Maintenance

“How much is your oil change?” Part 2

Our shop car was purchased new from Novato Toyota in December of 2006, a decision I partly regret for its consumption of natural resources. One of the benefits, however, is getting original owner documents like service soliciations, which, as you can imagine, I find very interesting.  The one I got yesterday was especially interesting given my recent blog on scheduled maintenance and the dealer double-talk that surrounds it.

The shop car is an 07 Prius, identical to 04-08 Priuses as far as maintenance goes.  Here is what the “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” (published by the factory, found in the glove box) calls for every 5k:

* Replace engine oil and oil filter
* Rotate tires
* Visually inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs

Now here is the list for the 15k:

* Replace engine oil and filter
* Rotate tires
* Visually inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs
* Inspect the following: Ball joints and dust covers; brake lines and hoses; drive shaft boots; engine and inverter coolant; exhaust pipes and mountings; radiator, condenser, and intercooler; steering gear box; steering linkage and boots.

Now here is the flyer I received from Toyota:

The company producing these promotional materials has rightly calculated that my mileage is around 15k (currently 15,300, to be exact).  Here is the description of this “important service”:

They also have a coupon for the “Express Lube Plus” with price and description as follows:

The problem here is that, assuming the Express Lube Plus “Multi Point Inspection” includes the list from the 15k in the maintenance guide, then shouldn’t the 15k be the same price?  What does the 15k include in addition to the one hour ELP to warrant the additional $115?

To make clear, it’s not that I don’t respect the dealer.  I have many friends who work at the dealer, LG buys the majority of its parts from the dealer, in fact I need the dealer to honor my factory warranty.  It’s the marketing BS that I don’t like, and I know all of my friends would agree. 

At Luscious Garage, we charge the same thing for both of these services, because we perform the same thing.  And what we perform is spelled out clearly, in accordance with factory specifications.  We call it “The Vitals” and it costs a bit more than the ELP because we aren’t waiting to make more money when you come in for a glorified 15k.  We’d rather be upfront, and comprehensive, all the time. 

Posted by Carolyn Permalink Categories: Maintenance »

“How much is your oil change?”

There is a classic prank that shop owners play on each other. It’s called “How much is your oil change?” and is performed by calling the unsuspecting victim during business hours and barking the question as soon as they answer.  The fun comes in hearing how they manage a polite response.

Indeed most independent shops are not “quickie lubes” and therefore offer much more than an oil change.  And yet it is this clichéd service that cars need most frequently—or at least what drivers think they need.  How do we balance the expertise and caring of a specialty shop with the public’s quickie lube mentality?

Hybrid owners are a little different in their savvy for “k” services.  It’s not an “oil change” every so often, but a “5k”, a “15k”, a “70k”, etcetera.  Dealers have capitalized by creating a myth that something special happens at every interval of “k’s”, with inflated service prices over their own “express lube” lanes. My impression of the system (though I’m sure it varies) is that an individual will get whatever they come to expect—the express lube ($40 e.g.) or the “k” Service ($150 e.g.)—regardless of what they actually need.  Though a cynic would argue that the both services are the same, there remains an underlying problem: what is best?

In fact vehicle maintenance is not arbitrary.  The purpose is twofold:

1. To keep the machine in reliable condition

2. To protect factory warranty

Luscious Garage’s “The Vitals” does precisely that. We check everything on the car that is essential:

1. To rely on your car

2. To ensure that any future warranty claim is honored

Though owners should be commended for knowing their vehicle’s mileage, it’s my opinion that even the “k” services can be inadequate, and that blindly following a list of specific items is completely missing the point.

The Vitals is a holistic approach to the machine, and its logic explains why it is included with every maintenance service—how long it takes, how much it costs, and what service it involves.  There is no cheaper, faster alternative.  Every few years the vehicle will need additional work (a tune-up, fresh coolant, 12V battery test, etc...) but these are discrete service points, not overarching care.

In responding to the question “How much is your oil change?” one shop owner explained his approach:

“I tell them we don’t offer an oil change.  I mean, of course we change oil, but we do it along with a comprehensive service.  If the customer replies that another shop can do it for less, I explain that the time and the cost of the service is always the same, no matter where it’s performed.  So if another shop says they can do it for less, then I wonder what it is that they simply aren’t doing.”

Find out more about The Vitals and other LG maintenance services

Posted by Carolyn Comments 0 Trackbacks 0 Permalink Categories: Maintenance »