Topic: Free Oil Change, Lube and Filter for GM Cars...

[rrocket]

For those who own a GM from 2001-2004, free oil change, lube and filter.

http://www.mygmvehicle.ca/

[articsteve]

Very good marketing.  Come in for a free oil change, leave driving a new Cobalt after the service manager tells you how facked your car is. 

[airbalancer]

Thanks RR
Could always use a free oil change

This should be in General Car talk as it is not a question
Or do we have a freebe section

[initial_D]

The catch is you have to own a GM vehicle ...

[barrie1]

Lots of folks do own a GM vehicle and I would rather drive a Cobalt then some POS Steve would try to push on me. Its still a shame he knows absolutely 0000 about this excellent product but continues to slander what he has No clue on as usual. I will take advantage of that as its a @approx $35.00 value at the dealers. Thank You Rocket for the link. 

[airbalancer]

Is it time to add to my list

[barrie1]

The Free Grease oil Filter is around a $35.00 savings but certainly not be worth buying another vehicle over unless you really needed one. They do have many good products to choose from as it is already. 

[Honda Owner]

We ran oil change deals many times in winter, slow season. The idea is to get the car in an upsell it. In a Cavalier of this age you are almost definitely going to try to sell strut mounts, sway bar bushings and brakes. There will also be a bunch of bulbs to replace, too. The strut mounts and sway bar bushings will start to groan and bump at 50,000 km.  This kind of works in a dealership where there is no luber but in a place where the mechanics are too high and mighty to change oil, it is a waste of money. All that that you end up doing is a loss leader oil change and washing and vacuuming the car for free.

It is a good opportunity to see a lot of Aveos and Cavaliers. Problem is the people who own them don't have a lot of money to upsell and it is really hard to sell them snake oil like tranny and power steering flushes. It is easy on SUVs but not on cheap stuff.

[Greg B.]

Maybew Honda could offer a coupon for a free timing belt change... 

[Honda Owner]

Maybew [sic} Honda could offer a coupon for a free timing belt change..

Sure, and GM can do the same for Aveos. And the engine failures that occur when said belt breaks before the proscribed change interval.

[dr_spock]

Maybew Honda could offer a coupon for a free timing belt change... 

I just received a 15% off service and parts coupon from Honda.   Must be their winter promo.

[barrie1]

Most folks don't fall for the trap of paying for service they really don't need at all on their vehicles. To me it dosen't matter what brand or make even if its a expensive vehicle the owners are getting more educated regarding the sales tatics some dealerships attempt to pull. GM is certainly not alone on any of these games as its brad and butter for any makes of dealership that sells new and used vehicles. Its not just GM dealerships that do this practise as Its common thruout the industry.  If you read the maintenance schedule for many brands you will see most of this recommended at certain intervals. Not all of it is really neccessary at all with the exception of course of timing belts on certain design engines.

[Honda Owner]

If you read the maintenance schedule for many brands you will see most of this recommended at certain intervals.

In one service school course I went to we were told that less than 20% of owners ever even opened the manual. For this reason it is vital for the salesman to explain all the controls of the car. This is the major factor of his CSI score.

A service advisor will very quickly learn who reads the manual, which is pretty much not a single person who drives into a dealership for service. Advisors are also trained to bond with the customer and keep the mark coming back to when the retail labour starts in year four the customer will have a trusting relationship. This makes getting "Yes" answer to your telephone upsell much easier. Finally, we were also trained to, it at all possible, call customers at work and sell them when they were distracted. The most important factor is not how much you are fleecing, oops, charging the customer but the promise time. We would even deliver rental cars to customers on big retail jobs.

[dr_spock]

So that could be why my service advisor doesn't try to upsell services to me.   I thought it was kind of weird whenever I show up and say I needed this and that done for this mileage maintenance interval.  He just types it in the system and prints out the work order.

[Honda Owner]

So that could be why my service advisor doesn't try to upsell services to me. 

You are right on, sir. He will wait for legitimate retail from you later.

[maritime_storm]

Apparently doesn't apply to us Saturn owners.

[barrie1]

We Caddy owners don't get this kind of nonsence here in London at our dealership either. I have used them for repairs on my latest STS which was part of the purchase agreement. There was absolutely NO attempt to upsell me on anything and I did give them some extra work which I paid seperately for. I even supplied the materials I wanted used and there was no problem at all. A Rad flush and installation of a new thermostat. I don't use the Dexcool brand as I own a Dog and also respect the envirement. I don't ever wish to accidently poison either of them or anything else for that matter. I wonder where Honda Owner works now as I will certainly always avoid that business for sure. 

[Honda Owner]

Apparently doesn't apply to us Saturn owners.

Barrie, he was referring to the fact that Saturn owners do not qualify for the free oil change.

We Caddy owners don't get this kind of nonsence [sic] here in London at our dealership either.

Correct. GM can and will pull Cadillac out Chev stores. GM realised about ten years ago that if it wanted to play with the likes of MB and Lexus it had to have  very high SCI and especially for FFV. This involves a strong commitment from the dealer. If the FFV CSI is the lowest in your area for twelve consecutive months, your Caddy franchise is gone. In fact, the GM dealer I worked for lost theirs.

I have used them for repairs on my latest STS which was part of the purchase agreement. There was absolutely NO attempt to upsell me on anything and I did give them some extra work

The repairs were then paid for by the used car department and there will be no attempt at upsell because the customer will they try to get the used car department to pay. Why would I try to upsell another department?

I wonder where Honda Owner works now as I will certainly always avoid that business for sure.

I seriously doubt, Barrie, that you will ever be in the Westside of Vancouver, so you have little to be concerned about. I can't recall ever seeing a Cadillac here. There isn't even a dealer.

[articsteve]

I even supplied the materials I wanted used and there was no problem at all. A Rad flush and installation of a new thermostat.

I thought you did your own repair work.    Why would you pay $100 per hour to change a thermostat and dump coolant

I have used them for repairs on my latest STS which was part of the purchase agreement.

That's a completely different situation as HO points out.  Essentially, because of the value of your STS, the used car department was reluctant to repair what was necessary in case they opted to wholesale that car out.  Why spend money on a used car for someone else's gain.  So essentially the used car department paid the service department, not you.

I suggest you really don't know anything about the dealings of this dealer's service department.

[Greg B.]

If the FFV CSI is the lowest in your area for twelve consecutive months, your Caddy franchise is gone. In fact, the GM dealer I worked for lost theirs.

The connection is somewhat obvious given your admitted past behavior while working there. Cause meets effect.