maintenance requirements

"Balfa" wrote: > I just took my '02 accent (59k miles) to be inspected for any > servicing it might need. > > The list of things that need doing is (* denotes recommended > rather than required): > > *3 step fuel (additives to fuel, eng oil and something else?) > $80 > oil change $30 > coolant flush $90 > trans flush $100 > clean & adjust (i assume rear drums?) $30 > *chassis lube $15 > *spark plugs $70 > The 60k mile service includes all the above for $280, as > opposed to $415 getting them individually. > > in addition, the following is needed: > a/c, pwr steer & alt belts $60 + $127 (labour) = $187 > new battery $50 > flush & fill (don't know what!) $60 > drum brake cylinders $125 > > A few notes about some of these things. The clean and adjust > was supposedly because the rear wheels spin too freely? He > told us the shoes were supposed to be in very gentle contact > with the drums, so the rear wheels stop after about 1.5 turns > if he spins them gently by hand. Sounded weird, but okay. > He pulled back the dust covers of the brake cylinders and > showed us fluid behind them. This supposedly means the > cylinders are leaking and need replacing. He reckoned these > were wear parts and wouldn't be covered by warranty :( > > As for everything else, what do you folks reckon could be > performed by someone like me who's never done an ounce of auto > maintenance in his life? I take it the fuel additives would > be pretty easy. And probably the chassis lube and battery. > Are spark plugs easy to replace? What else could I manage? > Preferably things that don't need me to crawl under the car :D > > Thanks!

I just called my dealer who said the brake cylinders would be covered under warranty but that fluid appearing behind the dust covers is normal! Was my service technician lying??

The dealer also said the battery is warranted for three years, and the fourth year pro-rated. good news!

Unnecessary and probably just a rip-off. Nothing you can add to your engine oil will have any benefit other than to the person selling it. Fuel system cleaners may possibly help, but modern fuels do a great job of keeping engines clean.

You can do it yourself for half the price.

That seems pretty pricey. Again, this is an inexpensive DIY item that should run less than $30.

It is an auto? If so, this is OK, though I would check the price for the same service at AAMCO or another tranny specialist.

If the car is a manual, this would be another rip-off. You can change the tranny oil yourself for ~$20. Check your owner's manual to see if this is even required.

Another rip-off. Rear brakes are self-adjusting and they don't need cleaning.

Another rip-off. There's nothing to lube on the chassis.

Are you kidding me? A set of plugs costs $6-$20. It takes ten minutes to change them.

Well, recalculate using realistic prices, then decide if you're getting a good deal. I come out with a total of ~$85 to DIY if the car is a manual and no more than ~165 if it's an auto and the cost of a tranny flush is actually $100.

I find it difficult to believe that it would take two hours to replace the belts. A timing belt could be done in about the same amount of time. It's required at 60K, so aren't they including it?

Why? Is the current on not working?

It would be nice to know. Never pay for anything that isn't spelled out!

Sounds like BS to me. I can't think of any good reason to have the brake shoes rubbing slightly. The brakes self-adjust as necessary.

This is a common scam. A little fluid under the dust covers is normal. If it's running out, that's a problem.

See above.

Sure, just don't bother.

See above.

Yes.

Since you're smiling, I take it you're not serious. DIY maintenance almost always requires some time on your back.

Probably. It looks to me that he took full advantage of the opportunity you gave him, rather than giving you an honest appraisal. I would not go back to him for anything, period, and I'd let him know why. Unfortunately, the car repair world is full of rip-off artists and scammers. If you find an honest mechanic, consider yourself lucky.

If you actually need one.

"Brian Nystrom" wrote: > Balfa wrote: > > "Balfa" wrote: >  > > I just took my '02 accent (59k miles) to be > inspected for any >  > > servicing it might need. >  > > >  > > The list of things that need doing is (* denotes > recommended >  > > rather than required): >  > > >  > > *3 step fuel (additives to fuel, eng oil and > something else?) >  > > $80 > > Unnecessary and probably just a rip-off. Nothing you can add > to your > engine oil will have any benefit other than to the person > selling it. > Fuel system cleaners may possibly help, but modern fuels do a > great job > of keeping engines clean. > >  > > oil change $30 > > You can do it yourself for half the price. > >  > > coolant flush $90 > > That seems pretty pricey. Again, this is an inexpensive DIY > item that > should run less than $30. > >  > > trans flush $100 > > It is an auto? If so, this is OK, though I would check the > price for the > same service at AAMCO or another tranny specialist. > > If the car is a manual, this would be another rip-off. You can > change > the tranny oil yourself for ~$20. Check your owner's manual to > see if > this is even required. > >  > > clean & adjust (i assume rear drums?) $30 > > Another rip-off. Rear brakes are self-adjusting and they don't > need > cleaning. > >  > > *chassis lube $15 > > Another rip-off. There's nothing to lube on the chassis. > >  > > *spark plugs $70 > > Are you kidding me? A set of plugs costs $6-$20. It takes ten > minutes to > change them. > >  > > The 60k mile service includes all the above for > $280, as >  > > opposed to $415 getting them individually. > > Well, recalculate using realistic prices, then decide if > you're getting > a good deal. I come out with a total of ~$85 to DIY if the car > is a > manual and no more than ~165 if it's an auto and the cost of a > tranny > flush is actually $100. > >  > > in addition, the following is needed: >  > > a/c, pwr steer & alt belts $60 + $127 (labour) = > $187 > > I find it difficult to believe that it would take two hours to > replace > the belts. A timing belt could be done in about the same > amount of time. > It's required at 60K, so aren't they including it? > >  > > new battery $50 > > Why? Is the current on not working? > >  > > flush & fill (don't know what!) $60 > > It would be nice to know. Never pay for anything that isn't > spelled out! > >  > > drum brake cylinders $125 >  > > >  > > A few notes about some of these things. The clean > and adjust >  > > was supposedly because the rear wheels spin too > freely? He >  > > told us the shoes were supposed to be in very > gentle contact >  > > with the drums, so the rear wheels stop after about > 1.5 turns >  > > if he spins them gently by hand. Sounded weird, > but okay. > > Sounds like BS to me. I can't think of any good reason to have > the brake > shoes rubbing slightly. The brakes self-adjust as necessary. > >  > > He pulled back the dust covers of the brake > cylinders and >  > > showed us fluid behind them. This supposedly means > the >  > > cylinders are leaking and need replacing. He > reckoned these >  > > were wear parts and wouldn't be covered by warranty > :( > > This is a common scam. A little fluid under the dust covers is > normal. > If it's running out, that's a problem. > >  > > As for everything else, what do you folks reckon > could be >  > > performed by someone like me who's never done an > ounce of auto >  > > maintenance in his life? > > See above. > >  > > I take it the fuel additives would be pretty easy. > > Sure, just don't bother. > >  > > And probably the chassis lube and battery. > > See above. > >  > > Are spark plugs easy to replace? > > Yes. > >  > > What else could I manage? >  > > Preferably things that don't need me to crawl under > the car :D > > Since you're smiling, I take it you're not serious. DIY > maintenance > almost always requires some time on your back. > > > I just called my dealer who said the brake cylinders would > be covered > > under warranty but that fluid appearing behind the dust > covers is > > normal! Was my service technician lying?? > > Probably. It looks to me that he took full advantage of the > opportunity > you gave him, rather than giving you an honest appraisal. I > would not go > back to him for anything, period, and I'd let him know why. > Unfortunately, the car repair world is full of rip-off artists > and > scammers. If you find an honest mechanic, consider yourself > lucky. > > > The dealer also said the battery is warranted for three > years, and the > > fourth year pro-rated. good news! > > If you actually need one.

