I agree, assuming the service is good it shows people what they miss out on by not coming back for service. For folks who have never owned a premium or luxury car before, they might now know and think it's just a glorified DMV waiting room. Once you get a taste of the bougie life, it's hard to go back to living like a pleb.

Now of course, if the service is pretty bad (and let's be clear, some are not so great...), all bets are off.

 

On any car purchase over the last 15 years, the first oil change was free. (One car was a Lexus, the others were Hondas and Acuras sold under the same ownership group. One W. Buffett, I believe, is the owner.) It's good public relations and introduces the new car owner to the mechanics of going in to the service line, finding your way around, and enjoying the coffee. Except the last time the coffee machine was shut down because of COVID-19. If you're happy you'll be back. Smart.

Now, on previous RDXs changing the engine air filter was a snap (well, 2 snaps actually). With the 2020, no way am I doing that myself. (See other threads on the matter.) Win for the dealer.

 

I think number of Acura dealerships make it part of their own sales package, its not something they get reimbursed for.
Lexus had 1st oil change free promised by Lexus itself (at least was true 7 years ago with my Lexus), regardless of the dealer, meaning that dealer will get reimbursement from Lexus.

 

“We’ll not charge you for oil if we can comb your car, top to bottom, to see if there is anything we can charge you for.”

 

yeah, some shops still have $19.99 oil change advertised. Unless they find other things that are wrong with your car, they are lousing money on $19.99 oil change. Its a lure to get you in the door.

 

Indeed, I can barely buy the oil itself for less than $20. I was once at the Honda dealership where I saw a poor girl get bent over and reamed to the tune of $100 to replace just the cabin air filter. A $15 part and 30 seconds of time with no tools required. Yeesh.

 

My dealer gives the first two years service "free" with the car. Of course that is defined as four oil changes and two tire rotations. After that you pay. Their prices are actually "competitive" and they wash the car while they have it. Since they are dealers (at different locations in the area) for several different brands they actually will service any brand they sell at this location. The dealership is not giant. Its actually a nice size, kind of small compared to the Mega dealerships, so you get to know the people there well. My service advisor and I know each other well and she had been in the industry for years and knows cars quite well. The dealership is professional and I observe them treating people very fairly and not taking advantage of them. I have seen them talk people out of doing service that is not needed rather than taking their money. I take my Honda Fit there for jobs I don't want to do and they take good care of it. When I needed tires they told me to get bids and they would beat them, which they did plus gave better service on that. Their waiting area is great with phone chargers, internet, cable TV, free snacks, soft drinks, one of those fancy coffee machines, etc. Everyone there is very nice and make you feel appreciated. Watch the mail and one can always find a good service offer at a discount.

Yes, I am lucky to have a dealer like this, but then its why I bought the car there. (And they gave me the best price and a generous trade in on my CR-V). Its only a few miles from my house. There are several nice restaurants right next door so I can drop the car off, go have some first rate Italian for lunch, and then pick up the car. Life is good where I live! I know other dealerships are not always this good to deal with, but I avoid them.

 

It takes me well over 2 minutes to change the cabin air filter.

 

Better than living in the KKKarolinas,

 

Air filter got more complicated, but still doable.

 

Air filter is easy once you learn how to pop out the snorkel tube. Cabin air filter is ridiculously easy. It's a hefty price from Honda tho at $32. I got two off Amazon for $16.

 

This is what I use in my RDX and Accord.



It is out of stock at the moment.

 

It takes me over 5 minutes to clear the crap out of the glove compartment first. It takes longer in my other Acuras, but the glove compartment in this one is pathetic.

 

Wow! I was busy doing other things for a few hours, look what I missed! A multi-million dollar conversation about a free oil change (or two).

BTW,Toyota's "free maintenance" plan started with 2011 vehicles, I believe, and was an attempt to bring back loyal buyers who were frightened by the unintended acceleration fracas/fiasco.

 

It's true, there are a lot of Democrats there and, as you know, the KKK was part of the Democrat party.

