My 1st Service Pass Coming Up. Question

wjfyfe said:

In your “the glass is half empty” opinion!
Bill

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Bill,
I moonlighted as a Volvo mechanic in my early years (late 1960s) . This was a highly respected dealership (Baton Rouge) . Both the 2 L and 3L 4/6s used dual Stromberg 225 carbs. The needle and seats wore quickly. Carbs needed overhauled (50K, often by 25K) very early in the vehicles’ lives. I could overhaul them in <30 minutes and with <$5 of parts, reinstall and balance the flows with a flow meter in 1-1 1/2 hrs. The other mechanics replaced the carbs ( $$$$!) stuck them on, no balancing the flows, got 10% of the carb cost as a bonus.

Oil changes - still running out the drain when the plug went back on, wiped off the oil filter. Valve adjustment -ha- wiped off the valve cover. One mechanic stripped out the bolt that held the ignition points - he used a metal screw as a repair. After a month, I couldn’t take it any more, left, moon lighted from home, and still worked as an oil chemist by day.

Transmission went out in ‘17 RL. I drained a few ounces of fluid thru a white coffee filter. Metal flakes. Reset by unhooking the battery 5 minutes, drove to NE Arkansas’ only Honda dealer. They said the filter was clogged with metal particles (xray vision -right thru metal), I had given them my coffee filter , charged me ($220 ) for checking, and said that no rebuilts were available anywhere in the US. $13,200 for a new transmission plus installation , est $1,200-$1,500 extra. THAT VERY DAY, I DROVE IT TO COAD HONDA IN CAPE GIRDEAU, MO (150 mi) , and by that evening , they had a rebuilt trans out of St Louis, MO, my truck was ready the next afternoon. Honda paid all but $2950.

There are bad dealers!!! And good ones. My reward for being a good and ethical Volvo mechanic was punishment and being the lowest paid - for not selling needless parts and for actually doing the work.

I’m 76 and still do all my own servicing and minor maintenance. I dread the 100K service but will do it, or maybe, get a Gen 3 about that time.
Love my RL😊

Obviously, Roger has had similar experiences.

SEW said:

Obviously, Roger has had similar experiences.

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The primary reason I chased brands and models that were less likely to require warranty work for many years was because of my experience with warranty repairs. I've rarely had warranty work done where there wasn't some type of damage or improper repair done. These experiences go back 30 years when I had a new 1992 Grand Am that I caught an employee driving for personal use after hours. A Buick dealer had to replace the headliner, steering wheel, and center console lid in my 1999 Regal after they damaged all three items while replacing the fuel level sending unit under warranty. A Honda dealer had to repair the rear bumper cover on my 2017 Ridgeline after someone gouged it. Years later, this same dealer damaged a wheel while replacing a tire. They also left something loose after replacing the transmission in my 2019 Ridgeline. A different Honda dealer used the wrong viscosity of engine oil in an older Ridgeline. And, these are just obvious issues. Hell, just last week my mother had the battery in her 2019 Equinox replaced by a Chevrolet dealer. The CEL light was on when she left the dealer. My scan tool revealed a battery monitor module communication problem. I found that the dealer didn't reconnect it after the $400 battery replacement. I emailed the service manager pointing out their error, but he never replied - not even to apologize.

On the subject of Honda Service Pass and the Ridgeline...

This program covers maintenance specified by the MM during the first 2 years or 24,000 miles.

For the typical Ridgeline owner, this will include:

• A1 (tire rotation, engine oil change) at around 8,500 miles.
• B16 (tire rotation, engine oil/filter change, rear differential fluid change) at around 17,000 miles.

That's it. The actual value of these services is about $200. Honda increased the starting price of the Ridgeline by $660 for the 2023 model year when they added Honda Service Pass.

I would choose to do the work myself and know that it was done properly and without damage to the vehicle even if these services were free (which they aren't - they're included).

The solution is easy. Buy a used car in good mechanical condition as inspected by your mechanic and then have him service it going forward. I have a shop I frequently visit for yearly state inspections and between him and my transmission buddy I'm calm cool and collected at the service shop. And it's NOT a dealer. I've also had my cars inspected at a Firestone dealer shop as well when I was them to be CRITICAL of the vehicle. But mostly, I do all the simple servicing myself and my shops know I do that. Brakes and such are easy repairs along with fluid changes that I can do in the heated and air conditioned comfort of my garages. It's way too easy to work on a SUV or the Ridgeline anyway as mostly you barely have to jack them up even. And any of my warranty work has their own service stories as I've had a lot of cars over the years. Full Transmissions (think Ford Windstar) and engine replacements (think 99' Celebrity Eurosport) happened. Not frequently but often enough.