[scottsdaledave]

Im curious how many of you will be taking C7 to your dealer for things like oil change, routine maintenance (not covered by warranty) vs going to quick oil change places or local mechanics?

 

[Redc7]

I do my own oil changes, as I have a lift in my garage. My vette in a quick oil place no F-In way...

 

[ERACISM]

Routine maintenance and oil changes will be done by me, myself and I

 

[glen e]

If you have the space, get a floor jack and at least two jackstands at Harbor Freight for $100 or so. Get the jack pucks from RPI. With that you can:
do your own oil changes,
rotate your tires (if allowed)
remove your tires for wheel well and barrel cleaning
inspect the undercarriage
do projects if so inclined

 

[tj07rk]

Isn't the maintenance free for 2 years from the dealer??

 

[glen e]

Isn't the maintenance free for 2 years from the dealer??

Many don't want their car anywhere near a dealer for normal maint stuff, just warranty work, I'm one of them. Ive seen what can go on behind the scenes at a dealership.

 

[CyberVette]

Glen can you elaborate what you see!!!

 

[glen e]

too many scratches that were not there when I took it in, curb rash, etc

 

[elegant]

There are some dealership technicians who are first rate, know how to diagnose problem, rather sequentially changing parts in the hope to eventually find the one causing a problem. The problem of course, if finding the right person at the right dealership. A local Corvette club can be of help in this area. For example, of the folks in our car club who do not do their own maintenance and repair, most go to a single dealership and ONLY have the same technician work on our Corvettes. When others ask us, we are happy to share that dealership's name and the technician's name. When I make an appointment, I first ask if Ken will be there on "...day," and if the answer is that he is on vacation, I schedule an appointment after his return.

Going to Glen's point, I NEVER allow any car dealership to wash my car (got burned many, many years ago with swirls and surface scratches). Before I leave the service write up area, I watch the service rep write in two inch high letters "NO WASH" on the ticket, so that not only the technician, but anyone else knows that. Call me paranoid, but I also have "Do Not Wash" signs I place in the car before I turn it over to them, one placed on the console near the shift knob, the other on the dash facing "outward."

 

[jsvette]

I plan on letting my dealer service RedHot at least while under warranty. They have a good rep.

 

[midas001]

Glen must have a awful dealership. I have been going for over 30 years and haven ever had an issue. Silly not to take advantage of something that is paid for

 

[Dasyatis]

Lift, compressor, welder, tools, etc in the garage. Not going anywhere else unless I have no other choice.

 

[Grandsport]

Dealership only.First my dealer specializes in Corvettes and hi-performance Chevys,so they know what to do and how to treat a guys vehicle.Second want all maintainence and service work on record at the dealer because if a problem arises there are no questions asked,and problems are going to pop up on these cars.

 

[Racerbob]

I have always done the simple things like oil/filter change, air filter etc. I've seen too many cross threaded pan plugs, and oil filters. Do you know what a mess that makes?

 

[2vetteed]

Glen must have a awful dealership. I have been going for over 30 years and haven ever had an issue. Silly not to take advantage of something that is paid for

I agree. Free maintenance for the first two years and a real knowledgeable Corvette mechanic (drives a Corvette himself) to do the work. What more could you ask for? Over.

 

[2vetteed]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this under the right subject, but here it is anyways. I went to the dealer I purchased my Stingray yesterday to have the oil changed and a general overall look-see. The service adviser told me I had a 2 year maintenance agreement, but if I wanted the oil changed with only 1100 miles/2 months on it, I would have to pay for it myself.

I think there are 4 free oil changes on this program, but there are mileage and time constraints. My service advisor told me that I would be eligible for my first one at 5000 miles/6 months. I told him I don't use the car daily, and it might be 2 years before I reached 5000 miles. Of course the other option is to wait for the five months to elapse. Needless to say I didn't drop $100+ yesterday for an oil change.

 

[glen e]

I agree. Free maintenance for the first two years and a real knowledgeable Corvette mechanic (drives a Corvette himself) to do the work. What more could you ask for? Over.

I don't have a "bad dealership" - I actually have a good one but still I have seen too many rashed rims or scratches on car to let someone else do it, when I like to do my own maintenance...it's a simple as that. You trust your dealership, that a good thing for you, but not for me.

 

[Sinner]

I had my first oil change don't at 1k miles and I had to pay for it, but they didn't reset the oil life so I could have it changed again under the free service at the normal first oil change.

That was acceptable to me.

 

[Redc7]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this under the right subject, but here it is anyways. I went to the dealer I purchased my Stingray yesterday to have the oil changed and a general overall look-see. The service adviser told me I had a 2 year maintenance agreement, but if I wanted the oil changed with only 1100 miles/2 months on it, I would have to pay for it myself.

I think there are 4 free oil changes on this program, but there are mileage and time constraints. My service advisor told me that I would be eligible for my first one at 5000 miles/6 months. I told him I don't use the car daily, and it might be 2 years before I reached 5000 miles. Of course the other option is to wait for the five months to elapse. Needless to say I didn't drop $100+ yesterday for an oil change.

Many of the newer cars use an algorithm-based formula to determine when an oil change is needed. These average from 5,000 to 7,500 miles so when you figure the average driver drives 12,000 to 15,000 miles a years it works out to about 2 oil changes each year. So on paper it looks great that manufactures offer this free 2 year service it's not a major cost for them. Plus for the dealers it's a good deal because it gets the cars into their shop to maybe find other warranty work and you into the showrooms.

 

[regguy1]

There are some dealership technicians who are first rate, know how to diagnose problem, rather sequentially changing parts in the hope to eventually find the one causing a problem. The problem of course, if finding the right person at the right dealership. A local Corvette club can be of help in this area. For example, of the folks in our car club who do not do their own maintenance and repair, most go to a single dealership and ONLY have the same technician work on our Corvettes. When others ask us, we are happy to share that dealership's name and the technician's name. When I make an appointment, I first ask if Ken will be there on "...day," and if the answer is that he is on vacation, I schedule an appointment after his return.

Going to Glen's point, I NEVER allow any car dealership to wash my car (got burned many, many years ago with swirls and surface scratches). Before I leave the service write up area, I watch the service rep write in two inch high letters "NO WASH" on the ticket, so that not only the technician, but anyone else knows that. Call me paranoid, but I also have "Do Not Wash" signs I place in the car before I turn it over to them, one placed on the console near the shift knob, the other on the dash facing "outward."

Good point, mechanics are like doctors...one will cure you, another might kill you

I do my own work here, I owed a auto repair shop for 40 years, Now I just take care of family cars.