30K service estimate of $800?!
I'm on 20k miles thinking about doing 30k mile service(DIY).
You should do it yourself. Everything is straight forward. Change transmission fluid, front and back diff fluid, change oil, transfer case oil, check for leaks, change coolant. I think that covers most of it.
Changing diff, transmission, transfer case fluid is just like changing engine oil. But you'll need long tube.
You should do it yourself. Everything is straight forward. Change transmission fluid, front and back diff fluid, change oil, transfer case oil, check for leaks, change coolant. I think that covers most of it.
Changing diff, transmission, transfer case fluid is just like changing engine oil. But you'll need long tube.
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Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Connecticut
I just did my 30K mile service a week ago. My suggestion is to try a performance shop that you trust who knows these cars, thats what I did. It cut that s**t in half 
Anyone who's going to pay over $500 or $600 for that service is crazy. You can buy all the fluids for a quarter of that price, the rest is labor and that will vary depending on the shop. The dealer is going to overcharge for labor no matter what they do to the car because thats who they make their money, its a sales pitch to them (and in the case of the 30K, they really don't do nothing..its all inspection aside from fluid changes). I got all Motul fluids for the service, drives like a dream 
Anyone who's going to pay over $500 or $600 for that service is crazy. You can buy all the fluids for a quarter of that price, the rest is labor and that will vary depending on the shop. The dealer is going to overcharge for labor no matter what they do to the car because thats who they make their money, its a sales pitch to them (and in the case of the 30K, they really don't do nothing..its all inspection aside from fluid changes). I got all Motul fluids for the service, drives like a dream
Service Adviors Lie like HELL to customers. I'm a Tech for Honda. I know this isn't for Evo's, but our basic 30k service runs I think $229. That's a multi-point inspection, engine air filter, cabin filter, LOF, check tires, rotate tires (if needed), check brakes, check belts, hoses, etc. Add a trans service and rear diff service (if applicable) and you're over $300.
Services, while I still upsell them to make money, are almost a complete waste of money. Most of the stuff, if you're at ALL mechanicaly inclined, you can do yourself. No reason to waste the money. Schedualed maintanence is designed for people who don't know much about their car and think they NEED to have it done so the car continues to run. Don't get me wrong, maintanence, of course is important, but some of the stuff is down right useless!
Usually an honest Service Advisor will try to sell you the service, but they can break it up for you to save you a lot of money. The can only charge you for the important things. For instance the 30k for Honda's I mentioned earlier. They can sell you an LOF, air filters and just give the car a quick look over for MUCH cheaper than a 30k. And that's basically all a 30k is. Maybe do the trans service at your next LOF.
I never did all that crap to my own Evo. My 60k service consisted of the t-belt packaged, spark plugs and I just checked all the fluids and changed if needed. Why would I pay some dud the check the brakes, tires, rotate the tires and do all that crap I can easily do myself?
You can rotate your own tires, you can check your own brakes, you can change your own oil, you can change your own spark plugs and air filter. Just find out what the service includes, pick the things you can't do yourself (maybe the timing belt and drive belts for less mechincly inclined people) and have them do JUST that! NOT a full 30k. There is no point to pay for the full service. A lot of that price is in labor. I know 30k's pay 2.0 hours. With a rear diff (Pilots and CRV's) and trans service, almost 3 hours. It takes 45 minutes to an hour to do. Customers get KILLED on labor. But of course, that's how a flat rate tech gets paid. Just because it takes him/her shorter than what the dealer says doesn't mean he shouldn't get paid for it!
And don't to that first dealer you called. If you're getting consistant quotes from other places, pick your favorite and go there. No reason one dealer should be almost double the price.
Services, while I still upsell them to make money, are almost a complete waste of money. Most of the stuff, if you're at ALL mechanicaly inclined, you can do yourself. No reason to waste the money. Schedualed maintanence is designed for people who don't know much about their car and think they NEED to have it done so the car continues to run. Don't get me wrong, maintanence, of course is important, but some of the stuff is down right useless!
Usually an honest Service Advisor will try to sell you the service, but they can break it up for you to save you a lot of money. The can only charge you for the important things. For instance the 30k for Honda's I mentioned earlier. They can sell you an LOF, air filters and just give the car a quick look over for MUCH cheaper than a 30k. And that's basically all a 30k is. Maybe do the trans service at your next LOF.
I never did all that crap to my own Evo. My 60k service consisted of the t-belt packaged, spark plugs and I just checked all the fluids and changed if needed. Why would I pay some dud the check the brakes, tires, rotate the tires and do all that crap I can easily do myself?
You can rotate your own tires, you can check your own brakes, you can change your own oil, you can change your own spark plugs and air filter. Just find out what the service includes, pick the things you can't do yourself (maybe the timing belt and drive belts for less mechincly inclined people) and have them do JUST that! NOT a full 30k. There is no point to pay for the full service. A lot of that price is in labor. I know 30k's pay 2.0 hours. With a rear diff (Pilots and CRV's) and trans service, almost 3 hours. It takes 45 minutes to an hour to do. Customers get KILLED on labor. But of course, that's how a flat rate tech gets paid. Just because it takes him/her shorter than what the dealer says doesn't mean he shouldn't get paid for it!
And don't to that first dealer you called. If you're getting consistant quotes from other places, pick your favorite and go there. No reason one dealer should be almost double the price.
Last edited by MitsuJDM; May 20, 2009 at 06:47 PM.
True about that. I work as a tech for mercedes. our flex a, which is a minor service, runs roughly $200. Its basically an oil change and a visual inspection, mostly the flat rate techs only look at the visual inspection for upsells to get more money out of the service. Unfortunately I have seen to many times customers pay all that money just for a oil change. Save yourself tons of money and do it yourself. Its more fullfiliing knowing that its done right, and with the extra money you can buy more mods. 
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Alabama
lol...well a honda you don't have to ever change the fluids....my mom had an accord and she never changed the tranny fluid or anything...only thing she changed was the oil on a regular basis.....and it is still running perfectly after 300,000 miles....she never did any of the maintenance things...i don't even know if it ever had a tune up...prolly on the original spark plugs and stuff too....lmao...i swear i'm not making this up either...if you did that to the evo it would prolly blow up or something...lol
lol...well a honda you don't have to ever change the fluids....my mom had an accord and she never changed the tranny fluid or anything...only thing she changed was the oil on a regular basis.....and it is still running perfectly after 300,000 miles....she never did any of the maintenance things...i don't even know if it ever had a tune up...prolly on the original spark plugs and stuff too....lmao...i swear i'm not making this up either...if you did that to the evo it would prolly blow up or something...lol