Thanks very much, Brian. Very useful information! :)

I pretty much agree with Brian. I'll highlight the areas where I disagree or have additional points to raise:

You may wish to consider dropping the trans pan and replacing the filter instead of a flush. This won't change as much fluid, but it will change the filter. If you have a repair shop other than a dealer service the trans, be sure they use SPIII fluid.

The star-wheel brake adjuster system on your car (and most other drum brake vehicles) is notorious for not working very well. Use your parking brake and pedal height as a guide. If you need to pull your park brake near full stroke or you must significantly depress the brake pedal to receive braking, it's probably a good idea to adjust the rear brakes. The spinning freely vs. 1.5 turns is a very poor indicator.

I think brake fluid under the dust covers, even in a small amount, indicates a leak that needs to be fixed. I don't know that Hyundai has an official position on this, but I believe I am in agreement with GM's official position. Unfortunately, it's your dealer that needs to agree, not me. If they don't agree they need to be replaced and you think they should be, you can call Hyundai customer assistance, and they'll open a case on it. If you're a reasonably good customer at the dealer, they may do it for you even if they don't agree, just to keep you happy. Picking apart their (albeit excessive) 30k service won't help your case, though.

And bad news on the battery. If you're in the U.S., it's full replacement within the first two years. The third year, you pay 75% parts and no labor. After three years, the expense is all yours.

Just a quick note that this is for an automatic transmission only. If it's a manual, you use GL-4 gear oil and there is no filter.

Thanks for clarifying that. I haven't run into the problem, so I wasn't aware of it. However, adjusting the brakes isn't difficult, either. IIRC, brake adjusting tools are I think brake fluid under the dust covers, even in a small amount,

I don't know what the parts for an Accent cost, but when I replaced the rear slave cylinders on my Excel (one was leaking badly enough to warrant it), they cost me ~$25 each at Pep Boys. The installation was easy. You just need to be sure to bleed the brakes afterward.

"Balfa" wrote: > I just took my '02 accent (59k miles) to be inspected for any > servicing it might need. > > The list of things that need doing is (* denotes recommended > rather than required): > > *3 step fuel (additives to fuel, eng oil and something else?) > $80 > oil change $30 > coolant flush $90 > trans flush $100 > clean & adjust (i assume rear drums?) $30 > *chassis lube $15 > *spark plugs $70 > The 60k mile service includes all the above for $280, as > opposed to $415 getting them individually. > > in addition, the following is needed: > a/c, pwr steer & alt belts $60 + $127 (labour) = $187 > new battery $50 > flush & fill (don't know what!) $60 > drum brake cylinders $125 > > A few notes about some of these things. The clean and adjust > was supposedly because the rear wheels spin too freely? He > told us the shoes were supposed to be in very gentle contact > with the drums, so the rear wheels stop after about 1.5 turns > if he spins them gently by hand. Sounded weird, but okay. > He pulled back the dust covers of the brake cylinders and > showed us fluid behind them. This supposedly means the > cylinders are leaking and need replacing. He reckoned these > were wear parts and wouldn't be covered by warranty :( > > As for everything else, what do you folks reckon could be > performed by someone like me who's never done an ounce of auto > maintenance in his life? I take it the fuel additives would > be pretty easy. And probably the chassis lube and battery. > Are spark plugs easy to replace? What else could I manage? > Preferably things that don't need me to crawl under the car :D > > Thanks!

Thanks for the extra info.

As a side note, I really don?t want to get under the car, because there?s no level parking near my apartment, so i doubt i can safely put the car on jack stands :( I suppose it?s best if i put aside my dreams of becoming a DIYer until i can find some level groud, eh?