Comments on: Regularly Scheduled Auto Maintenance

By: S/100/30

S/100/30 — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 23:51:17 +0000

Hmm, I was under the impression that you had to get your maintenance checkups at the dealer to preserve the warranty.

By: savvy saver

savvy saver — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 20:07:57 +0000

Do you have a different Honda dealer you could take it to? Or even an Acura dealer? I always take my Civic to the dealer because they charge the same for Honda parts as most service stations charge for other brands.

By: Flexo

Flexo — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 18:43:57 +0000

Heh heh. My bad experiences (I’ve blown out two motors in my life) put in me in the mindset of trusting no one but the dealer (including myself). Perhaps I should search for a reputable local service station.

By: jim

jim — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 17:36:51 +0000

“Itâ€™s probably all psychological.”

Trust your instincts dude… :)

Hey, at least you know for next time, imagine if you had done this for like forty years straight and only discovered it forty years later… then you’d really be pissed.

By: fg

fg — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 17:19:04 +0000

$230 sounds like a bad value – I have a 2000 civic – the big services there are every 30k or so for new plugs. the newer civics may take platinum plugs and go 100k between tuneups. It’s good to get brakes checked periodically to make sure you don’t score (ruin) rotors. Also the timing belt needs to be replaced between 60k and 100k (if it breaks the motor can be trashed)

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:29:07 +0000

No “kick in the face” intended, actually. Just an FYI, since I work in the biz.

The rotation is worth $16 in my area. Check brakes? No charge (w/rotate).

Gotta be careful with those major-mileage-interval services. Lots of room for dealers to work fluff in there. (It’s in ours, too, just not to THAT degree.)

By: Flexo

Flexo — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 07:14:09 +0000

Well that’s a healthy kick in the face. :> I neglected to mention they rotated the tires and checked the brakes, but I suppose that doesn’t make that much of a difference. I’ll do more research before my next service visit. Thanks for the heads up.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 07:04:38 +0000

Flexo,

I own (and my wife drives) a ‘95 Accord. I work at dealership service department (albeit not Honda), and I have to tell you: You got not much of anything for the $230 you just spent.

If done at my place of employment:

Item 1: $28.05
Item 2: Maybe $15, if not gratis.
Item 3: $30
Item 4: Perhaps $12, if not gratis.
Item 5: No charge.

Obviously, prices vary with locale, and my area is about as cheap as it gets.

Honestly — my jaw dropped when I saw the price you paid.

By: Flexo

Flexo — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 04:21:56 +0000

The service they performed included:
* Oil change and filter
* Lubed caliper slide pins
* Replaced wiper inserts
* Retrotorqued suspension mounting bolts
* Visually inspected CV boots, drive axles and exhaust system

$182.40 for labor and $35.17 for necessary parts, plus tax. I’ve had bad vehicle experiences in the past, and I drive a large amount; I want to keep the car in tip top shape.

By: savvy saver

savvy saver — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 04:15:43 +0000

What type of maintenance was required at 20,000 miles that cost $230? I’m asking because I have a 2001 Honda Civic that I bought new and I don’t recall ever doing any maintenance around 20,000 miles, much less something that cost that much. I’ve got over 70,000 miles now, and I’ll I’ve done is oil changes (ever 8-10,000 miles), one air filter, and a new set of tires.

Also, a word of advice… if you ever need new wiper blades, make sure you go to the dealer and get the Honda ones. They aren’t any more expensive and work much better than anything else.