Updates available from dealer

[69GWC]

$50 for each update? what a rip off....

 

[Tach_tech]

$50 for each update? what a rip off....

That's pretty standard, usually 1/2hr of labour. Some flashes can take awhile as well.

 

[69GWC]

Thats all fine if the trucks out of warranty.

 

[jotin]

Thats all fine if the trucks out of warranty.

If there's not a problem with the truck. Why do people care so much to do flashes. They're not critical flashes, otherwise you'd have info at your door saying you have a flash.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mikeru]

That's pretty standard, usually 1/2hr of labour. Some flashes can take awhile as well.

Seems excessive at best, and a scam at worst. Please don't take this personally, especially if it's the standard. I'm just wanting to clarify here. 1/2 hour labor to initiate the update? What are you generally doing during the update? I hope it's not working on other customer's vehicles. That could be considered double billing.

 

[69GWC]

If there's not a problem with the truck. Why do people care so much to do flashes. They're not critical flashes, otherwise you'd have info at your door saying you have a flash.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But how do you know what they are, would be nice if the dealer would tell you what each one is for and how its going to effect your truck.

 

[BackCountryAK]

In the past I've always asked the service person to notify me if they are planning to flash the truck so that I know what may be done. If there's no particular problems associated with the flash, I've declined. Guess I won't need to say anything anymore since I'm sure they won't do anything for free lol.

 

[jotin]

But how do you know what they are, would be nice if the dealer would tell you what each one is for and how its going to effect your truck.

That's the thing. It's for lots of different reasons. Mostly non existent issues to your vehicle. You'll typically only know what they are for if there is an issue. The advisor doesn't look at the flashes. The tech does, and if he tech knows he's not getting paid, he won't click the button to read what it does


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tach_tech]

Seems excessive at best, and a scam at worst. Please don't take this personally, especially if it's the standard. I'm just wanting to clarify here. 1/2 hour labor to initiate the update? What are you generally doing during the update? I hope it's not working on other customer's vehicles. That could be considered double billing.

No offence taken, though it is neither excessive nor a scam. It's being paid for work being performed. I don't get paid an hourly wage, I get paid per job, so if there's no car in my bay I'm not making money.

It really depends on the flash. Some take 5 minutes, others can take 2 hours. 0.5hr is by far the most common charge for a retail flash.

What happens is, I bring the car in, hook up the scan tool, load up witech on the computer, press a few buttons then the flash starts. After the flash is done, any dtc's will have to be cleared. Depending on the flash there may be some relearns that need to be performed.

Personally I have 2 bays. So if the flash only takes a few minutes, I just wait for it. However if it takes more than a few and I have other work to do, I'll do that in my other bay while the flash is going. This isn't double charging. Each bay in the shop needs to make a certain amount of hours per day to be profitable. When you pay labour, you're not just paying for my time. You're also paying for the time it's occupying a bay while the work is performed. A computer updating software is still work being performed, and occupying a bay. I hope that makes sense.

 

[TruckNut]

Oil change before last there were two re-flashes available for my 2015 1500. One was for the 8 speed and the other to modify MDS activation. Since my trans was and has been fine I said no, and I also left the old MDS engagement program as opposed to flashing to the newer less active MDS. Flashing is not always better. I look at it like Microsoft updates.

 

[Firebird]

Don't forget, those hand held computers aren't cheap! When I used to own a shop, we paid $10K just for our hand held, and people still wanted us to scan their cars for free.