Do we follow manufacturer recommended car maintenance schedule?

[CSB]

A few months ago we bought a 2006 Pacifica and paid for extended warranty. We just took the car in for the scheduled maintenance and it cost a couple of hundred dollars. Looking at the upcoming recommended maintenance, we see that many of visits are quite expensive. When we bought our other cars, we just took the car to our mechanic for oil changes and checks but did not follow a dealership recommended schedule. We are concerned that if we just take this car to our mechanic for maintenance and something goes wrong, the dealership will not honour the warranty claiming that we did not follow their recommendations.

I am wondering if most people take their car for these recommended services. Also wondering if anyone had trouble with a warranty because they did not follow the manufacturers maintenance schedule.

I guess I do not trust the automakers. This looks to me like another way to make money. I feel that I have to pay for their services or they have amunition against me if I have a problem with the car. When we purchased the extended warranty, the man that went over it with us mentioned how they disallowed a warranty claim from someone who did not do the required maintenance on the car. I did not really think anything of it at the time because I did not realize how expensive these maintenance visits would be.

 

[Big Matt]

I highly recommend that you follow the manufacturers maintenance schedule. Buying a warranty and not following the maintenance schedule isn't a good combo. The warranty company will immediately ask the dealer/owner for a history. If you follow the schedule, the dealer will be your best advocate when filing a warranty claim.

Don't ever go cheap and just change the oil. Engines and transmissions are expensive.

Sure auto makers want to make money, but regular maintenace is a no brainer whether you go to the dealer or an independent shop.

 

[AwayWeGo]

A Source Of Good Advice.

We buy our cars used -- sometimes near-new & still under original warranty, but used nevertheless -- & we pretty much follow the maintenance recommendations of Click & Clack The Tappet Bros.

For the past 20 years or so, we've enjoyed reasonably good luck with cars -- most of'm anyway. Before that, we piled up way too much experience with an embarrassing number of clunkers that can be found on the Click & Clack all-time Top Ten bad car list. So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[elaine]

you can take to mechanic--just save receipts

You don't have to have dealer service it---but save your reciepts. For cars under warranty, we go to dealer for major services (15, 30, 60K) and jiffy lube, service station, etc. for oil changes, etc.--but I throw all the reciepts in the glove box, in case I ever need to prove it.

 

[ricoba]

Alan, how can you trust anyone who calls the 60's Thunderbirds the ugliest car ever!!!!

Now if you want ugly...look at this 1962 Valiant!

 

[BSQ]

I follow the mfr recommended maintenance schedule until the warranty expires. I mostly do this because 1 I'm not charged and 2 if anything major does go wrong, they can pull up every thing that has been done to my car, where, and see that I stuck 100% to their recommendations.

I actually know someone who bought a car used, still under mfr warranty and the mfr ruled the warranty VOID when his tranny went out because the dealer who sold him the car topped off the transmission fluid a non OEM fluid.

The day my warranty expires, It's always "See-Ya" to the dealer for me.

 

[Icc5]

Honda Service

We currently have to Hondas, a CRV and an Accord and I always go to the dealer and have since 1982 with my first Honda. It lasted me until 1999 when I bought my second one and that first one was given to relatives and still runs great today. Was it the service, who knows?
Bart

 

[grest]

Yes, by all means...
Connie

 

[fnewman]

We generally buy cars that are about 1 year old and use the manufacturer's schedule as a guideline along with a dose of common sense and VERY regular periodic maintenance. Oil changes are every 5000 miles without fail, timing belt replacement before 100,000 miles, tire rotation and brake check at least every other oil change (at a tire dealership), but other items are done based on recommendations from a Service Manager whom I can trust. Over the years I have had a few simply point to the posted schedule and insist that all was required, but trust me, that is not true.

Some will disagree, I am sure, but the proof I can offer is in the fact that we usually drive our vehicles for 150-200,000 miles without any major problems whatsoever. In fact my present 2001 Toyota Highlander just turned 102,000 miles and still has the original brake pads. However, I do make it a practice to buy only vehicles with an excellent repair history. Buy an extended warranty? A waste of money for a car highely recommended by Comsumer Reports, IMHO.

