Hey all:

I am due for my 30k miles service and I called all the dealership in the bay area to check prices and they are all expensive as *#@#...

Quotes I got are:

Pleasanton: $495
Oakland: $492 - 10% discount
Hopkinds $450
Mike Harvey: $390
Stevens Creek: $479
Sunnyvale: $430

All the prices above are before tax, seems like Mike Harvey is the cheapest.

Anyone have any experience with their 30k miles service in the bay area? Either good or bad.

I am probably just going to ask my local mechanic to change my transmission fluid/coolant/air filter and perform oil change and tire rotation. Probably can be done at 1/2 the price or less.

The dealers told me that they will perform computer tune ups, are those just bull$hit or is it really something that needs to be done?

Thanks

 

I would also like to learn from someone who knows (preferably someone who works at a dealership and wants to share an honest opinion) whether these services are real or whether they are just a rip off. They seem to be so shamelessly overpriced.

When I brought my other car for a 60K miles service, they even didn't bother to properly inflate the spare tire. I do not know what else they didn't do. Maybe they spent 20 minutes on the car changing the oil and charged $400 for it - I have no idea how to learn what they really did and what not and how much time it took them.

 

Acura of Serramonte is doing the 30K service for $330 for 2000 & newer cars. It's $480 if your car is 1999 and older. Most likely they will change your spark plugs with this service and in the fine print of my coupon, it says platinum spark plugs costs more. If I remember correctly, it is like $25 each.

 

just checked with my local mechanic, he is charging $120 for oil change/transmission fluid change/air filter change/brake inspection/tire rotation. I am just going to screw Acura and do it locally. The price difference is just ridiculous.

 

I posted this URL a while back but here it is again. It's a coupon page for Marin Acura and the one that applies to you is the one for the Major (30,000 mile) maintenance service---you get 15% off or one day free for car rental.

http://www.marinacura.com/frameset1....rvice_specials


Let us know what price they quote you. I am getting close to needing this service in the near future.

 

Marin Acura quotes me ~$480+tax, so even with 15% off the price is still higher than Mike Harvey. You probably want to go to Mike Harvey for service if you want to get it done at the dealer.
Loaner car is provided at all the Acura dealers I have contacted so far as long as you schedule ahead of time.

 

Well, $408 at Marin Acura ($480 - 15%) is not too much higher than Mike Harvey. I guess it depends on which one is closer and more convenient for you.

 

I just came back from Hopkins Acura to do my 26,250 mile oil change. I asked them how much the 30,000 maintenance is going to be and they quoted me $495!!! WTF?

I asked them why it cost so much because they are basically doing the same thing as the 15,000 except they change the transmission fluid and some other fluids and the air filter. And they charged me $160 for the 15,000 mile maintenance. What's up with a difference of ~$340 bucks!!!

Anyways, I'm seriously considering other options.

 

"I asked them why it cost so much because they are basically doing the same thing as the 15,000 except they change the transmission fluid and some other fluids and the air filter."



So what was their answer?

 

One of the most important you should do is check your car's maintainance manual and compare it with the dealer's proposed service.

First thing you should noticed is that Acura does not require an coolent/engine flush nor transmission fluid changed at 30,000 miles...instead it is suggested at 75,000miles...

This is what I did...for my 30,000miles (& 60,000miles), I brought my car to Pleasanton of Acura (the only Precision Acura Team in Bay Area I think) and I asked for a 15,000 miles service, which included everything required by the book except A/C filter replacement (so I had that added additionally). The whole thing ran me under $280 including a car loaner, which they are very generous, got a brand new 03TL.

Hope this helps.

_____________
02' SSM TL-S @ 61,500 miles

 

you got an Acura loaner car from Acura of Pleasanton? I have been there about 6 or 7 times for both my car and my gf's CL-S for warranty repair and maintenance and each time I got a rental car as the loaner! WTF!

 

well, it depends on whether they have anything left... I got a brand new 03 TL w/ 6 miles on it last time, and once I got an integra... all other times I got loaners from Enterprise

 

Am I missing something here guys?

I have an '02 TL-S and the manual states that the tranny, coolant and plugs don't need to be changed till 105K miles. Only thing I see that needs done prior to 105K is rotate tires, change oil, change air element and rotate tires.