My friend’s husband went into the Honda dealer for an oil change. He walked out with an $800 bill for:
-transmission fluid change
-brake fluid change
-fuel induction service
-alignment
-filter changes
When questioned afterwards, dealership said that the DC area was considered to have “severe driving conditions” and that’s why all this needed done.
Was my friend ripped off? Or is this service needed and fairly priced?
In the “severe” maintenance areas; yes it makes sense to do complete fluid change at near 30k miles… With that being said, I don’t consider the DC area to wualify as per Honda’s definition (you can find this defined on their interval maintenance sheets). It sounds like the dealership has a habit of claiming that so they can do more labor and charge higher rates. Find a different dealer to service.
Also, I live in the DC area, I don’t consider this a “severe” maintenance schedule place.
not fairly priced…def ripped off, usually the right time to ask whether or not it’s fairly priced is before you do the service and pay for it. Now there’s not much you can do about it.
I think every dealer says their area has “severe driving conditions”. How do you prove one way or another?
You prove it by getting your car serviced at the dealership that doesn’t lie.
The biggest scam on there is the brake fluid change, I wouldn’t even consider that until 50k and maybe at that. They would have to show me it needs an alignment. I think the alignment thing is the latest scam at the dealership, right when you pull in the service drive they put those laser things on and say you need one. I went into one dealer and they said I needed one(declined getting it done), went into another dealership a few months and they said it was fine. That first dealer also tried to charge me a ridiculous amount for the OEM tires. I think the moral of the story is need to question everything they offer and shop the prices with independent shops. This is one reason I like leases, I just do oil changes and pass on everything else.
Why would they even do work that hasn’t been approved/asked for?
I’ve done plenty of services at Honda Dealership albeit in fairfield county In CT but they always did only what was asked. If they uncovered something else they would ask if I want it done and most of the time I would postpone just to get the time to verify it’s nessesary.
I’ve had CR-V, Accord V6, Crosstour V6 AWD.
Not once was the service that high even at 60k service which included much more stuff then listed in the original post.
But I had to call many Honda dealerships in area to check their prices for the same service and it would vary (sometimes greatly) for even simple oil change.
I assumed they approved the work but if they didn’t, that’s a whole another story.
Only time you should go to the dealership during your lease is to pick up the car, drop off the car, or if there is warranty work. If you go for service you better bring lube:wink:.
In terms of sheer markup I bet the filters are the biggest scam. They probably charged at least 100 bucks for something you can get for around 20 bucks or so and takes 5 minutes to do.
“Fair” price is subjective ( complete rip-off compared to an independent shop IMO, probably in line with other Honda dealers). The question is whether your friend was quoted the estimated cost and approved the work order. Manual should have recommended services and service intervals.
Think about what you are hearing…use your common sense…if it doesn’t sound right go somewhere else…and always ask before they do the work
To answer the question some of you had–
Yes, my friend’s husband approved the work. They pushed it on him when he got there and he relented. He has a very trusting quiet nature and I am sure dealership sensed that and pounced on extra services. Of course, complaints to the dealership after the fact did nothing. My friend has banned him from taking the cars in for service. 
Oh for sure, but I really get tired of people being sold on the brake fluid change deal. Especially at 28k
Well, lesson learned then…
Service writers are usually commission based jobs. That is all you need to know on a $800 job that sprouted out of an oil change.
That’s what the corporate survey after the fact is for, provided they have one.
I worked for Honda for 11 years in fixed ops. 30k services were about $450. Honda’s are not quite inline with American cars and fluid intervals. Honda does suggest trans changes every 30 but not brake. No one should ever buy coolant or induction services. Unless your car is like 20 plus years old. To a tech, fluid changes are easy $ and advisors find it an easy sell because people assume if they don’t do it, worse things could happen.
Shouldn’t get a survey if no warranty work was done.
It’s a leases car so I would do minimal. Is there any specifications in lease terms on what needs to be done? Just leased velar.