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That's what they constantly do when I work for Ford on the powerstrokes the first gen they tried getting me to replace $2,500 worth of injectors when the lady only needed a $5 fuel heater needless to say I got fired because I refused. I replaced the lady's fuel heater and sent her on her way
Hey Scotty , I have a 2005 Mercedes c230 Kompressor and I recently installed new brakes but they make a screeching sound when I apply the brakes what do you recommend
I went to a dealer when I had a Chevy Sonic when the service advisor told me my power steering fluid was dirty and should be changed, I looked at him and asked if he could suck Abit of the fluid out and show me how dirty it was, when he left I asked to talk to the owner who I was talking too when the advisor came back to show me the fluid. I told the advisor that's not from my car he stated it was, I told them both my car had electric power steering. Awkward. Free service tho.
Had my Honda Fit in for a warranty recall 10 years ago. They recommended a bunch of service items, one being an automatic transmission flush. I had a manual. Never went to that dealership again.
@@alexquiring2437 -- I had a Nissan dealer want to "lubricate the propeller shaft" on my 2015 Nissan Altima. Being front-wheel-drive, it didn't have one. Only the Rogue 4x4 (on the Altima platform) had that item.
Before I started doing my own oil changes, I used to use the "Jiffy" service (you know who!) & that day they told me that the air filter needed replaced. I *IMMEDIATELY* said "show me" & they brought me a paper filter. "Um...that's not mine because I run a K&N oiled filter". "It's a '16 Mustang...I'm a car guy & I THINK I know my own car!" 0_o Moral to the story...free oil change that day & I do my own now! LOOOO-oooo-zers!
@@ScottMeister Last and final time took my car to a oil change place called jiffy lube was to get trans fluid changed did not have time to change myself and needed it, , left and and a weird feeling immediately parked it, checked and left 2 quarts low went back and made them change all fluid again and I checked before leaving that time. Also just tell them to only change the oil In a hurry do not even bother checking anything else (I had already changed everything else, came back and started telling my wiper blades were shot needed new filter, etc, I had just put all that on new before bringing to them, never went back!
When people ask me why I trust Scotty with car advice, I point out the fact he's a millionaire and still working the jack, taking tires on and off, working up a sweat.
I took my mustang to the dealer. My backup camera would dim down occasionally. They told me my back up camera needed to be completely replaced. The mechanic said part and labor 700. I took it to my mechanic he just tightened the screws around the camera worked perfectly fine.
Dealership: You need $750 worth of work done on your vehicle. Me: I'm subscribed to Scotty Kilmer so I'll know if your scamming me. Dealership: Your free to go sir, have a good day
@@MrPetepeeters101 I had a 2 year old Hyundai, 30,000km. Dealership told me I needed a rad flush, brake service, possible transmission flush. I said No. They told me if I didn't do it they would keep note and it would void my warranty. I then, not so politely, told them to go epf themselves. Been 2 new dealership owners since, but the word was out from before and its killed their sales, people buy elsewhere. They also charged me $120 for an oil change, Castrol GTX! Synthetic change $150. Out to lunch.
I'm on UA-cam Mobile and right after he said the word 'life', I immediately got the Pad Thai Postmates commercial that starts off with "Life is full of challenges but to don't have to Pad Thai them alone.." Talk about perfect timing lol.
Lord, why can’t we just have honest, reliable people that know vehicles like you as our vehicle maintenance service repair?! Your kind is good as gold!
Lucky I know of one...21 years ago he was a mobil mechanic on wheels....fixed my ignition issue...then said no charge!!!!! he now owns a brick and morter shop and I will be seeing him from now on.....NO MORE DEALERSHIPS FOR ME
My boyfriend took his Nissan Altima to the dealership for an oil change and they said both ball joints needed to be replaced. 100,000 miles later still the same ball joints with no issues, no clicking..
A nearby Honda dealership has a laser alignment setup, they check the alignment every time a vehicle comes in. They even show us the printout. Where I live, the roads are so bad that 5k alignments are sometimes a reality depend on what you drive and how tall your tire sidewall is. 🤷♂️
@@zfixation9817 most alignment racks use lasers. In order to get an accurate measurement of your alignment, it needs to be put on an alignment rack, and set up by a technician. They do have the things at the dealership, that when you drive over it, it will read your tread depth and get a basic reading, maybe based on tire wear. There is no way you should need an alignment after 5k miles, unless a component in your suspension is bent, and in that case, you need more than an alignment. Vast majority of the alignments I did at the dealership, needed very little, or no adjustment, usually just a small amount of toe. You only need an alignment if you notice significant tire wear problems, or pulling/crooked steering wheel.
@@lysbest0708 -- I generally go more than 50,000 miles before getting alignments.......and that is only when I buy a new set of tires. The car still doesn't "pull" and no uneven tire wear.
I've found that some local independent shops actually charge more than the dealership for some repairs. Some independents have claimed they're familiar with my car, when I found they obviously weren't.
Most independent shops don't charge over $100/hr for labor and charge a premium for parts because they're OEM. I can buy OEM parts on Rock Auto for less, and I charge about half the labor rate of dealers. Also, I use book time or actual time, whichever is less, for repairs. I did the timing set on a Cadillac SRX 3.6L, because of a tensioner failure, in 10 hours. Book time was 19.2 hours. Plus, I got the timing set for $150 vs $500 dealer price. Had the dealer done the job, the bill would have been around $2,500, instead of the $700 he ended up paying to me!
40 seconds in and there is 1 thumbs down? I don't get why they subscribe. Dont be hating on Scotty all he does is help people. Mad respect from Ontario 🇨🇦 . Thanks Scotty you're the best 👍👍
Scotty I am an OLD man who has been driving since I was 15 and owned 54 cars. The more of your videos I watch, the more I TOTALLY agree with you. I wish I was still physically able to rebuild an engine, change brakes, tansmission, etc. There was a lot of satisfaction in those things. I designed and programmed computer systems for a living, but for PLEASURE I once liked drag racing. I enjoy your videos. Thank you sooo much for post5ng them.
I didn't realize how expensive and time consuming it is to replace the starter on some cars. I remember the starter on my 2005 Camry went and the mechanic came to my house and replaced it on my driveway within 10 minutes. Cost me $120 with parts lol
@suny123boy1 They don't make them like they used to. I bought a 2020 Corolla SE and while its great so far, I don't think it'll last nearly as long as the 05
It's over $400 just for the OEM part on my Accord. I remember changing starters for $50 and 30 minutes of time. Some vehicles just suck in certain categories.
Some cars it's really easy, replaced the starter in a Ford Taurus, only took an hour, would of went quicker, but instead of jacking it up and crawling underneath, I just removed the battery and battery holder and replaced it from the top.
@P Mason Yes! And they are or were a proprietary part with no aftermarket or OEM air shocks available besides the dealer. My friend had to get one fixed. But he's loaded and just paid for it. I think his car rides like a go cart. Not the limousine ride I was expecting from a high end MB.
3 new cars and everyone of them had a nail in the tire . supposedly . I told them I have friend who works on tires. So I did not need to buy a new one. First 2 guys said okay. The 3rd one said it would be too dangerous to drive around like that. . It was just a little piece of the nail. Now that's TOYOTA CARE .
I took my 2010 Toyota Corolla to the Toyota Service center because I was having issues. They stated I needed to pay $140 for a diagnostic. I asked them do they think it might be the alternator (I did a Google search) they stated no. There isn't any problems with my alternator. They wrote me a quote for $4,700 of other items. Nothing contained the alternator. Well three days later, my car completely shut off on the highway. Basely, it was the alternator! I was mad! A waste of $140 for a diagnostic. Plus, I even asked them if the alternator might be the issue! They are useless!
Last winter I pushed my snowmobile to the shop.The mechanic said, "It looks like you blew a seal." I told him, "nope,just a little frost in my mustache. "
I work at a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership and we never have to lie about stuff being broken because there’s already enough broken stuff to begin with 😂😂😂
I had a Dodge intrepid that wouldn't pass smog because of some computer not resetting, that was when i was young and didn't know any better and in California, so i got a Rigged smog test and passed after spending $1,000 at Dodge for nothing
If you have a newer car with a complicated problem, I highly recommend going to the dealer. They have the knowledge, special tools, and online tools, to fix your car right the first time. Trouble is finding a good dealership, and technician. You just need to educate yourself about cars, the basics are easy to learn. When I worked at the dealer, I wouldn't want half the techs there work on my car, there are some hacks. However, the other half know your specific make and model better than any independent shop, or Scotty does. Also, don't put any part of your body under the car when you don't have jack stands under the car, and remember to torque the lug nuts.
