lourou32

Hello All,

Friday I went to get my first oil change on my 2014 Acura TL (or my 4th Gen), I was trying to do the right thing by going to the dealership to do this because you want to build a relationship with the dealer and, its your first Acura. I thought they were going to use Honda 0W20 but, they used Mobile Super Synthetic 0W20. I was suprised. As I was paying for the oil change the dealerships parts area also had Amsol on their shelf as well. I asked the guy can I use Amsol as well and he said yes. If I would have known they weren't gonna use Honda oil I could have changed it myself. Then they tell me my battery is low on charge and a new one would be $93.00. I can buy one from Wal-Mart for a lot cheaper. What else are they not telling me about going to the dealership? Any thoughts?

Costco

svtmike

When buying a Ferrari, possibly. When buying an Acura, completely unnecessary.

Midnight Mystery

I get my oil changed at a Honda dealer I've built a relationship with in the past couple of years...

It is Honda synthetic oil with Honda oil filter and washer...

It is right at about $40 per change... So, it's about the same as doing it yourself at that price!!!

The Acura dealer near me tries to upsell like crazy and chages double for an oil change...

They make you wait a couple of hours to wash the car afterwords, which isn't much more than a hose spray...

My Honda dealer provides about the same service for 1/2 the price with a much better attitude...

That being said, I thought I'd have a goid relationship with my Acura dealer too, just not the case...

In fact, my local dealer has to be one of the worst I've ever seen... In terms of service...

kurtatx

Unnecessary for sure. Honestly, we have had better luck with the Honda dealership for whatever reason. They are so much more interested in my business than Acura or Audi ever is.

Rick_TL-S

Dealership relationships only work for the consumer if you can get parts at dealership cost. Problem is you actually have to work for the dealership to get that kind of incentive. Otherwise, the mark-ups and trying to get you to buy stuff is standard service department procedure.

Otherwise, there's no point unless you absolutely get lucky and have a service adviser whose been there for years & will cut you a break. I had a relationship with my dealer for 10 years and after the last 3 visits with different advisers, I've taken my business to a competing dealership.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

You had your first oil change on a 2014? How does a car go four years without an oil change? I must be missing something.....

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Probably just bought the car.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

I can't tell if you're being serious or not. Do dealers let new cars sit on the lot for that long? Heck, they're always trying to get rid of last years models in time to bring in the new ones, let alone a 4 year old car of the previous generation. I have no idea what the policy or procedure is for unsold vehicles that go well over their model year though. I never visit dealers

Kinuto

TacoBello

Honda oil?

There is no such thing as Honda oil. What we do have is Brand X oil, whatever oil that might be, with a Honda badge slapped on it that you then likely pay extra for.

Dealerships do not give a shit about what brand of oil they put in, so long as the oil weight is appropriate. Only enthusiasts actually care, and there really is no need.

Oil is so advanced these days that you can get away with using some shitty brand and likely never have issues. It might be a different story if you're beating on your car at the track and you're constantly running super high engine temps and high rpm... But.. don't kid yourself. You're engine will never experience the same stress on the streets.

Take it from me- a guy who used to religiously buy the best Amsoil available, rated to last 25,000km I believe, and would still change the oil at 5000km intervals. I thought I was doing my engine a favor. In reality, I was just blowing money into the wind for nothing. Years ago I switched to Castrol Edge because costco sells it for cheap. Been using it pretty religiously in my cars over the last five years without a hint of problems on any car I've owned.

Don't kid yourself in thinking Honda adds something special to their branded oil. Not at all. All it is, is just a different label on the bottle.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

My thought was the OP just bought a used 2014 from a dealer.

Lifeisgood

I have in the past worked at dealerships ( Auto, power sports, heavy trucks/equipment) and all 4 bought bulk oil from a company that delivered it in a large truck, and pumped it into the dealers tanks. Nothing wrong with it, as long as quality oil was specified by the shop, just in bulk. All carried other oils in jugs for the customers who wished to buy something other than our house oils. There are very few oil makers, yet so many labels on bottles, it can get confusing, but as long as it meets your vehicle's requirements, do not get too caught up in the name on the label. Honda labeled oil is not made by Honda, and depending upon where you buy it can be the biggest factor in determining who made it. When I worked at a Ford dealer the oil in Motorcraft label oil could be by any one of three companies that made it, but most was actually made by Texaco/Havoline/Chevron here in Canada. Now this was years ago, and maybe it has changed since then, but Motorcraft oil we got was also sometimes made by Philip's/Conoco, or Petro Canada. As a business owner now, I buy lubricants in bulk but still packaged in buckets or drums most often, occasionally in bottles, from Chevron and also from Petro Canada. I can't tell the difference in my own vehicles or my fleet of company vehicles if their last oil change was with one or the other. And while the last oil change in my car was Chevron, it was Petro Canada the time before, and I only know because I changed it myself. So don't over think what label it is, if its a decent quality oil you're fine.

dv-

$93 for a battery isn't bad, though.

lourou32

I bought it used a month ago.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

Ah, when you said it was the first oil change I thought you meant it was actually the car's first oil change. But it was the first oil change it's had since you've owned it. My bad.

alxhastngs

Yup I saw that too and fully agree.

You will not find a better deal than that for any sort of battery that you actually want to put in your car.

csmeance

AGM battery will last twice as long. You can do online shopping and free pickup with many autoparts stores. I've found pepboys to have the best coupon (35% off) with local pickup near me.