Ridiculous price quotes at dealerships

[Mdeans09]

Just recently went to my local dealer for oil change, multipoint check and tire rotation on my 2021 ram rebel. The customer service guy came through and told me all was good but they were having issues removing the lug nuts due to some cover?!? On them that had swollen and they didn’t want to ruin and round off the lug nuts and then said that I could have them all changed for the princely sum of $551 a price for just the lug nuts alone (no mention of labor costs). He showed me the individual cost of one lug nut was $28.99 on their iPad, but give him his due, he did say I would be cheaper buying them online where I can get a full set on Amazon for under $30. Another prime example was a different dealership I went to for my media hub not working properly, it wouldn’t charge or allow my phone to connect via CarPlay. I was quoted $87 for the part, and they then told me they would have to take a seat out and the total cost would be $457. Instead, I got the part myself for $44 delivered to my door, didn’t have to take the seat out at all. And the hub was replaced in 45min thanks to a YouTube video. Anyone else been quoted for stupid pricing for simple things ?

 

[rzr6-4]

Anyone else been quoted for stupid pricing for simple things ?

Every time I've been quoted for anything. Never bothered with a dealer, but even local mechanics will do it too.

Had a tire shop insist on quoting me for an alignment and inspection when I told him all I needed was 2 tires. After three tries, I had to very slowly and clearly tell him that I'm only bringing two wheels, I'm not bringing the car so quit trying to upsell the alignment, then he finally give up and told me what I needed to know.

Was quoted $1k for transmission fluid change and spark plugs, that was a couple years ago. In bidenflation numbers I'm sure that's easily $1200-1500 by now. Did them both myself for a total of $200.

 

[ExpressRules]

It's just not the dealers trying to sell unneeded service. Last month I took my 14 to a major tire chain for new tires. At the front desk after picking new tires tried to upsell me for an alignment. Told the guy it wasn't needed, the old tires all wore evenly. He keep trying to push it.

That will be the last time I bring a car to them for any type of
service. Their loss since having five vehicles means I get at least one a year needing tires.

 

[Marshall]

My tire shop , which does good work, as a rule has wanted to do a alignment for a while, I say say No it's fine and that's all that's said on the matter.
I am pissed at the Honda dealer though, I have posted that a while back. Battery problems.

 

[JD Martin]

Just recently went to my local dealer for oil change, multipoint check and tire rotation on my 2021 ram rebel. The customer service guy came through and told me all was good but they were having issues removing the lug nuts due to some cover?!? On them that had swollen and they didn’t want to ruin and round off the lug nuts and then said that I could have them all changed for the princely sum of $551 a price for just the lug nuts alone (no mention of labor costs). He showed me the individual cost of one lug nut was $28.99 on their iPad, but give him his due, he did say I would be cheaper buying them online where I can get a full set on Amazon for under $30. Another prime example was a different dealership I went to for my media hub not working properly, it wouldn’t charge or allow my phone to connect via CarPlay. I was quoted $87 for the part, and they then told me they would have to take a seat out and the total cost would be $457. Instead, I got the part myself for $44 delivered to my door, didn’t have to take the seat out at all. And the hub was replaced in 45min thanks to a YouTube video. Anyone else been quoted for stupid pricing for simple things ?

Pretty much anything you get quoted these days will make you faint. When I bought my truck I bought a 6-pack of oil changes, tire rotations lube, grease, etc for $240, which was a good price about $40 each time. AutoNation screwed me out of the last one because they sold the dealership and the new one wouldn't honor it, and they wouldn't refund me 1/6th of the price, but that's another story. Anyway, I went ahead and got the oil changed from the new dealer since I was there - almost $100. Lucky for me I'm retired and don't drive enough to have to do too many changes at that price, but I don't even think you get full synthetic for that price so there's a good chance I'll take it back over myself on the next one.

