Dealer hogwash?

[Jcanracer]

Edit: Ranting thread ahead...

So I'm at 41k miles and the dealer wanted to charge me for a "throttle body cleaning" and I either misheard him or he misspoke because I heard $1000.
Either he misread his prices by adding a zero or he thought I was a gullible halfwit.
Having worked on cars in my past there's no way I was going to fall for it.
Anyone else had a dealer try to con them with this service item?

 

[Jcanracer]

In hind sight I think it must have been $100+ and the poor service guy didn't have enough coffee this morning (but then again neither did I) lol.
Still, throttle body cleaning is nothing more than spraying the part with a cleaning spray. I'll do that myself if the throttle ever feels sticky (which it doesn't)

 

[Jcanracer]

aaand they just called saying that the battery is "bad" and needs to be replaced. How much to replace? $100.
ORLY?
Although the car sat in airport parking for 10 days (2 weeks ago), that's not enough to kill the battery, and I have been driving just fine since then. I'll replace the battery with an Optima if it becomes necessary to change it at all.

Honestly, I think the service rep has a quota that he is trying to fill at my expense.

 

[CC58]

Did your wife take it in? Usually they try to pull those stunts on women.

 

[Jcanracer]

^ lol!

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I've never done that on any of my cars. I suppose if someone was running one of those intakes with an oiled filter it might be of some value. On other makes I've seen people mess up MAFs and/or mess up one of the idle control components that needed to go through a relearn process. This is just a money maker for dealer like the fuel injector cleaner service.

 

[Gio26NJ]

Must have not made their quota for the month, that's complete BS. But are these guys simply recommending or insisting you should get it done. My dealer just recommends and as usual I say no, I don't even let them rotate my tires. Just change the damn oil, even that I'd do myself if I had a garage that is.

 

[Jcanracer]

I suckered up for the fuel injector service though. Only because I didn't research it beforehand and am unfamiliar with the intricacies of Direct Injection engines (bang)

EDIT: Gio, they were suggestions, I had the option to decline.

 

[Sekmor]

Honestly, I think the service rep has a quota that he is trying to fill at my expense.

I got the same feeling a couple days ago at a local dealer. My daughter brought her car in for an oil change. Her car has 60,000 kms on the clock.
We get a call shortly after saying that the power steering fluid should be flushed for a small fee of $130. Of course being the dad, looking after the daughter, I had to call and ask what's up with that.
It was perfectly fine a few months back according to them. So after back tracking on their part, even though it didn't need the service, they did it for free.
#2, we pick up car later in the evening (service was closed) from the sales office. On the work order, it clearly states the she was 5890 kms over her oil change interval, saying she went 12,000 between changes. And next time in, the dealer says she should do a "hot oil flush treatment" to the engine. I have no idea what the heck that is.
Did they ever think that maybe we did our own service? At the previous oil change, we wrote down the actual mileage when it was done, not when to do the next one.
So here's 2 examples of up selling when you go in for a simple oil change. I guess if you know nothing about vehicles, most people would say, sure. But on the other hand, this is why a lot of guys do their own maintenance.
This was not the Mazda dealer, but the same guy owns both dealers. I haven't brought in the CX5 for it's first oil change, and sure hope the Mazda dealer is a lot better than this.

 

[brandini]

I suckered up for the fuel injector service though. Only because I didn't research it beforehand and am unfamiliar with the intricacies of Direct Injection engines (bang)

EDIT: Gio, they were suggestions, I had the option to decline.

Fuel injector cleaners with PEA can still clean the valves as PEA survives the combustion cycle. It takes a higher concentration, but it does help. Using TopTier gas also helps, but not enough on DI engines. Mazda seemed to have solved the valve deposit issue by simply keeping the intake valves hot but a nice long hard drive on a twisty road can accomplish the same thing.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Fuel injector cleaners with PEA can still clean the valves as PEA survives the combustion cycle. It takes a higher concentration, but it does help. Using TopTier gas also helps, but not enough on DI engines. Mazda seemed to have solved the valve deposit issue by simply keeping the intake valves hot but a nice long hard drive on a twisty road can accomplish the same thing.

Any thought to how often a fuel injection cleaner should be used?

I also use Texaco and Chevron for fuels and never had issues in any other cars so will probably stay that route as well. It sounds like some extra cleaners for the DI engines might be helpful long term.

