Free oil change- yay or nay

Z45 · July 24, 2020

The job of the lube tech and service adviser is to sell services, weather you need them or not. So take anything they try to sell you with skepticism. Oil changes are the key to success in pushing related products and services for the GM dealer. I saw recently a survey that said that oil changes are the number one maintenance service and lead to 56 percent of repair/upsell opportunities.

Bob2C · July 24, 2020

That’s why I do all my own oil changes and maintenance/repairs unless it needs warranty work. Never used the 2 free oil changes. I know the job is getting done right when i do it, I don’t need to listen to them up sell me on something I don’t need, I don’t need to waste an hour or more there and I can do it cheaper.

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diyer2 · July 24, 2020

Forgot about this until elcamino posted. I had done maintenance on my mother in laws car. She took it to a shop for an oil change because they sent a coupon in the mail. They put brakes on the front, changed the air filter and rotated the tires. I had done these services about a month before. She forgot.

I was in retail for a few years. Up-selling was the biggest push on a regular basis.

mookdoc6 · July 24, 2020

Give them the one chance....I know I did! First time in decades I let em have something other than warranty work. Yup, they overfilled her by 1qt told me no biggie?

stevejones · July 24, 2020

If it's leased, then yes.

If I bought it, then no.

Had a good string back when 4 oil changes were included in a new Chevy purchase. I had a couple of 2-year leases for the wife; never had to do crap to those vehicles.

Edited July 24, 2020 by stevejones

Snakes709 · July 24, 2020

Normally i do my own work. But im paying for these 4 free oil changes, might as well use them. I inspect their work afterwards, no issues thus far. Used 2 of the 4 out changes so far and about to use the 3rd.

aseibel · July 24, 2020

I took advantage of the 4 free oil changes. I was unhappy when I found out they decided not to rotate the tires, even though that was supposed to be included. I called them back and was told they inspected the tires and decided it was not needed. Without talking to me.

So take advantage if you want to. As long as you know going in they have a reputation for taking short cuts/ upselling/ everything else. Then you can inspect their work before you leave and decline any additional services.

DFW-AT4 · July 24, 2020

Never again! My wife took her new Traverse in to the dealer for it's first oil change. She came home with oil smoke rolling out if the exhaust. Pulled the dipstick and the overfilled by 6 quarts! Yes, that's right, they double filled it. It was darn near coming out of the dipstick tube! Had them send a wrecker to pick it up, they wanted her to drive it back and I threw a fit. After rectifying the problem, I asked them for a service ticket saying that they had overfilled in case there were catalytic convertor problems, or seal issues, later in life. They did, but left out the fact of it being overfilled by 6 quarts. Again, I had to get ugly to get what I wanted. They failed to see the difference between it being overfilled by a quart vs 6 quarts. Like I said... Never AGAIN!

Edited July 24, 2020 by DFW-AT4

2020HD · July 24, 2020

No, always do my own oil changes and have always used the fumoto oil drain or the valvo max. I like the valvo max one better.

https://www.valvomax.com/products/valvomax-quick-twist-valve?variant=31835835662445

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OnTheReel · July 24, 2020

Like everything, it depends on the dealer doing the work. Obviously not everyone’s experiences are as horrible as what some have shared or we’d have a lot more engine failures in the world. Most people are not enthusiasts. Or they are too busy / physically unable to do the job themselves. So it’s important to keep perspective that dealer oil changes go just fine almost all of the time...you just don’t hear about it.

Personally, I have no issue spending the $60-$80 to get the oil changed and tires rotated. And even less issue using the free one.

PPK · July 24, 2020

I have two freebies with my GMC... i think it makes sense to have it in the dealer a coule of times to show you maintain it... i always clean mine under the hood before i let them replace the oil and filter.. the worst thing they can do it get dirt in the fill..