[NowDesign]

I have a 2019 Hybrid Accord, with about 42k miles on it. Took it in for an oil change at the dealership, and they suggested (before even looking at the car) about $1900 in standard 30k mile services. Among the list were some things that I've never heard of and I'm wondering if anyone can guide me on some of these... necessary or not, and if I can do them myself or not.

To be fair, some of the things they recommend actual do need to be done, like the transmission flush and fill. But their pricing is on the ludacris side. These other items all just sound rather simple, and feel like they're trying to take advantage of me... like wanting to charge me $80 to replace the cabin filter - which is $9 on amazon and takes 5 minutes to change.

But what about these other services?

• HVAC Evaporator Cleaning Services $180
• Mass Airflow Cleaning Services $81
• Motor Oil Additive (install motor oil treatment P/N 115 $48
• Ethanol Defense Service Kit $60
• Frigi-Fresh A/C Service (add to CAF) $40

 

[Donniet53]

I have a 2019 Hybrid Accord, with about 42k miles on it. Took it in for an oil change at the dealership, and they suggested (before even looking at the car) about $1900 in standard 30k mile services. Among the list were some things that I've never heard of and I'm wondering if anyone can guide me on some of these... necessary or not, and if I can do them myself or not.

To be fair, some of the things they recommend actual do need to be done, like the transmission flush and fill. But their pricing is on the ludacris side. These other items all just sound rather simple, and feel like they're trying to take advantage of me... like wanting to charge me $80 to replace the cabin filter - which is $9 on amazon and takes 5 minutes to change.

But what about these other services?

• HVAC Evaporator Cleaning Services $180
• Mass Airflow Cleaning Services $81
• Motor Oil Additive (install motor oil treatment P/N 115 $48
• Ethanol Defense Service Kit $60
• Frigi-Fresh A/C Service (add to CAF) $40

They are typical of trying to upsell unnecessary services. Yep, replace the cabin filter your self. These other ones IMHO are not necessary.

 

[rickOnTheRoad]

a total basket of B.S.

Mass airflow sensor cleaning., always a good idea with any modern car every ~30 - 50k miles.
This is simple to do on almost any car, should take less than ten minutes. Google it or search on youtube. All you need is a screwdriver, a can of cleaner spray for mass-airflow sensors available for about $7 at any auto-parts store or Amazon, and a small brush (a soft toothbrush will do fine).
Just be gentle with it, the sensor is not really delicate, but it is easily damaged,
Here is a step-by-step procedure and there are many how-to vids on youtube.


Why? The mass airflow sensor is in the intake air stream just past the air filter. Over time some fine dirt does get past the filter and the sensor can become fouled with that dirt.
When that happens the sensor does not do its job as accurately. That degrades fuel mileage, power and overall driveability.


The others:

• HVAC Evaporator Cleaning Services $180
• Motor Oil Additive (install motor oil treatment P/N 115 $48
• Ethanol Defense Service Kit $60
• Frigi-Fresh A/C Service (add to CAF) $40

They're trying to take advantage of you, assuming you know nothing about automobiles.
In the future I would not trust those people.

I had my automatic transmission drained, refilled with fresh fluid and a new filter installed at 35k miles. Probably sooner than needed, but I'll do it again about every 35k miles or so. I did not have a dealer shop do this.

 

[UKCATS]

I have a 2019 Hybrid Accord, with about 42k miles on it. Took it in for an oil change at the dealership, and they suggested (before even looking at the car) about $1900 in standard 30k mile services. Among the list were some things that I've never heard of and I'm wondering if anyone can guide me on some of these... necessary or not, and if I can do them myself or not.

To be fair, some of the things they recommend actual do need to be done, like the transmission flush and fill. But their pricing is on the ludacris side. These other items all just sound rather simple, and feel like they're trying to take advantage of me... like wanting to charge me $80 to replace the cabin filter - which is $9 on amazon and takes 5 minutes to change.

But what about these other services?

• HVAC Evaporator Cleaning Services $180
• Mass Airflow Cleaning Services $81
• Motor Oil Additive (install motor oil treatment P/N 115 $48
• Ethanol Defense Service Kit $60
• Frigi-Fresh A/C Service (add to CAF) $40

I would never step foot in that cesspool again.

 

[NowDesign]

Why is that F#$@!!-ing dealerships seemingly always try to screw loyal customers?

 

[Ronch]

Why is that F#$@!!-ing dealerships seemingly always try to screw loyal customers?

Because they can...

I had one try to bill me for a whole gallon of windshield wiper fluid and labor to install it (total of ~$40) while my Accord was in only for warranty service.

Little did they know I filled wiper fluid to the top and marked the level on back of the reservoir with a sharpie night before I took it in. Lying cheaters. Made them refund the charge, and never went back there again...

 

[rickOnTheRoad]

In auto service there are honest trustworthy people/shops (I've known one or two over the years) and there are those who try to take advantage of the car/truck owners who know little or nothing about modern vehicles.
That includes of course independent shops and dealer service departments.


The nearby independent shop I now use for routine service I am a little less than happy with...
I trust them and respect the quality of service they provide.
I've recently learned however that they report my mileage and service done to Carfax.
Carfax in turn sells that info to auto insurance companies.
The insurance companies now charge a higher premium if you accumulate mileage at a rate in excess of "x".

My shop did not ask my permission to report my information to Carfax and I'm going to request that they promise to no longer do so.