I work in the automotive industry and I have to deal with dealerships on a regular basis. Unfortunately based on my experience dealerships are some of the most dishonest businesses out there. There are a few good ones of course but the majority you really have to watch out. Love your videos Scotty keep up the great work!
The only time that I will bring my car to a dealership is when there is a recall. Other than that, I stay away. One dealership tried to charge me $4,000 for a job. I took it to my new honest mechanic. He fixed it for $800
Everything you said was on point. I’ve worked at a few dealerships and even if a costumer comes in to the parts department a service advisor will offer to have the parts installed by a tech at a ridiculous rate, “but hey it was worth a try”. I’ve even had sales personnel stand next to the parts counter, offering to take a lady’s minivan as a trade in when all she wanted was a $30 set of steering bushings. Lady said “nope it’s paid for so it doesn’t make sense to go in debt over bad bushings..”
Nissan here in Australia told me I needed new brake pads and rotors. Front were down to 25% back 30%. I asked to see the service manager as I'd just replaced them all 3 days ago. The manager wouldn't come and speak, just apologised and said they'd been looking at the wrong car.
Got hired as a dealership mechanic helper right out of high school in the seventies. Lasted about six months in the industry bc of the dishonesty. Last straw was an old black man brought in his old personal taxi ( this was a thing back then) that had no brake lights. Decided to check the brake light switch at the pedal and found it to be out of adjustment. 5 minutes later and car is fixed. Tell the boss and instead of being happy we are getting cars fixed he says to write up 'had to rewire back half of brake light circuit to repair inoperative brake lights'. I lost all respect for the man and the industry. Didnt even tell me to clean up the old wires in the back to cover our asses. Its an everyday thing around here, why bother? Went back to school after my real world education. I still repair my own cars. Havent brought a car to a mechanic since I was in high school.
I worked at a dealership I won't name for a few years, to be eligible for the lifetime oil changes you would have to follow THEIR reccomended service schedule, not the owners manual or you would lose your eligibility. Of course the sales people wouldn't explain that prior to them buying the car. Service advisors are also paid commission, that should speak for itself.
I don't know much about cars. What I do know is that I'm tired of stealerships and un-trustworthy auto mechanics trying to sell me a bag of goods or services that I don't need. This is why I come to your channel Scotty. Thank you!
You can get oem parts from reputable online stores. I have a 2017 Jetta tsi I get my own parts from Autohauz located in Arizona. Their prices much better than the dealership.
I avoid private mechanics who mainly use knock off (aftermarket) parts and non OEM service manuals as well. ID rather do most myself, but take it to factory trained techs when not.
My observation: - There is a nail in the driver rear tire. - The shocks look like they are sweating (small leak) on the bottom. It's common on these cars. - Don't ever put WD40 on the lug nuts! Only anti-seize or leave them dry.
Hi Luke, why is Water Displacement formula 40 bad? I get it doesn't prevent seizing up, but it does help on moisture repellent. Is it due to the fact that it does nothing to help the seizing up, or is there some other negative reason?
Ask any physicist. Gas mileage always is a matter of an amount of fuel to move a given mass of vehicle around. Period. Want better mileage? A: Get a lighter vehicle. Need a heavier/bigger vehicle? A: It WILL get worse mileage.
Nissan dealer charged my friend for bleeding brakes. Friend asked me what that was. I explained to him and told him how to verify that it was done. The bleeder screw caps would show signs of having been removed, We looked, they were still covered in original unmolested layer of dirt. Friend got his money refunded on that one. Later he asked them to change spark plugs, we looked up how to do it noting that to change the back three required the removal of a lot of parts, I think a manifold had to be removed. Friend asked to see the old plugs when he picked up his car. They went to look for removed and came back telling friend that they could only find three of them. I tried to convince friend to insist that he be refunded because they most likely did not change the back three. He didn't bother. later he actually bought another new Nissan from them. There is just no hope for some people and why dealers keep cheating people. At least, now, friend's latest new car is a Honda.
I changed my back plugs in our old Altima and was pissed at how much crap I had to take off to get to the rear plugs. Almost had to remove the windshield. NEVER buy a Nissan!!!
You might want to rethink that. Newer modern cars have an automated bleed done with a scanner. This keeps the 2000 dollar ABS module from freezing up, and removes micro air bubbles which can form in the valves. The bleed screws at the wheels aren't involved with that process; and one can simply cram the brakes on during rainy weather on a blacktop road to force ABS operation, but that is highly risky for the layperson such as yourself.
They should force service techs of any kind to high definition record their work with proper identification and time. Cops wear body cam so does service technician.
Dealer wanted $150 to repair broken radio antenna on Aunt's Pontiac Sunfire. I bought bracket that goes inside the trunk (genuine factory part) for $8, took me 15 min. to bolt new one in. If they lowered their prices and got more business' they would make more money in the long run.
For the first time in my life, I found my local Honda dealership to be cheaper and better service then the popular local shops. But the dealership 30 minutes away tried to do the air and cabin filter ($100) scams on me and every customer who walked through the door. Asked my mechanic at my dealership and he said they are brand new.
Honda of Concord gave me a coupon on 3 fluid exchanges for 15% off, the trans fluid, coolant and brake fluid only cost me $283. And that was for OEM fluids. The independent shop near me wanted $75 more for potentially non-OEM fluids. Sometimes the dealers aren’t so bad.
I was looking for a some brake discs for my Fiesta, called everyone from O'Reilly to local Ford shops. Turns out the cheapest price was at my local Ford dealership 🤷♂️ Still wouldn't pay them to put them on though
Hans Moleman Yeah If you’re talking about the Honda dealership in Concord, North Carolina, I’ve had a pretty good experience with them. Unfortunately I’ve had to move from Concord NC to Findlay OH and the local Honda dealership here called Reineke Honda also seems to be giving good deals as well. They charge $44 for full synthetic oil change which sounds pretty good.
Not only these scams, but dealerships will also sometimes do maintenance that you didn't ask them to do or told them NOT to do. I once took my Dodge Dakota to the Spring (Texas) Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealership to get a new lock since someone had tried to break into my truck while I lived in Houston. They not only fixed the lock, but also replaced the windshield wipers without my authorization. I told them to replace them with the old ones, and they said something like "We threw them away." I never went back to that dealership and recommend everyone stay away from them.
I do agree. I have a 04 Accord, pretty old and looks bad, but it works fine. One day, I took the vehicle to the vehicle workshop for a state inspection near the place I live, they recommended ~$2000 services. What a joke! The vehicle was only worth $1500. That is the day I started to work on my vehicles. It has been almost 3 years now, so far so good. Save a lot from maintaining my own vehicles and I am still driving that 04 Accord.
I remember the first time a bought my Toyota Prius 8 years ago, I had a 3 years maintenance package at the dealership. I had a maintenance every 6 months . My wife was like “it’s a Toyota I don’t think you need to go” but I thought the dealership knows better and I listened to them. Every single time I went I left with a 300 dollars bill!! After the 3rd time I was like “ why do I have to pay extra?!” The dealership was like “oh we had to replace the filters or whatever part”! Now I watch this and I now know I was getting robbed !!! Lessons learned!
If the person with the A/C problem has "one side cold and one side warm" like he said, that may not be a low refrigerant problem at all. It might be a "blend actuator" issue, in which the cold air isn't being distributed to one side. Chryslers are famous for this problem, but afaik it can affect any model that uses that type of air distribution system.
Very common in dodge caravans and Jeep Grand Cherokees. The cheapest fix is to connect the two blend flaps together and eliminate dual zone altogether. They also have window regulator issues and power sliding door regulator problems. Garbage vehicles!
cocojp : Probably not a bad estimate from the dealership. OEM AC filter and engine air filter, both combined would cost around 40-50 dollars, plus the charges for installation. I would do it yourself, there are plenty of how-to-do videos. Wear gloves and be careful not to damage the paper elements in the filters. I would vacuum both areas (or at least wipe clean) before installing the new filters. Dealership don't do that good of a job anyway.
@@sxb080511 They shouldn't charge a dime for installation when they bring the old filters to you in the waiting room to show how dirty they are. The "labor" has been done at no charge.
