[Bullyveldt]

Anyone else run into this?

Backstory - I have almost always owned used vehicles with no warranty and conducted my own maintenance and repairs up to and including engine replacement and transmission replacement. Since owning the volt one of my favourite things is the maintenance schedule, or lack of constant maintenance required.

So today the car has 19,600 km, 1 yr old, with 57% oil life left. Because of a planned upcoming trip which will put about 9000km on the car, it will be past the 24,000km, and due to running winter tires, the stock tires now have about 12,500 km on them, so I figured I would do the free service within two years at the dealership, and maintain good standing with any future, although hopefully not required, warranty work.

I get to the dealership who I had an appointment with, for only an oil change and tire rotation, which I believed was free. The service desk guy tells me only the oil change is free and the car requires a whole "service pack". something like brake service, suspension service, oil change, tire rotation, air and cabin filter changes, PCV changes, etc. I tell him thats not what the manual says, the volt only needs the tire rotation as due service, and the oil is actually good for 4000km more, but due to the upcoming trip I would like it changed.

He then tells me the owners manual is "just generic" and "we do a 20,000km service here". He also said the tire rotation is not included in the 2 yrs free service, just oil changes, which I may have misunderstood, however I believe the salesman last year said all the service in the manual for the first two years was free. I told him I would take just the oil change and tire rotation. Cost $40 including the TPMS relearn. At least they provide a complimentary car wash ($8) at the place next door to them.

Now almost all the people I dealt with were quite friendly other then the service guy I spoke with as he seemed irritated I did not want the service he said I needed, but he did not say my warranty would be negatively affected.

Anyway, thats my first Volt service story, maybe I'll have a new one next year. I think I will probably buy the TPMS relearn tool just so I can do my own rotations and not need to pay $40 bucks every 12,500 km.

 

[freshcut]

Sounds like their service department must have been hurting for paying customers. I've heard a lot of people on here mention something about free scheduled maintenance for 2 years though I'm not sure if that's a model wide thing, or limited to purchases/services for US sold models. As for the tire relearn tool, I picked one up for about $45 on amazon that worked the one time I've used it so far. I really probably didn't need it since my local tire shop does free rotation with relearn, but I tend to prefer doing my own basic maintenance so this way doesn't require a trip to them and I get to "bond" with the car. LOL

 

[TSquare]

I suppose that it could be different for Canadians, but in the US, we get 2 maintenance visits within the first 2 years. The maintenance includes tire rotation, oil, and oil filter change.
Might be time to try a different dealer.

 

[timoshev]

File a complaint with Chevrolet, then find another dealer to do only the free service.

 

[Bullyveldt]

Sounds like their service department must have been hurting for paying customers. I've heard a lot of people on here mention something about free scheduled maintenance for 2 years though I'm not sure if that's a model wide thing, or limited to purchases/services for US sold models. As for the tire relearn tool, I picked one up for about $45 on amazon that worked the one time I've used it so far. I really probably didn't need it since my local tire shop does free rotation with relearn, but I tend to prefer doing my own basic maintenance so this way doesn't require a trip to them and I get to "bond" with the car. LOL

Bonding with the car haha! Thats one thing I really like doing as well. I have figured out a lot about my vehicles by doing my own maintenance, and whenever I'm unsure. Good old youtube can usually help find a video to help with any issues.

I might call a different dealer, a closer one, to see if there service department only does free oil changes or if its the tire rotation as well. If I get the tool, I really only need the dealer for one more oil change, as I do my tires often enough with swapping winter and summer tires, which also gives my a chance twice a year to check over, wheel bearings, suspension bits, brake parts/lines/hoses etc.

 

[Tomt]

Find a new dealer! Fast!

 

[obermd]

Grab your car and keys and leave skid marks on your way out of their service department. Never, ever go back there. Call GM when you find the next Chevy dealership and report that stealership.

 

[Barry]

Lots of dealers have long lists of recommended maintenance items that they try to get every car owner to authorize whether they are truly needed or not (with preventative maintenance, whether something is truly needed can be a matter of opinion). This is very profitable for them. The owner's manual lists the items that are really recommended by the manufacturer for that specific model. When the dealer said the manual is generic and their advice is specific to you, they were saying it backwards. Their advice is given to everyone who walks in the door, regardless of model. Anyone who owns a car should understand that they should not blindly say yes to everything a service writer offers them.

 

[Steverino]

A car dealer tried to up-sell you on service? Say it ain't so. An educated consumer is the best defense.

 

[gjtoth]

Personally, I would check directly with GM. If they say no, inform them of what this guy is trying to pull. They can't fix a problem if they don't know about it. I wrote directly to the CEO on an issue of remote programming on a previous car I had. Within two weeks I got a phone call from Detroit with PROFUSE apologies, free service for the problem at a REPUTABLE dealer, and the service manager at the gyp joint suspended. The general manager of the gyp joint also called with profuse apologies and to tell me the outcome promising much better service in the future. I never used a dealership for service after that, though. Different with a Volt, though. They pretty much have you over a barrel but you do NOT have to put up with those tactics.

