Local (in Washington DC/Alexandria VA) Hyundai Dealer is recommending a 50,000 mile service for our 2012 (purchased late 2011) Hyundai Elantra Touring. Car has mostly Washington DC commuting miles on it and semi-regular (e.g. between every 3 and 6,000 miles) general maintenance check and and oil change regimen.
Here’s what they’re offering (cut and pasted from their message, sorry for any typos and the ALL CAPS):
CHANGE ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
REPLACE AIR FILTER
ADJUST PARKING BRAKE
REPLACE PCV VALVE
ADJUST DRIVE BELTS
INSPECT EXHAUST MOUNTING HARDWARE
ROTATE ALL FOUR TIRES
INSPECT FUEL LINES & CONNECTIONS
INSPECT BRAKE PADS/DISC
CHECK TIRE WEAR & ADJUST PRESSURE
REPLACE ENGINE COOLANT
INSPECT BRAKE LINES/HOSES
REPLACE BRAKE FLUID
INSPECT STEERING GEAR
FILL ALL FLUID LEVELS
INSPECT BALL JOINTS DUST COVERS
TUNE ENGINE AS APPLIED TO SPECIFIC VEHICLE
INSPECT DRIVE SHAFT BOOTS
REPACK WHEEL BEARINGS (IF APPLIES)
FLUSH TRANSMISSION FLUID
CHECK BATTERY
INSPECT CLUTCH FUNCTION(IF APPLIES)
CLEAN AND ADJUST BRAKES
Cost $500.
I have ZERO experience with cars other than driving them, taking them to Jiffy Lube, and general feeling that I’m getting fleeced in just about every car-purchase and -maintenance related expense.
My thinking is that this is too high a cost for all these services but that it does seem that they are “checking” a lot - so perhaps their time is valuable. Another fear is that this level of inspection/check of all sorts of things is bound to turn up problems (real or just to get me to pay for more service) and issues.
Any thoughts on if this is worth it, for this type of car. I’m thinking that Hyundai’s 10 year warranty generally doesn’t cover all the possible things “inspection[s]” and “check[s]” might turn up as needing repair/replacement.
Your warranty covers only a few of these things. Most on this list are things that wear out on a normal basis, or deteriorate in time. These are not covered.
It wouldn’t hurt to get the inspection, even though they are trying to find things that need work so that they can make money too.
Still, you would know when you might be needing brakes, ball joints, or wheel bearings. These are not things that you want to fail while traveling down the highway.
If they do find problems…it’s not like you have to have it done that same day.
The only thing that I would argue against is the trans flush. This is only to flush more money from your wallet and normally it just stirs up sludge that then gets into the bearings. if undisturbed it will just sit there thru the life of the car. I’d opt for a fluid and filter change only.
Same with an engine oil flush.
One more thing. Find a good independent mechanic to service your car. Any chain place like JIffy boob, are commonly known to do more damage to cars than anyone else. They hire untrained kids and teach them to change oil and look for items that they can up-sell on the bill. If you have any other problems they will send you elsewhere, because they are illequiped to handle the major work.
At 70.000/100.000 miles you will need a new timing belt. This is also not covered by your warranty and finding an independent mechanic now, and giving him your regular maintainence work, will build a positive relationship now and when you need that big work he may give a valued customer a better price. Timing belt job at an inde may be $1200 and at a dealer $2000.
Because you have a 10 year warranty, be sure to keep all records. If you blow an engine and cannot prove that the oil changes were done on time…they can claim that you neglected it.
Read whats covered and what is not in your warranty.
There are only about four items that require actual service with parts and labor. The rest are inspections and minor adjustments that can be done ANYTIME. I never have “50k service” and the like done. Read the manual and have items like fluid changes and filters changed individually at regular oil change intervals that spread the costs out. You will save tons of money. The cost of this service is probably $200 overcharge then if you itemized the necessary services. Most inspections are done regardless to garner repairs at regular oil changes.
You are being charged an hourly fee for things that are often done free during regular services. Inspection of boots and brake lines is pretty standard when they have the car on a lift at my dealership anytime. If they find something wrong, they offer to fix for a charge for that particular service. Your charge for the 50k service will be increases to for additional repairs. Why pay them when they inspect most if not all of these items all of the time. Tire rotations should be part of a package at a tire store, usually free.
They just need a long list to justify the over charge.