Hey Scotty, You've saved me a ton of money. Thank you. Here is a review I left a mechanic who tried to screw me. "Unfortunately, I had a terrible experience with this business. Mistake or intentional: they overcharged me for a muffler replacement. I agreed on a $400 plus tax price. Then, I placed a deposit of $200, and when I came back to get my vehicle they said it was $450 plus tax. I recommend anyone doing business with this place to get receipts and written statements on agreed-upon prices. Secondly, when I came in with my vehicle, the power steering was fine, but when I picked up my vehicle it was suddenly stiff and hard to turn. Between the overcharge on the muffler and this new issue with my car, I was left feeling like this business was looking for a money grab. I then foolishly asked for another quote on the power steering issue, and they tried to convince me that I needed to change the rack and pinion for $480 plus tax. Again, feeling like I was being taken advantage of I immediately got my car out of the place out of fear they would "find another issue". Lastly, I ended up fixing the power steering issue by watching a 2 minute UA-cam video by Scotty Kilmer. I paid $20 bucks for all the supplies and fixed it in less than an hour. Sea Foam Trans Tune is your best friend for stiff power steering. I'm no mechanic, so ultimately, if you can't fix it yourself, find a TRUSTED mechanic. CUSTOMERS PLEASE BEWARE. Do not look like a deer in headlights. They will take advantage of you. It sucks because I really wanted to do business with them..." All because of your knowledge and references, Scotty, I was able to save myself so many headaches. Thank you.
Think this is one of your best, I naively had a branded mechanic shop a few years ago tell me the whole front end of the car was all out, frightened me with the cost, went to a different mechanic, it was small problems, under 100$ to fix. Since then I try to learn a bit. Thank you !
I took my 06 Baja Manual in excellent condition, 1 previous owner to the dealer for fun.Easily worth $8k on Craigslist. They said because it had 154k miles and an aftermarket stereo they could offer $2500. I laughed and walked away. It’s fun to see used car salesmen attempt a low ball and Freakout that I walked away
I told a guy at Honda NO when he said I need to replace my suspension because it was leaking. My car is only 34k miles old and 6 months later I haven't noticed the tiniest problem with my suspension. He tried to steel 1000 dollars from me and glad I didnt get scammed, this was from a Scott Honda too.
10 years ago and I took my parent's Suburban to Pep Boys for routine maintenance. They said the "rear suspension is leaking" and would be over $800 to fix. Decided to not have them ever "fix" it. Even up to today the rear suspension has not had any issues and no leak in my parents' driveway from the car. Every 1-2 years the Pep Boys location has big signs saying "Under new management". We drive by the store all the time but we haven't really gone back there except for buying parts.
As an employee at a dealership, this is TRUE. Oh my god, I was gonna get parts for my broken down car through the dealership, and A) the mechanic listed several parts that I didn’t *need* which bucked it up several hundred $s, and B) the parts *even at an employee discount* were wayyyy over priced. I saved roughly $700 ordering the same parts online. The labor would be free if I knew how to do it, so that’s gonna be $1200. Typically would run me $3000. If I wasn’t an employee here, I’d be paying almost $5000 for a few steering components and a few hours of labor.
I did the Gadgetman Groove on my 2001 F-250 6.8L with 22 inch rims. I gained at least a half mile per gallon and increased my horsepower tremendously. Scotty can you do the Gadgetman man groove on a live video and let me know what you think.
I have had the same issue with regular mechanics too. It depends a lot on the mechanic looking at your car, private or dealer. You just need to find a mechanic like Scotty.
They did that to me when I went in for airbag recall, had hood up checking my battery, I walked out shut my hood told the zit faced kid, never to open my hood again. He said his boss told them to do it, I told him it's my car I say what goes, end of story.
@@justinacase2623 you do realize for doing an airbag inflator recall the Technician has to disconnect the battery to prevent detonation of the airbag. If I was that Technician I would tell the service writer customer refused the repairs. And let you deal with it.
@@joef2171 agreed, I'd have it disconnected for an hour at least before beginning service to allow the capacitors in the airbag computer to discharge reducing the expensive loud bangs.
My wife brought our car(1997 Pontiac Gran Prix) to a dealership (Dueck On Marine in Vancouver, BC) to get a recall item (oil leakage) fixed for free and left having brake issues which they fixed for free after I complained and informed them that I just had my brakes worked on and look at a couple of weeks ago... smh
Great advice regarding tires. Drives me crazy those who have AWD and are cheap on the tires. The only time you need to worry about your suspension is if you hear knocking from any part of the suspension. When you hear that, something is going on with it. Could be bad shocks, bad ball joints, bad bushing - a number of things. Dealerships are crap for the most part. I only use one dealer for one of my two cars - but I tell them what to do and don't let them do anything else. They are pretty good as their prices are not bad (close to the independent shop and sometimes below it) and they listen and only do what I tell them they can do.
When i was a young man i toom my chevy express to a shop for sparkplugs. Took 8 hours, and they didnt even take the last plug out. Chatged me 1400. This inspired me to do my own work . 10 years later i can do most jobs myself. Scotty makes it even easier. So thanks dude, youve saved my family from hearing alot of cursing lol
You said if your 4 speed transmission only shifts 3 times, there is something wrong. But that is exactly what it should do. 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd, 3rd to 4th. Three shifts.
@Scotty Kilmer. You need to have the Gadgetman Groove guy give you a free mod for one of your cars, then you could review it. It gave a noticeable power increase to my wife's 05 Sienna. I think you have too much faith in the auto MFGs.
Thank's Scotty for your help in all matters of vehicle maintenance. You're a great friend to consumers and because of your decency and character you've earned the right to sleep well at night.
I lease a Nissan Rouge sport SL I brought it to Nissan Dealer for oil change they told me I needed $3000 in work , I pulled the car out and took care of it myself Months later I went back to replace a bent tire rim , they told me the rim is $1500 and I will also need to replace all the tire sensors they wanted close to $2500 to replace a tire rim , I drove off ordered the rim on line $180 plus $47 to have it installed and balanced at mavis tires , Fuk the Dealers !
As a dealer technician I’m here to say it’s not the techs that are trying to steal your money. Most of us are honest and know what we’re doing. We recommend what the car actually needs, it’s the service advisors that want to make extra commission and try and sell you all this extra work that you don’t need on top of what the technician already recommended. At my shop they sell what they call a brake service where we take off the brakes and apply molykote to the brake shims and silicone grease to the slide pens when the vehicle only has 10k miles from factory or after a recent brake job, I never recommend it because I personally think it’s a scam but the amount of customers who buy it because the service advisor recommended it is insane.
Right... You're not paid flat rate? You don't get paid to do that "brake service"? You know how many technicians I knew that would recommend mileage services (40/50/60k) only to find the parts from that service minus the oil change parts still sitting on their toolbox after the car has already left? Or recommending a serp belt replacement with warranty work and double dipping on the overlapping labor? I bet your coworkers love you.
chris20nyy I am flat rate. I make my own hours and average about 60 hours a week even through this pandemic I’ve been doing good for myself. The thing is at my shop almost half the hours I make are services that the service advisor has already sold before I even take a look at the car the other half of the hours I make are my upsales brakes, tires, and all my diag work. Yes it’s nice to turn those hours every week and hit my bonus, but I do feel guilty doing some of the work the service advisors sell knowing damn well that car doesn’t actually need it. But it is what it is, all you can do is get the job done right the first time and take pride in the quality of your work.
It’s hard to find a good honest mechanic in my rural area of Va😢 It’s inconvenient when they want you to drop your car off & keep it for days until they fix it.
Just go to the dealership. This is all crap. All dealers do menu style service pricing. No one gets "ripped off"... Everything they suggest is from the manufacturer. Look at your owners manual for Christ sake.
My mechanic is awesome, will NEVER replace anything that doesn't need it. I live in a small town with 3 repair shops. When you drive by the other two they might have 2 or 3 cars waiting for repair. My mechanic, absolute truth, has at least 3 dozen cars waiting for repair. People will leave their vehicles for as long as it takes to fix because they know he's honest and a great mechanic.
I've been going to the Honda dealership since I bought my car and they have never pushed anything on me, they always do what you asked them to do and that's it, and then have always been very honest, so I'm guessing your mileage may vary regarding dealerships.
Toyota of Plano was good to me last time, they even tightened up my emergency brake which was nice, I didn't know the damn thing was even loose since I got the car used like that
Been taking my 2013 Honda CR-V to dealership for maintenance. 172,000 miles and running strong. No major issues. Took it one time to a local mechanic for a tire rotation and oil change. 2 lug nuts from my front passenger tire fell off on my way home and the other ones on the same tire were all loose. I’ve also been taking my 2016 Buick Enclave to dealership. That one has 100,000 miles and running great with no issues.
I had the opposite experience at a BMW shop. The main problem cost me an arm and a leg but a squeak/crunch in the front suspension was fixed without an extra charge. A private foreign car repair shop wanted to fix the squeaky front end for $1000!
Hello Scotty this is becoming an epidemic among dealerships.Just curious, how many miles on that RAV4?Hope you’re staying safe down there in Houston.Fist bump from NJ.
