Dealer service sticker shock...

[Bmachine]

... nope, not BMW this time. But... Honda!!!

My wife drives a 2011 Honda Insight. Awesome commuter car, really. 40mpg and has never missed a beat. It reached 100,000 miles recently so we're in for major service. That includes replacing the spark plugs and adjusting the valves. So I think to myself:
- get 4 spark plugs from the parts department. 4x$10= $40
- gap them: 10 minutes if you're slow.
- Remove the old ones, put the new ones in: 10 minutes.
- remove the valve cover
- Put your feeler gauge under the cam lobes (or whatever they use in that engine) and adjust to spec.
- Replace valve cover
- Sign off on the paperwork.
Total: $40 in parts plus an hour of labor. About $140 or so.

Right?

Wrong.

$530 just for spark plugs and valves my dear sir! Plus the rest of the service of course, oil change, tranny fluid, etc...

Saaaay whhaaaaaaat?????

Apparently, this little 4 banger uses 8 spark plugs, not 4. And not just any spark plus but these new iridium ones at $20 a pop. There goes $160 in parts right there.

Then to reach the valves, you have to tear half of the engine off because everything is packed so tightly in there, you can't reach anything directly. Etc... etc...

A little internet search seems to indicate that that is indeed the going rate or thereabout.

Trying to find the silver lining, I tell myself that at least this is only required once every 100,000 miles so I suppose it probably ends up being cheaper than on an M30 in the long run.

But still.... $530 ???

 

[Markos]

I had the opposite experience a few months ago. I think the nonstop purchase of e9 parts had jaded me.

The local scratch & swirl automated car wash ripped off the rear wiper on my 2016 Honda. I told my wife it was going to be around $200 to replace. It was only $26 at the dealer!!!

 

[Stan]

I had the opposite experience a few months ago. I think the nonstop purchase of e9 parts had jaded me.

The local scratch & swirl automated car wash ripped off the rear wiper on my 2016 Honda. I told my wife it was going to be around $200 to replace. It was only $26 at the dealer!!!

Pocket the difference for E9 parts. Don't say it was me who advised!

 

[rsporsche]

well i guess my porsche is in that proportional ballpark. 610 just in labor ... it takes 4.5 hours. and 6 spark plugs x 30 ... make it 790 ... and it has to be done every 60k. don't get me started on brakes. 1400 for just the fronts (pads + rotors) ... and no that doesn't include replacing the brake fluid.

 

[Mal CSL 3.0]

well i guess my porsche is in that proportional ballpark. 610 just in labor ... it takes 4.5 hours. and 6 spark plugs x 30 ... make it 790 ... and it has to be done every 60k. don't get me started on brakes. 1400 for just the fronts (pads + rotors) ... and no that doesn't include replacing the brake fluid.

Yes my Porsche dealer service also costs about the same at $700-800, but unlike what I assume happens at a Honda dealer, I get greeted and shown a parking spot by the Porsche dealer concierge (who knows my name). I get handed a fresh hot cappuccino, and then sit down with an extremely knowledgable and accommodating service adviser who also knows my name and every detail of my car (no waiting time ether). He calls or emails me later in the day and when I collect my car it is washed, dried, tyres shined, and vacuumed. I also get a Porsche loan car for the day if I need one while mine is being serviced. Sure servicing is about 30% more expensive than servicing a Honda or the like, but in my opinion so worth the small premium. Everything about Porsche just makes it so rewarding and a joy to own the best car brand in the world.

 

[bluecoupe30!]

Yep, personal service is the way to go. I have found an indy that will let me inside the service bay when the mechanic, who teaches and advises all the way, takes stuff off of my car that I do not have the tools for, and shows me what he is doing and accepts my supplied parts and installs while I watch. Is this some fantasy or is this happening just because the owner is old and a real car crazy enthusiast who wants to do do things the way he would wish them to be done? labour rate....well it is competitive, but I am so happy to be allowed to be a part of the service. No cappuccino though.

 

[rsporsche]

totally agree on the porsche service at the dealer. my service advisor is a former bmw service advisor ... he has become excellent at porsche and takes great care of me. knows me and my car ... even responds via email on sundays

 

[Ohmess]

I am a big fan of supporting independent service shops, even for newer cars. I take all my "overflow" work to the same independent shop, which frees me up to work on Annabelle.

 

[rsporsche]

with all of my BMW, i have always used the same independent shop for 25 years - great guys. my 911s is still under warranty so it goes to the dealer. i had a leak in my PDK tranny and the dealer pushed Porsche to replace it instead of trying to fix it. they earned my business for a while on that one. i have to say that the newer P cars are so complex many independent shops have not kept up with these cars ... oil changes / general checkups are one thing ... but several of the things can take multiple days, and this is where the free loaner comes in handy.