Bottom line, just ask for an itemized accounting for all the items MINUS THE INSPECTIONS and checks and tell them you expect they be done for nothing. They will make their money if something is wrong and needs fixing as per your instruction.
I also spread items out over time to minimize the high one time charge. I will tell them when I need transmission fluid changes and I will replace cabin and air filters myself which are easy and big money savers. If you can open a glove box, you can change a cabin filter.
Note, tuning up a vehicle is a thing of the past at 50 k …it’s a 100 k spark plug change for most cars.
The price sounds fair and I have to respectfully disagree that there’s an overcharge.
If that 500 dollars is broken down into its separate bits and if someone understands how flat rate works along with the inherent costs one would find that it’s not out of line at all.
As to inspection of various items it is true that one doesn’t have to inspect a single thing. Ever.
The purpose of inspections it to try and head off problems before they occur or before minor becomes major.
To me anyway, inspecting ball joints for looseness is preferable to the alternative; ignoring them until they break.
My contention is that these inspections go on routinely with oil changes to promote repair. I do not argue that if all are carried out that flat rate charges could result in a $500 bill, but this bill is totally unnecessary as practically speaking, the inspections are not conducted concurrently as suggested by flat rate billing. They are conducted while fluids are draining and service is being done on legitimate items. When I go in for an oil change, I get most of these items inspected for free to promote repair. Why should I pay for it using flat rate billing. I respectfully disagree that these overcharges are necessary. For example, every time my tires are rotated, they inspect brake lines and the brake linings…boot inspects etc. etc
I have been doing this for many years and I never pay this bogus high bill for so called 50k service requirements. I always negotiate my service charge downward with the idea many of these inspections will be done for free.
This is not a matter of having items un inspected as you claim. If there is a part that needs fixing, they will find it, for free…
I contend the price is not bad for the services on the list. Although many are inspection, there are several actual tasks to perform. Oil and filter change, rotate tires, adjust belt tension, adjust parking brakes, replace air filter, replace coolant, replace brake fluid, flush (I hope they just mean exchange) transmission fluid, and top off other fluids. That is a lot of work for $500 at the dealer.
Your car doesn’t need a tune up at 50000 miles, the parking brake doesn’t need adjustment if it will hold the car from moving,
In the DC area your brakes shouldn’t need cleaning and lubricating.
Your front wheel bearings can;'t be packed and if your rear ones can be, wait until you have a rear brake job done.
Your serpentine belt is not adjustable.
If your car has long life coolant it is good for 100000 miles/5 years, if is the green stuff, 2 years
Your “sealed” transmission has a drain plug (on the bottom) and a fill plug (on the side). There is a procedure for doing it and any decent independent mechanic with a lift or transmission shop can do a drain and fill with Hyundai Fluid.
They call my 2012 Toyota transmission a sealed unit too and claim the fluid is good for the life of the car. I guess when the transmission dies, the car does also. I also have a fill and drain plug.
In the back of the owners manual all the upkeep necessary to keep the warranty in effect is listed.
I guarantee you that if that 500 is broken down one will find that it’s on the up and up. I also won’t say that I’m surprised that those who have never worked in the field or done these kinds of services usually assume the worst.
Most maintenance services are assigned a set labor time which may be an hour, 2 hour, or 4. It depends upon the mileage and type of service and is all-inclusive.
The OP refers to Washington D.C. area and my assumption is that is a high labor rate area.
Assume for the sake of discussion the labor rate is 100 per flat rate hour.
Now assume for the sake of discussion that a set time for performing all of those services under one umbrella time is not done.
Now eliminate every one of those items that say “inspection” or “adjust”.
Now bill by flat rate times for individual operations.
Oil/filter change .5
Air filter .2
PCV .2
Tire rotate .4
Coolant flush… .7
Brake fluid … .7
Flush trans .5
Elec/battery check .5
I took it easy on those labor times. Do the math and multiply by 100. That gives you labor sans taxes, shop fees, parts, fluids, etc.
Now which way would you prefer your service be done; and with said service not including any of the inspect and adjust items?
Most of it seems reasonable and NoVa is an expensive area. High labor costs are not unusual. What engine do you have? The 2L has a timing belt. If y have the 2L engine, check your maintenance guide to see when emplacement is suggested. IIRC, it used to be 60,000 miles on Hyundais, but may be longer now. There is no need to do it early, but it is good to plan ahead. It could easily happen in the next 12 months.