I've always recommend to my family and friends when the dealership/Mechanic shop says something is wrong with their car to have them put it on a lift and show them the worn parts. Its hard for the dealer to sell "broken parts" when they cant prove it.
I take my car to Brakes Plus. When they tell me I need such and such is it ok to ask the mechanic if they could show me and explain? I go by my cars manual .
Just got an alignment done 2 days ago at a belle tire in the Grand Rapids area. I have a 2012 jeep compass 2.4l 4x4 🙄. Guy at the counter told me they couldnt get the passenger rear wheel perfectly aligned because the toe adjuster was maxed out. Told me they have the part in stock and they could get it done in an hour and it would cost me $275. I said “oh alright, can you tell me what the part number is?” He said he doesnt know the part number. Well then how do you know you have it in stock? Blows my mind sometimes.
7ish years ago I had a car that I took to the dealer at 99,300K. Asked about extending the warranty but was told it wasnt offered. Paid an extra $200 for them to look over the car for an hour and a half to make sure no problems before warranty ran out. Came back around 106,000K for an oil change and they told me I had to have $7,500 worth of repairs to the car. No I didnt miss-type a zero. $7,500. Took it to another mechanic. He fixed everything that needed fixing for $1500. Sold it 3 years later at 160,000K without ever having a problem. That was the last time I went to a dealer.
Here’s the truth, most Dealerships are honest, but, some are not. I don’t think that is fair to say, “ Don’t take your car to the dealership, because they are scamming you “. I have experienced very good, and honest treatment by some dealerships in my area. Reviews really help to make a good decision where to take your car to get good trustworthy servicing. So, just invest a little time to see where to take your car. And, remember, the dealership for your manufactured vehicle usually is the BEST place to get real issues solved, because they know it best, better than the average mechanics shop. Straight up.
Nooo- my experience is that at least if not more than 1/2 are dishonest. You have to test them with a simple self created malfunction and I have to say more than 1/2 dealers and independents recommended unnecessary expensive repairs. Do the same thing with your home A/C, flip a breaker and call them, you will be amazed at their dishonesty. It's the new anything goes dishonesty pays America, so buyer beware.
your 100% correct... all 4 tires have to be from the same lot of tires..... and its absolutely amazing how much ripping off these dealers get away with..
I work for Audi as a technician. I can proudly say all of the things I recommend replacing or servicing are needed and accurate. I have seen a lot of shady things in the dealers, just depends on which mechanic is looking at your car that day and which dealer is doing the work... There are a few honest
Had a 69 Dodge Van in college in the late 79s, the where the engine was between the 2 front bucket seats. My starter went. Got a $30.00 rebuilt starter angled the right side of the van up on the The curb in front of the house, 3 bolts starter out then rebuilt one in. Starter was right there!! Easy! Took about 15 minutes!!
What a lot of people don't realize is, service reps at car dealerships are paid a commission. It's in their best interest to have work done on your vehicle, as much work as possible, whether your car needs it or not. I would never take a car to a dealership to get worked on unless it was under warranty, or I had no other choice.
Hey Scotty! I have been watching your channel for many years now and I always was wondering if you ever heard about the gadgetman groove. I had 2 vehicles with the throttle body mod. The first is 03 GMC Denali 6.0 that gained 4 more mpg on the street and 4 more on highway. The best part is the POWER! Its the whole rpm band of balls. The 07 Acura Mdx had same outcome too with 5mpg plus all the way around and feels like your in "V-Tech" as soon as you press the pedal. You should definitely give a shot.
Hey Claudio, I also tried the groove and noticed more torque when I hit the pedal. Also noticed the tailpipe exhaust has 0 smell to it. Heard many say their exhaust is clean with zero smell so I did a sniff test on my ride and was surprised to see that its true. Dont know how the groove does what it does but it does it for sure. :-)
@CC C So far i only did the groove and gap the plugs at .55 and made sure my mas airflow sensor was cleaned. Obviously I did a proper ecu relearn and my results were awesome.
Gadgetman groove is no scam it .makes engine work more efficently and more cleaner your gas mileage. Go bye your throttle pressure. Also you can take igroove off, your car has been grooved no turn I back I've been doing it 10yrs. It. Good
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That's what they constantly do when I work for Ford on the powerstrokes the first gen they tried getting me to replace $2,500 worth of injectors when the lady only needed a $5 fuel heater needless to say I got fired because I refused. I replaced the lady's fuel heater and sent her on her way
Hey Scotty , I have a 2005 Mercedes c230 Kompressor and I recently installed new brakes but they make a screeching sound when I apply the brakes what do you recommend
@@sawfather06 Good on ya mate!
What is a good quick strut? KYB? Gabriels?
Scotty, is a 370z a good first car? I learned to drive since I was 14, gas money is not an issue, what do you say?
I went to a dealer when I had a Chevy Sonic when the service advisor told me my power steering fluid was dirty and should be changed, I looked at him and asked if he could suck Abit of the fluid out and show me how dirty it was, when he left I asked to talk to the owner who I was talking too when the advisor came back to show me the fluid.
I told the advisor that's not from my car he stated it was, I told them both my car had electric power steering. Awkward. Free service tho.
Had my Honda Fit in for a warranty recall 10 years ago. They recommended a bunch of service items, one being an automatic transmission flush. I had a manual. Never went to that dealership again.
I had a shop say my transfer case fluid was dirty. I told them it's a 2wd. They just said oh our mistake
@@alexquiring2437 -- I had a Nissan dealer want to "lubricate the propeller shaft" on my 2015 Nissan Altima.
Being front-wheel-drive, it didn't have one. Only the Rogue 4x4 (on the Altima platform) had that item.
Before I started doing my own oil changes, I used to use the "Jiffy" service (you know who!) & that day they told me that the air filter needed replaced. I *IMMEDIATELY* said "show me" & they brought me a paper filter. "Um...that's not mine because I run a K&N oiled filter". "It's a '16 Mustang...I'm a car guy & I THINK I know my own car!" 0_o
Moral to the story...free oil change that day & I do my own now! LOOOO-oooo-zers!
@@ScottMeister Last and final time took my car to a oil change place called jiffy lube was to get trans fluid changed did not have time to change myself and needed it, , left and and a weird feeling immediately parked it, checked and left 2 quarts low went back and made them change all fluid again and I checked before leaving that time. Also just tell them to only change the oil In a hurry do not even bother checking anything else (I had already changed everything else, came back and started telling my wiper blades were shot needed new filter, etc, I had just put all that on new before bringing to them, never went back!
When people ask me why I trust Scotty with car advice, I point out the fact he's a millionaire and still working the jack, taking tires on and off, working up a sweat.
dealers have an incentive to rip you off---Scotty has an incentive to "out" dealers.
I reckon Scotty could change the wheels faster than F1 mechanics.!
I'm sure scotty isn't rich just has saved.
@@dw6empires he's a net worth millionaire.
Hey Scotty , just a suggestion: create tutorial playlists for fixing each car part.
Solid
You tryna get Scotty knocked off Smh
Facts
YES!
Nah that’s ChrisFix’s job
Scotty Kilmer: The hardest working and most decent and honest man in automotive repair. Thank you Scotty from one of your millions of fans.
Buy him a cake ....ha ha ha ha...
STRAIGHT UP
Since he is so wonderful and amazing maybe u can meet Scotty one day and toss his salad....
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I took my mustang to the dealer. My backup camera would dim down occasionally. They told me my back up camera needed to be completely replaced. The mechanic said part and labor 700. I took it to my mechanic he just tightened the screws around the camera worked perfectly fine.
Dealership: You need $750 worth of work done on your vehicle.
Me: I'm subscribed to Scotty Kilmer so I'll know if your scamming me.
Dealership: Your free to go sir, have a good day
MVP comment
Take you car in for a recall notice and the dealer will try to sell you $750 of "recommended services."
@@tommytruth7595 they did it to me with my Honda when in for the recall and got an estimate bill for about $1000.
@@MrPetepeeters101 I had a 2 year old Hyundai, 30,000km. Dealership told me I needed a rad flush, brake service, possible transmission flush. I said No. They told me if I didn't do it they would keep note and it would void my warranty. I then, not so politely, told them to go epf themselves. Been 2 new dealership owners since, but the word was out from before and its killed their sales, people buy elsewhere.
They also charged me $120 for an oil change, Castrol GTX! Synthetic change $150. Out to lunch.
You're
“It’s old so there’s no back up camera but that’s life” - when your mechanic doubles as a therapist😂
This gave me a good laugh, too.
