Quote:
Originally Posted by xkeowner
Went for an oil change. I was told the serpentine belt needed to be replaced as well as the belt tensioner. Supposedly the tensioner was breaking down and tearing up the belt. It could fail at any time. I left and inspected them my self. The belt is showing age and will be replaced soon but the tensioner is as smooth as a baby's behind and not damaging the belt. Their price for replacing both was $380. Both the belt and tensioner from Advanced Auto for quality grade are $80 and lower grade parts are available for $55.
The also recommended $1200 worth of struts and shocks.
Please get a second opinion/estimate before having major car repairs done by any shop you do not already have personal trust in.
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Upsells are where a lot of these shops make their money. If the work needs to be done and the price is fair, so be it. But often the work does not need to be done and prices may be inflated. The employees get a cut from what they can sell you.
My son learned the hard way. His first vehicle had put about 5,000 miles on it and he decided to get an oil change. The lube shop told him his transmission fluid needed changing as well as his coolant. So he paid the bill and took their word for it.
A week or two later when he checked through his paperwork he got from the dealer when he bought the vehicle he read that the dealer had performed a "100 point inspection" before it was sold. In that check, coolant change was shown to have been done, the brake, transmission and power steering fluids had all been performed and passed by the mechanic. So it was very strange that after less than 5,000 miles the coolant needed to be changed again and that they also said the transmission fluid which had been fine when checked suddenly needed to be changed.
We now have all of our maintainance done at the dealership and their costs a not much more than the lube shops.
On CBC in Canada last week they did a report on this very subject on a jourmal program called Marketplace. They investigated a lube shop and sent in inspected, trouble free cars and were told in each case that work needed to be done. The vehicles were checked after the work was purportedly, done and in every case it was either not done or poorly done.
You can check it out at:
Greasy Business - Marketplace - CBC News