Car Doc is a pre-paid maintenance plan offered by Victory Automotive Group. My local Honda dealer is owned by VAG and advertises this service on every vehicle on the lot. Here's a closer look at each item that is included with Car Doc.
Oil Change - Includes Oil Filter
15 oil and filter changes are included in 75,000 miles which is one oil change every 5,000 miles. Car Doc values these 15 oil and filter changes at $500 which breaks down to $33.33 each.
Honda instructs owners to change their engine oil only when prompted by the Maintenance Minder which calculates remaining oil life based on actual driving conditions.
Continually resetting the Maintenance Minder before the oil life is allowed to reach 15% prevents other maintenance item codes from being displayed which can lead to neglected maintenance.
If you change the oil when the vehicle tells you to, you’ll spend closer to $333 on oil and filter changes over 75,000 miles.
CLAIMED VALUE: $500
ACTUAL VALUE: $333
Engine Air Filter
Five engine air filters are included for a claimed value of $32 each every 15,000 miles. The list price for a Genuine Honda engine air filter is $27.67. Honda only specifies a 15,000-mile replacement intervals when driving in dusty conditions. Otherwise, you’d need only two air filter changes in 75,000 miles.
CLAIMED VALUE: $160
ACTUAL VALUE: $55
Cabin Air Filter
One cabin air filter is included with a value of $70. The list price for a Genuine Honda cabin air filter is $21.65 which takes less than a minute to change.
CLAIMED VALUE $70
ACTUAL VALUE $22
Oil Treatment
One bottle of BG MOA “oil supplement” (additive) is included with a value of $20. Honda advises against the use of engine oil additives in the Owner’s Manual.
“Your vehicle does not require oil additives. In fact, they may adversely affect the engine performance and durability.”
CLAIMED VALUE: $20
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Tire Rotation
15 tire rotations are included at a claimed value of $250 or $16.67 each. Tire rotations are performed only with oil changes instead of every 5,000 miles.
CLAIMED VALUE: $250
ACTUAL VALUE: $167
Four Wheel Alignment
One alignment is included at a value of $80. Wheel alignments are not part of scheduled maintenance and are generally performed only if the suspension has been damaged or repaired.
CLAIMED VALUE: $80
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Fuel Induction Service
One service is included at 15,000 miles with a value of $180. Unless the bratty kid next door pours sugar in your gas tank, this is unnecessary.
CLAIMED VALUE: $180
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Multi-Point Inspection
An unlimited number of inspections are included, but these are typically performed with other services. The dealer is hoping you’ll come in frequently for inspections which gives them an opportunity to sell you even more maintenance and repairs.
CLAIMED VALUE $0
They’re correct.
Road America
Roadside assistance is included in the five-year Car Doc plan, but you’re really only getting two years of coverage since three years of roadside assistance is included with the vehicle. You can purchase two years of roadside assistance for less than $250 elsewhere and are unlikely to need it in the first place.
CLAIMED VALUE: $250
ACTUAL VALUE $0
Key Replacement
One key replacement is included. In the unlikely event you lose a key, you can buy a new remote and key including cutting and programming for less than $300.
CLAIMED VALUE: $300
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
12% Discount of Parts and Service & Accessories
You can save more than 12% simply by buying parts and accessories online. In order to save $550, you'd have to spend $4,583 on parts, service, and accessories at a VAG-owned dealership.
CLAIMED VALUE: $550
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
CARFAX
Why would you need a vehicle history report on your own vehicle when you know its history? A new vehicle won't have a CARFAX history. Many used vehicle listings include a free vehicle history report.
CLAIMED VALUE $100
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Vehicle Appraisal
Any dealer will appraise your vehicle at any time or you can do it yourself using one of the many online appraisal services.
CLAIMED VALUE: $0
They’re right again.
$500 Towards Next Purchase of a New or Used Car
Now they’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel! There’s a good chance you can save more than $500 on your own, they already got you for over $500 when you bought the maintenance plan, and there's a good chance they'll do it again next time (unless you read this).
CLAIMED VALUE $500
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Free Loaner Car
Many dealers and some automakers provide loaners as a standard courtesy, on a case-by-case basis, or as part of a vehicle service contract such as Honda Care.
CLAIMED VALUE: $150
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Here’s what you get when you add it all up:
CLAIMED VALUE: $3,610
SELLING PRICE: $1,095
ACTUAL VALUE: $577
Car Doc does not include other important scheduled maintenance items such as replacement of the transmission fluid, rear differential fluid, transfer case fluid, or brake fluid.
The primary benefit of the Car Doc maintenance plan is extra profit for the selling dealer. Paying for maintenance as you go only when needed is not only less expensive and more convenient, but better for your vehicle and the environment as well.