Wow, he was saying this right as I read your comment... 😳
I'm on UA-cam Mobile and right after he said the word 'life', I immediately got the Pad Thai Postmates commercial that starts off with "Life is full of challenges but to don't have to Pad Thai them alone.."
Talk about perfect timing lol.
You can retrofit one if your heart desires..
lmao
Lord, why can’t we just have honest, reliable people that know vehicles like you as our vehicle maintenance service repair?! Your kind is good as gold!
Lucky I know of one...21 years ago he was a mobil mechanic on wheels....fixed my ignition issue...then said no charge!!!!! he now owns a brick and morter shop and I will be seeing him from now on.....NO MORE DEALERSHIPS FOR ME
In the South, maybe?
My boyfriend took his Nissan Altima to the dealership for an oil change and they said both ball joints needed to be replaced. 100,000 miles later still the same ball joints with no issues, no clicking..
Bad ball joints don't make clicking noise, your talking about CV joints.
You should probably change them just to be on the safe side.
Car dealers are also telling people that the car needs alignment every 5K miles!! That's another scam!!
I can’t agree more. The painful thing is that it gets worse after they do the alignment.
Yansheng Li really? why?
A nearby Honda dealership has a laser alignment setup, they check the alignment every time a vehicle comes in.
They even show us the printout.
Where I live, the roads are so bad that 5k alignments are sometimes a reality depend on what you drive and how tall your tire sidewall is. 🤷♂️
@@zfixation9817 most alignment racks use lasers. In order to get an accurate measurement of your alignment, it needs to be put on an alignment rack, and set up by a technician. They do have the things at the dealership, that when you drive over it, it will read your tread depth and get a basic reading, maybe based on tire wear. There is no way you should need an alignment after 5k miles, unless a component in your suspension is bent, and in that case, you need more than an alignment. Vast majority of the alignments I did at the dealership, needed very little, or no adjustment, usually just a small amount of toe. You only need an alignment if you notice significant tire wear problems, or pulling/crooked steering wheel.
@@lysbest0708 -- I generally go more than 50,000 miles before getting alignments.......and that is only when I buy a new set of tires. The car still doesn't "pull" and no uneven tire wear.
Please don’t think dealerships are the only crooks, so are independent shops. They can be worse.
I've found that some local independent shops actually charge more than the dealership for some repairs. Some independents have claimed they're familiar with my car, when I found they obviously weren't.
Tell us something we don't know.
Yall. Have to find a personal trustworthy mechanic
Most independent shops don't charge over $100/hr for labor and charge a premium for parts because they're OEM. I can buy OEM parts on Rock Auto for less, and I charge about half the labor rate of dealers. Also, I use book time or actual time, whichever is less, for repairs. I did the timing set on a Cadillac SRX 3.6L, because of a tensioner failure, in 10 hours. Book time was 19.2 hours. Plus, I got the timing set for $150 vs $500 dealer price. Had the dealer done the job, the bill would have been around $2,500, instead of the $700 he ended up paying to me!
@Sanchez Sanchez would you like us to sleep with a mechanic to get the deal of the day ?
40 seconds in and there is 1 thumbs down? I don't get why they subscribe. Dont be hating on Scotty all he does is help people. Mad respect from Ontario 🇨🇦 . Thanks Scotty you're the best 👍👍
thank you!
Ditto
@@scottykilmer my pleasure Scotty 👍👍I love you channel.
Yooooo facts
Thumbs down guy works at the dealership. He subscribes to do opposition research.
Instead of $700 of suspension, he needs $600-700 for a set of 4 good new tires, balance and alignment.
$600 is over paying $500 is more reasonable
@@rogersmith2036 for 4 brand new tires, balanced, with an allignment? Try 1000
scotty honestly i wish i will be able to do what you do when i get old. Never seen any older man with as much energy and enthusiasm as you.
I’m a female n jus subscribe THANK YOU
Scotty I am an OLD man who has been driving since I was 15 and owned 54 cars. The more of your videos I watch, the more I TOTALLY agree with you. I wish I was still physically able to rebuild an engine, change brakes, tansmission, etc. There was a lot of satisfaction in those things. I designed and programmed computer systems for a living, but for PLEASURE I once liked drag racing. I enjoy your videos. Thank you sooo much for post5ng them.
I didn't realize how expensive and time consuming it is to replace the starter on some cars. I remember the starter on my 2005 Camry went and the mechanic came to my house and replaced it on my driveway within 10 minutes. Cost me $120 with parts lol
@P Mason Say What??? Was it an APPLE© starter? God help us the day APPLE© starts
making cars!!! Wait, I ought not give them any ideas, buncha smucks.🎱📉🌑😈😈👿😱
@suny123boy1 They don't make them like they used to. I bought a 2020 Corolla SE and while its great so far, I don't think it'll last nearly as long as the 05
It's over $400 just for the OEM part on my Accord. I remember changing starters for $50 and 30 minutes of time. Some vehicles just suck in certain categories.
Some cars it's really easy, replaced the starter in a Ford Taurus, only took an hour, would of went quicker, but instead of jacking it up and crawling underneath, I just removed the battery and battery holder and replaced it from the top.
@P Mason Yes! And they are or were a proprietary part with no aftermarket or OEM air shocks available besides the dealer. My friend had to get one fixed. But he's loaded and just paid for it. I think his car rides like a go cart. Not the limousine ride I was expecting from a high end MB.
Guy: **brings car in for an oil change**
Dealer: Sir ur gonna need a whole new engine.
at least he said Sir
NOW you know why they want to 'give' you free oil changes. So they can upsell you stuff you dont need.
3 new cars and everyone of them had a nail in the tire . supposedly . I told them I have friend who works on tires. So I did not need to buy a new one. First 2 guys said okay. The 3rd one said it would be too dangerous to drive around like that. .
It was just a little piece of the nail. Now that's TOYOTA CARE .
Ford dealers 😂
HAHAHAHAH this is so real !!
What do the Dealer's service Department and his ex girlfriend have in common? They are endless money pits
But dealer screws u a lot more
Leo Derosia lol
Absolutely true.
@@leoderosia9279 Yep, no pleasure in that screwing!
@@leoderosia9279 oh thats funny!
I took my 2010 Toyota Corolla to the Toyota Service center because I was having issues. They stated I needed to pay $140 for a diagnostic. I asked them do they think it might be the alternator (I did a Google search) they stated no. There isn't any problems with my alternator. They wrote me a quote for $4,700 of other items. Nothing contained the alternator.
Well three days later, my car completely shut off on the highway. Basely, it was the alternator! I was mad!
A waste of $140 for a diagnostic. Plus, I even asked them if the alternator might be the issue! They are useless!
4700 for what?
If you go to autozone they can check it for free
I commend your integrity and virtue that you exercise in your profession as a mechanic.🛠️🔩🚗
Last winter I pushed my snowmobile to the shop.The mechanic said, "It looks like you blew a seal." I told him,
"nope,just a little frost in my mustache. "
I work at a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership and we never have to lie about stuff being broken because there’s already enough broken stuff to begin with 😂😂😂
I had a Dodge intrepid that wouldn't pass smog because of some computer not resetting, that was when i was young and didn't know any better and in California, so i got a Rigged smog test and passed after spending $1,000 at Dodge for nothing
I just got my 2020 Dodge Durango towed to the dealership yesterday 💯
Well said !
If you have a newer car with a complicated problem, I highly recommend going to the dealer. They have the knowledge, special tools, and online tools, to fix your car right the first time. Trouble is finding a good dealership, and technician. You just need to educate yourself about cars, the basics are easy to learn. When I worked at the dealer, I wouldn't want half the techs there work on my car, there are some hacks. However, the other half know your specific make and model better than any independent shop, or Scotty does.
Also, don't put any part of your body under the car when you don't have jack stands under the car, and remember to torque the lug nuts.
I work in the automotive industry and I have to deal with dealerships on a regular basis. Unfortunately based on my experience dealerships are some of the most dishonest businesses out there. There are a few good ones of course but the majority you really have to watch out. Love your videos Scotty keep up the great work!
Absolutely true.
The only time that I will bring my car to a dealership is when there is a recall. Other than that, I stay away. One dealership tried to charge me $4,000 for a job. I took it to my new honest mechanic. He fixed it for $800
Everything you said was on point. I’ve worked at a few dealerships and even if a costumer comes in to the parts department a service advisor will offer to have the parts installed by a tech at a ridiculous rate, “but hey it was worth a try”. I’ve even had sales personnel stand next to the parts counter, offering to take a lady’s minivan as a trade in when all she wanted was a $30 set of steering bushings. Lady said “nope it’s paid for so it doesn’t make sense to go in debt over bad bushings..”
