Anyone know a lot about cars???

[secret-steve-crumbles]

So, a buddy of mine was telling me this story about how he felt that his car repair shop was trying to rip him off when he took his car in recently for service... He felt that because of the economy, places were trying to get more money from people with unnecessary services.

I didn't pay much mind to the story, because I have generally been very happy with the place I take my car. I take it to the same Honda place that I bought my car from. Although, I don't think it's an official "honda" repair shop as the receipts I get have some other name on it. So, they just must rent space on the Honda lot or something. However, they follow all of Honda guidelines and use all their parts for repairs... or so I thought...

So, here's my story followed by my question to anyone who knows a lot about cars out there that can help me out.

I have a 2005 Honda Civic VP automatic. It has 71k+ miles on it.

I took it in for the 70k service. Which is essentially an oil change. They do a few other things like check the battery, etc. -- but nothing extensive. The service is like $99 or something.

So, the guy calls me and says: "Yea, we recommend doing a few things to your car..." and he goes off on this huge list, each thing totaling $200 or more. I agreed with some, but had never heard of the last two, so I wanted to see if you guys thought this was a sham or not. I even asked him: "is this a recommended Honda service?" and he really danced around the answer and never said yes to it.

The two things I want to know are:

1) A fuel induction service for $199. I know I can buy some stuff to clean the fuel injectors, but the inductors? Is this really necessary?

2) A power steering flush. He wanted: $156.00 for that.

Are these two things a scam, or are they real? I don't mind paying for it if they are a needed service, but I've never seen this on a Honda maintenance list before.

[masherscf]

We have a Honda Odyssey. The Honda dealer in our area licenses a local repair shop to do their servicing. However, because selling automobiles isn't that profitable, most dealers make most of the money of off service. Just as the car manufactures make their money of interest on car loans.

I think this is just the business, I'm not sure this has anything to do with the economy. I took my VW Jetta to the dealer to get inspected about five years ago. They managed to wring $700 out of me...and that was just for starters. They had a entire laundry lists of recommended services that I declined. The car continued to run and pass inspection for another five years without a major breakdown.

I just brought my Toyota back from the first 5,000 mile service that the dealer paid for. The first hit is free. They'd like nothing more then to have me come back for repeated recommended servicing.

[murphy1d]

A. Unless he gave specifics on having clogged injectors then he is trying to offer a service that is only "recommended every 30,000 miles." If you buy premium fuel you shouldn't worry. If you buy regular unleaded, then there's a possibility you have buildup, but he should be able to point out the signs of a clogged injector.

B. Power Steering fluid doesn't usually break down unless there's a problem with the cylinder moving the fluid around. If the fluid has a brownish look you might want to change it. BUT, there are several online tutorials on how you can use a Turkey Baster and a couple turns of the wheel to suck out the bad and replace with the RECOMMENDED fluid (read your manual or look up online). And $50 id the going rate, not $150.

[xfuuey]

Have you ever tried to check out http://repairpal.com/ ? It may be semi-useful in your situation..

[tokenuser]

Fuel Inductor? ... I am pretty sure he means injector.
Yes, they can get nasty.
Yes, they can get carbon build up.
Yes, they should be cleaned.

Ever had it done? It can make a difference. If its been awhile, get it done now, ten just do preventative maintenance.

For the most part I use regular gas in my car, but the occasional tank of higher octane fuel will keep them clean, as will the high octane additives you can add.

As for the power steering, it doesn't general break down, but it can degrade over time. Again - how long since you had the power steering serviced? How "responsive" is the steering (at highway speed, and on local streets)? Do you get much play in the steering wheel?


A good mechanic is worth their weight in gold. I used to take my car to an auto dealer mechanic - and just before my engine was destroyed, they "fixed" my car ... only to have it die horribly 60miles later. If they had done there job properly, my engine would have been OK. They are no longer in business (thanks to Chrysler shuting down dealerships - no loss with this one going). My new mechanic does engine rebuilds and is terrific. They always keep a bay open for clients who need an oil change, and do other services as needed as well. He has absorbed as many costs as he can so he can keep his crew working, and has gotten a good reputation because of it - so his business is now starting to grow again. I'll be dropping in tomorrow for another oil change and service - getting ready for driving to my new place later this month.

[cwilkey]

The induction service it legitimate, but WAAYYYYYY over priced....if you run premium gas should be fine. It is not necessary though, unless you are maybe seeing your gas mileage slip, but even then, unless it runs rough or has a crap-ton of miles, I'd avoid that one.

The powersteering service can be useful if you notice any whining when you turn your wheel or if it is a dark brown color. Otherwise pass...

[gta_bmx]

Also, check your owner's manual. There's a recommended maintenance schedule in there. If someone at a shop recommends a maintenance service that isn't listed there; I'd probably just skip it. Also, if you do most of your driving in the city, follow the "severe duty" schedule. Many people assume the "light duty" schedule fits them, but that's only if you do most of your miles on the highway.