The service center had quoted me for about $295 for 4 spark plugs for my KIA. I got OEM plugs for like, $50. Changing them only took me about 30 minutes to change them.

I dread to think what the dealer quotes for a hemi Ram that has 16 plugs (2 spark plugs per cylinder x 8). I looked under the hood of my 2500 and the back couple coil packs are buried pretty far back under the cowl. Does not look to be a fun job! Oh well they say the plugs last 100K miles and that’s a long way off for me before I have to decide if I’m up for that challenge!

​@@bradschroeder809totally doable at home, get a few old pillows or foam pieces and pay on top of the engine. Uncomfortable, yes. Definitely encourages you to work faster and smarter...

You're paying for the convenience of someone else to do it. I hope you gapped them properly without ruining the electrode and didn't over tighten everything

@@bradschroeder809I’ve changed the plugs on 4 x hemi engines (2007 Magnum R/T AWD, 2005 Magnum R/T, 2004 Ram 1500 and 2003 Ram 2500). The rear plugs are in a tight spot but just take your time and get a great flashlight back there. They aren’t that bad. You got this!

If you follow your thought of "if it's not broke, don't mess with it" you'll very likely shorten its life.

This is why I drive manual ;) If you look at most older books, they recommend changing the fluid on automatics ( not flushing it ) every 30K or so. My manual? Replacing the gear oil won't hurt it at all, when it needs to be done. Dump, clean the magnet off, add more. Simple as that. :)

When you "drain" the auto trans attached to my 2GR-FE, about 2.5 quarts come out. This is without removing the pan, which retains some fluid, but there's a whole lot more in the converter that won't come out. Because it's such a small volume of oil, I do this change yearly. The oil that comes out looks and smells exactly like the new WS fluid that I put in, and I want to keep it that way.

I have a mercedes with over 300k on it. Never touched the Trans fluid and it shifts fine. Someone it is driving condition.

I've had flushes done, on my terms, on all of my vehicles since the late 1990's. A radio show, Goss's Garage, pointed out that BG will cover damage to your transmission up to 250,000 miles, as long as you follow their recommended flush times. Transmission flushes need to be done within the first 36,000 miles then within 30,000 miles after. My Sierra has nearly 240,000 miles, our Chevy Malibus have had over 100,000 miles with no issues. My Sierra gets regular flushes. I haven't had issues with anything. I am also very involved with my vehicles. I've caught a dealership trying to scan me and they're dead to me. The other dealership I use now knows me and is good to me. That being said, I wouldn't just trust a dealership because they're a dealership,I am lucky to have found a good one. I think this guy has had experiences.woty bad dealerships.

@@christoperwarunek9949 Not as "on it" as you are. But try and pay attention. Fortunately had good results and few problems :)

If you worked in the automotive industry for 45 years, why the heck would you buy a Hyundai then?

It was by FAR the most trouble free, enjoyable to own vehicle that I’ve ever had.

@@dave1956 That's what I try to tell people about my Tesla (owned 5+ years), but you have some real haters of EVs out there.

😮

You forgot the biggest scammer of them all Finance

I buy Toyota parts by going to the online portal of a local dealership, then go to the counter and pick them up. The prices are a lot lower. As an example, last time I bought any WS fluid it was $11/qt if you ask for it at the counter. If you order it online and pick it up at the same counter, it's $8/qt.

Let's not forget about the owner..

@@jamesshenay3426 the dealership owner? I agree.

So as a dealer technician I fix your vehicle for whatever you brought it in for. Is that a scam?

Exactly. 30k can be a bit soon unless you are trailer towing with a pick up. If you snowplow, do it yearly.

+1

Ive never done that service in any of my vehicles but most recently I rebuilt the transmission on my 2015 Malibu w/267k+ miles and the transmission shop told me to never go without servicing the transmission Even tho I asked them to rebuild and replace all transmission fluid lines/filter/ and transmission cooler They told me they were able to save the cooler by flushing out all the metal shavings that were inside it. It did take a few days more but they said they were able to get it clean and suggested I do a 30k mile maintenance flush obviously I do drive my vehicles a lot so 30k for me might be twice a year service but its better than rebuilding a transmission because most vehicles now have their transmission fluid filter deep inside the transmission which makes it hard to service or very expensive The cheaper route is definitely doing a full flush once or twice a year

@@Roberto-gp3yx Well I am assuming 257k+ miles on the highway. This will be about 30k to 40k miles in city. I drive my GM cars (like 8+ from 1996) in the city. Most of the transmissions fails form 110k to 140k. Unfortunately, I have learn how to service transmissions one year ago. Now, I ma changing filter every 30K miles or 3 years and refill 40-60% of the fluid every year within using Lubegard. All cars I bought 10+ years old within 30k to 40k miles. If, I have to go to the mechanic (except tire balancing and alignment), then the car is going to junkyard. Alternator, starter, intake, breaks, suspension and more …. are not issues for me. Rebuilding transmission is the end of the car. My current oldest Buick LeSabre is from 1997 has 110K. Last work was heater core + valve cover seals. It is still going. 3.8L GM engines are good (except plastic coolant system parts and intake gaskets). Transmissions are very weak part of old GM cars. Within supercharges transmissions are relay bad for this strong engines, even the car is fun to drive