Yes rates are high, I’m sure if you ran a business you would want to be profitable too.
Nissan here in Australia told me I needed new brake pads and rotors. Front were down to 25% back 30%. I asked to see the service manager as I'd just replaced them all 3 days ago. The manager wouldn't come and speak, just apologised and said they'd been looking at the wrong car.
Bro you did buy a Nissan😬😬😬😬
Cringe
I honestly would hate to be a dealership mechanic, I would feel bad for ripping people off so much
Got hired as a dealership mechanic helper right out of high school in the seventies. Lasted about six months in the industry bc of the dishonesty. Last straw was an old black man brought in his old personal taxi ( this was a thing back then) that had no brake lights. Decided to check the brake light switch at the pedal and found it to be out of adjustment. 5 minutes later and car is fixed. Tell the boss and instead of being happy we are getting cars fixed he says to write up 'had to rewire back half of brake light circuit to repair inoperative brake lights'. I lost all respect for the man and the industry. Didnt even tell me to clean up the old wires in the back to cover our asses. Its an everyday thing around here, why bother? Went back to school after my real world education. I still repair my own cars. Havent brought a car to a mechanic since I was in high school.
Sociopaths. They don't feel anything.
The mechanics are getting ripped off too! Lol
they don't get much for profit so they will charge endless thing that normal people won't not..
@@jamest7485 Yep, a dealership will screw its customers AND its employees.
I worked at a dealership I won't name for a few years, to be eligible for the lifetime oil changes you would have to follow THEIR reccomended service schedule, not the owners manual or you would lose your eligibility. Of course the sales people wouldn't explain that prior to them buying the car. Service advisors are also paid commission, that should speak for itself.
I don't know much about cars.
What I do know is that I'm tired of stealerships and un-trustworthy auto mechanics trying to sell me a bag of goods or services that I don't need.
This is why I come to your channel Scotty. Thank you!
I avoid the dealership at all costs unless im just buying OEM.
You can get oem parts from reputable online stores. I have a 2017 Jetta tsi I get my own parts from Autohauz located in Arizona. Their prices much better than the dealership.
Also known as the stealership.
Any any any any any any any any any.... we buy any car dot com
I avoid private mechanics who mainly use knock off (aftermarket) parts and non OEM service manuals as well. ID rather do most myself, but take it to factory trained techs when not.
I agree there avoid avoid avoid avoid avoid
My observation:
- There is a nail in the driver rear tire.
- The shocks look like they are sweating (small leak) on the bottom. It's common on these cars.
- Don't ever put WD40 on the lug nuts! Only anti-seize or leave them dry.
Hi Luke, why is Water Displacement formula 40 bad? I get it doesn't prevent seizing up, but it does help on moisture repellent. Is it due to the fact that it does nothing to help the seizing up, or is there some other negative reason?
Dennis Smith May that common myth; he thinks WD40 is lubricant and might Cause lugnuts to fall off may be!
May be*
Ask any physicist. Gas mileage always is a matter of an amount of fuel to move a given mass of vehicle around. Period. Want better mileage? A: Get a lighter vehicle. Need a heavier/bigger vehicle? A: It WILL get worse mileage.
I noticed I got 3mpg better when I put overdrive in my car.
The stealership only sees me when I need rare OEM Honda parts that I can’t find anywhere online. Or for manufacture recall work.
Nissan dealer charged my friend for bleeding brakes. Friend asked me what that was. I explained to him and told him how to verify that it was done. The bleeder screw caps would show signs of having been removed, We looked, they were still covered in original unmolested layer of dirt. Friend got his money refunded on that one. Later he asked them to change spark plugs, we looked up how to do it noting that to change the back three required the removal of a lot of parts, I think a manifold had to be removed. Friend asked to see the old plugs when he picked up his car. They went to look for removed and came back telling friend that they could only find three of them. I tried to convince friend to insist that he be refunded because they most likely did not change the back three. He didn't bother. later he actually bought another new Nissan from them. There is just no hope for some people and why dealers keep cheating people. At least, now, friend's latest new car is a Honda.
I changed my back plugs in our old Altima and was pissed at how much crap I had to take off to get to the rear plugs. Almost had to remove the windshield. NEVER buy a Nissan!!!
You might want to rethink that. Newer modern cars have an automated bleed done with a scanner. This keeps the 2000 dollar ABS module from freezing up, and removes micro air bubbles which can form in the valves. The bleed screws at the wheels aren't involved with that process; and one can simply cram the brakes on during rainy weather on a blacktop road to force ABS operation, but that is highly risky for the layperson such as yourself.
They should force service techs of any kind to high definition record their work with proper identification and time. Cops wear body cam so does service technician.
@@jsun3117 They'd go out of business.
Lmao they probably would
Dealer wanted $150 to repair broken radio antenna on Aunt's Pontiac Sunfire. I bought bracket that goes inside the trunk (genuine factory part) for $8, took me 15 min. to bolt new one in.
If they lowered their prices and got more business' they would make more money in the long run.
For the first time in my life, I found my local Honda dealership to be cheaper and better service then the popular local shops. But the dealership 30 minutes away tried to do the air and cabin filter ($100) scams on me and every customer who walked through the door. Asked my mechanic at my dealership and he said they are brand new.
Honda of Concord gave me a coupon on 3 fluid exchanges for 15% off, the trans fluid, coolant and brake fluid only cost me $283. And that was for OEM fluids. The independent shop near me wanted $75 more for potentially non-OEM fluids. Sometimes the dealers aren’t so bad.
I was looking for a some brake discs for my Fiesta, called everyone from O'Reilly to local Ford shops. Turns out the cheapest price was at my local Ford dealership 🤷♂️ Still wouldn't pay them to put them on though
@@Hans_Moleman925 The dealership likely didn't even do the work that they billed you for. It happens often.
Hans Moleman Yeah If you’re talking about the Honda dealership in Concord, North Carolina, I’ve had a pretty good experience with them. Unfortunately I’ve had to move from Concord NC to Findlay OH and the local Honda dealership here called Reineke Honda also seems to be giving good deals as well. They charge $44 for full synthetic oil change which sounds pretty good.
What’s the name of that local dealership if you don’t mind sharing?
Not only these scams, but dealerships will also sometimes do maintenance that you didn't ask them to do or told them NOT to do. I once took my Dodge Dakota to the Spring (Texas) Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealership to get a new lock since someone had tried to break into my truck while I lived in Houston. They not only fixed the lock, but also replaced the windshield wipers without my authorization. I told them to replace them with the old ones, and they said something like "We threw them away." I never went back to that dealership and recommend everyone stay away from them.
I do agree. I have a 04 Accord, pretty old and looks bad, but it works fine. One day, I took the vehicle to the vehicle workshop for a state inspection near the place I live, they recommended ~$2000 services. What a joke! The vehicle was only worth $1500. That is the day I started to work on my vehicles. It has been almost 3 years now, so far so good. Save a lot from maintaining my own vehicles and I am still driving that 04 Accord.
BET! The dealership didn't even inspect the RAV4, they just wrote up an inspection "suggestion".
I would like to ask, why you say "BET!" at the beginning of your sentence, not why you do it, but where did you get it from?
I remember the first time a bought my Toyota Prius 8 years ago, I had a 3 years maintenance package at the dealership. I had a maintenance every 6 months . My wife was like “it’s a Toyota I don’t think you need to go” but I thought the dealership knows better and I listened to them. Every single time I went I left with a 300 dollars bill!! After the 3rd time I was like “ why do I have to pay extra?!” The dealership was like “oh we had to replace the filters or whatever part”! Now I watch this and I now know I was getting robbed !!! Lessons learned!
If the person with the A/C problem has "one side cold and one side warm" like he said, that may not be a low refrigerant problem at all. It might be a "blend actuator" issue, in which the cold air isn't being distributed to one side. Chryslers are famous for this problem, but afaik it can affect any model that uses that type of air distribution system.
Very common in dodge caravans and Jeep Grand Cherokees. The cheapest fix is to connect the two blend flaps together and eliminate dual zone altogether. They also have window regulator issues and power sliding door regulator problems. Garbage vehicles!
dealer wanted to charge $98 to change air and cabin filters. Lol
cocojp : Probably not a bad estimate from the dealership. OEM AC filter and engine air filter, both combined would cost around 40-50 dollars, plus the charges for installation. I would do it yourself, there are plenty of how-to-do videos. Wear gloves and be careful not to damage the paper elements in the filters. I would vacuum both areas (or at least wipe clean) before installing the new filters. Dealership don't do that good of a job anyway.
A stealership wanted to charge me $40 to "dust" the brakes. They removed the back drums, dumped out the dust. I laughed at them.
