[squad51]

I have the Kia dealer change my oil in the Soul. At 17.99 I cant do it any cheaper.

Anyway I go for an oil change last week. A 45 minute visit took 2 hrs. Told the guy to check my tire ptessure because I had to put alittle air in one a week earlier because the tire light came on. After a bit a serviceman comes to me saying I had a nail but he would "stick a pkug in it". I didnt mind giving them a few bucks to do that.

Next they want to rotate my tires at 19.99 BUT front end needs alignment at 67.00 and then rotation would be free. I said not now.

Finally car is ready oil changed and tire plugged. Bill is 40.00 WHAT? Tire plug was 22 bucks.

Told the guy 10 bucks to plug a tire was high. So he says will only charge 9.99 for oil change lowering my bill.

Ended up paying 38 bucks. The discounted oil change didnt include a bunch of shop disposal fees etc PLUS when i left the dealer had to go back because tire light was on and tbey didnt check pressures. The tires say run 44lbs but the dealer says run 35 because a sticker on the door says so. This was a very aggrevating service..

 

[990Guy]

I've always been told to go by what's on the door regardless of the tire, as long as it's stock size or close to it. The pressure on the tire is the maximum load of the tire, the pressure on the door is what's recommended for the vehicle in question. If you go by the tire it could throw off the handling of your vehicle. Maybe there is a valid counterargument about this, but I've seen some crazy things happen due to over-pressurized tires.

Dealers always rip you off when it comes to maintenance, in my experience. Whatever I can do I try to do, and I usually go to small shops whenever possible. Once you get to know the guy working there they usually don't try to find "little things." Our local Ford dealer was terrible about that.

 

[steddy]

I've always been told to go by what's on the door regardless of the tire, as long as it's stock size or close to it. The pressure on the tire is the maximum load of the tire, the pressure on the door is what's recommended for the vehicle in question. If you go by the tire it could throw off the handling of your vehicle. Maybe there is a valid counterargument about this, but I've seen some crazy things happen due to over-pressurized tires.

Dealers always rip you off when it comes to maintenance, in my experience. Whatever I can do I try to do, and I usually go to small shops whenever possible. Once you get to know the guy working there they usually don't try to find "little things." Our local Ford dealer was terrible about that.

I'll counter argue. My Chevy 1500 rides like crap if the tires fall much under 65-70 psi. It gets really fishy and squishy around corners, even at legal speed. Heavy duty tires, I guess. 80 PSI is what I try to keep them at, which is what the sidewall says. Stock size (or at least close, I dunno) but load rating is WAY off from stock.

 

[squad51]

I was told the tire light triggers to come on at 35psi the tire sidewall says inflate to 44.

At 35 psi it wouldnt take but a slight change in psi to cause the light to come on and is verry annoying.

My whole complaint is being charged 22 bucks for a simple plug then trying to get me to do an alignment etc.

I overheard the service guy on the phone telling other customers they "needed" an alignment also.

 

[TWG1572]

I also try to go by the door sticker. That is the "correct" inflation pressure, or at least what the engineers specified. That gets you to the handling and weight carrying characteristics they designed.

In real life, I was known to cheat by a couple psi one way or the other based on the tires wear patterns. But the advent of tpms pretty much eliminated that. At least on the lower side.

I used to have a 1500, and I can't imagine 65 psi in those tires. I think it would have bounced down the road. But I know LT tires are a different beast and require different pressures.

 

[larrybl]

Don't have an issue with the ignition key :Stop: http://www.mytractorforum.com/111-car-talk/867546-2012-ford-focus-%-%-mykey.html

 

[steddy]

I agree. There's always little stuff they try to get you for. alignment is one they can always show you a report from a machine that shows it's off, but is it really enough to matter? Probably not. I'm not sure there is not a perfectly aligned vehicle out there anywhere... It would be fun to have all the service done by a reputable mechanic you trust, oversee the work to make sure it's done. Then, take the car to another shop and have them give the car their 30 point inspection, and see what they "find."
Cabin air filter is another one they'll get you for...

 

[steddy]

I also try to go by the door sticker. That is the "correct" inflation pressure, or at least what the engineers specified. That gets you to the handling and weight carrying characteristics they designed.

I used to have a 1500, and I can't imagine 65 psi in those tires. I think it would have bounced down the road. But I know LT tires are a different beast and require different pressures.

