Scheduled Maintenance - smart center or other?

[seadave]

OK, I'm feeling a little like the guy who bought land unseen in Florida 100 years ago. Went in to our smart center in North Houston for Mr. Bean's first service at 10,000 miles. He was terrified as he had heard the stories about a full blood letting, he had never before been in a public bath, and he was nervous about a stranger examining his "parts." Alas, he made it out just fine.

Trouble is, I'm having trouble seeing the $225 of value by having the smart dealership perform what appears to be the same service I would receive by paying my local shop about $40.

Am I missing something? Is there something the dealers do outside the "checklist" which makes it worth it? ...Perhaps someone from the "official" side of this forum can explain.

seadave

[forestacademy]

I posted this on another thread
So here is your repost under another topic
This is what your paying for, sometimes at MB rates
Reset maintenance counter in cluster



Replace the following:

• activated charcoal filter for A/C
• engine oil and filter

Check the following:

• body, underside of vehicle and paint for damage
• brake system/brake hoses for tightness
• disk brake pads for lining thickness
• engine coolant level and strength
• engine, gearbox, tubes and hoses for tightness
• exhaust system for tightness and correct fixation
• horn, interior and exterior lights, warning lights, A/C system, seat heating for proper operation
• parking brake function
• tires and wheels for damage, condition and single-sided wear
• tire pressure, correct if necessary;
  LF______ RF______ LR______ RR______
• tire tread depth, enter in mm;
  LF______ RF______ LR______ RR______
• windshield washer system fluid level, correct if necessary
• windshield wiper blade condition and wiper/washer system function

All this info and more can be found at http://owners.smartusa.com/Maintenance_Schedule.aspx

And most dealers include a car wash, although some have reported being charged for car wash soap from what I would then call a stealership


Now if you are 1/2 way handy you can change the oil yourself but that will cost close to $35 for materials + you need the cabin filter. But it may be worth the money to have them reset the maintenance indicator. That can be harder than changing the oil

Edit -
My 10K service at my smart center was $150. Your results may vary

[sato7]

I did it all myself and saved a bundle.. just wait until you get to the 20k service OMG they charge nearly 500 dollars for not much more!

[Godfather]

"It's a Money Machine........."

[johnjohn]

My 10k was $180. at smartcenter seattle. My 20k wae even less because I provded the oil ( I found the mobile 1 0-40 for $6.99 ) They say to CHANGE /FLUSH brake fluid @ 20,000 miles, dealer checked & said not needed. That's why some are getting charged $500 + for 20k service.

[Black-ohio-brabus]

Well if everyone would stop letting them rape you they would lower there price keep hounding them and they will lower the cost, we as the buyers are the dumb ones that keep on paying it, if we stop paying It they will lower the cost

[NoRo13]

"Check the following" means just that - they look at stuff. Big whoop. If you're at all handy, you can easily do all the "checks" yourself, and it doesn't cost a dime. So, you're pretty much paying 200 bucks for an oil change and a cabin filter.

"Stealership" is spot on.

[fortow]

The cabin filter does not have to be changed at every oil change. the other stuff is fluff and easily and quickly checked - but I doubt that they do. If you want to continue to be gouged like this then next time you take the car in do some preparation such as reducing air in one tire, remove an interior light bulb, empty the windshield washer fluid, - and see if all those things are corrected.

You can do every one of the checks yourself, in fact any car owner should be aware of these things and more on a regular basis.

Also, changing oil and filter is very easy on this car - and much, much cheaper to do yourself.
You can also reset the maintenance indicator yourself.

You did not get $225 worth of value.

[seadave]

OK, OK, having started this I thought it best to contact the service rep at the smart center of Houston North and ask. The checklist posted earlier by forestacademy is certainly a good starting point, and indeed most of those checks an average mechanic or even average smart car owner can handle - comments/ observations others have made. My question to the service rep was what do they do that we can't.

The answer was quick in coming - they hook up one of their magical machines and do a diagnostic test on the car. I didn't ask what that entails, but have to assume it tests all of the circuit and PLC controls in the car. This is not a test I am likely to be able to do and I would have to question if the average oil change shop could do it.

Sounds viable to me - I feel a bit better about having spent $225 on Mr. Bean. Am I missing something again?

[silverbrabus]

Originally Posted by seadave

Am I missing something? Is there something the dealers do outside the "checklist" which makes it worth it? ...Perhaps someone from the "official" side of this forum can explain.

Outside the checklist? If you're lucky might get the checklist.

I worked in the industry for 7 years (Dealership parts). Scheduled maintenances were referred to as "gravy" -- money makers doable in 1/4 to 1/2 of the flat-rate time because of all the stuff on the list that wasn't done.

DIY FTW. Save your reciepts.