Unnecessary Cost Hiking Elements in Service Bills


Thread Starter #1
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
2,253
Likes
1,311
Location
Trivandrum , Sydney
I thought of putting this post as an awareness to most of the customers who service their ride at ASS.(Authorised service centres).Most ASS have 3 category of staffs mainly - Service advisors ,Technicians/Labourers ,Service supervisors.
Role of service advisor- To diagnose the complaint put forward by customer ,and also by himself find out repair works,job to be carried out at the necessary service interval.
Role of Labourers- To carry out the jobs listed in job card
Role of Service supervisors- Ensuring the job has been done to perfection.

ASS have mainly 3 category of services -Free services (first 3 service after the ride has been bought),Periodic maintenance service /Kilometre service (According to time after last service or kilometres covered after last service),Running repair/Demand job service (Service for the particular issues which came during normal course of ownership)

The main scams are employed mainly during PMS (Periodic maintenance service ),which includes-
1.Throttle body cleaning /Fuel injector cleaning
A throttle body needs cleaning when the engine idle is rough, the engine stumbles through acceleration, or the Check Engine Light comes on.Today's fuel injected cars depend on a fully-functional and clean throttle body to supply an air/fuel mixture to each cylinder. The throttle body is essentially the carburetor on a fuel injected engine that controls flow of fuel and air into the fuel injection manifold. Once the mixture enters the manifold it is sprayed into each cylinder's intake port by the injection nozzles. When road grime, carbon, and other materials embed in the components that make up the throttle body, the vehicle's ability to efficiently burn fuel is reduced.

This requires cleaning only when the customer finds there is a huge mileage drop or when sensor gives warning .
Usual cost - Rs 400-800

Service advisors usually add this to each Periodic maintenance service ,and chances are high that work won't be carried out ,and an incentive is given for the service advisor for listing out the same in job card.

2.Flushing
Flushing is the procedure done to remove grits due to suspended impurities and metal particles associated with different components (Engine oil flushing,Coolant flushing,Brake fluid flushing )Here generally an additive is used ,to rinse the component ,and then the particular fluid (Lubricant),engine oil,coolant,brake fluid are added respectively.Only flushing job needs to be done is Engine flushing ,at 30k km for diesel cars ,40k km for petrol cars .Flushing needs to be done only for those cars running on mineral oil ,but nowadays all cars have synthetic oil ,so this can be avoided ,for peace of mind this can be done at the intervals mentioned above.
Service advisor lists this during PMS.Bill increase by max of 5k.

3.Engine bay coating/engine lamination
A polish ,wax layer for engine .SA repeatedly says ,engine bay is full of dust sir,this will give a protection(The truth is that ,engine bay will get dusty no matter whatever polish is being used).Better to dust out the engine bay ,say monthly once.
Cost (Max 400Rs).

4.A/c Disinfection
This includes spray of a chemical ,to disinfect .This can be done only if you feel ,the car is infected (When the car runs continuously in monsoon or damp condition.
Cost -max 500

5.Paint protection plans (3M package)
This is beneficial for those who haven't done any paint protection coats. SA gets incentive for those who accepts this .

6.PMS Charge
This is mainly for hyundai users ,each paid service contains PMS charge of - 400 to 2000(Depending for different segment of cars ).This contains the charge for diagnosis ,and check up and washing too .If a customer doesn't need a wash too ,he may think there won't be a wash charge in bill,Yes ,he won't have a wash charge ,as its already included in PMS .

I listed out various class of workers in ASS,and had pointed till now only SA's incentives.
A percentage of the incentive goes to the labourers too .
Work supervisors generally have more power in ASS than SA's ,but their interaction with customer is minimum.They actually have the power to say what job needs to be carried out .
Moderators please move the thread if this isn't correct place .
If already a thread exists ,please merge this .
I think such a topic hasn't been arisen in this Forum.
Other TAI members can add their set of experiences with other different elements in bill.
I will update when i get information on same too.
 
