Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [dealer]

When dealing with motor vehicles, usually refers to a business which sells/purchases vehicles to/from the public.

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Used car dealership refused to let me use my OBDII on their car, is this a red flag?

I'm looking to buy my first car and I went to a second hand car dealership to test drive one of their cars. I've got an OBDII fault code reader but when I wanted to plug it in the man said that in the past other people had plugged those things into…
Blazen
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Do I need to go to a dealer for a simple maintenance?

I just bought a 2012 CRV. Now, it's time for an oil change. I already moved so the dealer is too far away from my house (may need half day off) and there is no other public transportation to go there. My guess is the cost is about the same or more…
Richard Sayakanit
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Advantages of getting your car's oil changed at the dealer

Are there advantages go getting your car's oil changed at the dealership from which you purchased the car versus a "quick change" place like Jiffy Lube or Wal-Mart? I've used all three, and I feel the car is treated better at the dealer. Wal-Mart…
RHPT
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Are these repairs necessary, and can I do them myself?

I'm wondering if the maintenance my dealer recently suggested is necessary, and if so, if it's worth it for me (a person who has technical skill but is inexperienced with auto) to undertake on my own simply. Vehicle Info: 2007 Ford Focus 64k miles…
SeanKilleen
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Why do dealers seem to prefer to replace parts instead of repairing?

In my experience as a consumer, mechanics at dealers typically seem to prefer not to perform quick or partial fixes for certain types of work. For example: Replacing an entire wiring harness rather than redoing a problematic location. Replacing…
Jason C
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Is it reasonable to charge the customer $1000+ to assemble the top of the engine?

I recently have an engine overheat issue and see my previous post for details: How long does items in the engine last in general for standard size cars? This is an interesting follow up on that at the same dealership: They said they need $375 labor…
drdot
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OEM wheel studs don't fit my car?

I have a 2009 Kia Rio, and one of the studs for a rear wheel got broken (probably the local tire shop's fault, but it's my word against their's). I went to an auto parts store to get a replacement. However, the diameter of the end closest to the…
John Chrysostom
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Car dealership branding their cars

Do all car dealerships brand their cars? By branding I mean putting the dealer's name usually next to the model decal on the car. I find this very annoying - I don't want to put bumper stickers on my new car, and I definitely don't want a…
petvirus
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Is it important to get "K" work done by a dealer?

Several of the line-items in my motorcycle's maintenance schedule are marked "K", for "Should be serviced by an authorized Kawasaki Dealer". Example items are "Brake fluid--change" and "Steering stem bearing--lubricate". Is this just CYA on their…
Ken
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How do Lojacks work? Are there alternatives?

So I was at a dealership recently and of course they advertised the typical Lojack. No doubt I feel these things are useful but it seems the price actually fluctuates (one dealership was selling to me for $695 whereas another was selling for $995).…
aug
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Quote from one dealership, work done at another

I'm on a cross-Canada trip from BC to Newfoundland. I noticed a problem which sounds like a wheel bearing going. I took it to a dealer in New Brunswick, and they claim the rear diff is bad (metal shavings in oil etc), so they quoted me a price for…
stevieb
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Dealer service records from Toyota, Honda, Mercedes Benz - don't exist?

I'm shopping for used cars at the moment, and have been considering some models from Toyota and Honda, as well as an older Mercedes Benz. Many of the cars I've seen so far have been at dealers, i.e. trade-ins. None of them have any service records…
Jason Antman
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Returning a new car to a different dealership in USA?

I purchased a brand new 2024 Honda car with all cash, about 2 weeks ago in Washington State, USA. I live about 2 hours away from the dealer where I purchased the car. Starting two days ago, the car started trembling a bit when I accelerate. I had…
SonJo
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Can a faulty alternator trigger the Check Engine light?

I have a 2010 Toyota Corolla S. Couple of weeks ago while driving my battery light came on. I replace my alternator after that. That battery came on again after 2/3 days. I took my car to a different mechanic. He told me my alternator was…
user45698746
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Does the electrode of a spark plug break when the engine runs too hot?

I have an Audi A5 1.8 TFSI Sportback from 2011, bought it recently (4 months ago), which ran fine until two weeks ago. The engine went through diagnosis and the operator showed a broken spark plug to me. The electrode broke off inside the engine…
AmazingTurtle
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