I took the Scooby into Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City this morning for an oil change (I've just moved to the area recently and have heard good things on the board here about Carlsen). I need to do the tire rotation this time, in addition (it's been 7500 miles)...

** $84 total for the oil/filter change and tire rotation/alignment**

Are you kidding me? The tire rotation is listed on the invoice as $44.95. I know the Bay Area has one of the highest costs of living but this is rediculous. Forty five dollars?? Hell...I would have done it myself in less than an hour... or gone out and bought a good floor jack to make the job faster in the future. Max it could have taken them 10-15 minutes on a lift with air tools. Where do they get off on $45?

Anyone care to comment? I don't pick the car up until later today.

 

it just might be that fact that u went to a dealership for service. mayb, maybe not.

by the way let me flame on carlsen since it s the same subject. i hit a 2 ton floor jack a couple of months ago, and broke a wheel stud on my front left. i went to carlsen to get the part, which cost $2.63. for the labor, which would have taken them no more than 15 minutes, they wanted $115. does that sound right to anyone? they dont even have to take off the stinkin hub! ( do they have a monkey that throws fireballs? )

 

before anyone asks how i hit a jack, it was painted flat black and left in the middle of El Camino in redwood city, and i hit it at 1:30 am or so

 

thats why you dont' get service done at dealerships. especially the easy stuff, you do it all your self. saves you time and money

 

Damn, so I really am getting hosed here (ie. not a typo on the invoice).

I am willing to pay a premium for dealer service (I figure it might help with selling it, when the time comes), but this is like highway robbery. Their charging three times what a tire and rotation cost me from another Subaru dealer, before I moved to the Bay.

 

welcome to the bay area!!!

use that $80 towards a jack and jackstands.

db

 

You did alignment too????? all for 84???? If so that is cheap, if not wow...................

 

are u sure? that doesnt sound cheap........

 

That's what I was thinking. If it was tire rotation and alignment that was a sweet deal.

-Chris

 

I spent more than that...about $140.

$20 for 5 quarts of Mobil 1
$6 for an OEM filter
$60 for a torque wrench
$20 for jack stands
$35 for a 2 ton floor jack

Of course, now I get to re use some of the stuff.... I bought the stands and torque wrench over 10 years ago and the jack is about 3 years old now.
Seriously, take an hour to do this work yourself if there is any possible way that you can. You know it's been done right because you did it. Plus you can check your own brake pads, CV boots and the rest of the undercarriage while you're in there.

BTW, welcome to the Bay Area. We're just busting your chops a little bit to break you in!

 

Diablo Subaru in Walnut Creek charged me $16.50 for an oil filter and $2.60 for a washer. Cae to $20 after tax. There is no scooby love going on at the dealerships.

Anyone know where to buy oem stuff online?

 

This will help with the pain next time..

 

I got both for 12.50 at Ron Price. I thought that was a lot. I go to www.1stsubaruparts.com for OEM.

 

Woops, I misspoke. Endeavor has it right, I meant balance, not alignment.

I guess I'm glad I've got a Subaru and not a BMW (could service be THAT much more?). I have heard that BMW mechanics are upwards of $100/hr around here.