Honda Dealer/BG additive/engines for life

[Schmoe]

The new 18 CRV, we got hooked on the engines for life thing. After reading the fine print, dealership must do ALL of the scheduled maintenance that shows up on the OLM/owners manual. I get to talking to my salesguy, have bought 6 Honda's from him and a few friends of mine, including Grandma, have bought from him as well, so we have a pretty good relationship. Get to talking about the oil change, 45 bucks. I thought was kind of steep since I'm a BITOG kind of guy but can't DIY because of engines for life. So, he tells me that they put in the BG additive, which adds 18.99, which is included. So oil change is around 26 dollars, not too bad. But what got me is that he said that they only use the BG additive in the engines for life plan, and up to 4000 dollars only. Looked at BG webpage and there it states that if you use this additive at least every 7500 miles, which is a typical OLM on Honda, BG will cover UP TO 4000 dollars for engine replacement. So technically, the dealership isn't doing a thing but use this additive, at mark up prices, and then kill you for the maintenance items....like spark plug replacement...129.99, air filter....49.99, transmission fluid change....235.99...etc. etc. You know what I'm talking about. I also have a 120K Honda extended warranty on this car. Not exactly sure on the BG additive, but does that "thicken" up the oil? Honda says use 0W-20, it's the 1.5T model which is having some issues with fuel dilution. I haven't noticed it yet but not too worried because of warranties and then the engines for life thing....but, I'm not crazy about those other services that I can do myself, like spark plugs, filters, transmission dump and change, etc. etc. Wondering if that additive is ironically hurting the engine. Besides the dilution problem, that engine is spec'ed for a 0W-20. I'm thinking of just telling them thanks, but no thanks, and start using M1 0W-20 and start DIY the oil myself, but wondering if I should just shut up and let the dealer do the oil changes with the additive. That way I got receipts and the other stuff I'll keep receipts and put them in the glove box. Anybody else have similar thoughts? Just really surprised me that the dealer went with an additive pack that Honda has not endorsed. I looked a lot online and found no love making between BG and Honda.

 

[JustN89]

Yep. I sold Hondas while in college. The "engines for life" is simply the BG warranty that the dealership pitches to the customer to get them hooked on maintenance as well as sell an additive at marked up prices. Not that BG makes bad products, but that's all it is. BG also has a sliding scale from date of first use where if you use it from the first oil change on, they will cover 100% up to $4k, but if you add it at 15k miles, it gets cut to 85% up to a certain amount and so on. I think it caps out at 50k miles, where they don't offer any warranty if you start using the product at 50k miles.

 

[OVERKILL]

This sounds like a Scamarama! Good grief

 

[Schmoe]

Good to know. Now, I'm wondering if I got the dreded fuel dilution issue since I'm pretty sure that additive pack is thicker than 0W-20. The only thing I've read on helping that issue is to jump up to a thicker oil.

 

[skyactiv]

Screw that

 

[Bud_One]

I concur - It's a ponzi scheme

 

[Gebo]

To answer your question, I'd do it myself. Honda's make good engines. No worries and you will know it is done right.

My son-in-law was Parts Mgr for a Honda Dealership. Some of the oil change guys were not really on their game.
He wouldn't even let them change his oil.

 

[mrsilv04]

The last Town and Country I bought, had all of the fluids swapped out by the dealer at some point prior to my purchase, with all of the BG products. It was a big selling point from the saleslady, that it had this additional warranty from BG. Well, whatever. I wasn't impressed and didn't really care. The van was 4 years old with 46,000 miles when I bought it. Not sure if they'd been installed when the van was new, or just before I bought it.

Bought the van, took it home, pulled off the driver's side front wheel to check the thickness on the brake pads, and noticed power steering fluid everywhere. It had been seeping for a considerable amount of time from the rack, but apparently never enough at one time to drip on the ground. There was pounds of sand and dirt soaking up the fluid, everywhere that it had leaked.

I called the dealer the next morning and told them that either they needed to make it right, or I would be bringing it back for a full refund (3 day turn-in period). When I took it back for $1,200 of work (rack, hoses and an alignment) at no cost to me, plus a free rental car, the service manager told me that BG would be covering half of the repair cost.

