[NJinsight]

I'd like to hear people's opinion on the following item. Since it is service related to the Insights, I see it fit as belonging here, sorry if it doesn't. I have been quoted three different prices from three different dealerships in the area for a 30K tuneup for my 2000 Insight (manual).

Joyce Honda, Denville, NJ - $470 (15mi)
Route 23 Honda, Wayne, NJ - $405 (15mi)
Honda of Nanuet, Nanuet, NY - $306 (50mi)

Ok, now for the record, I live in Parsippany, NJ, and rough drive times to each of these locations is displayed in (xx) for miles distance from my home.

I called Honda and asked if there were any guidelines for this price difference and all they said was that it should be "reasonable" and that each was an independantly operated business. Well, needless to say, the sad part of this story is that I dropped it off at Joyce before finding out how much it was since I figured it would be in the $200-300 zone. I dont have much of a choice other than paying and then complaining to the BBB or NJ state commerce or who knows who.

Comments, ideas?

Im not going to go in storming and confrontational, but I want to hear from them why they charge $170 more than Nanuet, which is just as busy a town as Denville is, even though theyre 50 miles apart. I would think an easy save from making a big stink would be for the manager to offer me a 10% discount or something. I know he doesnt have to do much of anything, it just gets my goat that I bought 2 hondas from them about 8 yrs ago, and had I known Id never go back for service there. BTW, I purchased the car at Honda of Nanuet, NY.

Michael

 

[Sparky5501]

Ouch!

That's a little on the high side. My 30,000 mile service including tax was $343.00 here in Seattle from my local dealer. I would certainly complain a little. Dealer's really don't like to hear that you don't ever want to do business with them again.

One question. Did you tell the Nanuet dealer you had bought you car there when you asked for the 30,000 service price? Sometimes dealers will give prefered pricing to customers that bought their car there. Just a thought...

Also, does the price include a full valve adjustment? I asked my service advisor about valve adjustment and it is only recommened at 30,000 if the valves are noisy. This could have been an extra charge? Check your invoice. My price did not include a valve adjustment, cos mine were ok.

Good luck.

 

[NJinsight]

Nope, cold call to the Nanuet store where I bought my Honda. I just called the dealerships and asked for the price. No mention of where I bought the vehicle. We'll see, details to be posted tomorrow...

michael

 

[Resist]

Here's a thought, don't take your car in for service unless you have a problem. Change your own oil and do your own tire rotations. Get a set of service manuals, you'd be surprised at much you can do on your own. Of the last 4 new cars I've purchased in my life, I haven't taken any of them into a dealership for routine service. Warranty work yes but not any other service.

 

[NJinsight]

AH HA!

So, thanks for those who replied, this is the poop:

-I called Joyce Honda and asked the manager "Why is your price $170 more than Honda of Nanuet?" He replied that they do more during the 30K than other dealerships do. (BS alarm) He said again he can give me the book which shows what they do. I said that he had given it to me already, so I asked him for an example and he said "for example the hepa filter being changed, etc etc."

Well, I didnt beleive him, so Im having them do the oil change, and change the wiper motor (rear) for noise and the driver side door down problem sensor, and Ill take it elsewhere for the 30K. The reason I want to have the 30K done since Im the 2nd owner of the car, and Im assuming they took good care of it since it runs great, but Id like to have ONE major service done and then I can oil change it from then on in.

I called Honda of Nanuet and told them the story and they laughed. They assured me they do all the Honda book says PLUS they give a loaner car if I request it ahead of time (which I did, make it for 12/20 sat service, nice.) So, I save a hundred in change, have to drive 50 miles there and 50 back, but just having the satisfaction of not paying Joyce Honda in Denville the extra $170 makes a big difference. And to think I bought 2 hondas in the past from them. No offer of discount, nothing.

I know the market is bad out there for sales, but shesh, my name was in the computer for a REASON, ya know? I bought 2 cars from you and you wouldn't offer a discount to make up a difference. Even a 10% discount I would have gone for just for the sake of them trying.

So, the long and the short of it, is basically, in my opinion, Joyce just need more profit since theyre not selling as many cars as Nanuet for whatever reason, so they charge more. Filters or no filters.

CUSTOMER SERVICE. And they wonder why people hate car dealers.

Way to go Honda of Nanuet, you got me back.

Michael

 

[boogetyboogety]

Good for you...

Take your car to where you are appreciated. The extra time driving is no biggie, and it's not as if you're driving 100 miles round trip in a 12 mpg Hummer...

