What your car service tech really means when they say... [Sympatico Autos]

[SympaticoNick]

Y'know when you bring your car into the shop for a little work and a week later your automotive service technician tells you, "Well, you also really should have transmission serviced/coolant flushed/timing belt changed"? Are those things really necessary?

Sympatico's Car Care just published a piece translating some of the more common "You should really..." service tech suggestions. Check it out: Is that really necessary? (http://autos.sympatico.ca/car-care/14031/is-that-really-necessary)

[Full disclosure: yes, I'm on the Sympatico.ca Autos team.]

[fredf]

Honestly this link is quite useless in my opinion.
I enjoy reading about cars so I don't mind having spent a couple of minutes reading it. However all it does is mention several different engine components and say that they need routine servicing. I think we all know that.

It has nothing to do with 'is that really necessary'. There is no real mention of the interval between servicing these components nor how to verify if the technician is correct or just trying to soak you of some money.

Now you could title this thread 'help me understand when my technician says you need your **** serviced'. But not 'is it necessary'.

Sorry buddy.

[zyphere]

Honestly this link is quite useless in my opinion.
I enjoy reading about cars so I don't mind having spent a couple of minutes reading it. However all it does is mention several different engine components and say that they need routine servicing. I think we all know that.

It has nothing to do with 'is that really necessary'. There is no real mention of the interval between servicing these components nor how to verify if the technician is correct or just trying to soak you of some money.

Now you could title this thread 'help me understand when my technician says you need your **** serviced'. But not 'is it necessary'.

Sorry buddy.

Actually, the article seems to suggest "Yes, it's all necessary." :lol:

[Pete_Coach]

Y'know when you bring your car into the shop for a little work and a week later your automotive service technician tells you, "Well, you also really should have transmission serviced/coolant flushed/timing belt changed"? Are those things really necessary?

Sympatico's Car Care just published a piece translating some of the more common "You should really..." service tech suggestions. Check it out: Is that really necessary? (http://autos.sympatico.ca/car-care/14031/is-that-really-necessary)

[Full disclosure: yes, I'm on the Sympatico.ca Autos team.]
The article does not answer the question in the title. "Is that really necessary?". Kinda like false advertising? It just somewhat explains what the services that are being offered are. In itself, it is useful to some but.....
I think there are a lot of people who would like to know if the services suggested by the upselling tech are really required. Your article did not help in that regard.
Also, shilling for Sympatico on RFD, Hmmmm? :D

[sickcars]

I guess the article is assuming that everybody has a great honest mechanic that they go to & would never rip you off? Not only do a lot of places lie to you just to make extra money but sometimes they wont even do the service you paid for.

I personally think that if you own a car you should know the basics about its maintenance. When the last time a tune up for done for example and what was done or what service should be coming up to be done. This way when a shop tells you that you should change your timing belt and your only at 100k when the manufacture recommends it at 160k you know there is a good possibility that something is up.

[SympaticoNick]

I guess the article is assuming that everybody has a great honest mechanic that they go to & would never rip you off? Not only do a lot of places lie to you just to make extra money but sometimes they wont even do the service you paid for.

"How to find an honest garage" is coming up next month ;)

Yeah, not the best headline, I'd have to agree. I'll keep that in mind for next time, since it's a little late to change it now.

[riBanz]

"How to find an honest garage" is coming up next month ;)

Yeah, not the best headline, I'd have to agree. I'll keep that in mind for next time, since it's a little late to change it now.

Hopefully its a good article not like this one you posted. That would be a really good topic to find a good honest Mechanic in the GTA or how to identify one.

[hystat]

Y'know when you bring your car into the shop for a little work and a week later your automotive service technician tells you, "Well,
no, there ain't a shop anywhere near me where you can talk to a technician... they all have "service advisors", who are usually clueless yesmen that moved up from the parts counter and have zero wrench twisting experience, but think they are superstars at diagnostics and knowing what you need....