 

[Jeni]

We currently have to Hondas, a CRV and an Accord and I always go to the dealer and have since 1982 with my first Honda. It lasted me until 1999 when I bought my second one and that first one was given to relatives and still runs great today. Was it the service, who knows?
Bart

We bought a Honda Pilot new last year and all maintenance since has been performed, as recommended, by the dealer. We have an 8 year, 120k warranty, and we are glad we did that. We had a slight problem with a "squeaking" sound recently...it was a heat shield and it took 3 days and what would have cost of big bucks to determine the source and fix. Anyway, I like that the same people work with my make and model every day.

Also, we tend to schedule our maintenance around the same time that Honda sends us 20% off service coupons, so the cost is not much more than a service station. Bottom line is we have a relationship with our dealership and trust their service, not Jiffy Lube. We know plenty of people who have followed the recommended maintenance, performed at our Honda dealership, and their vehicles have lasted 300k miles.

So, yes, I would follow the dealer recommendations, BUT speak with your service advisor to see what is required to keep your warranty and what rec. maintenance is just "nice to have" but not critical. For example, Honda rec. testing your battery at 15k miles for $49! I told out service advisor I have no issues with the battery and Auto Zone will test it for free. Me not paying to test the battery did not impact the warranty, same for a few other recommended services I refused, like replacing the cabin air filter and replacing the wiper blades- I did not think these items were needed just yet.

 

[philemer]

You don't HAVE to go to a dealer for your maintenance. Go anywhere you want but keep you receipts.

 

[Mosca]

Sometimes there is a difference between the MANUFACTURER'S recommended maintenance and the DEALER'S recommended maintenance.

Follow the maintenance schedule outlined in the owner's manual or warranty booklet and you will have no problems. You can get your maintenance done anywhere. If the cost is close, I'd recommend going to the dealer even if it's a little more. But don't ever go to a place where you don't trust the people.

Tom

 

[fnewman]

Do what you like, but remember....

Do what you like, but remember that a substantial portion of a dealer's income is derived from service profit - particularly those service items that they can charge a good fee for, but don't cost much to do.

Think of it like the pasta dishes at restaurants, which are likely to be the most profitable no matter what 'topping' or fancy salads they give you with it. Very high profit. Vehicle maintenance schedules are designed by the manufacturers to 1) make their cars last a reasonable period of time (but not too long) and 2) sell spare parts and accessories, and 3) increase dealer profits. In addition, they generally design the schedules in only two versions - "normal" and "severe" when actual driving conditions can vary widely due to differences in driving habits, climate, highway vs city miles, etc.

If you really believe that the manufacturers design these schedules with only our best interest in mind, give me a call and I'll sell your timeshare for only a 'small' listing fee !!

 

[bogey21]

I have purchased manufacture issued (in my case Ford Motor Co) in the past both for new and used cars. I have never had the dealer service the cars but have oil changed and tire rotation every 5,000 miles.

When I have had warranty claims (a couple were pretty large) dealer never asked for receipts or questioned whether suggested schedule was followed or not. My guess is that dealer gets reimbured by warranty company (in my case Ford), wants the work, and thus doesn't care.

GEORGE

 

[AwayWeGo]

That's What The Car Talk Guys Say.

Do what you like, but remember that a substantial portion of a dealer's income is derived from service profit - particularly those service items that they can charge a good fee for, but don't cost much to do.

That's why we generally follow the car maintenance advice of Click & Clack The Tappet Bros.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[KenK]

Usually our oil is changed every 3000 miles....

When returning from Fl last year, I forgot to make an appointment at the dealer for an oil change. ($25.00 ) so went to our mechanic. He asked if car was still under warrantee. Yes. He made me go to Advanced Auto Parts and buy a specific type of oil that he didn't have. Keep all the receipts.

Why? Because Lincoln wants this specific type of oil in the car. They might not honor the warantee. That oil wasn't anymore expensive than most of the others in the auto place. But he figured Ford might void the warantee.

 

[fnewman]

Clearly, we must use products that meet the manufacturer's specifications in order to avoid possible warranty problems. However, those specifications (for oil, for example) are generally pretty broad and do not restrict the owner to any specific brand.