So, my experience is that apparently BG does pay out on repairs to some extent, when push comes to shove.

 

[KGMtech]

BG makes good stuff, but this Honda ploy is a scam. The owners manual warns about use of oil additives et al, so I really doubt that the factory is going to support this dealer if there is a warranty claim.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I see the Engines for Life plans in Virginia too. Nothing but a veiled way to fleece customers, especially since all recent Honda owners manuals recommend using NO oil additives. If you follow the recommended oil change intervals on Hondas and use API certified oils and quality oil filters, the chance of you having an oil related engine failure are miniscule.

I'd definitely pass on that plan.

 

[Hall]

Honda corporate is without a doubt aware of these "offers" that their dealers are doing and I suspect the arrangement is "no double-dipping". Even if there's a warranty claim within the factory-covered time frame, the dealer either goes through Honda of America or they go through BG. I doubt that a "no additives are necessary" clause in the owner's manual denies all warranty coverage. The additives certainly won't hurt but how much they "help" is questionable.

 

[dave1251]

Sounds like you got hosed.

 

[Hall]

Can you use the BG additives yourself and be covered by BG's $4000 warranty offer ?

 

[JC1]

To the OP how long do you tend to keep your Honda's for? You've had 6 and they've been in Canada for 50 years, not sure about the USA. My Civic is 22 years old I'm the original owner have done most of the the oil changes myself.

With turbos and these smaller engines, I don't know how long you'll be ok for.

If it gives you peace of mind then go for it. However it sounds like it doesn't cover the Turbo.

 

[KrisZ]

I'm not sure I understand this 100%. Is the BG additive use in engine oil only and does the warranty only cover the engine? If so, why all other maintenance must be done at the dealership to keep the warranty intact? What does a transmission service, or brake service have to do with the engine?

 

[philipp10]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
I'm not sure I understand this 100%. Is the BG additive use in engine oil only and does the warranty only cover the engine? If so, why all other maintenance must be done at the dealership to keep the warranty intact? What does a transmission service, or brake service have to do with the engine?

this is nothing but a way to get the young and the stupid back for more fleecing. Amazing the lengths they will go.

 

[csandste]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Honda corporate is without a doubt aware of these "offers" that their dealers are doing and I suspect the arrangement is "no double-dipping". Even if there's a warranty claim within the factory-covered time frame, the dealer either goes through Honda of America or they go through BG. I doubt that a "no additives are necessary" clause in the owner's manual denies all warranty coverage. The additives certainly won't hurt but how much they "help" is questionable.

For some reason lots of dealers around here are close to BG so I don't think you have to worry about that. Dealers make a 100 percent return on extended warranties and I bet they rake in even more with this scheme.

 

[gregk24]

FORGET IT! That marketing garbage makes me sick. No way I would be running anything but oil through my engine / turbo. No extra additives besides what's already in the oil.

 

[Revving2Redline]

I feel safer running Redline Oil. That engine for life thing kinda creeps me out. Guess they get out of it if anything isnt done at dealership?

 

[Schmoe]

My sales guy is pretty honest....he said that if it is a warranty claim, it goes straight to BG. Dealer doesn't do squat about it but turn in the paper work. He said that other stuff is fluff for the dealer. But, here's the kicker, I remember signing some sort of form at the "check out" regarding engines for life, translating that I HAD to take the car in for all the maintenance items. Learning what I've learned now, FISHES me off. I've always liked this dealership and have used them a bunch. They've been good to me like letting me use one of their used cars for 2 days for free while working on one of mine. I think, since that additive has been in that car since day one, I'll just let them still do the oil change. Wife is averaging 2250 miles a month so it's getting used a lot. I'll keep copies of the oil changes with the BG additive, download the guarantee from BG and keep those records. When it comes time for all that other stuff, I'll DIY and keep those receipts. That just ain't right. Like yesterday, wife needed and oil change. B1 showed up on the OLM. She took it in....110 dollars later....included "multi-point inspection" and tire rotation along with oil change. My butt is still puckering. I looked at the receipt from the oil change, it doesn't say anything about the BG additive. I need to look into that.