Service still comes every 5,000 miles if you own a 2008 Ford Focus. We've just hit the 25,000-mile mark, so our blue coupe is due for an oil change and tire rotation.
It wasn't busy at Santa Monica Ford today, so I pulled into the service drive without an appointment, and within 30 seconds, a service advisor came out to greet me. After jotting down the mileage, he invited me inside and I told him I wanted an oil change and tire rotation. I then noticed he'd typed "$75.99" in as the preliminary estimate.
"$76 seems high for just an oil change and a tire rotation," I said.
"It's a minor service," he replied.
"Well, how much for just an oil change?"
"$35."
"So it's more than double that just to pull the wheels off for a tire rotation?" I asked.
"Well, it includes other inspections, including a brake inspection."
"Well, we don't need a brake inspection," I said. "How much just to change the oil and rotate the tires?"
That brought the estimate down to $55.99, and our service advisor was nice about it. The printout I signed actually included both figures, but he was willing to "X" out the $75.99 and put his initials next to it, so I'm 99 percent confident that $55.99 plus tax is what we'll eventually pay.
While waiting for a ride back to work, I lingered in the dealership's outdoor waiting area. There are chairs indoors, too, but this shady spot is a nice place to be on a Santa Monica summer day.
Then, I noticed this poster on the door. Hmm, just about 2-3 years out of date.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 25,079 miles
vt8919 says:
03:09 PM, 07/31/09
Now I know where to buy that brand new 2005 Escape.
msdaisy says:
04:11 PM, 07/31/09
So the Ford service advisor tried to cheat you and then was "nice" about it after you confronted him about it?
Is this the same dealer that was paid to do a tire rotation but didn't?
http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2009/07/2009-ford-flex-limited-tires.html
Or is this typical of Ford?
Did you mention the problems with Sync to the service advisor?
eriches says:
04:32 PM, 07/31/09
@msdaisy: I try to take a "you catch more flies with honey" attitude with me to the dealer service department. But that doesn't mean I won't get *my* way...
This is the same dealer we used for the Flex. But this time we'll be checking up on their work. :winks: Stay tuned.
I didn't mention the Sync issue, because Dan Edmunds and I believe it's a design flaw rather than a problem isolated to our particular vehicles. I've had my iPod freeze up in both this Focus and a Taurus test car. Next step may be to call one of our contacts at Sync.
--Erin Riches
sodaguy says:
04:46 PM, 07/31/09
The service interval is every 7500 miles under normal conditions on the 2008 Focus.
There is a $39.95 coupon for an oil change and tire rotation on the Genuine Service website. It is called the "Works package;" your advisor should have told you about it:
http://genuineservice.com/genuineservice/en/default?page=K
msdaisy says:
05:05 PM, 07/31/09
:O
Thanks for the clarification Erin!
kingkhalas says:
06:05 PM, 07/31/09
I still don't see why you would go to the dealer for routine maintenance like an oil change.
If it's not covered under warranty then why pay more money and have to wait longer in a dealership?
alman08 says:
08:33 PM, 07/31/09
a bunch of people driving around acting like they're car people, yet not knowing something as simple as "the works" being offered...
-1 for the entire edmunds team, AGAIN.
eriches says:
02:47 PM, 08/ 1/09
@alman08: I'll see you in my office at 8 AM Monday and you can take my job. Don't be late! --Erin Riches
fredsvt says:
05:43 PM, 08/ 1/09
You think $76 is too much for an oil change and tire rotation? NOT.
I'm a professional auto tech.
Look at it this way, providing the dealership is using the proper oil and a factory oil filter, they will barely make any money on the $35 oil change.
Now, most shops would charge from $25 to a half hour of labor (at $100/hr, it would be $50) to rotate the tires. Most places automatically look at the brakes and most of the car during an oil change. Some don't or charge various little fees for it. (I don't agree with that)
Since you complained about the price of the rotation, and the SA dropped it, the person paying for it will be the service tech. He/she will NOT get paid for doing the work. That is the inherent unfairness of how most techs are paid. This is what happens when work is given away by a SA.
majin_ssj_eric says:
06:26 PM, 08/ 1/09
^^^^Hmm, after reading your post I can safely say that I don't give a rat's ass if the service tech gets paid or not. $55 for an oil change and a tire rotation still seems high to me. Period.
06stang says:
06:58 PM, 08/ 1/09
LOL @ vt8919
bimmerjay says:
01:52 PM, 08/ 2/09
"@alman08: I'll see you in my office at 8 AM Monday and you can take my job. Don't be late! --Erin Riches"
LOL, nice!