Automotive

Anyone watching CBC Marketplace on Dealership Service scams?

  • Last Updated:
  • Nov 8th, 2018 4:47 pm
Newbie
Aug 10, 2017
48 posts
13 upvotes
Mississauga

Anyone watching CBC Marketplace on Dealership Service scams?

CBC Marketplace is airing a segment on dealerships and the service scams. You can view it on their website.

Am not sure if this link will work; http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/ ... ng-you-off
Last edited by pean42 on Sep 22nd, 2017 8:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
62 replies
Penalty Box
Aug 26, 2017
494 posts
115 upvotes
Why dont you post the link then?
Deal Addict
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Feb 24, 2014
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I agree that there are many dealerships out there that try to nickel and dime unsuspecting customers into excess services, repairs, and oil changes. But just to be fair, if you plan on keeping your car long term I would actually wouldn't disagree with the idea of doing oil changes earlier than the 12-15,000km or whatever that most manufacturers seem to have. I like to do mine every 7000kms or 6 months. Excessive? Maybe. But I also know my driving habits and recognize the benefits of not waiting 15,000kms to change the oil in my car.
Member
Mar 13, 2017
270 posts
148 upvotes
rsang39 wrote: I agree that there are many dealerships out there that try to nickel and dime unsuspecting customers into excess services, repairs, and oil changes. But just to be fair, if you plan on keeping your car long term I would actually wouldn't disagree with the idea of doing oil changes earlier than the 12-15,000km or whatever that most manufacturers seem to have. I like to do mine every 7000kms or 6 months. Excessive? Maybe. But I also know my driving habits and recognize the benefits of not waiting 15,000kms to change the oil in my car.
What are some things we can look out for to prevent being scammed?
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Feb 24, 2014
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RoyDavisG wrote: What are some things we can look out for to prevent being scammed?
Having some degree of competency with regards to your car, or having a friend who is a mechanic, will definitely help to reduce the likelihood you'll get scammed. If you're unsure, get a 2nd opinion. Also having a good relationship with the service department MAY help (as long as they're honest). I'm very close with the service manager and advisors at my dealership and so I for the most part trust them and their opinions. I've never been upsold/BS'ed, or pressured by anybody there. It's also important to ask yourself why the dealership/service advisor is bringing up potential repairs when you're bringing your car in for unrelated work. Mechanics are VERY busy and the likelihood of them checking an unrelated body part out of goodwill is pretty slim. Case and point my mom who knows nothing about cars (a scammy dealerships best friend) brought her old car in several years ago for a warrantied interior trim replacement. They called her up mid-day and said that the car was almost ready but they noticed the brake pads were worn. They asked her leading questions such as "have you noticed your brakes aren't as strong as when you 1st purchased the car?" etc. When she asked how much they told her $800+ tax because her rotors should be replaced at the same time. Now you tell me why any dealership mechanic would voluntarily look at someones rotors and brake pads when the car was in for an interior trim replacement?
Deal Addict
Sep 30, 2007
3260 posts
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Toronto
LOL. One more reason to abandon I.C.E. vehicles.
Except for the alignment, applies 100% to EV, and brake fluid change, so so, there's no reason for the EV owners
to go back to the dealership in the first 100,000 km

Image
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Member
Mar 13, 2017
270 posts
148 upvotes
rsang39 wrote: Having some degree of competency with regards to your car, or having a friend who is a mechanic, will definitely help to reduce the likelihood you'll get scammed. If you're unsure, get a 2nd opinion. Also having a good relationship with the service department MAY help (as long as they're honest). I'm very close with the service manager and advisors at my dealership and so I for the most part trust them and their opinions. I've never been upsold/BS'ed, or pressured by anybody there. It's also important to ask yourself why the dealership/service advisor is bringing up potential repairs when you're bringing your car in for unrelated work. Mechanics are VERY busy and the likelihood of them checking an unrelated body part out of goodwill is pretty slim. Case and point my mom who knows nothing about cars (a scammy dealerships best friend) brought her old car in several years ago for a warrantied interior trim replacement. They called her up mid-day and said that the car was almost ready but they noticed the brake pads were worn. They asked her leading questions such as "have you noticed your brakes aren't as strong as when you 1st purchased the car?" etc. When she asked how much they told her $800+ tax because her rotors should be replaced at the same time. Now you tell me why any dealership mechanic would voluntarily look at someones rotors and brake pads when the car was in for an interior trim replacement?
I guess this makes sense. I trust my mechanic, but you never know. Brought my car in and my ball joints and sway bar links were broken. He showed me the problem and didn't pressure me into buying the most expensive part. I'll definitely be going back.

I think I avoided a scam once. Brought my car into mr. Lube for an oil change and the guy tells me that my transmission fluid is dirty... $130 to change. I lold and said no thanks. My car was around 80k and it's manual transmission. No way does that fluid need replacing yet
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Feb 24, 2014
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RoyDavisG wrote: I guess this makes sense. I trust my mechanic, but you never know. Brought my car in and my ball joints and sway bar links were broken. He showed me the problem and didn't pressure me into buying the most expensive part. I'll definitely be going back.

