2010 Civic LX: 30,000 Mile Service: "E Service": Ripoff?

Me? I'd wait for the Maintenance Minder to tell me it was time for service-- and definitely not do it early at the urging of some express mechanic (read: newest, least skilled guy in the shop). I'd also confirm what an E service entailed in the owner's manual. I live in a large metro area that has several Honda dealers so prices vary considerably and promotional offers abound.

I'd ask for a detailed break down on what's offered vs. require/recommended by Honda. This with an eye toward puff services such as refreshing the air in the tires (and no that's not a joke as we did have that happen to one of our hospice patients). One other classis is filling the tires with 'dry nitrogen'.

"Steve" wrote

I'd say it's a ripoff. I would never pay that much for a "major service"; that's what the 30,000 mile mark has long been considered. First wait until you reach 30,000 miles. Ask them for a list of all that they will do for the service. Compare their list with what you see in your manual. That'll give you your first clue. Regardless what you find out, figure the service should cost no more than maybe about $200 or so. Of course it depends on what they actually replace. If it's just oil and filter and "check and inspect" about

43 items, the cost should be far less.

My last major service (60,000) was $244 at an upstate NY independent garage that specializes in Hondas. But that was for an Accord, and more is charged for Accords than for Civics -- at least at a dealership. See if you can find an independent garage that specializes in Hondas. Make friends with them.

Don't you have the maintenance minder on that? If so, I'm pretty sure it won't trigger for the next maintenance until the oil goes again, which is going to be over 6,000 miles or six months.

But they do put a fat maintenance even on the 2010s around there, or at least did on my 2010 Accord, replace engine and cabin air filters for obscene prices, and generally dork around even on just the recommended service - and some like the air filters are optional but likely to be needed.

I forget what I paid, I think it was less than that.

... or was that even my 2010 at all, maybe I'm remembering back to the

2007 that I did put some extra miles on, so did the big service at 36k miles? I should really pay more attention, huh.

J.

dude, it's free for him to ask you if you'll pay him $600.

Don't get emotional about it.

It's free for you to decline, or to ask questions about the service, or whatever.

You DO have an owner's manual, right? Go home and read it from cover to cover.

...says the guy who thinks it's more economical to replace his car at

80K miles than to perform maintenance on it and keep running it.

36k miles.

J.

are you talking about the "express" mechanic at the dealer or at iffy lube? if the latter, just ignore them. if the former, the first thing you need to learn [from reading the owner's manual] is that you are NOT required to take the car to a dealer for service to maintain the warranty. the second is that the maintenance minder dictates the schedule, not the dealer's desire to empty your wallet.

as you will learn by reading, there is almost nothing to do on that honda at that mileage other than keep up with oil changes, make sure you're not losing any fluids, and visually inspect the rest of the vehicle to make sure nothing's broken.

i think he finally admitted that it's not economics, just "new, shiny" syndrome. or maybe he's just a patriot trying to help the economy recover by donating his money to needy financial institutions?

Hi,

I own a 2010 Honda Civic.

I went to have my oil changed last night.

The express mechanic told me I am 2,000 miles away from the "30,000 mile E Maintenance" package needing to be be done and do I just want to go ahead and do it now?

Price? $590 + tax !!!!

I can never recall a tuneup being that much and this is what it sounds like, a fancy tuneup.

I'm going to check my owners manual and I will likely get it done as I don't like messing with factory recommendations, but this feels like a rip off

Is it?

Steve

Pretty high. The 30K service for my wife's 09 CRV was $400.00 -- included transmission drain and brake fluid change.

Don't know about Honda. I have a Toyota and as part of the oil change service at the Dealers they do what they call a "Multi- Service Check". It covers just about every maintenance check in the manual for all mileages. Every item is checked as either "OK, Should Be Done or Needs To Be Done" (Not the exact words but you get the meaning). It's obviously a service that's looking for additional work items. I compared that list of checked items against my 30K manual list of things to do. Everything except replacing the brake and transmission fluids were covered. So if the Technician did exactly as described on the Multi-Check then I got just about all of my 30K Check done for the price of an oil change ---$19.99 with coupon. The competition around my area between Dealers is a boon for us poor guys. Coupons arrive monthly for all kinds of Service items and there are many good money saving deals. Example---Just bought 4 Michelin tires (OEM) from the Dealer, paid regular price for 3 and $1 for the 4th. Included was an alignment (no charge worth $89) and 2 yr Road Hazard Coverage. Rebate. Bottom line, taking everything into consideration, beat Costco by almost $200. As an extra bonus-Michelin giving a $75 Rebate. MLD

Tune up at 30k miles....?

Useful post. I thought dealer prices were standard. When it is time I will shop around dealers and non-dealers.

Steve

Great idea. Labor rates will be far less so I should at least save something. Thanks Steve.

I thought I would update this as I am the OP.

I own a 2010 Honda Civic LX.

Back in November 2012 I went in for an oil change at the Honda Dealership. The mechanic told me I needed a 30,000 mile e-service package to the tune of $590. I decided not to do it.

