Dealership Service Fees - This Is a New One to Me

[Zee09]

I bought a new Honda automobile in February of 2025. The service department proactively scheduled a service appointment for August. I service my vehicle myself but I let the appointment stand in case any issues came up in the first six months. Five months in and the vehicle is rock solid. No issues. I emailed the service department and canceled the appointment. I explained that the car was fine. The car only had 1200 miles on it and the oil life monitor was showing 70% oil life remaining. No need for service at this time. I received a voice mail from the service advisor explaining that "Honda really wants us to see these cars every six months in order to keep them in good working order". Hogwash! What could they possibly need to do? Stand around a look at it while I waste a couple of hours in the lounge area? I can imagine waiting around and then having someone come and ask me "Now why was it you brought your car in?" Anyway, I'll service it myself when the time comes. I'm not participating in the cash grab monkey business.

If you do have an issue you can do this trick. Call in and say you need a loaner car and you are willing to accept an appointment date they pick... you can get a free loaner that way...

On my 2025 Accord hybrid at 4000 miles I was at 70% oil life. I'm doing my own maintenance as well unless a warranty issue.

 

[CKN]

I used to own an electronics repair shop, e.g. TVs, VCRs, stereo equipment, etc. Customers did not like paying for labor, but were willing to pay for parts. I could show the labor for $5 less, but charge $7.85 for a resistor costing me $.02 in bulk. It wasn't like I was taking advantage of customers, but trying to make a repair more palatable. I always tried to be fair to my customers, but needed to be fair to the business, also.

The dealership already have their fee as close to $10 as reasonably possible. Had they tried moving the $.97 fee into miscellaneous, it would then be over the $10 threshold and would be scrutinized more closely by customers.

I can appreciate their fees being "forgettable". I learned early on in my business to make charges forgettable. If you charge someone $50 for something once, and two years later charged $60 for a similar repair/item, they would remember the $50. But charge $56.75 and raise it to $66.75 a couple years later, they never questioned it. Often, they wouldn't even remember the amount right after you told them.

As far as an automotive repair garage-parts mark up to compensate for other related expenses in keeping a business running has been going on for ever. But yes-you are right. People always under value labor-and it's only going to get worse. In my area all the parents want their children to get Master's Degrees and be fluent in Chinese. The thing is don't tell them some of their kids are not smart enoguh for that. They should be steered to the trades-instead.

 

[walterjay]

My dealer has been charging a documentation fee for years. I guess computer storage costs.

 

[Sumboodie]

For me, and I suspect most others, it's not so much about the money as it is finding fees AFTER the work/service is completed. It's the lack of transparency that is frustrating. It allow businesses to advertise price Y and actually charge you price Z.

UHaul is terrible about that.
I rented a $29.99/day van for a few hours to move stuff I didn’t want getting dirty.

I put 40 miles on it (1 trip across town) and that rental somehow became near $300 with all sorts of add ons. None I approved. The receipt I signed was for ~$85 (mileage and a few taxes).. which I wasn't too excited about even.
They just treated ny card like a blank check!

 

[JWC86]

What brand dealer was this at? Just curious.

 

[rstcso]

What brand dealer was this at? Just curious.

Honda

 

[maduroman]

I got one
Went for annual physical l, it's called a wellness check , free once a year , ok good
Got billed 259.00 for an office visit on top of wellness check
When I asked why I was told " because the Dr wrote you a prescription " such ******** !!
I told them that is double dipping and should be illegal

 

[GSCJR]

For me, and I suspect most others, it's not so much about the money as it is finding fees AFTER the work/service is completed. It's the lack of transparency that is frustrating. It allow businesses to advertise price Y and actually charge you price Z.

+1

Always ask questions and read the fine print.

 

[walterjay]

I was charged $500.00 for having to change doctors within the same practice after my regular doc left the group.

I vigorously contested the bill and had it dropped.

 

[TheOilWizard]

I got one
Went for annual physical l, it's called a wellness check , free once a year , ok good
Got billed 259.00 for an office visit on top of wellness check
When I asked why I was told " because the Dr wrote you a prescription " such ******** !!
I told them that is double dipping and should be illegal

Yep, and get this, some states allow doctors' offices to charge for multiple visits or copays.


