Always go to my dealership for oil changes....mainly for no warranty problems if they should show up....I always recommend this to my friends...let them do oil changes, tire rotations(look for deals on the internet), driveability problems....

But for something like tires, brakes, etc., I shop around......

Get my oil change, and the Writer comes to me and says, you need tires and a brake job right away.....

I said, can I see the car? He brings me out.....shows I have 4mm on the pads, inside and outside, and that my tires are a couple 32nds above the wear bars.....I said write it up, and give me an estimate......he rattles off numbers.....350 for a brake job, and 825 for tires.....can do it right now....

I told him, I will think about it, but wouldn't be doing it right now....oil change is over.......now he comes over with a second Writer/Manager, to tell me it should be done right now.......It is a big dealership.....it'* a nice dealership....in fact, it is all new, about 2 years old.....someone has to pay for that big nut, but it wasn't going to be me......listen, I know that you have to sell maintenance while the customer is in your shop, but be reasonable with your estimate.....I said, I THINK I WILL SHOP AROUND.....now the pressure starts.....well, they started it, in front of all the customer'* in the waiting room....big mistake....if you are really going to make a push, which these guys obviously were trying to do, by bringing in reinforcements, take the customer out of the waiting area, if you don't want them to hear the conversation.....they will pull out all the stops, bringing up safety issues with winter coming.....Well, I think I'll still shop around.....but they wouldn't give up.....

I know the tires were getting low, and I was pricing them out.....these were OE tires, rated at 50K miles.....I got 53K out of them.....but I knew traction would be bad in snow this winter.....What kind of tires, I asked? Same as that are on there....825? Yes, do you give free tire rotations and free flat repair? Uh, no.....

Does the brake job get new rotors and pads? No your rotors can be turned....GM pads...

Well, I think I'll shop around.......they were not happy......in fact, you could see their "attitude" change towards me.....even the other customers saw this.....

Oil change is done......they BOTH come to get me, to tell me my car is all done.....and they start again, that this should be done right away......

Well, I told them, this vehicle is highway driven....those are original brakes....they still have 4mm.....they will last until spring, when if necessary, I will do the brake job myself for under $80....and that I have been pricing tires, replacements for the OE(since you can't get OE), for over $300 less than their quote, and that I will get free rotations and free tire repair for these tires....

I said to them, I know it'* your job to sell, but if I can save over $400, what do you think I am going to do?

Now, I am not singling out just dealerships, because this will happen to you at places like Sears, Midas, etc.

Garages do not make money on oil changes, especially, if they are running a "special".....when they get that car on the lift, it is up to the Tech, to write up any potential jobs....in some cases, the Tech may even get a percentage, if the Writer sells the job....Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with this.....if you have worn tires, brakes, exhaust leaks, oil/fluid leak, you should be informed of this....and the shop is in business to make money, too.....

But it is up to the customer to be informed, BEFORE making a decision like this....sometimes fear tactics are used.......sometimes, they high ball you with a price and then give a discount, to make it sound like you are getting a deal.....

When you are buying a tv, do you walk into a store and say to the salesman, give me the best one you got without regard for price? No, you shop around....it'* the same for car maintenance....shop around....now the lowest price is not necessarily the best option(parts, and who is doing the work)....

Be informed, price out the work, find highs and lows...you can go low, or you can go back to that shop you have confidence in, and tell them you can have it done for a lower price, and ask if they will match it....more often than not they will....

So, be informed out there.....in these days of tablets and smart phones, and free wifi, there is no excuse to be taken...

I've seen It a 1000 times at the dealers I've worked for. And you need to remember this is the slow time of year for dealers so they are hunting for bones. I have even ratted out other mechanics to management for upselling unnecessary work and it went no where because they also get paid by the bottom line of what the service department makes. But I haven't seen a service writer have as much high pressure as you. Most of the time if the customer says "I'll think about it" the service writer says they will make a note in the file if the customer decides to come back for the work.

I haven't been hassled that bad. Normally if I tell them no they stop. But unfortunately it happens to my wife and my mom, told the wife don't believe them but Monroe got my mom for 1k for brakes and a silencer for her impala before I had a chance to tell her to run away.

I do my own everything now even if the car comes with free maintenance, it'* not worth the hassle. The tires I get at bjs or Sams because they have good prices, and they never try to up sell or bother me for anything else.

I've never been hassled.

I'm always straightforward with the SW before my vehicle is put on the rack. I always tell them upfront what I want and I always tell them NOT to go looking for anything else. Because there are 2 things I can't do in my driveway. A state inspection and an alignment. This seems to always hurry up the inspection or oil change. Just to get rid of me. HAHAHAHA!

I'm guilty of trying to upswell work for brake jobs to ball joints. But I don't get pushy, i make out a estimate and the sw advises the customer. Now if I feel it'* a safety issue and they still decline, then they have to sign off on the work orders estimate. This relieves us from any liability of a lawsuit. Pushy sales would drive me away as well. These dealers make a bad name for us good dealers.