So last week I called the dealer about scheduling an appointment for getting my first oil change on my truck. I was told that they don't make appointments and to just bring it in whenever; so that's what I did today. I was informed that it would be at least an hour and a half and the service personnel points at a car outside and said "they've been here an hour already". After this I once again ask about making an appointment and was told they don't schedule appointment for any service. So I stopped at AutoZone and got my old trusty Valvoline and mobile 1 filter and I'll be doing it myself. Does anyone's dealers make appointments or is it just mine that doesn't? I don't know about everyone else but my time is very precious to me, I'm not waiting hours for a 30 min oil change because of an unorganized dealership. Sorry, had to get that off my chest.
It is a first come first served kind of a deal. My time is precious to me, but not just for my own satisfaction, but because i have constraints set on me by the Federal govt regarding when I can drive my commercial truck. But, I had to stop, while on a loaded run, into my favorite lube shop and get the oil changed. From the time I got there to the time I left was around and hour and 45 minutes.
I used to do the semi myself, but getting older and draining 10 gallons of oil and changing 3 oil filters, I would much rather pay someone to knock it out quicker than I can. I supply the oil and filters, I just pull it in over the pit and have them do the job. I still do all the greasing of the chassis. Finicky about that.
I've never heard of a dealership not taking appointments. I call my service advisor schedule an appointment and tell him I need it done by lunch, and he never fails.
They only do appointments on oil for sure at my dealership. I know I had to wait three days for my valve cover replacement, but I was given a choice of days to bring is in and told I would have to leave it for 2 days. Back when there was like 7 metro OKC dealerships, half were "by appointment" the other half were first come, first serve. Now we only have 2 city dealerships and at least one is as I explained; I would almost imagine the other one is as well due to its location in the city.
I decided to check out the website of another local Chevy/GMC dealer and it looks like they work appt. only. So I guess they just gained a new customer.
If I have to make an appointment at my GM dealer, I have to wait 20 days... That's the soonest they can get to my truck is the end of this month for any sort of service issues. What if my truck was seriously broken? Kind of a PITA. But for oil changes I just take it to one of those oil change shops, never had a problem at the one I go to. Always friendly and always under half an hour tops for a wait in line. I'm really close to just doing it myself though these days.
I usually do it myself anyway (actually prefer to) but figured free is well free so I wanted to take advantage of it. I can't wait like that though, so I'll just do my on oil changes. I guess I can just use both the walk in service and appt. only service to my benefit since I live right in the middle of both.
My father dealership does it by appointment or walk in. But for his free oil changes they claim that he can either bring it in or they will give him the oil and filter and he can do it at home. But the oil life has to be below 25%
GM Free Maintenance is a marketing ploy that forces the GM owner to go back to the dealership for oil changes. The dealers want to sell you a new vehicle and giving you something free gets you to come in where you can hang out in the showroom or wander the lot looking at new vehicles. It works to drive customers into the showrooms and they sell more vehicles because of it.
They can keep their free oil changes. I know it's done right the first time, and I know what's going into my engine if I'm the one performing the oil change.
Kinda like the free Warranty Forever thing that was part of my 2013 buy. Requires any and all maintenance and repairs done by original dealer. About the only thing I could do myself was wash it and put on license plates. All a scam to generate shop revenue for dealer and, as Mike said, get you in the showroom.
The dealership that services our Impala and my truck have an express lane for oil changes and provides shuttle service if you need it,, they also wash your vehicle before they return it to you,, last time I had the Impala done it was already clean so they vacuumed it out instead (didn't really need it). They also have snacks and drinks (water,soda,coffee,tea). place is always busy, I usually walk around the lot and look at new cars,,, took out a camaro ss on a test drive,,Told the guy I was getting my car serviced,,didnt bother him, I think he wanted to drive it to.. I know it takes them time to do it so I plan for that,,,make sure I have time to kill..
Most of the GM dealers here have a Quick Lube Center. On my wifes Cruze, they said to go there for the free oil changes and we go to their website to set up an appointment for other work.
Go into the dealership and get the 9 quarts of oil and a filter and have them check off a service for you. You have 4 coming for free, and this way you can get the oil and filter for nothing, and you get the satisfaction of knowing it was done right. They shouldn't give you a hard time about the amount of miles or the % on the oil change monitor - if they do just insist on getting the parts, the oil is a synthetic blend and changing it out sooner than later is a good thing in my book.