 

[LouM]

I just had the oil changed on my 2019 at the dealership, pricey but doable. Of course then they came out to tell me the air filter needed to be changed and my rear brakes were down to 2mm of pad.
For the sum of $912 they would be glad to take care of that. Just did my rear brakes today, less then a third of that.
https://www.ramforum.com/threads/rear-brakes-on-2019.213376/

 

[clay282]

They are extortion artists! Just buy the .5mm larger socket, remove them yourself and replace them yourself. They make sockets a bit larger to accommodate for swelling. https://www.amazon.com/T-One-4D14-5...29647791&sprefix=14.5mm+socket,aps,144&sr=8-2

 

[BossHogg]

They are extortion artists! Just buy the .5mm larger socket, remove them yourself and replace them yourself. They make sockets a bit larger to accommodate for swelling. https://www.amazon.com/T-One-4D14-5-4D-14-5-1-2X14-5MM/dp/B001L7VFH8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2N0QVZTBPZOBB&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Xi5enYZv5cZgZDnuJIxfKiog5gFym-Kc9h8kxtT89FnrYrLpRUb3K14bVYVoX_NiMLwQghFg3PQiE4QTnubw-owFUZl_ntjInrJA93k4Dg4SxLIgsbl4FbsZTuk_gAf8KX86ngqqr_XZkn3xKrVpe_3aQsPMtOzaxzx9BkdItHrk-S9gRRqq5VH471HW_OzBox4EnYx7o8ZuV8Bw6pwHyFc7oHD9By8CxyEcmRBHlNRmnmJhQ81KF3aXAeD0g88va9FTzR1oGG6cHZuzIzQ6YEVFZ-enYsKieURkTWMHdgI.JFxU4vEsWesA7LhtyobpzvAlKxQbc3o0FQwT_njJoK4&dib_tag=se&keywords=14.5mm+socket&qid=1729647791&sprefix=14.5mm+socket,aps,144&sr=8-2

I wouldn't use a 12-point on a lug nut, but you can get half sizes in 6-point. When the lug nut swells beyond the half size, switch to a 7/8s 6-point.

 

[DanAR]

Swelling lug nuts, who would have thought?

 

[LouM]

Unfortunately it is a very common issue in the salt and calcium soaked roads of the North East. The pretty little chromed tin covers get corrosion started under them, I person has to read very carefully to find true solid one piece lug nuts.

 

[clay282]

Swelling lug nuts, who would have thought?

The only reason I knew about it was my family in Milwaukee. They put new lug nuts on their Ford Escape every couple years because the way the nuts are made, the salt gets in and somehow makes them swell. We don't have that issue in the south but I found it pretty interesting... I thought salt dissolved metal not made it swell.

 

[BenchTest]

Skip those Amazon lug nut sets for $30. Complete garbage for longevity. They'll be rusted in under a year and looking awful.

 

[alpinegreenneon]

Water and dissolved salts find their way by capillary action between the cover and the lug core and cause rust. The rust has nowhere to expand so it swells the softer cover. I find that if I smear a synthetic grease on the seam where the two metals meet that water can't enter. I still have my original lug nuts on my '95 Neon and my '98 Neon with no lug nut swelling. First thing I did when I bought my Ram was to remove one lug at a time and smear grease on that seam. There are impact sockets specifically designed for swollen lug nuts:

https://www.amazon.com/NEIKO-02290B-Socket-Extension-Knockout/dp/B0CVNM79RD/ref=asc_df_B0CVNM79RD/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693405538309&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7643492155960775317&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9018720&hvtargid=pla-2292248279243&psc=1&mcid=d662f540fb923d9a81f15bd4fc29b6da

 

[Riccochet]

My rule is to have maintenance done at the dealer while the vehicle is still under warranty. That way they have zero excuses should something happen that requires engine/trans/diff replacement.

Once the warranty is up I do my own maintenance.

 

[ppine]

Yes. Not just vehicles. A technician here in Nevada to work on an RV is $200 an hour. Fixing anything on a house costs a fortune. I am now the plumber and electrician.