The tires are wrong for the truck. It goes from "squishy" at 70 PSI to "lumber wagon" at 75-80. I found it's just best to get used to the crappy ride until they wear out? They will be replaced with tires that aren't meant for a one ton dually. Traction on wet pavement is superb. Ice and snow, not so much. Needs 4wd everywhere in winter. Gets stuck pretty easy, but braking isn't too awful bad.

 

[MrGiggles]

I'll counter argue. My Chevy 1500 rides like crap if the tires fall much under 65-70 psi. It gets really fishy and squishy around corners, even at legal speed. Heavy duty tires, I guess. 80 PSI is what I try to keep them at, which is what the sidewall says. Stock size (or at least close, I dunno) but load rating is WAY off from stock.

LT tires perform best with 60-80 PSI. Your truck may have come with P rated tires if it is a 1500, which would be why the sticker is so much lower.

I have the Kia dealer change my oil in the Soul. At 17.99 I cant do it any cheaper.

Anyway I go for an oil change last week. A 45 minute visit took 2 hrs. Told the guy to check my tire ptessure because I had to put alittle air in one a week earlier because the tire light came on. After a bit a serviceman comes to me saying I had a nail but he would "stick a pkug in it". I didnt mind giving them a few bucks to do that.

Next they want to rotate my tires at 19.99 BUT front end needs alignment at 67.00 and then rotation would be free. I said not now.

Finally car is ready oil changed and tire plugged. Bill is 40.00 WHAT? Tire plug was 22 bucks.

Told the guy 10 bucks to plug a tire was high. So he says will only charge 9.99 for oil change lowering my bill.

Ended up paying 38 bucks. The discounted oil change didnt include a bunch of shop disposal fees etc PLUS when i left the dealer had to go back because tire light was on and tbey didnt check pressures. The tires say run 44lbs but the dealer says run 35 because a sticker on the door says so. This was a very aggrevating service..

At 22.00 I would expect them to break the tire down and install a proper plug-patch.

It takes 2 minutes to install a plug, and it's not even the proper repair. I'm surprised they even install them, for liability reasons. The only time you want to use a plug is if the hole is in the corner of the tread or sidewall, and in that case they should have just recommended a new tire. I wouldn't go back.

 

[squad51]

We have plugged dozens of tires on just about everything over the years . Never an issue. If I get a nail its gettin a plug. We picked up a screw awhile back in the Soul. Plugged it and its been rolling several thousand miles and still going strong.

 

[MrGiggles]

A lot of people do and don't have any issues, but there is a reason that tire manufacturers don't consider them a permanent repair. Plugs are not anchored that well and can work loose, and just a patch allows rainwater into the tire carcass. A plug patch is the only "proper" repair.

From the dealer's standpoint, they definitely don't want the plug to work loose and have to deal with an angry customer that's now stuck on the side of the road, or the potential liability of someone driving on a flat, with today's litigation driven society. It's a little shady to just recommend a plug, especially for a dealer.

 

[squad51]

I am going to call the dealer and see what they actually did. 22 bucks for a simple plugging is crazy.

 

[glenn27]

They are most likely, going to tell you that was for 1/4 or 1/2 hour of their 'going shop labor rate'--not just a one time fee.

Big shops/chain tire stores/ mega-dealerships have soooooooo much over-head they have to pay for, plus the technician or whatever has to account for about every minute he is logged onto your work order....
Just the way the repair business has evolved--:dunno:

 

[Mike.ASC]

Your experience is simple the way the game is played by many dealerships and chain stores. They offer discounted services to get you in the door (called a loss leader) then they offer additional services at their normal rates which are typically higher than independent shops - all for the purpose of luring you away from other shops. You have to understand that every shop ( dealership ,chain store, independent) has overhead and typically the bigger the fixed overhead the more games they try to play to get you in the door to get as much money out of you. At my shop I don't do the bait and switch game and I never have. I charge 43.95 for a conventional oil & filter change and I charge 15.00 to plug a tire and 15.00 additional to rotate wheels at the same time as the oil change. I am a independent shop and have been in business for 27 years now and my customers know that I will never recommend anything that is not needed and I don't have to lure them in with services that I lose money on just to get it back on something else. As far as the tire pressure issue goes the pressures recommended on the door apply to the original tires installed on the car at the time of manufacture. If the replacement tires are identical to the originals then used the recommended pressure on the door but often tire technology changes with time and the general rule of thumb I use is I inflate the tires up to within 10%-15% of the maximum inflation pressure on the tires assuming they are the same load range tire as what's designed for the car. If you go to a certain shop because they offer a discounted service that you are taking advantage of you shouldn't expect them to not to try to make it up somehow ...no offense .

