulics. All because they couldnt be bothered to check all joints that they distrubed during their work, by sticking it back on a hoist after the test "fang" ...

And the service manager never called me back after leaving a couple of messages about their dangerous service failure and asking for a call back. Worse still, when calling the manufacturer about this issue (no it wasn't Holden) they didnt care that their aurthorised dealers were so incompetant and didn't think they needed to get involved... The manufactrurer couldn't understand such issues trash the manufacturers reputation over time.

Needless to say I've never been back to any of that manufacturers dealers and service the car myself.

And with the crap I've had to go through with Holden dealers, I'm questioning whether I'd go back to dealer service for the remainder of the services while I'm still under warranty period. ATM I'm tending to think fook 'em.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Okay, so I’ve had the car serviced. Dropped it off at 8am and was called at 11.30am to say it was all done, then the courtesy bus they provide came and picked me up from where they dropped me at 8.15am, some three or four Kms away.
I refused the tyre rotation due to the fact they only have 13,000Kms on them, and so far am happy that the tyres seem to be wearing evenly and considered the wheel balance/alignment therefore was okay, (I may be wrong with this assumption and I’m sure our tyre experts will make comment if so) and anyway the last time they rotated the original tyres at about 10,000Kms the guy on the rattle gun left his mark on two of the wheels, so there’s that.
The service itself entailed a brake fluid change and inspection of braking system etc.
Oil and filter change. Replacement of air filter element and then aaaaaaallllllll the other things that they claim to check.

Front brake right 7.0mm
Front brake left 7.0mm
Rear brake right 7.5mm
Rear brake left 7.5mm

Tyres interestingly
Front left and right 5.0mm
Rear left and right 4.0mm

I would have thought the fronts would be less than the rears.

All in all there was 48 or so ticked off items on the ‘Complimentary Visual Health Check’ stating my car was as fit as a fiddle!
All this was done in under three and half hours assuming they started on it as soon as I dropped it off. Mind you I did give the person who welcomed me and checked my car in, a bit of a growly face when they told me it would be ready about 3.30pm. Hopefully this didn’t lead to too many white lies on that ‘Complimentary Visual Health Check’ and service schedule, because after having given it my own once over at the Stealership satisfied with my visual observations I drove the twenty Kms home and on closer inspection found that at least two of those ticked items had not been carried out, (trust me I know for sure) one being the spare tyre was definitely not checked and the door hinges, locks and catches had not been lubricated.

I can only trust that the other 46 Items were carried out, and the two that weren’t was just a minor oversight on the part of the probably underpaid and overworked highly trained technician .

Did you pull the dipstick to see if it’s fresh oil?

 

[hademall]

Did you pull the dipstick to see if it’s fresh oil?

Yep all good.