I went back to the same Honda dealership today for another oil change ( che ap, quick, nice lounge, near my job ).

I got told again there were some 30,000 mile service things I needed to get done that added up to about $550.

This particular mechanic seemed a little more intelligent than the kid I go t the last time.

I told him that I read the manual and according to the manual the maintenan ce minder would light up an icon on my dashboard when those things needed t o be done.

He asked me if I was in the habit of bringing my Civic in for oil changes e arly, before the meter got down to 15%. I told him that I did indeed to t hat. I usually came in at 20%.

He explained to me that the maintenance icons for things other than just oi l do not light up unless the meter gets down to 15%, so I have missed doing these things at the mileages they needed to be done. He told me that wai ting until 15% still has a small safety margin so I don't have to get my oi l changed the day it happens. So, I think I will do that from now on.

I called two other Honda dealerships. I learned that not all Honda dealers hips charge the same for labor. One charged as high as $122 an hour, anot her as low as $109 an hour.

I found an independent mechanic near where I work that charges only $106 an hour and his estimate for those maintenance things was almost $70 less tha n what my regular Honda dealership quoted me. I will probably go to him i n about two days when my schedule gets free.

After that I am going to wait for my meter to hit 15%, so I get told to do maintenance a bit a time and not in large expensive clumps.

It seems like a PITA. I would have liked it if the manual just gave me a chart with what to do at what mileage. I'm disciplined enough with calenda r reminders that would have been easier for me.

Anyway, I'm sure other people searching on this subject will find the infor mation useful, so here it is

Steve

dealerships charge the same for labor. One charged as high as $122 an hour, another as low as $109 an hour.

hour and his estimate for those maintenance things was almost $70 less than what my regular Honda dealership quoted me. I will probably go to him in about two days when my schedule gets free.

Original price back in November at the dealership: $590 Price today at the dealership: $550 Estimate from an independent mechanic: $480

What I was told by the Honda Mechanic that I needed done:

- air filter change

- cabin filter change

- power steering fluid flush

- transmission fluid flush

- new wiper inserts ( they are torn )

- tire rotation

FWIW

Steve

Hi,

I own a 2010 Honda Civic.

I went to have my oil changed last night.

The express mechanic told me I am 2,000 miles away from the "30,000 mile E Maintenance" package needing to be be done and do I just want to go ahead and do it now?

Price? $590 + tax !!!!

I can never recall a tuneup being that much and this is what it sounds like, a fancy tuneup.

I'm going to check my owners manual and I will likely get it done as I don't like messing with factory recommendations, but this feels like a rip off

Is it?

Steve For whatever it is worth, the 30k service entails:

- Oil/Filter Change

- Change air and cabin filters

- Change transmission fluid

- Rotate tires

- Change brake fluid

- Inspect running gear.

There are probably other recommendations like changing wiper blades.

You can do some of this yourself like changing the cabin HEPA filter. The price is high in my opinion.

do it yourself - it's real easy.

do it yourself. a little more involved. depending on the year but still doable.

completely bogus. honda do not specify a power steering fluid service interval. provided it's not been contaminated with atf, sealed power steering systems last 300k+ miles without the need to change fluid.

there's something seriously wrong here. honda specifically say NOT to "flush" their transmissions, simply drain and fill. and unless you're on a severe service schedule - most unlikely unless you live in las vegas or anchorage - you don't even need to that at only 30k. read the owners manual and you'll see.

do it yourself.

tire rotation is just legal ass-covering - you actually /reduce/ traction when you rotate thus increasing stopping distances and decreasing cornering speeds.

bottom line, the only thing you need to do at 30k is check the driveshaft boots [which you should be doing every few months anyway], check the brake pads, and that you don't have any fluid leaks. you're only a small percentage into the life of the car, and 30k is still well within the "nothing to fix". chances are that even the brakes will last you to 60k and you won't have to touch anything.

buy it somewhere and do it yourself

buy it somewhere and do it yourself (easy!)

aka, wallet flush

DANGER DANGER DANGER! never EVER actually "flush" the trans fluid system. What does your owner's manual say? Drain and fill. Cheap. The only thing Honda says to do if you really want more than that is to drain, fill, drive a couple miles, drain, fill, drive, drain, fill, drive. That won't completely replace the fluid, but it is the ONLY method Honda recommends if you want a more complete fluid replacement. Actual "flushing" will cause your transmission to fail MUCH more quickly, and is not recommended by Honda under any circumstances whatsoever. It's also a wallet flush.

buy them and do it yourself (easy!)

So, an oil change and tire rotation should cost $50-$60. A good mechanic--likely an independent--will also look at your brakes while he's there, and will offer his opinion on them.

An air filter is cheap, a cabin air filter is cheap, and your owner's manual will tell you how to change those. Wiper inserts are dirt cheap; hell, entire blades are only ten bucks, and your local independent mechanic will have them on inside 30 seconds--both of them.

$500? $600? Where do you live? I'll do ALL of that for half that, and that includes my travel expenses.