I had mentioned before how my dealer had:

1) Had the salesperson mention "see you at 5,000 miles for your first service" upon leaving with the new car,
2) Placed a sticker inside the gas cover door saying something like "Bring for service every 5,000 miles or 85% whichever comes first", and
3) Mentioned the 5,000 mile thing again when I was in for window tinting shortly after buying it

then ... today I get an e-mail with this subject: "Reminder - Service Appt on 10/13/2014 08:30 AM with Nalley Honda of Union City"

and this text:

Appointment Reminder Confirmation Code: X02DE4KS9Y
Date and Time: 10/13/2014 08:30 AM
Service Advisor: Any
Vehicle: 2015 HONDA FIT
Maint./Repair Services: Tentative Service Appt

We know you haven’t forgotten, but we thought you might appreciate a quick reminder about your upcoming service appointment.

We look forward to servicing your 2015 HONDA FIT during your 10/13/2014 08:30 AM appointment. Simply click Appointment Details to manage your appointment information at any time.

Thanks again for using our Guaranteed Online Service Appointment system. We look forward to seeing you.

Sincerely,
Nalley Honda of Union City
_____

Of course, I did not make that appointment. I'd guess they've estimated about when 5,000 miles would be -- and I'm a bit past that because I have a fairly long commute. I'm getting really irritated at the overzealous effort that is being made by this dealership to push for a mileage-based interval when as far as I can tell Honda only recommends for service based on the maintenance minder, which on my car is still at 40% with 6,500 miles.

I logged into their service website and found that they did in fact have an appointment scheduled and had estimated that I should be at 3,897 miles right now. I've cancelled the appointment and don't intend to take it in for service until the car needs it according to the maintenance minder, but this is a good way to encourage me to go elsewhere for service. Pushing this hard to do service that isn't necessary doesn't seem to be what a shop that I can trust would do. I'd be second-guessing everything they're claiming needs to be done since they've already proven that they're eager to do unnecessary work. Someone please tell me that other Honda dealerships aren't like this? Because I've never used a Honda dealership for service in the past (only had one Honda before and I used an independent shop).

 

I had a service department on a previous car claim i need $1200 worth of "precautionary" work done at a service which indicated only a oil change.

this "precautionary" work included

- air in tires $30
- windshield wipe fluid $20
- cabin filter cleaning $120
- brake cleaning $130
- windshield wipers $65
- timing belt change (which was due in 5000 miles, but they wanted to do it early) $650
- tire balance $50
- alignment $90

this is all at a service that called for $45 dollar oil change

 

Understand that new car dealers have a business model built around parts and service (not new car sales), and then deal with them accordingly (with lots of discernment)… some are more aggressive than others, as you both have shared. This was part of my decision to leave the VW brand.

As I've encouraged other posters, find someone who can teach you how to do your own basic maintenance (oil change, air and rotate tires, air filters, etc.). You'll save a little money and will know your car better.

es

 

i don't buy a lot of cars, i mostly buy new cars run them till they are near death or at least until they are outed by a large margin. This kind of practice has gotten worse since i last bought a car (6 years ago).

stem is right, do your own maintenance. a good one is buy a second set of rims and change your own tires at home (if in a wintery climate). I've saved hundred of bucks over the years with this.

I've also noticed that it is increasing hard to work on your own car, with the amount of tech in cars these days it even a job pitting air in your tires...stupied tpms

 

some dealers (this is not the case with you however) do free service check up's on new cars. For example, a local store used to make appointments for you to come back in a month or 1,000 miles, whichever comes first so they can inspect the vehicle, check valves ect (free of charge), just to make sure everything is right with your new vehicle.


Of course, once you are there...the service writer can upsell you on other service and/or products which is likely the point of you returning in a month for a free check up.

 

Those prices are *INSANE*!!! Several of those activities -- air, wiper fluid, changing wiper blades... take merely a minute or two of labor each and the materials are no cost for the air, a few cents for the wiper fluid, and a few dollars for the wiper blades. The cabin air filter always kills me. I used to pay big dollars for that until I found out how cheap a good quality one runs and how absolutely easy it is to replace. For the price you'd have expected it to be a really expensive part or something that requires disassembling half the engine to get to it. Just crazy.

There was that one time I got suckered into the "fuel injector cleaning" for like $300 and I later learned that it wasn't even close to what I thought it meant.

 

As others have mentioned Dealerships want your car in their service bays lots and lots of time so that they can do unnecessary (not yet time to do) service where they can upsell you many other unnecessary (not yet time to do) services.

My dealership at time of closing on my new 2015 Honda Fit EX w/CVT had me sign a piece of paper that scheduled an oil change at 5000 miles (or 7 months) so I too will also receive one of those emails which I will ignore because I will follow Honda's Maintenance Minder and do the first oil change when it tells me or one year rolls around.

I do not do my own service but I receive many $7-$12 off coupons and $25 service gift cards that doing service at the dealership is pretty inexpensive.

I recently had Automatic Transmission Service on the wifes' 2009 CR-V EX done and the original quote for the service was $79.99 + shop supplies and taxes. I got it done after coupons for $39.86 out-the-door.

Tomorrow I will again have the CR-V serviced. This time it is to have the brakes flushed (these need to be done every three years and the car will be 6 years old this December). The service quote is $109.95 + shop supplies and taxes. I have a $12 off service coupon plus another $25 service gift card which my dealership stacks so I will have at least $37 off of this service. I will report the exact costs after I have it done tomorrow.

UPDATE: The brake flush service cost me nothing because the tech examined the fluid and his recommendation is that it is great condition and does not need changing at this time. How about that a dealership turning down a service request. I had the brakes flushed 2 years 2 months ago and that service was done when the CR-V was 3 years 10 months old (I was a little late with the first flush). The service manager says that brake fluid usually lasts 3-4 years so I will now do it Dec 2015 or 3 years 4 months since it was last replaced.

 

The dealer where I bought my car has hardly bugged me about anything and if they recommended an oil change based on anything but the computer I'd have told them where to insert their oil.


Your dealer is a bucket of spit and I hope you never set foot in their service dept. for anything other than warranty claims.

 

They want to get you in to sell additional services. Years ago I used to go to Pauly Honda for cheap oil changes and a free wash on my 96 Civic. Then they got new management in and attitudes changed. They insisted I needed a new timing belt at 60,000 miles and it would "only be $1600". I'd be in the waiting room and a service advisor make the rounds to all the women trying to upsell them on something they didn't understand and probably didn't need like a timing belt job to a woman who had 50,000 miles on her Accord.

 

Well you aren't the only one to get a similar email from a dealer. I live in SF bay area and got the same exact email (except for time/date) from my dealer in Sept. I bought the car July 11 and they want me to come in for servicing after 2 months, wtf??
Like you I never made an appointment with them in the first place so I went on to their website and cancelled the appointment. Since they are located 40 mi from where I live I wouldn't have taken my car in to them anyway I will go to a closer dealership or I may look for a trusted independent mechanic who specializes in Honda. Also, as I drove off the lot my sales rep told me to bring the car in at 7000mi or when the oil lite reads 10%

 

I was told that my car shouldn't have to be in until about 7,500 miles. I keep watching my oil life. I think I'm still around 50-60% with almost 4,000 miles?

 

Some dealers want to get you into the habit of using their service before you try the competition or do it yourself. That's good business for them!