Dealer Presents a $9,645 Service Reminder: Reasons Customers Stop Visiting Dealerships | Carscoops

      The total cost for servicing a 2007 Acura TL Type-S includes valve cover gaskets, fog lights, and two battery charges.

      23 hours ago

      by Stephen Rivers

      An Acura TL Type-S owner received an astonishing service estimate of $9,644.87.

      The dealer’s quote covered work on the timing belt, fog lights, and spark plugs.

      Commenters criticized the estimate, recommending seeking an independent mechanic.

      As vehicles age, they often require increasing maintenance. With a few notable exceptions, which are usually low-mileage collectibles that reinforce this idea, most cars depreciate in value over time. When the need for maintenance coincides with declining value, repair costs can quickly surpass the worth of the vehicle.

      This is why many people choose to buy cars known for reliability and low ownership costs. Perhaps that was the reason behind the man's decision to purchase an Acura. However, he didn’t expect to receive a maintenance estimate that exceeded the car's likely worth—$9,644.87, to be precise.

      What’s Happening Here?

      In a Reddit post titled “Please tell me this isn’t right,” the owner sought validation on the legitimacy of this bill. They didn’t arrive at the dealership with 400,000 miles on the odometer; they were simply there for their standard 120,000-mile service, yet the Acura dealer appeared to suggest nearly every service imaginable.

      According to the invoice, at least nine different jobs were recommended. This included a $2,400 timing belt replacement, which was suggested solely based on timing rather than any visible issues.

      A List That Keeps Expanding

      The list didn’t end there. The dealer claimed the vehicle required valve cover gaskets, valve adjustments, and new spark plugs, totaling an additional $1,644. Additionally, they quoted $1,599.15 for fog lights.

      On top of those considerable charges, there was $680 for a power steering pump reseal and $390 for hood struts. There were also two separate battery-related charges exceeding $500.

      It’s important to note that this car is likely worth around $10,000 to $11,000 if sold at a dealership, or about $1,000 less in a private sale, making this estimate effectively more than the car's value.

      The combination of these facts led to a comment section that was both sobering and amusing.

      “The $1,600 for valve cover gaskets really takes the cake for me. The OEM kit is $70. The Felpro kit is $35. Are they crafting new valve cover gaskets from racing horse [genetic material] or something?” remarked one commenter.

      One of the most insightful comments was: “My personal rule of thumb is to never take any vehicle not under warranty to a dealership.”

      Dealerships typically earn most of their profits from service rather than sales. So when an older vehicle like this one arrives, one can almost hear the cash register ringing upon reading this story. It’s easy to envision how some service departments may begin to see opportunity more than just maintenance.

      Please tell me this isn’t right by u/jayceguthrie7 in AskMechanics.