@@andrzejmical5416 Yup there are all highway miles… the transmission was the only major mechanical issue I ever had on that car … I did learn not to go by what the dealerships say with the oil change intervals bc it messed up the oil control valve / both intake & rocker arm solenoids/ and the vacuum pump by following the 10k synthetic oil life… I switched to doing 5k oil change intervals and never had issues with the car ever again Unfortunately the car got wrecked but it had a great life and bc all the mechanical components where all original numbers matching and exterior was in great condition insurance gave me a more than fair payout Long story short maintenance goes a long way on a vehicle

They wanted her to approve a $2500 service on a vehicle with only 3500 miles on it? Man I would run far away from that place too!

@@PumaPete I would have gone in screaming in front of the entire customer base that was there to let them know what kind of scams they pull!

Not all dealers are like this. I treat my client's money like me own. Always honest and will actually tell people when it's not smart to invest in their current car. Do I lose that sale? Yes but I gained the trust and a client for life.

Holy s..t

My Wife's car was in for some repair and they wanted something like $1,200 for what amounted to fluid changes. LOL. I so miss the dealer we bought the car from, they were a class act. Well, they still are, they just don't sell Mitsubishis any more.

Yeah I agree with most of what chevy dude is saying but not so sure not changing trans fluid is a wise idea unless someone has no intention of owning it outside the 5year 60K powertrain warranty

Yeah I flush mine at 90k and it cost me a whole car! I had to replace it with another car! I love my new car but shishhh. the headaches I went through for several days

Drain/refill the transmission fluid every 30K-miles/3-years, whichever comes first if you plan to keep your vehicle long-term.

glad someone brought this up I about questioned what I was watching when he said that. I took my dad's 220k mile Lexus to get a transmission drain and fill with a quart of Lucas no slip additive and this was about a couple years ago. It was a gamble, maybe, because I have no idea when it was done last. Car's at almost 250k and counting, and I know when I'll be doing it again.

at my work, cvts get drain & fill. rec rwd trans every 60k. if it has 100k and no history then it's good. i've also declined sevices when not needed. less $$ in my pocket but doing the right thing by customer

Exactly... to a manufacturer, "lifetime" is just until your warranty runs out. They would love nothing more than for you to need major maintenance the day after the warranty expires.

Cars can last a long time these days, I don't want 25 year old trans fluid, at least do a drain and fill to get some new stuff in there before it gets too old.

I wouldn't even wait till 80k. I'd change it at 40

You are correct.I was a tech for 49 years and have worked with my share of really bad ones and some good ones.If you go to a shop that you know has a good mechanic request that you only want him to work on your car.Most will go along with your request.

You are correct. This is a reason why I have become one for my cars. Long time ago I have used books. Now, I used internet.

Your husband loves you. Thanks for loving and respecting him back 😊

I have a problem on mt 2014 Mustang. When it gets hot - over 120F in the sun (Where I live, the summers are a literal oven), my car misfires from time to time. The code I pulled said that all 4 of my o2 sensors had failed - at the exact same moment. Resetting the system would result in it working fine, and when the weather cooled down ( like all this winter - zero codes or issues ). So it obviously was some module or relay or something that connects them all but I can't figure out which one. So I took it to the dealer to have them diagnose it and honest truth here... All they did was scan the OBD port, say that my O2 sensors were bad and charge me for it. 0 diagnosis, and I even showed them a printout of a computer scan I did with my own tool and how it showed a simultaneous problem on all 4 at the exact same time moment. Utterly useless fools. The problem was eventually tracked down to the relays in the fuse box getting too hot/heat soaked. $5 fix with some insulation around the box.

One problem with dealerships today is that you don't know if your car is being given to the D-C grade tech, who doesn't know what they are doing and will just throw a bunch of parts at the problem or the A grade tech who can diagnose what is actually wrong. The other issue is that diagnosing takes time that is hard for any mechanical shop, not just dealerships, to explain and get properly paid for.

If a shop told me I needed expensive work done on a vehicle I just purchased I would say I will take it back to where I purchased it. Or if it's an older vehicle I've owned for a while I would say.I will just take it to the scrap yard and buy another vehicle.

its also the leadership. when i worked at toyota, we had a salesman running the service writers vs a technician.

The dishonest employee makes mire money for the stealership and gets promoted. The honest employee gets fired. The business owner can just point to "productivity", and deny any knowledge of fraud.