My Stealership "recommends" the old 3,000-mile oil change, so if they'd lie about that, they'd lie about other things, too. We purchased our Insight "on sale" (for $16,999! ) with three free oil changes thrown in. On the first oil change @ ~7,400, the service manager loudly excoriated me for not bringing it in sooner... so I showed him p. 156 of my owner's manual and asked him why he was under the impression the oil needed to be changed sooner. He stammered something about "they run better that way" before slinking away.

But I'm a nice guy... people like that, if they bring their mom and dad to me, I'll talk my preacher friend into marrying them at long last :wink: ...

 

[Tim Maddux]

Most dealers do at least the required "normal" maintenance listed in the owners manual. Some do more than even the "severe" maintenance schedule, and charge more for it.

Is it worth it? Edmunds did an article about this a while back:
http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/mainte ... ticle.html

 

[Rick]

What exactly is done for 30,000 mile service? I'm not seeing a whole lot in my owners manual.

 

[Tim Maddux]

What exactly is done for 30,000 mile service? I'm not seeing a whole lot in my owners manual.

http://www.insightcentral.net/KB/faq-ma ... #Schedules

 

[Rick Reece]

Rick
I am with you in that if I have the dealer service anything it will be for specific functions and not some Inspect line item. I'm over 80K and havn't had any service other than my own oil and filter changes. I plan on changing the radiator fluid this spring but my own inspection shows it to still look good (Nice and green with no suspended mater). I will probably take it to the dealer to have the valves adjusted sometime around the 100K mark. Have fun, RIck

 

[cakley]

I'm with rick. For my "30K" I simply asked for an oil change and to check the valves. They don't want to check the valves because the always call me to say they don't "sound" like they need it. I do it myself anyways. Just want it in writing for my extened warranty.

BTW on my 15k service because I asked for a "15k Service" I had to pay for fuel additive and for all the checks that are included FREE in the oil change price are now listed and charged for on the "xxK service" Sneaky little punks.

 

[rjmoravs]

Joyce Honda

Had the 7,500 service done there. They:
1. Put 4 quarts of oil in the car. Had to go to firestone in Denville to get 1.4 quarts removed as running an overfilled car on the highway can cause the oil to foam and stop splashing the lubricant on the moving parts.

2. They didn't fasten the skirts properly, one was hanging down in the parking lot.

When I picked uip the car the service department was closed. The cashier told me to call the service manager on monday. I wrote as nasty letter to Joyce Grecco. Got a call from the service manager with stupid excuses. Heard from the Auto store on Salem Road that Joyce Honda's service dept sucks. I'm going to try Madison Honda for the 30,000 mile service. For thew 7,500 I use Firestone in Denville, supply my own oil, filter and seal.

Bob Moravsik, RT10 Parsippany, NJ

 

[Rick Reece]

Cakely,

How hard is it to adjust the valves, would you recommend for a novice. Also do you have any sites or books to recommend for learning how to do this. (I could also use the skill on my 94 Civic VX).
So far I havn't had any dealer service but would like to have the valves checked/adjusted when I get to 100K. It just seams we have far too many posts on poor service even for the easy stuff like changing the oil.
As an aside our Toyota dealership is providing free maintenance for the 1st 3 years and tires for life for the Prius. Apparently this was something they put in place for the clasic prius but our dealership extended it to the 04 model as well. As the Hybrid wars heat up perhaps Honda will do the same but even if the service is free I would like it to be done correctly. Have fun, Rick

 

[cakley]

Rick I have posted before on how to adjust the valves. Do a search. If you have a torque wrench and the feeler gauges then its simple to perfrom. You also need a 1/2 drive ratchet and socket to fit the crank shaft.

If you need I can scan and email the Honda directions to you.

BTW I thought my valves were loose and noisy. After the adjustment they sound the same :? :? But atleast I know they are within specs.

 

[Rick Reece]

Cakely,
Thanks, I may ask for the scaned information after I look over the post and car. I am at 84K so I have a few months but I will definitely try it this spring. Have fun, Rick

 

[Skypig]

I have had 3 bad experiences with Honda service. The first time I took the car to them, (Honda in Bakersfield) they seemed to be completely unaware of what it was. Lots of head scratching and stares. They were supposed to do an oil change/tire rotation. They lowered the tire pressures to 32 and put the wrong kind of oil in it. My mileage plummeted. Second time, same thing. Third and last time was 30K service. They quoted me $475.00 and I demanded to see the service mgr. I told them to just do the inspection, battery service, rotate the tires and change the air filter. Nothing else. Got the car home and found the same dirty air filter in it and the battery was completely dry. I will never go to the dealer again unless it's warranty work.

 

[bfivelover]

30,000 service at Hagerstown(Maryland) Honda was $237, most of that being labor. They appear to know what they're doing, although I knew much more about the car than the head salesman did.

 

[stevo12886]

what valves are yall talking about?