@@sxb080511 They shouldn't charge a dime for installation when they bring the old filters to you in the waiting room to show how dirty they are. The "labor" has been done at no charge.
Is that all? $98?
What's wrong with that? This comment section is reserved to bash dealership service departments, not complement them.
Hey Scotty,
You've saved me a ton of money. Thank you. Here is a review I left a mechanic who tried to screw me.
"Unfortunately, I had a terrible experience with this business. Mistake or intentional: they overcharged me for a muffler replacement. I agreed on a $400 plus tax price. Then, I placed a deposit of $200, and when I came back to get my vehicle they said it was $450 plus tax. I recommend anyone doing business with this place to get receipts and written statements on agreed-upon prices. Secondly, when I came in with my vehicle, the power steering was fine, but when I picked up my vehicle it was suddenly stiff and hard to turn. Between the overcharge on the muffler and this new issue with my car, I was left feeling like this business was looking for a money grab. I then foolishly asked for another quote on the power steering issue, and they tried to convince me that I needed to change the rack and pinion for $480 plus tax. Again, feeling like I was being taken advantage of I immediately got my car out of the place out of fear they would "find another issue". Lastly, I ended up fixing the power steering issue by watching a 2 minute UA-cam video by Scotty Kilmer. I paid $20 bucks for all the supplies and fixed it in less than an hour. Sea Foam Trans Tune is your best friend for stiff power steering. I'm no mechanic, so ultimately, if you can't fix it yourself, find a TRUSTED mechanic. CUSTOMERS PLEASE BEWARE. Do not look like a deer in headlights. They will take advantage of you. It sucks because I really wanted to do business with them..."
All because of your knowledge and references, Scotty, I was able to save myself so many headaches. Thank you.
Scotty. Is. Like. A. Friend. I. Never. Had. !!!
0:46 I love how he didn't even bother to blur out the rear license plate with the name of the dealership and everything!
Got an $900 estimate from a dealer to change transmission fluid, spark plugs, coolant, and an oil change on a v6 mustang.😂
I just got a 2014 v6 mustang.
Your first problem was buying a v6 mustang
@@tylerlogsdon8623 if you've watched any of Scotty's advice on the v6 he says they are good. The 4 cylinder turbos have a lot of issues
Thomas Gerald he means he should’ve gotten a V8 mustang
Tyler Logsdon who said I bought it🤣. Was a sophomore year gift from my dad. Lol
Think this is one of your best, I naively had a branded mechanic shop a few years ago tell me the whole front end of the car was all out, frightened me with the cost, went to a different mechanic, it was small problems, under 100$ to fix. Since then I try to learn a bit. Thank you !
I took my 06 Baja Manual in excellent condition, 1 previous owner to the dealer for fun.Easily worth $8k on Craigslist. They said because it had 154k miles and an aftermarket stereo they could offer $2500. I laughed and walked away. It’s fun to see used car salesmen attempt a low ball and Freakout that I walked away
Yup it sure is funny cause they Kno they jus let money walk out the door. Then guys r hungry
I told a guy at Honda NO when he said I need to replace my suspension because it was leaking. My car is only 34k miles old and 6 months later I haven't noticed the tiniest problem with my suspension. He tried to steel 1000 dollars from me and glad I didnt get scammed, this was from a Scott Honda too.
10 years ago and I took my parent's Suburban to Pep Boys for routine maintenance. They said the "rear suspension is leaking" and would be over $800 to fix. Decided to not have them ever "fix" it. Even up to today the rear suspension has not had any issues and no leak in my parents' driveway from the car.
Every 1-2 years the Pep Boys location has big signs saying "Under new management". We drive by the store all the time but we haven't really gone back there except for buying parts.
Didn't know the RAV4 from that generation had a push button start.
I think only the 4wd one did
"The smartest man knows what he doesn't know"!
It's only on the highest trim level for that year.
it been around for years now...
I know, a useless push button start/stop & no backup camera (watch out kids) 😬
I sold my entire mustang because ford told me "because of the age and mileage of the vehicle you're looking at 7500 for a new motor"...
Engine can last up to 500k+ miles. Car breaks due to other components but not engine! Less likely.
I SUPPORT THIS MESSAGE SCOTTY AMEN
As an employee at a dealership, this is TRUE. Oh my god, I was gonna get parts for my broken down car through the dealership, and A) the mechanic listed several parts that I didn’t *need* which bucked it up several hundred $s, and B) the parts *even at an employee discount* were wayyyy over priced. I saved roughly $700 ordering the same parts online.
The labor would be free if I knew how to do it, so that’s gonna be $1200. Typically would run me $3000.
If I wasn’t an employee here, I’d be paying almost $5000 for a few steering components and a few hours of labor.
I did the Gadgetman Groove on my 2001 F-250 6.8L with 22 inch rims.
I gained at least a half mile per gallon and increased my horsepower tremendously. Scotty can you do the Gadgetman man groove on a live video and let me know what you think.
I have had the same issue with regular mechanics too.
It depends a lot on the mechanic looking at your car, private or dealer.
You just need to find a mechanic like Scotty.
My Dealer service dept .. I love the Drive up Alignment machine when U pull up to get service !!!! Scams
They did that to me when I went in for airbag recall, had hood up checking my battery, I walked out shut my hood told the zit faced kid, never to open my hood again. He said his boss told them to do it, I told him it's my car I say what goes, end of story.
@@justinacase2623 you do realize for doing an airbag inflator recall the Technician has to disconnect the battery to prevent detonation of the airbag. If I was that Technician I would tell the service writer customer refused the repairs. And let you deal with it.
@@joef2171 agreed, I'd have it disconnected for an hour at least before beginning service to allow the capacitors in the airbag computer to discharge reducing the expensive loud bangs.
My wife brought our car(1997 Pontiac Gran Prix) to a dealership (Dueck On Marine in Vancouver, BC) to get a recall item (oil leakage) fixed for free and left having brake issues which they fixed for free after I complained and informed them that I just had my brakes worked on and look at a couple of weeks ago... smh
Hey Scotty, hope you had a happy 4th!
Happy 4th!
Great advice regarding tires. Drives me crazy those who have AWD and are cheap on the tires. The only time you need to worry about your suspension is if you hear knocking from any part of the suspension. When you hear that, something is going on with it. Could be bad shocks, bad ball joints, bad bushing - a number of things. Dealerships are crap for the most part. I only use one dealer for one of my two cars - but I tell them what to do and don't let them do anything else. They are pretty good as their prices are not bad (close to the independent shop and sometimes below it) and they listen and only do what I tell them they can do.
It‘s called a stealership
When i was a young man i toom my chevy express to a shop for sparkplugs. Took 8 hours, and they didnt even take the last plug out. Chatged me 1400. This inspired me to do my own work . 10 years later i can do most jobs myself. Scotty makes it even easier. So thanks dude, youve saved my family from hearing alot of cursing lol
Why can’t we have more mechanics like Scotty 💯
You said if your 4 speed transmission only shifts 3 times, there is something wrong. But that is exactly what it should do. 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd, 3rd to 4th. Three shifts.
Well if I knew Scottie personally. I would never take my car anywhere else. I’ll go to him for a damn oil. Change lol
As a former technician that worked at the Ford stealerhip
@Scotty Kilmer. You need to have the Gadgetman Groove guy give you a free mod for one of your cars, then you could review it. It gave a noticeable power increase to my wife's 05 Sienna. I think you have too much faith in the auto MFGs.
Thank's Scotty for your help in all matters of vehicle maintenance. You're a great friend to consumers and because of your decency and character you've earned the right to sleep well at night.
Scotty you’re a living legend
I lease a Nissan Rouge sport SL
I brought it to Nissan Dealer for oil change they told me I needed $3000 in work , I pulled the car out and took care of it myself
Months later I went back to replace a bent tire rim , they told me the rim is $1500 and I will also need to replace all the tire sensors they wanted close to $2500 to replace a tire rim , I drove off ordered the rim on line $180 plus $47 to have it installed and balanced at mavis tires , Fuk the Dealers !
Hey Scotty , greets from your fan from Serbia . Driving Toyota of course :)
As a dealer technician I’m here to say it’s not the techs that are trying to steal your money. Most of us are honest and know what we’re doing. We recommend what the car actually needs, it’s the service advisors that want to make extra commission and try and sell you all this extra work that you don’t need on top of what the technician already recommended. At my shop they sell what they call a brake service where we take off the brakes and apply molykote to the brake shims and silicone grease to the slide pens when the vehicle only has 10k miles from factory or after a recent brake job, I never recommend it because I personally think it’s a scam but the amount of customers who buy it because the service advisor recommended it is insane.