Lots of good stories, here's mine. I always make a appointment for my oil changes. If my appointment is for 10:30 AM my truck goes on the hoist as soon as one is open, they have 3 lubers doing OLF's even if a walk in waiter (god we hate waiters) was there before me. That said I was at the dealer helping my daughter finalize her 2013 Malibu purchase and my sales guy rolls up in a new White Diamond High Country, I would have fallen in love right there had I not know of the multiple issues with first year models so I was already good for a look and sit, but my salesman tells me NO it's to early to trade your truck yet. He will let me know when the time is right, he knows I will come in and make the purchase from him so he doesn't want to do anything to lose my future business.
Well, that is true, to some extent. But I am not going to drive 40 miles to get to one. Being optimistic that I might get 20 mpg, that is still over $13 in fuel. Not counting that it takes almost an hour each way. By rural, I did not mean the state compared to Chicago. I meant rural, as in out away from metro areas and farm living. The closest dealer to me does not have anything that remotely passes for "quick lube" and they do not have a single loaner vehicle that someone could use. They would give you a lift to work, as long as you work in that town. Since I live over 6 miles from the nearest town, one that has two stop signs in it and no dealership of any kind, getting them to give me a from a town further out to my house or pick me up is not going to happen. And to add insult to injury, the closest dealership could barely do a oil change competently so I wouldn't, and don't, trust them for turning a wrench on my vehicle. I may have bought it from them, but that is about as far as it goes in dealing with them. And the next buy will probably not be with them. But no matter who it is, I will still be far enough away that it is not cost effective and an overuse of my time to go to them for an oil change. Just have to do what I have had to do since I started doing it in the 60's.... do my own lube services.
Hey, that's not all that bad. At least I will use the oil and filters I choose, and I will always know the job is done properly.
GM Free Maintenance is a marketing ploy that forces the GM owner to go back to the dealership for oil changes. The dealers want to sell you a new vehicle and giving you something free gets you to come in where you can hang out in the showroom or wander the lot looking at new vehicles. It works to drive customers into the showrooms and they sell more vehicles because of it.
Very true! Just happened to me today! I took my truck in for its first dealer performed oil change today and while i was waiting for my truck i got bored and went for a walk around the lot, i got to test drive a 2014 sierra (finally), very nice those 2014s by the way, the sales man came out quick! I'm not interested in starting over on payments at the moment, the guy really wanted to put some numbers together for me, run my credit, get me in front of his manager blah blah blah, it didnt work out for him…
I use the same Lube Center for 15 years. Gotten to know everyone and on all of my vehicles just bring my oil and filter. Watch everything being done and even go under to look things over from time to time to look for leaks or moist seals.
Last oil change (which was this trucks first) I took the truck to the dealer although I would have rather done it myself I decided to take advantage of free. However, this time I want to do it myself. I called two different dealerships in the local area and asked if I could come pick up the oil and filter and both of then told told they had to do it. So I went to Wal-Mart and bought it myself, GM can keep their free service.
I had them do one on my truck. They are good with appointments though. Usually can get in within a day or two and often same day. They do an oil change for just $23 which is not much more than 6 quarts of oil and filter alone costs. However, it is just bulk oil that meets the Dexos1 standard and a filter (not even AC-Delco). But the one time I took my truck in for an oil change, I did the next one because I do mine every 5000 and it wasn't within the OLM window. When I went to take off the filter, I literally unscrewed it with three fingers. I had a cow and called and chewed them out. That was the only time I have been unhappy with any work they did.
But, I have done every other oil change myself with Full Synthethic. I still take my wife's and daughter's cobalts to them occasionally when I don't have time and they are past their change mileage.
Given that it is usually the gopher of the shop that is the one that actually does the oil changes, I am not confident that the entire job will be done properly. There are 9 grease fittings on my 2015 2500HD, and the typical oil change guy that does cars all day long and 1500's is likely to not grease things properly or miss a zerk. And just like with my semi truck, I like to take a close look at everything under the pickup anyway to see how everything is and to catch something going wrong early. Doing my own oil changes and lube job fits nicely with that.
But the one time I took my truck in for an oil change, I did the next one because I do mine every 5000 and it wasn't within the OLM window. When I went to take off the filter, I literally unscrewed it with three fingers. I had a cow and called and chewed them out. That was the only time I have been unhappy with any work they did.
Was the filter leaking? Otherwise, it is a non-sequitur.
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