re: Car stealerships need to die out.

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Why in the hell did you go into the dealer? You deserve the pain you’re currently going through.

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My wife's van has lifetime free service on various shite if we always bring it to them. It sucks, but oil changes, etc, are expensive.

They always recommend other shite that just makes me laugh and cry for the people in the waiting room, though. They will try to convince people that replacing air filter, cabin air filter, a light bulb, and windshield wipers is is $500 or more in total cost, when it's $50 max in parts and less than 10 minutes labor.

I generally as a rule avoid the dealership for everything possible, but occasionally I might have them provide a diagnosis to confirm my findings and get a quote for good humor. Kid's Subaru needed new CVT valve, the dealer wanted something stupid like $5k or more, the fix was $1.2k at a local shop. My truck needed some work and Toyota quoted me over $4k, and my local shop also agreed to $1.2k, roughly. Dealers just replace stuff, they don't really fix things.. they won't willingly replace or just fix a component when they can try to sell replacing the whole part.

On an unrelated issue, my FIL tells me he took his Toyota in to the dealership for an oil change (Problem #1)
Sucked in for an air filter change (Problem #2)
Told he needs new tires (Problem #3)
Gets home , notices oil leaking.
Back to dealership to explain
Dealership tells him he has a faulty oil pan and needs retapping for the plug. $75 charge (Problem #4)
FIL not savvy enough to realize he's getting screwed.

And replace with what? Manufacturer owned service facility? Do you think because the dealer isn’t there the cost will go down? You don’t think the manufacturers are there to make as much money as possible? Be careful what you wish for.

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The right to fix stuff with John Deere is eye opening.

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Not taking the dealerships side here, but the manufacturers are absolutely fricking them too. Gotta buy the hardware. Gotta buy the right computers. Gotta buy the software. Got all that? Gotta pay a fee for the privilege of using the shite you've bought. Some even have a per use fee.

So many companies are squeezing the life out of their dealerships and customers. The model has shifted from high upfront costs to high upfront costs AND what amounts to a subscription to use the shite you buy.

They’re definitely there for a reason. But you basically have to become an a-hole to deal with them. They count on you being a nice, decent person in order to maximize profit. I keep to the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule pretty closely, and this one dealership always tried to push their own schedule on me. Twice, they did something from “their” maintenance schedule against my direct wishes and tried to charge me. Both times, I had to sit there and fight with them in front of other customers to get it taken off my bill. Last time I ever went there.

The worst in BR is anything All Star. You’re better off buying from some fly-by-night used car lot than dealing with them.

Editing to add a nice plug for Subaru of Baton Rouge, who were friggin awesome. Never had an issue in the world with them.

In 20 years there will be no more dealerships - the auto makers will squeeze out the dealer structure and reemerge it with delivery and service centers.

A life changing thought. The car computer throws an error code saying take it to the dealer who hooks it up to a hand held computer.

Why not just combine the logic bases and have the car computer provide complete information.

I went through this type of ordeal a month ago. 800 bucks