 

[RCarlL]

I have a 2019 Hybrid Accord, with about 42k miles on it. Took it in for an oil change at the dealership, and they suggested (before even looking at the car) about $1900 in standard 30k mile services. Among the list were some things that I've never heard of and I'm wondering if anyone can guide me on some of these... necessary or not, and if I can do them myself or not.

To be fair, some of the things they recommend actual do need to be done, like the transmission flush and fill. But their pricing is on the ludacris side. These other items all just sound rather simple, and feel like they're trying to take advantage of me... like wanting to charge me $80 to replace the cabin filter - which is $9 on amazon and takes 5 minutes to change.

But what about these other services?

• HVAC Evaporator Cleaning Services $180
• Mass Airflow Cleaning Services $81
• Motor Oil Additive (install motor oil treatment P/N 115 $48
• Ethanol Defense Service Kit $60
• Frigi-Fresh A/C Service (add to CAF) $40

Sounds like all of the Honda dealerships in my area. They are all awful- between pushing unnecessary services, charging over MSRP for parts, and using every excuse in the book to deny warranty claims- I avoid them whenever possible. My only encounters now are for recall work- and I dread it each time because they always include a laundry list of things that my wife's Passport urgently needs. I always tell them that I'll take it up with my normal mechanic the next time the car goes in for regular maintenance. At this point, half of the recommendations are almost laughable. They hook up every car that comes into the service bay to an alignment machine that more often than not spits out a really scary printout that warns you that your car urgently needs an alignment. Refusing the $250 service might "void your warranty", they warn. I can't help but wonder how much they've made by performing unnecessary alignments on cars over the past few years.

$80 is on the expensive side for a cabin filter change, but it depends on the filter they were going to use. I think that the "premium" cabin filter retails for $62 these days, while the standard cabin filter retails for $28. If you don't specify or ask, many dealers will push the more expensive one because there's a few extra bucks in profit with that one... so if that's what they were including (part #08R79-PS8-100A), then the $18 in labor included in the price probably isn't too unreasonable... despite the fact that it only takes a few minutes to change. If they were quoting you the standard filter (part #80292-SDA-407), then that would mean that they were charging you roughly $50 for labor, which would be pretty high.

As for the rest of it, it seems like typical dealership ripoffs.

 

[commodorenut]

.....
I've recently learned however that they report my mileage and service done to Carfax.
Carfax in turn sells that info to auto insurance companies.
The insurance companies now charge a higher premium if you accumulate mileage at a rate in excess of "x".

My shop did not ask my permission to report my information to Carfax and I'm going to request that they promise to no longer do so.

Whoa, that is so wrong.
I work for the Australian division of a large US corporate (Fortune 250 company). We have to do ongoing "training" in compliance, to keep up with rules & regulations. Some of the stuff we've had to do around information retention and privacy has been quite involved, and quite strict too. I think the US is even more strict with that sort of info than Australia. Think HIPAA, but with customer info, and not in health care.

So I am quite surprised that a business on the US mainland can get away with doing that. Especially when Carfax make money out of collecting that information and selling it to consumers. It should be an opt-in thing.

But then you mentioned how they sell it to insurance companies. Of course, they are the worst at breaking all the rules and ethics out there, with how they deny claims and use legal traps to stop people from holding them liable. They are a law unto themselves, and I bet nobody is willing to take them on.

In Australia, my insurance company (and many others) offer "enthusiast" cover for those who have classic, vintage or muscle cars. Once you're insured with them, they open it up to policy holders to also cover daily driven cars too - but I guess they think someone who is an enthusiast will take better care of all of their cars. So I currently have 6 vehicles with them. The 4 that are enthusiast cars get a decent discount for being low mileage. But it's entirely optional, and the owner/policy holder can choose to take up this option for the discount. I don't have to report my mileage to them, but they request that the vehicle travels less than 3000km per year (1864 miles). 2 cars haven't moved more than 5km in the last few years. One has done around 80km, and the other would be 2-300km per year. Even if I did have to report the mileage, I would be willing to do so, because it's on terms that benefit me.

But to have mileage reported without consent is downright disgusting.
And for the insurance companies to use that against you is even more disgusting.

The carrot always works better than the stick.

 

[datechbpss101]

Why is that F#$@!!-ing dealerships seemingly always try to screw loyal customers?

I'm as loyal as they can get. But then again, dealerships are a business, and in business to make money. So of course they screw loyal and new customers. The worst actors I've personally seen in real life is Nissan stealer ships, in sales, parts, and service. Another one is Acura. Still trying to understand why does one need to pay $200 before taxes and 5h!t for a simple 0w-20 oil change with new filter. Makes no sense.

 

[NowDesign]

I'm probably going to write a scathing letter to their GM and explain my experience. I will say, RCarlL, your point about the cabin filter is well explained... with one caveat. The factory air cabin filters premium at $62, and standard at $28... are both wildly overpriced. I've purchased replacements online, had them delivered and they look and feel exactly like the ones from the dealership and they are around $10. Same goes for the engine air filter... a good quality option with a known brand, is still far less than factory.

But I digress...I'm usually a fan of only using factory parts on a car, but sometimes... like this... just seems predatory.

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[datechbpss101]

You can get factory air filters online for cheap like through collegehillshonda and other sites. STP air filters from Autozone have been great for me and I've been using them since my 6th gen days.

 

[‘17 Touring]

They are typical of trying to upsell unnecessary services. Yep, replace the cabin filter your self. These other ones IMHO are not necessary.

Agreed! I always replace the cabin air filter and engine air filter simultaneously…