In article <2ee884f5.0312021558.6e96976b@posting.google.com >,
barnes_jude@yahoo.com (Jude Barnes) wrote:

> After a warantee is over is it advised to still have pro-active
> service done at a dealership, and if so, what is the approximate cost
> hike by doing so versus some other maintenance shop (certified or
> not)?
> My real big problem with proactive services are that there is nothing
> tangible to tell that anything has actually been done, other than a
> belt replacement when they can actually hand you the old part(s).
> I'm up for a 105K mileage visit and the dealership wants over $800 to
> do the timing belt replacement and the standard 105 proactive
> maintenance which includes valve inspection/maintenance. Obviously I
> need the timing belt done, and the valve work DOES sound to me like
> something I *DO* want to do, however, can someone tell me if they are
> completely backlogged at a maintenance shop how anyone coudl ever tell
> if a technician simply overlooks doing that particular task? Is it
> inappropriate for me to ask to watch the techs work on my car?
>
> Thanks for any help on this intriguing issue that's been nagging me
> for awhile.

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Let's ask this question: how do you know that "some other maintenance
shop" isn't doing exactly what you say?

Maybe your dealer isn't doing it AND the other shop is? In which case
sure, the other shop is only $500--but they haven't done the work, yet
for $800 the dealer has.

Or maybe they're both doing it. Maybe they ALL do it. Maybe auto
maintenance is like the moon landing; we're all conned into believing
that it happened. Maybe in fact cars run forever with no maintenance,
and the whole "scheduled maintenance" thing is pure profit for the shops
that claim they perform it.