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Funny, I just cleaned my TB (with a rag too), and Maf with specific cleaners that cost me less than $10 lol, and spent less than 10 minutes doing it. I think are by CRC or something. Also, check your batteries (distilled) water level if anything. Look at your coolant reserve too, mine was 1L below full at close to 50k ((I ended up putting the whole bottle of wetting agent hat I had wanted to add to my radiator in there lol), however my radiator was still full. Although in hindsight I could have used my hand pump to use fluid from the radiator for the reserve and add the wetting agent to the radiator.. o well. Just doing all of that, will cost < $15. I was thinking about inducing seafoam into my motor but I'm not sure about vacuum lines and wouldn't know which one "services all cylinders".

 

[brandini]

Any thought to how often a fuel injection cleaner should be used?

I also use Texaco and Chevron for fuels and never had issues in any other cars so will probably stay that route as well. It sounds like some extra cleaners for the DI engines might be helpful long term.

Only way to know for sure is to use a borescope and peek in there.

 

[joe427]

I use Shell gas 95% of the time.
I add a bottle of Chevron Techron to my vehicles gas tank every 10K-12K miles.

 

[Jcanracer]

Well I got the car back, car feels peppy again, but I think that's more to do with the oil change than the injector cleaning.
The rep was a good sport about my declining some of the services, but it just goes to show that if you are inattentive they will take advantage of you.

 

[Skorpio]

Well I got the car back, car feels peppy again, but I think that's more to do with the oil change than the injector cleaning.
The rep was a good sport about my declining some of the services, but it just goes to show that if you are inattentive they will take advantage of you.

Just some information- our CX-5s, along with most cars these days, have a "drive by wire" system (DBW). Meaning, the throttle body is electronically controlled by a computer module, not a mechanical linkage. So, in turn, the cleaning process is a little more expensive than an older vehicle that has an actual rod connected via the accelerator pedal. That old system is easy to clean, but today's DBW systems require extended procedures to do correctly. At 41k miles, it is possible to accumulate enough carbon soot to recommend cleaning, depending on individual use and area. And I would think your extra pep feeling may confirm it. Or, it could a mind game. As long as you're happy with the results that's all that matters. I do remember servicing many Cadillacs with DBW that had severe idling problems (surging) that was only cured with a thorough throttle body cleaning. Now, is the dealer trying to up sell extra service? Very possibly. Could you have used the service? Sounds like possibly yes, as an oil change itself shouldn't make any difference in peppiness

Any thought to how often a fuel injection cleaner should be used?

I also use Texaco and Chevron for fuels and never had issues in any other cars so will probably stay that route as well. It sounds like some extra cleaners for the DI engines might be helpful long term.

I believe the user manual does not recommend fuel injector cleaner in Skyactiv engines, but that's only what I heard via this forum. I may have to break that book back out.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I believe the user manual does not recommend fuel injector cleaner in Skyactiv engines, but that's only what I heard via this forum. I may have to break that book back out.

Page 3-21

USE ONLY UNLEADED FUEL.
Leaded fuel is harmful to the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors and will lead to deterioration of the emission control system and or failures.
Your vehicle can only use oxygenated fuels containing no more than 10 % ethanol by volume. Damage to your vehicle may occur when ethanol exceeds this recommendation, or if the gasoline contains any methanol. Stop using gasohol of any kind if your vehicle engine is performing poorly.
Never add fuel system additives. Otherwise, the emission control system could be damaged. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer for details.
Gasoline blended with oxygenates such as alcohol or ether compounds are generally referred to as oxygenated fuels. The common gasoline blend that can be used with your vehicle is ethanol blended at no more than 10 %. Gasoline containing alcohol, such as ethanol or methanol, may be marketed under the name “Gasohol”.
Vehicle damage and drivability problems resulting from the use of the following may not be covered by the Mazda warranty.
l Gasohol containing more than 10 % ethanol. l Gasoline or gasohol containing methanol.
l Leaded fuel or leaded gasohol.

 

[shingles]

That's just them covering themselves... they don't know what you are going to add. There are some really good cleaners, such as BG44K. But I suspect most of us don't have enough miles on the CX-5 for it to be meaningful. Unless you use crap gas all the time.

 

[shingles]

BTW, there's really no reason to ever get the fuel injector service IMO. I CAN help for sure... but if you want to, run a can of BG44K or some Gumout Regan or Chevron Techron every time you change oil, should keep things going just fine.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

BTW, there's really no reason to ever get the fuel injector service IMO. I CAN help for sure... but if you want to, run a can of BG44K or some Gumout Regan or Chevron Techron every time you change oil, should keep things going just fine.

I was thinking of using some Chevron Techon...I figured just a higher dose of what I am already using when I fill up with gas at Chevron station.