I worked at a dealership for 8 years. I was a warranty manager. Technicians hate warranty work because the manufacturer has it pared to the bare minimum and sometimes the manufacturer gers it wrong and the tech gets ripped off. The most important thing thing you need to do for a new the car i read the warranty info in the manual AND pay attention to the services required to maintain your warranty. I worked at a Chrysler dealership and they had a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. At that time the service department recommended all sorts of services and would act like they were needed to maintain the warranty when they weren't. Another important item is to save your service records,. If you do the service yourself, then save the receipt and write the mileage and date of the service. Transmission services are a good thing. I can't tell you how many times we found filings on a magnet or in the fluid. My dealer never did a flush with pressure. If they replaced a bad transmission they had pressurized can of fluid they used to flush any debris out of the lines and in that case it is highly recommended. I almost forgot. ALL shops have a minimum diag time. Often times this is pure profit because a lot of the time a good tech will have a good idea what the issue but need to test and verify the problem. Doing anything else is just throwing parts at the problem and that gets expensive quick. For instance maybe the scan tool and the symptoms point to a oxygen sensor. You might replace the oxygen sensor only to find out there is a broken, shorted, corroded or broken wire in the wiring. It could also be a issue with a connector too.

Shops have overhead and mechanics to pay,if everyone did what you did, they’d go out of business.

in 50+ years of driving I have has exactly 0 rotor problems. do you have your pads inspected when tires are rotated? The only thing i flush is a toilet.

@@islandhopper100 Warped rotors are 100% the driver. Gentle driving and braking, will result in a person who never has a warped rotor issue.

Been doing 10k oil changes for years using Amsoil. 660K on my Tundra, no issues.

Mobil guarantees 10K for many of their flavors of Mobil 1.

Most dealerships don’t do a “flush” per say. They use a machine that replaces 100% of the fluid. No detergents used.

@@nutandboltguy3720100% yes. Fluid exchanger not flusher, especially if they have BG machines

Ok, so I've never had to have shocks or struts replaced on any Honda I've owned. Even a Ridgeline with 230k miles. Odyssey with 175K miles. Accord with 180k miles. So did they even need to be replaced?

jeebus 3k just for struts is crazy. That should be 2 hours of mechanical time on each side and I don't have the part cost or mechanical cost per but lets just say 200 each for the part and 140 per hour which is 960 and then a front end alignment for 60-80. So let's say 1040 before taxes.

Depends on the car

@aaronjohnson9072 even a transmission that's sealed needs to be changed if you plan on driving your car longer than usual

@@ANTHIT I was referring to the intervals rather than a set mileage

Why not a flush?

facts. bmw got mad at me for bringing my car in for an oil change at 4500 miles. (i had 4 free oil changes when i bought the car) saying "its too early". my response was "ive owned over a dozen bmws, and half of them had over 200k on them. i know what im doing, im avoiding bmw failure because accountants are counting on my car to fail from their service intervals"

THIS, as a technician i can tell you those items are recommended as PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE to PREVENT a problem from occuring. Sure dont do the transmission or CVT flushes like we tell you, but when that car comes back for a transmission and you ask for some type of help, dont expect it. The owners manual even states that you should consult the service facility since not every environment is the same for every vehicle, and that the service intervals they recommend are just recommendations. This goes for every fluid. It's general wear. Not every dealer, Advisor, Tech, or even sales person is out to get you. Find a dealership you can build a relationship with and i guarantee they will take care of you.

Don't bring your car in until you have a problem??? Ridiculous

I'm looking to buy a used 2021 Kia Sportage with a GDI engine, 30K miles, what kind of "carbon cleaner" should I be looking at, an additive?

@@ofcbob6391 you should be looking to buy something else, something better......

Also easy on my wife's 2004 Honda Accord 4 cyl. The valve covers for my 2016 RX350 are buried beneath a beauty cover, the intake manifold, and the wiper assembly. Ugh!

Or a '03 2.3 Saab 9-5. Very easy

🤣

“Forever fluids” is a manufacturers’ trick to ensure something in the power train blows ahead of its time. 10K oil changes is another manufacturer-recommended self-destruct mechanism.

True that. Have seen all demand time less than warranty. It's only a guide

No, it is not the same.

it would only be the same if you made to cofee in the parking lot of the coffee shop

Exactly. Book time is book time. I highly doubt his shop is doing work and charging however many hours it took, even if it took less than book time. No shop runs like that. There’s a system in place and all shops use it. All because you can change a filter in 2 minutes and the dealer charges you 3/10 to do it isn’t the dealers fault…that’s the manufacturer.

Stability control can be using the rear brakes. Honda Accords love to chew through rear pads for many model years.

And I can’t take this guy seriously. A car salesman talking about service scamming people. I must have forgotten salesman don’t do that lol 😂

Same at Toyota dealer. Told me leaking and would not be able to steer. Never happened. Never did it. Had the car 17 yrs. They wanted $$$ to do it, even way back then.

Had that happen to me but it was Firestone. My local mechanic had to replace them, and the pads after having them installed at Firestone. Firestone did not honor their brake warranty. Don't have brakes done at Firestone.

that shoulda been covered by at least basic warranty

😂 my dentist said I had a filling that needed to be replaced and I opted to wait. Next scheduled cleaning she said everything looked fine. Everyone trying to make a buck.

A retired Nissan engineer who used to work on their Z cars takes it a step further. For high-performance engines, he suggests not only full oil & filter changes at 6,000 miles, but also a dump-and-fill (no filter change) at 3,000 miles. If you can afford a luxury car or a high-performance car like a Corvette or a Lambo, you can afford the oil.

If a pan drop/refill kills a transmission it is on borrowed time anyway.