So, say you go in for one issue, and while you're there, you ask the doctor about something else—they're allowed to bill twice and double your copay. I've never had it happen to me, but it happened to a family member. I assume the actual practice has a lot of discretion.

 

[JimPghPA]

The nickel and dime'ing is getting a little much with every single industry. Just roll the overhead into the labor rate and be done with it as they are the cost of doing business.

If you are going to get this specific....also break down the labor rate charge:

0.1hours - taking a leak
0.7hours - fixing the bosses mistakes
0.4hours - talking about the game last night
0.9hours - I don't know where I was
4.1hours - doing the actual work
0.6hours - spoon feeding the service manager
0.3hours - counting the number of paper towels I used and how many scoops of speedy-dry I used to clean up the mess I made so we can charge an "Environmental Fee". BTW....I used half a can of PB Blaster and lost three washers.

What, no coffee and snack?

 

[TheOilWizard]

+1

Always ask questions and read the fine print.

I prefer the other option, charge what the work is worth and don't play hidden fee games.

 

[Owen Lucas]

The best are the "misc fees". Like they aren't even trying.

Yep, as an adjuster I have to document what every fee is, and negotiate it too.

I asked a dealer once to itemize the shop fees as sometimes they can be as high as $35.

The advisor: “Uhhh, shop rags and uhhh floor mat covers “

Me: “For $35?!”

Many of these guys don’t know what they are talking about, they just document what the tech says.

 

[tblt44]

All these fees
What is the $140 an hr cover.
Mechanic 40 dealership 100

 

[tburke]

Shop fees have been a part of any type of service for many years, but I've never seen "Service History Admin" before today.

I called my service advisor, who's also the assistant service manager. He said this is a fee "corporate" adds for clerks, aka admins, to scan and upload documents to "corporate" (this dealership is owned by Penske). Said it helps cover costs of the clerks as well as "digital storage fees". Wow!

FWIW, it seems like many dealerships are now referring to all of their service writers as "assistant service managers". My local independently-owned Ford dealer has most, if not all of their service advisors listed as "assistant service managers" on their business card.

 

[Speedbird001]

All these fees
What is the $140 an hr cover.
Mechanic 40 dealership 100

Ford dealer here in VA (Trying to scare me into buying a $3,000 warranty) said $198/hr . Probably does not even include the shop and other fees (+3.5% for using a credit card).

Conspiracy theory: Are the manufacturers pumping up parts and service prices as to drive consumers into perpetually trading in every 5 years +/- (Plus warranty and service contract of course)? Car sales side of the business must HATE seeing 10-15 year old Corollas and Tacomas roll thru.

 

[tblt44]

Ford dealer here in VA (Trying to scare me into buying a $3,000 warranty) said $198/hr . Probably does not even include the shop and other fees (+3.5% for using a credit card).

Conspiracy theory: Are the manufacturers pumping up parts and service prices as to drive consumers into perpetually trading in every 5 years +/- (Plus warranty and service contract of course)? Car sales side of the business must HATE seeing 10-15 year old Corollas and Tacomas roll thru.

Wow $198 an hr
I must be stuck in the stone age guessing 140
Last car I had repaired at a dealer it was like $70 an hr

 

[rstcso]

Ford dealer here in VA (Trying to scare me into buying a $3,000 warranty) said $198/hr .

Three years ago I had the Audi dealer where I bought the car install a trailer hitch. At that time, their labor rate was $289/hr. Cost of hitch plus 6 hours labor.

 

[dfarr67]

UHaul is terrible about that.
I rented a $29.99/day van for a few hours to move stuff I didn’t want getting dirty.

I put 40 miles on it (1 trip across town) and that rental somehow became near $300 with all sorts of add ons. None I approved. The receipt I signed was for ~$85 (mileage and a few taxes).. which I wasn't too excited about even.
They just treated ny card like a blank check!

Had to get a vehicle delivered 5hrs away, it was cheaper to have a flatdeck deliver than to use uhaul- he was doing a pick anyway and it wasn'y time sensitive. I didn't have lift a finger nor drive 10 hours. They are pricing themselves out of my market.

 

[Wolfshead]

I recently got Stuck with a 15% Takeout fee at a local restaurant. The fee was never mentioned anywhere until i read the receipt at home.. Will not be returning.