Oil Change - Includes Oil Filter
15 oil and filter changes are included in 75,000 miles which is one oil change every 5,000 miles. Car Doc values these 15 oil and filter changes at $500 which breaks down to $33.33 each.
Honda instructs owners to change their engine oil only when prompted by the Maintenance Minder which calculates remaining oil life based on actual driving conditions.
Continually resetting the Maintenance Minder before the oil life is allowed to reach 15% prevents other maintenance item codes from being displayed which can lead to neglected maintenance.
If you change the oil when the vehicle tells you to, you’ll spend closer to $333 on oil and filter changes over 75,000 miles.
CLAIMED VALUE: $500
ACTUAL VALUE: $333
Engine Air Filter
Five engine air filters are included for a claimed value of $32 each every 15,000 miles. The list price for a Genuine Honda engine air filter is $27.67. Honda only specifies a 15,000-mile replacement intervals when driving in dusty conditions. Otherwise, you’d need only two air filter changes in 75,000 miles.
CLAIMED VALUE: $160
ACTUAL VALUE: $55
Cabin Air Filter
One cabin air filter is included with a value of $70. The list price for a Genuine Honda cabin air filter is $21.65 which takes less than a minute to change.
CLAIMED VALUE $70
ACTUAL VALUE $22
Oil Treatment
One bottle of BG MOA “oil supplement” (additive) is included with a value of $20. Honda advises against the use of engine oil additives in the Owner’s Manual.
“Your vehicle does not require oil additives. In fact, they may adversely affect the engine performance and durability.”
CLAIMED VALUE: $20
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Tire Rotation
15 tire rotations are included at a claimed value of $250 or $16.67 each. Tire rotations are performed only with oil changes instead of every 5,000 miles.
CLAIMED VALUE: $250
ACTUAL VALUE: $167
Four Wheel Alignment
One alignment is included at a value of $80. Wheel alignments are not part of scheduled maintenance and are generally performed only if the suspension has been damaged or repaired.
CLAIMED VALUE: $80
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Fuel Induction Service
One service is included at 15,000 miles with a value of $180. Unless the bratty kid next door pours sugar in your gas tank, this is unnecessary.
CLAIMED VALUE: $180
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Multi-Point Inspection
An unlimited number of inspections are included, but these are typically performed with other services. The dealer is hoping you’ll come in frequently for inspections which gives them an opportunity to sell you even more maintenance and repairs.
CLAIMED VALUE $0
They’re correct.
Road America
Roadside assistance is included in the five-year Car Doc plan, but you’re really only getting two years of coverage since three years of roadside assistance is included with the vehicle. You can purchase two years of roadside assistance for less than $250 elsewhere and are unlikely to need it in the first place.
CLAIMED VALUE: $250
ACTUAL VALUE $0
Key Replacement
One key replacement is included. In the unlikely event you lose a key, you can buy a new remote and key including cutting and programming for less than $300.
CLAIMED VALUE: $300
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
12% Discount of Parts and Service & Accessories
You can save more than 12% simply by buying parts and accessories online. In order to save $550, you'd have to spend $4,583 on parts, service, and accessories at a VAG-owned dealership.
CLAIMED VALUE: $550
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
CARFAX
Why would you need a vehicle history report on your own vehicle when you know its history? A new vehicle won't have a CARFAX history. Many used vehicle listings include a free vehicle history report.
CLAIMED VALUE $100
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Vehicle Appraisal
Any dealer will appraise your vehicle at any time or you can do it yourself using one of the many online appraisal services.
CLAIMED VALUE: $0
They’re right again.
$500 Towards Next Purchase of a New or Used Car
Now they’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel! There’s a good chance you can save more than $500 on your own, they already got you for over $500 when you bought the maintenance plan, and there's a good chance they'll do it again next time (unless you read this).
CLAIMED VALUE $500
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Free Loaner Car
Many dealers and some automakers provide loaners as a standard courtesy, on a case-by-case basis, or as part of a vehicle service contract such as Honda Care.
CLAIMED VALUE: $150
ACTUAL VALUE: $0
Here’s what you get when you add it all up:
CLAIMED VALUE: $3,610
SELLING PRICE: $1,095
ACTUAL VALUE: $577
Car Doc does not include other important scheduled maintenance items such as replacement of the transmission fluid, rear differential fluid, transfer case fluid, or brake fluid.
The primary benefit of the Car Doc maintenance plan is extra profit for the selling dealer. Paying for maintenance as you go only when needed is not only less expensive and more convenient, but better for your vehicle and the environment as well.