 

[El Dobro]

 

[Bullyveldt]

Lots of dealers have long lists of recommended maintenance items that they try to get every car owner to authorize whether they are truly needed or not (with preventative maintenance, whether something is truly needed can be a matter of opinion). This is very profitable for them. The owner's manual lists the items that are really recommended by the manufacturer for that specific model. When the dealer said the manual is generic and their advice is specific to you, they were saying it backwards. Their advice is given to everyone who walks in the door, regardless of model. Anyone who owns a car should understand that they should not blindly say yes to everything a service writer offers them.

That was my initial thought, the guy had it backwards. The manual is pretty specific. I get what Steverino is saying and am not surprised they tried to upsell. The part the bugged me was when he said the manual was generic and just brushed off what I was quoting from it, and that their service was the correct service. A less informed customer would have bit on that and spent the bucks.

I probably would have noticed it less if he said he was offering above and beyond minimum maintenance, which I often do on my own vehicles, like flushing the brake fluid every 2 years. I was irked for sure about the dismissal of the manual, because I'm sure they would refer to the "generic manual" if they ever needed to decline a warranty claim.

I will say tho, I love my volt and it has been maintenance free other than this oil change tire rotation, and a software update.

PS, not following the ferret picture lol, I used to have a pet ferret as a kid

 

[TSquare]

PS, not following the ferret picture lol, I used to have a pet ferret as a kid

That's a weasel. Comparing your dealership to the weasel is an insult.......to the weasel.

 

[ianjay]

In Canada, I don't think there are any free dealership services with a new Volt. Unless you have it in print, anything the salesperson says has no cash value. As for the service adviser telling you that a Volt owners manual is generic, just remember that many of these people are dumber than dirt. Up-selling is perfectly normal at a dealership. Hopefully you will have little need to return too often. I found that the wheel lock key that my dealership used to rotate my tires last year never made it back into the car (which I did not discover until one of my Goodyears picked up a metal stud screw recently). I will not make that mistake again.

 

[DonC]

I have you beat. A Nissan service guy tried to tell me my Leaf needed an oil change! I probably should have played along just to see how it would end but the whole deal was simply annoying. LOL

I think the real issue -- because it's more plausible -- is how dealers will try and tell you that you need to change the oil more frequently because your vehicle is in a harsh environment.

 

[freshcut]

Great story with the leaf needing an oil change. Kinda like saying your 2-stroke engine needs one. What's crazy is they probably would have billed and charged you for it too.

I say let them, then find out how their lawyers can defend it in court.

 

[Bullyveldt]

...I found that the wheel lock key that my dealership used to rotate my tires last year never made it back into the car (which I did not discover until one of my Goodyears picked up a metal stud screw recently). I will not make that mistake again.

I thought this may be an issue, I left the wheel lock key on the passenger seat when I dropped it of and made a point to show them it was there in the plastic case it originally came in. It was the first thing I looked for when getting back into the car after verifying the tires were rotated. I mark them to ensure it happened. The lock was left on the passenger seat where I had placed it. The guys dealing with the car seemed quite good, just the guy behind the counter was the putz.

But defiantly going to enjoy not needing to return there. I'll defiantly be doing my third oil change and those after myself. Just stuffing the receipts and scanning them for records. I'll probably let them do the brake fluid at 5 yrs and the trans fluid at 240,000km...

 

[Mister Dave]

Is it so hard to use the word NO?

Knock it off with the victim thing. You're the boss when you walk into any business to purchase goods and services. If not, don't part with your cash.

 

[DonC]

Is it so hard to use the word NO?

Knock it off with the victim thing. You're the boss when you walk into any business to purchase goods and services. If not, don't part with your cash.

I don't agree with this. My position is that you should be able to have a professional give you fair advice. I realize this isn't realistic, but your entire caveat emptor approach is annoying. It means you can't rely on your doctor to give good advice, you can't rely on your broker to give you good advice, and now you can't rely on the freaking service guy at your car dealer. What's the point of having "experts" if you always have to become an expert to evaluate their advice?

I understand we don't live in a perfect world, but it would be nice if it were more perfect in this regard.

 

[Mister Dave]

I don't agree with this. My position is that you should be able to have a professional give you fair advice. I realize this isn't realistic, but your entire caveat emptor approach is annoying. It means you can't rely on your doctor to give good advice, you can't rely on your broker to give you good advice, and now you can't rely on the freaking service guy at your car dealer. What's the point of having "experts" if you always have to become an expert to evaluate their advice?

I understand we don't live in a perfect world, but it would be nice if it were more perfect in this regard.

This one wasn't that hard to detect.

A second opinion from a doctor is something your doctor would encourage. My doctors have in the past gotten second and third opinions without my asking. Your broker, maybe not but you take control of what is yours or you don't. It's ridiculous to turn over authority for what is yours blindly and then play victim.

I realize this isn't something that is taught a lot these days. But one can learn.