 

[Tractor-Holic]

Have you priced "tire plugs" lately ?..they are hard to find for under 5 bucks for any that work--and now say "for lawn & garden and ATV use" on the package,because most states now declared them "illegal" to put on vehicles,they want the tire removed and the carcass inspected for damage,and a "plug-patch" combo unit installed !--most tire places want 20+ bucks to do that--and they'll sell you a better used tire than yours,for almost the same cost..

I run load range "E" tires on my 3/4 ton GMC,and keep 50 lbs in them when I'm not hauling anything...less makes it feel like your driving on 4 flats,the rolling resistance is a lot higher at 32 psi...so far I have noticed no center tread wear from over-inflation,but the right front still burns off the two outer treads in short order,despite toe in being adjusted right..

I took my pickup to a quick-lube place just once,when I had just had surgery,and didn't feel good enough to do it myself--their "19.95 special" for oil and filter change ended up being 30 bucks because the fine print "excludes diesels",and mine takes 6 to 7 qts,not 5,of 15W-40--they put in 10W-30 non diesel rated oil,and charged another 2 bucks for a "diesel oil filter",when it takes the exact same number as any other small block chevy !...

When I complained about them putting the "wrong" oil in it-- they said "well--we only have "bulk" tanks of 10W-30--if we had been told it was a diesel,we'd have had to buy diesel oil from a parts store !..."and it wont hurt anything"..
They also did a "10 minute 12 point service check",tried checking the master cylinder,rear and front diff oil level,and greased all fittings--which took more like 30 minutes,then they inform me "the rear diff filler plug is stripped,we cant get it off"--and they vacumed the interior and sucked up some dump stickers I had stashed in my seat cover pockets that cost 10 bucks--they were able to retrieve them from the shop vac though...

I had a battle getting the boogered up filler plug out of the rear diff,I put one with a square head on it instead of that stupid 3/8" "inverted" GM one..had to weld a bolt into it to remove it!..

Needless to say I never went back there again..my younger brother took his Dodge Shadow there once and when I checked the oil level when he got home,it was barely on the dipstick,almost 2 quarts low!..had him take me there and showed them the dipstick,and the manager gave us a "cup" full of oil to add..when he saw me,I saw his face get that "Uh-Oh" look on it!...he explained "we have a overhead lube delivery system that we set to the desired amount,and it stops "automatically" at whatever we set it for..(yeah--2 qts,so you can pay for 4-5 qts,and maybe cook your engine too,no extra charge!)....

I have things like this happen nearly every time anyone else works on my "junks"..so I do whatever I can myself,and dread having to bring them elsewhere to be fixed..

 

[squad51]

My Kia dealer is 25 miles away. I have to go there anyway to buy a Kia oil filter if I change mynown oil so might as well let them service the car. But they will never do anything else unless its a have to.

According to them if you dont use a Kia filter it voids the warranty. Who really knows.

 

[glenn27]

I don't know about KIA in particular, but didn't the US Govt. have a 'act' I think, a long time ago about name-brand filters vs. ??
I know--of course the Dealer WANTS you to buy from them, but I would go higher up the food chain and find out for myself....Me-Myself, I have three different vehicles and for many/many years--have used NAPA Gold filters (made by Wix)--and never any oil related or warrenty problems.

Think about it this way--some company, somewhere MAKES that filter for KIA--and they may 'low-bid' it out every several years..:dunno:
glenn

 

[squad51]

Your probably right about that filter deal but its Kias call if there ever was an engine problem.

( you didnt use the recommended filter so we cant warranty it)

Back in 98 I bought a brand new Kawasaki Vulcan bike. The dealer said only use Kawi oil and filter.Very expensive. After awhile I started using Pennzoil and Carquest filters. Much cheaper. Never had any issue at all.

I have been in the equipment relat3d industry most of my life and the only oil related engine problems I have ever seen were caused by lack of oil. Not a filter.

 

[matt167]

per the law. They cannot specify the filter used as long as it meets spec. You will not void warranty. I do oil changes on kia cars all the time, all well within warranty and never an OEM filter. That's a lot of cars running around that would have voided warranties according to the logic you were given

 

[Tractor-Holic]

That's the "Magnuson-Moss" act,that states if a manufacturer requires "their" parts to be used to maintain a warranty,they must provide it free of charge...been in effect since 1975..