30,000 mile service

[SilverBullet]

My 5.0 X is just about to hit 30,000, and I just bought it 2,000 miles ago. Not knowing it's history, I wanted to start things off right and get the 30,000 mile service done at the dealer. I know it can be done cheaper, but that's what I decided to do this time around. I'm getting charged $463 for parts/labor for the 30k service, am I getting ripped off or is that normal?

 

[aldive]

I'm getting charged $463 for parts/labor for the 30k service, am I getting ripped off or is that normal?

I hope you got kissed before you got screwed.....

What on Earth are they doing for that much money?

 

[SilverBullet]

I hope you got kissed before you got screwed.....

What on Earth are they doing for that much money?

I was going to let him kiss me after the cigarette..

Everything listed in the maintenance book, plus some.

Oil and filter change, new plugs and wires, new air filter, new fuel filter, flush and refill the cooling system, tranny fluid change, rotate tires, etc etc.

I figured I'd be getting raped, but alas I did it anyway.

And, I'm getting a 2005 bright yellow Focus as a loaner car for the week!

 

[aldive]

I was going to let him kiss me after the cigarette..

Everything listed in the maintenance book, plus some.

Oil and filter change, new plugs and wires, new air filter, new fuel filter, flush and refill the cooling system, tranny fluid change, rotate tires, etc etc.

I figured I'd be getting raped, but alas I did it anyway.

And, I'm getting a 2005 bright yellow Focus as a loaner car for the week!

There is no way that you need plugs and wires at 30k miles.

They are keeping your truck a week for that?

You are indeed getting HAD, sorry.

 

[SilverBullet]

Well, not just for the service. When I bought the truck, water was leaking somewhere in near the top of the drivers side rear door. They found that it was from the sunroof not draining correctly or something. They fixed that, but now after they fixed the drivers side the passenger side is doing the same thing. He said it's a tricky job, so he wants to take his time. So, it may not take a week, but it'll be at least 3 days I suspect for that and the service.

So what is a normal price for the 30k service then?

 

[SilverBullet]

There is no way that you need plugs and wires at 30k miles.

Actually, it does say in the maintenance manual that part of the 30k is plugs/wires. It may not need it, but I'd rather stick with the manual.

 

[aldive]

The cost should be whatever you pay for 5 quarts of oil and a filter, an air filter element, and about 15quarts of ATF. The labor is simply a hour of your time.

 

[Brock94]

What you are paying is in line with what dealers usually charge for the 30K. It's about what I paid on my newer truck before I got the DIY bug. I looked at the bill recently and noticed that they charged me $60 to "adjust rear brakes". The rear brakes, of course, are self-adjusting!

You could do what they are doing for less than $100 in parts and supplies and a weekend. A lot of us here enjoy doing our own stuff, so the dealer price seems like a rip-off, but letting them do the service does save you a lot of trouble if you don't enjoy it... and may be good if you're still in warranty.

I have an older friend who says his favorite tool is his check book

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

For everything you listed that they're doing, that price probably isn't horrible.

 

[Brock94]

The cost should be whatever you pay for 5 quarts of oil and a filter, an air filter element, and about 15quarts of ATF. The labor is simply a hour of your time.

and spark plugs and wires, anti-freeze, a new thermostat (might as well) and gasket.

As for time-- including set-up and clean-up time I think this would take a good day, or a casual weekend, for a DIYer without a lot of experience and without a dedicated shop to work in. (I've done all but the ATF flush.) That doesn't include learning time and assumes you have the right tools.

 

[aldive]

There is simply no way that plugs/wires need to be replaced at 30k.

I forgot the antifreeze. What is the cost of 1 gal? Thermostat is not needed at 30k.

The other thing is tire rotation and ballance' I would have it done at a tire store.

The oil/filter change and tranny flush takes way less than 1 hour, and can be done in a driveway.

 

[SilverBullet]

I used to own a Dodge Stealth that I did a lot of work to (rebuilt motor myself, converted auto to manual tranny, replaced tranny twice, installed a twin turbo set up that I came up with myself, etc.). So, I am a big DIY'er.. I just am new to the Explorer, and don't have the time yet to play with it much. I would love to work on it myself, but it will have to wait (but I don't want my X to suffer while I wait for time).

While on the topic (sort of) of DIY work... what wrenches/sockets to the X's take? My Stealth (really a 3000GT) used all Metric.. so all my tools are Metric.

 

[Brock94]

Looks like I could probably learn a thing or two from you then! My newer truck is a 99 Dodge Durango and my Explorer is a '94. My '94 uses mostly metric with the occasional standard-- "star" sockets and torx bits are required for a few things, so if you don't have them you may need to get them-- I'm assuming that since '94, Ford has not reverted to standard over metric and that they have kept their "special fastener" ways... probably not crazy assumptions.

For one job I needed a 6mm 1/4inch drive, 12 point socket which I couldn't find. I'd never seen a bolt like that before-- actually needed the 12 point. I ended up grinding off the head with a dremel and removing the bolt with a punch.

 

[aldive]

For one job I needed a 6mm 1/4inch drive, 12 point socket which I couldn't find. I'd never seen a bolt like that before-- actually needed the 12 point. I ended up grinding off the head with a dremel and removing the bolt with a punch.

My '99 is metric.

What bolt was that?

 

[Brock94]

My '99 is metric.

What bolt was that?

It's the bolt that holds a protective cover for the ABS speed sensor onto the steering knuckle-- it has to be removed to allow removal of the spindle.

 

[SilverBullet]

So they just called, and said that they need to get a transmission pan gasket. Apparantly they want to take the transmission pan off as part of the service..

and they want to charge $180 for the gasket.. that's freakin' outrageous!

 

[TSTONE]

1st - If they sold you a chemical transflush (ie: transsaver/BG's/Wynns) - there is no reason for removing the pan.

2nd - your vehicle has platnium plugs and unless your vehicle is severe duty they are rated at 100K (wires should last the same under normal usage - with some exceptions ie: dry rotting, arcing, etc.), I just replaced mine on my 97 @ 94K.

3rd - threaten to bring in your own parts - it will usually calm things down as far as upselling.

 

[spta97]

So they just called, and said that they need to get a transmission pan gasket. Apparantly they want to take the transmission pan off as part of the service..

and they want to charge $180 for the gasket.. that's freakin' outrageous!

Are you sure they didn't meat $1.80? That is about what that part is worth. I would get your car and find another dealer stat.

 

[SilverBullet]

They are saying that there is no drain plug on the transmission.. that in order to change the tranny fluid the entire tranny pan has to be dropped. I CAN'T believe that, that is ridiculous. Are they correct? If so, Ford is smoking crack. The service manager said it would be an extra $116 to drop the tranny pan, change the tranny fluid, and re-install with a new gasket.

 

[aldive]

Thats one way to change the fluid but you are only changing about 4 quarts nowhere near the full load,

The tranny flush is simple and replaces almost all of the ATF. You can do iit in about 15 minutes.