 

[nlambert182]

The local Ram dealer is like that.

However, my wife's Armada is in the shop now for a busted condenser. Even thought it's a 3rd party warranty and it had a rock hole in it, they got the warranty to cover it.

They did suggest new rear brakes for the sum of $330 (pads and rotors) and I told them to have at it. I just replaced the fronts myself for a total cost of $340, so I had no issue. They suggested diff services, etc... but I declined and they happily dropped it. Kinda surprising given today's environments.

 

[truck2569]

Just recently went to my local dealer for oil change, multipoint check and tire rotation on my 2021 ram rebel. The customer service guy came through and told me all was good but they were having issues removing the lug nuts due to some cover?!? On them that had swollen and they didn’t want to ruin and round off the lug nuts and then said that I could have them all changed for the princely sum of $551 a price for just the lug nuts alone (no mention of labor costs). He showed me the individual cost of one lug nut was $28.99 on their iPad, but give him his due, he did say I would be cheaper buying them online where I can get a full set on Amazon for under $30. Another prime example was a different dealership I went to for my media hub not working properly, it wouldn’t charge or allow my phone to connect via CarPlay. I was quoted $87 for the part, and they then told me they would have to take a seat out and the total cost would be $457. Instead, I got the part myself for $44 delivered to my door, didn’t have to take the seat out at all. And the hub was replaced in 45min thanks to a YouTube video. Anyone else been quoted for stupid pricing for simple things ?

Before you do that there is a recall on the lug nuts on most ram series trucks because of stretching from over torquing the lug nuts.

 

[ConqueringFools]

Yes. Not just vehicles. A technician here in Nevada to work on an RV is $200 an hour. Fixing anything on a house costs a fortune. I am now the plumber and electrician.

Sad thing is the actual mechanic doing the work only makes 25% of that. Still a good wage but........now a doctor or dentist would easily make 75% of that wage per hour. Funny how that works out.

 

[nlambert182]

Not really... there's a lot more responsibility that falls on a doctor's shoulders than an RV tech. If your RV tech makes a mistake you could be stranded on the side of the road. If a doctor makes a mistake, you could be dead. Been there and almost done that.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Just recently went to my local dealer for oil change, multipoint check and tire rotation on my 2021 ram rebel. The customer service guy came through and told me all was good but they were having issues removing the lug nuts due to some cover?!? On them that had swollen and they didn’t want to ruin and round off the lug nuts and then said that I could have them all changed for the princely sum of $551 a price for just the lug nuts alone (no mention of labor costs). He showed me the individual cost of one lug nut was $28.99 on their iPad, but give him his due, he did say I would be cheaper buying them online where I can get a full set on Amazon for under $30. Another prime example was a different dealership I went to for my media hub not working properly, it wouldn’t charge or allow my phone to connect via CarPlay. I was quoted $87 for the part, and they then told me they would have to take a seat out and the total cost would be $457. Instead, I got the part myself for $44 delivered to my door, didn’t have to take the seat out at all. And the hub was replaced in 45min thanks to a YouTube video. Anyone else been quoted for stupid pricing for simple things ?

How would you would feel if YOUR boss were to hire some shave-tailed young-un to do your job, because, after all, you are "ripping him off"?

In all trades, it is expensive to have someone else to do things. AND, one CAN save a fortune doing it themselves.

A water heater replacement around here comes in at a total of around 3 grand if done by a licensed plumber.
I can go get a new water heater for 600 dollars and put it in myself. But, I am not so cynical as to accuse the pro for his charges as an attempt to rip me off. I just save the money I save, and move on! The plumber has to make a living, too, AND his E&O insurance is astronomically high!

I recently had heart surgery. I sure didn't and don't begrudge the professionals who saved my life THEIR charges. Oh, and their insurance for mal-practice chokes a horse. I wonder if I can get a pacemaker and the leads off of E-Bay.

In closing, the service writer was trying to make a living.