Right...
You're not paid flat rate? You don't get paid to do that "brake service"? You know how many technicians I knew that would recommend mileage services (40/50/60k) only to find the parts from that service minus the oil change parts still sitting on their toolbox after the car has already left? Or recommending a serp belt replacement with warranty work and double dipping on the overlapping labor?
I bet your coworkers love you.
chris20nyy I am flat rate. I make my own hours and average about 60 hours a week even through this pandemic I’ve been doing good for myself. The thing is at my shop almost half the hours I make are services that the service advisor has already sold before I even take a look at the car the other half of the hours I make are my upsales brakes, tires, and all my diag work. Yes it’s nice to turn those hours every week and hit my bonus, but I do feel guilty doing some of the work the service advisors sell knowing damn well that car doesn’t actually need it. But it is what it is, all you can do is get the job done right the first time and take pride in the quality of your work.
Happy Independence Day Scotty. Stay safe and healthy.
It’s hard to find a good honest mechanic in my rural area of Va😢
It’s inconvenient when they want you to drop your car off & keep it for days until they fix it.
Wish we had great mechanic like Scotty in Dallas.
THERE IS DO U WANT A NAME ?
Just go to the dealership. This is all crap. All dealers do menu style service pricing. No one gets "ripped off"... Everything they suggest is from the manufacturer. Look at your owners manual for Christ sake.
My mechanic is awesome, will NEVER replace anything that doesn't need it. I live in a small town with 3 repair shops. When you drive by the other two they might have 2 or 3 cars waiting for repair. My mechanic, absolute truth, has at least 3 dozen cars waiting for repair. People will leave their vehicles for as long as it takes to fix because they know he's honest and a great mechanic.
I've been going to the Honda dealership since I bought my car and they have never pushed anything on me, they always do what you asked them to do and that's it, and then have always been very honest, so I'm guessing your mileage may vary regarding dealerships.
Toyota of Plano was good to me last time, they even tightened up my emergency brake which was nice, I didn't know the damn thing was even loose since I got the car used like that
Been taking my 2013 Honda CR-V to dealership for maintenance. 172,000 miles and running strong. No major issues. Took it one time to a local mechanic for a tire rotation and oil change. 2 lug nuts from my front passenger tire fell off on my way home and the other ones on the same tire were all loose.
I’ve also been taking my 2016 Buick Enclave to dealership. That one has 100,000 miles and running great with no issues.
Scotty for president 2020!
This is not even a joke. You have wisdom AND you don't want to rip off the people!!
I had the opposite experience at a BMW shop. The main problem cost me an arm and a leg but a squeak/crunch in the front suspension was fixed without an extra charge. A private foreign car repair shop wanted to fix the squeaky front end for $1000!
Hello Scotty this is becoming an epidemic among dealerships.Just curious, how many miles on that RAV4?Hope you’re staying safe down there in Houston.Fist bump from NJ.
This is my car, it's right under 115k.
Joseph Teets thanks for the info Joseph,I work with a guy who has five hundred k on his 09 RAV.orig.engine,trans, AC and suspension!
Lol fist bump NJ dude here 2
Monmouth county woop woop
I've always recommend to my family and friends when the dealership/Mechanic shop says something is wrong with their car to have them put it on a lift and show them the worn parts. Its hard for the dealer to sell "broken parts" when they cant prove it.
I take my car to Brakes Plus. When they tell me I need such and such is it ok to ask the mechanic if they could show me and explain? I go by my cars manual .
Cheryl if they are honest they shouldn't have a problem with that.
Just got an alignment done 2 days ago at a belle tire in the Grand Rapids area. I have a 2012 jeep compass 2.4l 4x4 🙄. Guy at the counter told me they couldnt get the passenger rear wheel perfectly aligned because the toe adjuster was maxed out. Told me they have the part in stock and they could get it done in an hour and it would cost me $275. I said “oh alright, can you tell me what the part number is?” He said he doesnt know the part number. Well then how do you know you have it in stock? Blows my mind sometimes.
Brakes plus rips you off as well. Easy to show someone who dont know what they are looking at , that you need more than a $99 brake job.
Yes it is. Ask to see the old part after repair.
@@Rayzaa101 The $99 offer is to just get you in the door. After they are done with you, the tax alone on the repair will be at least $99.
7ish years ago I had a car that I took to the dealer at 99,300K. Asked about extending the warranty but was told it wasnt offered. Paid an extra $200 for them to look over the car for an hour and a half to make sure no problems before warranty ran out. Came back around 106,000K for an oil change and they told me I had to have $7,500 worth of repairs to the car. No I didnt miss-type a zero. $7,500. Took it to another mechanic. He fixed everything that needed fixing for $1500. Sold it 3 years later at 160,000K without ever having a problem. That was the last time I went to a dealer.
Here’s the truth, most Dealerships are honest, but, some are not. I don’t think that is fair to say, “ Don’t take your car to the dealership, because they are scamming you “. I have experienced very good, and honest treatment by some dealerships in my area. Reviews really help to make a good decision where to take your car to get good trustworthy servicing. So, just invest a little time to see where to take your car. And, remember, the dealership for your manufactured vehicle usually is the BEST place to get real issues solved, because they know it best, better than the average mechanics shop. Straight up.
Nooo- my experience is that at least if not more than 1/2 are dishonest. You have to test them with a simple self created malfunction and I have to say more than 1/2 dealers and independents recommended unnecessary expensive repairs. Do the same thing with your home A/C, flip a breaker and call them, you will be amazed at their dishonesty. It's the new anything goes dishonesty pays America, so buyer beware.
My mechanic's a lot like you. He actually shows me the problems, before he fixes them.
Hi Scotty. Happy Independence Day to you and your family. Stay safe out there.
hello and thanks you too!
your 100% correct... all 4 tires have to be from the same lot of tires..... and its absolutely amazing how much ripping off these dealers get away with..
Sweating up a storm, eh Scotty?
Got to love that Texas heat. 😁
I work for Audi as a technician. I can proudly say all of the things I recommend replacing or servicing are needed and accurate. I have seen a lot of shady things in the dealers, just depends on which mechanic is looking at your car that day and which dealer is doing the work... There are a few honest
Happy 4th July Everybody ! Stay safe !
Happy 4th of July!
Pretty sure that was yesterday
Happy 5th of july!
ur late
Happy 4th of July.
Had a 69 Dodge Van in college in the late 79s, the where the engine was between the 2 front bucket seats. My starter went. Got a $30.00 rebuilt starter angled the right side of the van up on the The curb in front of the house, 3 bolts starter out then rebuilt one in. Starter was right there!! Easy! Took about 15 minutes!!
Scotty is the best mechanic in America, if I was in America, I would take my car to him Every 3 months😂😂
well do you know how much is his rate?
What a lot of people don't realize is, service reps at car dealerships are paid a commission. It's in their best interest to have work done on your vehicle, as much work as possible, whether your car needs it or not. I would never take a car to a dealership to get worked on unless it was under warranty, or I had no other choice.
Hey Scotty! I have been watching your channel for many years now and I always was wondering if you ever heard about the gadgetman groove. I had 2 vehicles with the throttle body mod. The first is 03 GMC Denali 6.0 that gained 4 more mpg on the street and 4 more on highway. The best part is the POWER! Its the whole rpm band of balls. The 07 Acura Mdx had same outcome too with 5mpg plus all the way around and feels like your in "V-Tech" as soon as you press the pedal. You should definitely give a shot.
Hey Claudio, I also tried the groove and noticed more torque when I hit the pedal.
Also noticed the tailpipe exhaust has 0 smell to it. Heard many say their exhaust is clean with zero smell so I did a sniff test on my ride and was surprised to see that its true. Dont know how the groove does what it does but it does it for sure. :-)
@CC C What kind of vehicle are you working with?
@CC C So far i only did the groove and gap the plugs at .55 and made sure my mas airflow sensor was cleaned. Obviously I did a proper ecu relearn and my results were awesome.
"You dont have to do nonthing", my favorite thing to hear taking my car to a honest mechanic,, which I've never heard them say.
“3:36 - oh there’s no back-up camera but that’s life”... 😂
oh Scotty you bad boy
If he would be driving a Chevy, he would say LOOK the back-up camera doesn't work it is another money pit juck.
Gadgetman groove is no scam it .makes engine work more efficently and more cleaner your gas mileage. Go bye your throttle pressure. Also you can take igroove off, your car has been grooved no turn I back I've been doing it 10yrs. It. Good
Yes sir I was told my engine had to be pulled to replace my inner axle seals
🤣👍 I'll sell the damn thing before they touch it!