I think I avoided a scam once. Brought my car into mr. Lube for an oil change and the guy tells me that my transmission fluid is dirty... $130 to change. I lold and said no thanks. My car was around 80k and it's manual transmission. No way does that fluid need replacing yet
Yeah don't ever go to those places (Mr. Lube, Oil Changers, Crappy Tire, etc) lol. They live and breath on up-selling customers to increase revenue.
Newbie
Jan 8, 2017
42 posts
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rsang39 wrote: Now you tell me why any dealership mechanic would voluntarily look at someones rotors and brake pads when the car was in for an interior trim replacement?
To sell more work. I'm a dealer tech, if I get an older vehicle with no service history in for some small trim work I will absolutely lift it and check for worn or broken parts. It's expected of me and an inspection line is put automatically on every RO. Techs are flat rate, and small trim work doesn't feed my family.

You as the consumer hold all the power. Don't want the work done, don't do it. Ask to see failed or worn components, get second opinions. Don't be afraid or shy to ask why your vehicle needs what it does. A good tech/service team will gladly show you.

Another thing to note is that maintenance intervals seem to be getting longer and longer and I suspect it's so that manufacturer's can claim to have "low maintenance" vehicles at the expense of longevity. Or lubricants and parts have just gotten that much better.
Member
Mar 13, 2017
270 posts
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rsang39 wrote: Yeah don't ever go to those places (Mr. Lube, Oil Changers, Crappy Tire, etc) lol. They live and breath on up-selling customers to increase revenue.
Learned my lesson. They tightened the oil filter so tight that it took me 2 hours to remove it. I'll just be doing all ky fluid changes myself from now on
Banned
Feb 7, 2005
4498 posts
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Most new car service is inspect . I always hated the services on a Honda . 300 plus for looking under the hood . Most of the inspecting is part of the oil change service .
<sig removed> by moderators . Yet no moderator told me they removed or why ?
Deal Expert
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May 10, 2005
36997 posts
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Ottawa
CBC does an annual or semi annual exposé like this on dealerships. It is in conjunction with the annual or semi annual exposé on oil changers and independent shops.

The conclusion to be drawn is that you can be ripped off anywhere on car care. As the program says each time it is shown, you, the owner needs to be aware of the maintenance requirement. As the old saying goes, a good salesman can sell a freezer to an Eskimo and, automotive repair people are excellent sales persons because they play on the car owners ignorance of their car.

What can you do to protect yourself? Well, be fully aware of the OEM's maintenance requirement before going in to any shop. If going in for repair, Google is your friend but be aware that everything on Google may not always be the truth and Google cannot make you an exert but it can help with your knowledge. I know most people will not take that advice and will have to make spur of the moment decisions and then come here to complain.
Companies are in business to stay in business and vehicle service is where they make their money and living. Like one poster said, if a car comes in that they have never seen they take the time to go over the car and see what work needs to be done or may need to be done and try and sell you those jobs. Nothing wrong with that and sometimes it is very right.
Lastly, I have said this before ad will reiterate it, a dealer, while fixing your car, has a different mandate than any other shop. It is in their contract with the OEM to bring your vehicle up to spec, that is more expensive and more time consuming that just slapping on a repair.
Oh and...time is money. Driving in, getting on a hoist, pulling wheels of and putting on, inspecting etc all takes time and with dealers @ $100+ per hour and independents $70 per hour, it does not take long to recjk up a few hundred bucks for an inspection and oil change.

EDIT: Thanks for the down votes whoever you are. It would be nice to know what about the post you did not like or agree with....or just being jerks? Glad RFD is doing away with down votes so people like you cannot hide behind them. Don't like something, be man enough to identify yourself and say so.
Last edited by Pete_Coach on Sep 23rd, 2017 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
“Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.”
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41802 posts
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I also have incriminating dashcam footage from several dealerships in Ottawa charging me for services that was never performed.

That's how a simple oil change of <$70 is nearly doubled after all said and done.
They all do it, as I've caught them all!
Deal Addict
Nov 8, 2005
3458 posts
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if I were to steal from a store I would be arrested. not sure why when it's proven that a business is stealing from a customer (i.e. they willfully do not perform a service that the customer is paying for), that at worst, it's bad PR.
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May 10, 2005
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Ottawa
tim-x wrote: if I were to steal from a store I would be arrested. not sure why when it's proven that a business is stealing from a customer (i.e. they willfully do not perform a service that the customer is paying for), that at worst, it's bad PR.
Actually, if you saw the program, there are ways to report and if you can prove it, they will be fined.
In the program, I did not see any "stealing" going on. I saw uninformed people being upsold. I saw uninformed people being taken advantage of but I see and read about that sort of thing all the time from roofers to natural gas re-sales to water tanks and so on. The only protection form being taken advantage of is to become aware.
The self indignation of some folks because they think they caught something they did not like is not applicable to all services, shops or dealers. Even CBC Marketplace only pick one or two in the entire Country. They don't say how many hours of research or footage they have where nothing went wrong just to find the one or two they can build a story around.
I am not defending anyone or shop that gouges it's customers but, sometimes there has to be some perspective added. For some reasons over the past few years, Calgary has been a target city.
Lastly, everyone has a sad story of being ripped off, unfortunately, we get one side of the story and sympathy always goes with the one side.
“Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.”

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