 

They're terrified of accelerating into the car ahead of them uncontrollably, but a free oil change will soothe those fears.

 

Yeah. I never claimed to be a marketing wiz.

It didn't get me in the driver's seat of a Toyota, either.

 

On a 2019 - 2020 RDX? The instructions I saw online look pretty complicated. And daunting. On my 2013 and 2017 RDXs, it was pop a couple of snaps, change the filter, then re-snap the clips, 20 seconds max.

The glove box took more time to empty it out than change the filter. Not sure on the new one.

 

My BMW had an easier engine air filter change than this thing.

 

Remember when Toyota told people it was plush carpeting making the accelerator stick? Meanwhile, 99.9% of mouth-breathing Toyota owners have never depressed the gas pedal to the floor in their entire lives, let alone drive the goddamn speed limit. It was such horseshit and clearly an issue with their TPS/ECUs, but people actually believed it was the fucking carpet. Toyota literally killed people and everyone still loves them.

The cabin filter is the same as the 2G RDX. I popped open the air filter when people were getting limp mode issues and a possible cause given by dealerships was water getting into the air intake. I opened it up after driving thru a heavy rain in an hour of NYC expressway traffic and the airbox was bone dry the next day. It was very easy, but more time consuming than undoing a few clips. The water cause is horseshit and Honda was/is having ECU issues with the RDX that causes the limp mode. Hope I don't get it, otherwise this thing is getting driven off a cliff with how poor the fit & finish (rattling pieceeeee of shit) is on the rest of the vehicle.

Every so often, the Germans will throw you a bone and make servicing a part easy. And then make something like changing out a blinker an engine-out affair ... because what kind of peasant would even use the blinker on a German luxo anyways?! (for the daft motherlovers on here, yes, I'm being facetious and I don't know of any vehicle that requires this ... but if it was going to be an automaker that did it, you can bet your ass they'd be German).

 

This thread made me laugh. You guys are both noobs at message forum flame wars.

And I really have to laugh at someone who actually takes the time to post a screen shot his Vanguard portfolio as if it actually means anything. Sorry, not impressed. If I were a huge A-hole, I'd screen shot my disposable income account. You know, my "F U" money that I can spend whenever, wherever I want without thinking twice about it. Invested money means just about nothing in the grand scheme of things. Let's see how much liquid money you have to play with. Maybe then I'll be impressed.

 

Don't make me take a picture of a peen next to a ruler!

 

Does this work for you on OnlyFans?

 

If we're going to be technical, invested securities are defined as liquid assets seeing as how they can be liquidated instantly. And regardless, why would you put your disposable income in a regular cash account? That's just plain stupid, unless you have so much money you really don't care about making any more. If the latter is the case, then good for you. If not...then I guess it's the former.

BTW do you want a picture of my D or not? I'm still waiting for someone to goad me into showing it off

 

I usually go in as soon as the maintenance notification pops up just because I don't like having to monkey around with dismissing the notification every time I start the car. So far, I have gone to the dealer for all services. IMO, probably not worth trying to save money there. The dealer is already inexpensive and there will be a record of all the service work performed should any issues arise down the line.

 

Its not about saving money. No dealer will do better job changing oil than me. No warranty issues will arise if you document your oil changes. Its a scare tactic to make you afraid.
Look into how often dealers overfill and over tighten drain plug...

 

Nothing beats doing it yourself it you have the tools and inclination for it. My comment was more about taking it to a place like Jiffy Lube as alluded to by the OP.

Issues with service should be reported to the service manager and Acura.

 

jiffy lube is the worst. Even if they pay me, I wont go there.

not everyone DIY, agree. But like you said, if you got the tools, desire and skills, you should not be afraid of warranty. Heck, oil change instructions are in owner manual, what are they going to say about that.

unfortunately with dealers they treat oil change as a bottom of barrel job, they rush it in. I used to argue about them overfilling, but you get a dumb look from them, or drain plug that you cant remove. That
was 20years ago when I said f.... it, its DIY

 

Peen next to a ruler? You guys get going about the strangest things.

 

Still is.