A Kia K4 owner believes a dealership tried pulling a fast one that would’ve cost him dearly. According to him, it gave him a spreadsheet of service recommendations for his Kia. The total: $1,308.58.
Kennedy Marchaz (@mvrchvz) published a video delineating the items.
“I drive a Kia K4 and I just hit 31,000 miles in my car. And I took my car to the dealership to get an oil change and a tire rotation. I do that every 5,000 [miles],” he says. Marchaz continues, “It was time for me to check out. They did the services, everything was done. And the lady checking me out was like we just did a multi-point inspection. Everything looks great. Your car’s in good condition.”
Then he says the service rep shifted gears and told him that there was some “bad news.”
“She basically was like it’s time for your car to get bigger maintenances done to it,” he says. “And I was like huh, what do you mean?”
He says she handed him a spreadsheet of recommended services.
A screengrab that pops up in his video shows all of the recommended work with corresponding prices. There’s a $249.99 injector/throttle body cleaning, fuel and additive procedure. This is followed by a $149.99 brake fluid exchange. Then there’s another $249.99 flush, coolant, and pressure test system job. The quote further recommended a $299.99 transmission service with additive. The last charge was for $199.99 for something called “cleaner into internal air box.”
Does his Kia need all that done?
After hearing the pitch from the employee, he was given the full price breakdown. “And I was like, okay, and she goes on to say all these services combined will be a little bit over 1,300 dollars before taxes. You don’t have to get it all done at once, but we recommend that you get it done sooner than later,” he said she told him.
The quote set off alarm bells in his head. “I’m confused for two reasons. If y’all can see the spreadsheet basically it says all these services are recommended to be done either every 15,000 miles or basically at 30,000 miles. I’m currently at 31,000 which means I’m past due for these services,” he says.
Marchaz says he then consulted his owner’s manual. This left him with more questions.
“The manual doesn’t recommend the same intervals as this is recommending me. For example, she said it was almost time for my transmission fluid to be changed. This says I need to get it changed at 30. The manual says I don’t have to get it done until 56,000,” he says.
“And many more of these on here make no sense. I have a long time before I even have to to think about getting these changed. Or like looked at. So I’m just really confused,” he reiterates.
“Just a money grab”
Several folks who replied to his video shared their own experiences with car dealership service departments. One person said that they were a “Kia/Hyundai tech for 7 years.” According to them, the transmission fluid exchange procedure is great for promoting vehicle longevity. However, they said that they “wouldn’t touch … fuel injection service. Is just a money grab.”
Someone else agreed that transmission fluid changes are vital to keeping a car on the road longer. “I would definitely get the transmission fluid change only because they have the CVT transmission and they’re expensive to replace,” they wrote.
Others maintained that there’s no need to get maintenance outside of a car’s recommended guidelines. “Honda does this. Meanwhile, the service minder in the dash will alert you when the car is ready for the service. I ignored them and started doing it when the car said so,” one said.
Another person wrote that they were logged hundreds of thousands of miles with minimal service. “My car has 300,000 miles. Yes it’s a beast Toyota. But I’ve only kept up on oil change and brakes, lol,” they said.
Billions wasted on unnecessary maintenance
Rush Experts writes that the 3,000 miles oil change rule is a relic of the past. But it’s caused tons of Americans to spend way more money than they need to. Because many still follow the outdated rule.
Rush Experts says following manufacturer guidelines is a surefire way to extend a vehicle’s lifespan. However, others maintain that 5,000 miles per oil change is the way to go. Kelley Blue Book says that modern engines and synthetic blends means that drivers can go between 5,000 and 7,500 miles between changes.
There’s no denying that regular oil changes are important, however. Getting your oil drained and a new filter is relatively inexpensive when compared to potential catastrophic engine failure.
It’s also true that stories of dealership service departments recommending gratuitous maintenance procedures are all too common. Motor Trend highlighted a similar scenario Marchaz dealt with in. A Subaru Crosstrek owner went to a dealership for recall service. He said they tried to convince him to get a long list of other maintenance done.
But Crosstrek’s manual countered all of the recommended procedures on a car with only 22,000 miles. CVT transmission fluid, differential, and decarbonization procedures — all of which the dealership recommended — weren’t mentioned in the owner’s manual at that mileage.
Worse yet, the service center didn’t recommend spark plugs or a new fuel filter, maintenance the manual actually did suggest at that mileage.
The Crosstrek’s manual recommends these procedures at 60 and 75 months respectively.
So when should you get maintenance?
Consumer Reports says, “The first rule of getting a car to 200,000 miles (and beyond) is to follow a maintenance plan. That’s why automakers include a schedule in the owner’s manual for every car they sell.”
Taking your vehicle to a trusted mechanic for inspections can help clock potential problems before they become major issues. If you’re wary of dealership upcharges, find a local shop with high reviews that’s been in business for a long time.
Subplot News has reached out to Marchaz via email for further comment.