Joined
Oct 23, 2013
Messages
1,143
Likes
865
Location
Bangalore
Re: Cost hiking elements in service bills which aren't necessary

Cabin air filter change. What is that? In many cars it is not there. Even one which have can just be cleaned instead of replacing.
 
Thread Starter #3
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
2,253
Likes
1,311
Location
Trivandrum , Sydney
Re: Cost hiking elements in service bills which aren't necessary

Cabin air filter change. What is that? In many cars it is not there. Even one which have can just be cleaned instead of replacing.
Cabin filter is there in most of the cars nowadays sir.Its A/C filter . It is placed behind the glove box ,and is held within a box(Similar to Engine air filter setup). it can be of 2 types -
1.Paper/Cloth like(Similar to engine filter)
2.Screen mesh (Just like home A/c filter)

It requires change at 10k km service interval (If ridden in dusty condition).If driven in less dusty cases ,then cleaning alone will do (Cleaning with compressor).Screen mesh type requires cleaning only,its lifelong durable.
 
Thread Starter #5
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
2,253
Likes
1,311
Location
Trivandrum , Sydney
Recently from one of my close SA's heard that, Brake checkup (Brake Pad inspection, Calliper guide pin health check , rear shoes inspection), are also part of PMS(Periodic Maintenance Service) , is that true with all brands.

Maybe as I have a rapport with the service centre they do this along with PMS , and never charge for these jobs , except when I did calliper pin replacement (Which was done as a running repair job) , and calliper greasing (also done as running repair job).
All above mentioned jobs were done in Swift

As brake overhauling charge is normally billed separately for front and rear (In regard with Hyundai I am saying).

Please comment your opinion.
 
Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
3,779
Likes
1,335
Location
Bangalore
The the OP is true and most relevant with HASS and then MASS. Both are notorious in inflating bills with unnecessary items. That is why for my i10's last service chose to stay away from HASS and chose a FNG instead.
 

deville_56

Honoured Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
2,971
Likes
4,807
Location
Trivandrum
Windscreen washer fluid is the most common addition. I got upto 10 packets billed at Hyundai despite giving the car with water filled to brim. Concentrate costs 15-20 and was supposed to mix with water. Same at Hyundai, Maruti and Chevy. VW on the other hand charges a bomb on fluid, but you will get the rest of the bottle minus the concentrate required for mixing the entire tank.

Teflon coating, wheel alignment, balancing, rotation, flushing and fluids, etc adds to it. 90% of the time wheels are untouched, but billed. Teflons are usually cheaper liquid wax. Flushing and miracle fluids, god only knows whether they used them. They don't even do proper oil changes.

RE once charged a bomb for brake cleaning, but later to find that it was all dirty and was worn out fully.
 

Nairrk

Honoured Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Messages
14,663
Likes
5,276
Location
Payyanur/Kannur
Sorry, I missed out this thread somehow..[roll]

Nice topic - service guys are making money from customers in many ways. Only a few, especially those who are visiting some automotive forums are aware of these kind of fraud billings.
 
Thread Starter #11
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
2,253
Likes
1,311
Location
Trivandrum , Sydney
There's another dealership based service offer scam-
The manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki , Hyundai , themselves give customers benefit of free service camps (40 point /80 point checkups , preferably with a complimentary dry wash).

Some dealers take benefit of this , they modify the offer say- for 300 or 500 rs ,you have the same offer.(Things not to be mixed with dealership offers , this is taxing on the same offer offered my manufacturer). It depends on how the customer gets to know the info, if he/she gets to know manufacturers info , then he won't fall for this , but if it is via the phone call of ASS then he is sure to be get fooled.

6 month checkup or half yearly checkup - This is employed saying , manufacturer though claims PMS at 1 year , it is necessary to get fluids topped up at this interval .(No job will be done , just looting)
 

Top Bottom