15K Service Boondoggle
So I take my car in at 15K to get my annual oil change done. I read the service manual very carefully since the CBS system was not calling yet for the oil change and I figured the dealer would push back. The car was actually calling only for a brake fluid change - but better to batch it all up. I ask if the air filter would be changed. SA says no. I mention the book says change the air filter when you change the oil, so that's 1 demerit. The RO did list an air filter so I assume they put one in. I get the car back and am about 3 miles from the dealer running through the menus to confirm what they did and get oil> max (2nd demerit). Head back to dealer. They say that its OK for it to be high since the motor will burn it off over time. 3rd demerit. I tell them that since I have no idea how much they overfilled the oil - it would be crazy to drive the car this way and of course there is that texzt in the book... So they take the car back in. I ask them if they know about the front sump trick and they say yes. Get the car back. This time I just drive outside and check the oil level. Now it says down 1/2 liter. Turn around and drive back in. Tech comes over and looks at the display. He goes "look, its fine, it says OK". 4th demerit. I try really hard not to attack the guy. I tell them I'll get the book out of the trunk and show them if they like. I also give them an alternative: make it right or gve me a liter of oil and I'll figure iut out. They take the car the car back. Get the car back and the oil is perfect - but there is oil on the arm rest. 5th demerit. I have them clean it off. The good folks @ Herb's Sudbury dealership have now wasted an extra 1.5 hours on my time simply because they are either inept or careless. Great knowing that you have these kind of people standing behind you for 40K miles.
So the key to all of this is knowing you are entitled to when it comes to service. This is not easy since the service book on the car is not well organized and key phrases are littered all over the place, like "change the air filter when you change the oil". There is no "15K" service actually listed. My CBS wasn't going to call for an oil change until about 17K - so off cycle changes are really key as a way to back fill for either CBS or the annual cycle. It seems as if the dealer is going brain dead and prefers to simply rely on CBS only for advice. This doesn't explain the difficulty getting the oil level correct. That's just a tech who doesn't care.
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