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Matt
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2003
11:55:17
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 Subject: 30k service - help
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I have a 2001 4.7L 4x4. I am automotively illiterate. I need to take my truck in for a 30k service and want some advice so I don't get screwed by the local dealer. When I asked for the service, they said it was $800(?!?!). That seems steep to me. Is all of the work they do at 30k necessary/worth $800?
Here's the list they gave me:
oil/filter change
check brakes
rotate/balance tires
flush cooling system (if green fluid, not if red fluid)
replace air filter
check fuel injection system
4-way alignment
replace transmission and transfer case fluid and front/rear differential fluid
I think I wrote it all down correctly.
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks all!
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pete
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2003
12:45:31
|  RE: 30k service - help
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Matt,
lol 800 is steep for that kind of work. How dirty are you willing to get to save yourself some money?
Oil/Filter change is gonna cost you 15 bux tops if you do it yourself.
Check brakes.. look at them yourself
Rotate/Balance tires... I never do this because by the time 30k passes, ive had at least 2 new sets of tires anyways. its not really neccessary in my mind.
Flush cooling system... all you need is more anti freeze and a hose. should cost you about 10/15 bux
Replace air filter.. look at it, if its dirty, replace it yourself for 10 bux, or go with a k/n reusable for 35ish.
check fuel injection system. does your engine start? idle fine?.. its probably perfect and needs no attention.
alignment... this you have to get done for you, unless youve got alignment issues (tires wearing funny, steering wheel crooked etc..) then dont worry about it.
tranny/transfer case and diff fluid... i'm a 4x2 guy, i dont know how your transfer cases work if theres something funny about them that you cant do it yourself, but for the rear diff and trans itself, take off the pan, drain all the fluid, take off the differential cover, put new gaskets in, and replace the fluid. should be in the 20-40 dollar ballpark.
$800 does seem very steep all of a sudden doesnt it. you can do all that work yourself in an afternoon. you and a buddy could do it in 2 hours and a 12 pack.
dont take my opinion on all this as you would the word of god.. im a believer in if something aint broke... dont fix it.. and if it is broken... fix it as cheap as possible. why make other people rich?
pete
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Jeff
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2003
12:53:24
| RE: 30k service - help
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Yeah, Pete's right. Dealers out to screw you big time. You can do all that yourself for under 100 bucks. If you can't figure out some of that stuff, take it to a local mechanic, not the dealer. Any grease monkey can help ya out. Besides, it fun to work on your own truck.
Where do you live?
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CThomp
*GenIII*
8/25/2003
13:07:48
| RE: 30k service - help
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Or any mechanic that you know will probably do it for around $200. You bring the supplies and let them do the work. Shop around for the supplys and get the best deal. But If you do most of it yourself...Jeff is right, you can do it for $100 probably except the alignment and balancing items.
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Rob 1
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2003
23:57:51
| RE: 30k service - help
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Go to about any fast lube place like "JIFFY LUBE " and they will most likely change your oil and check all your other fluid levels for less than $30.00. I can think of no reason to change fluids in your differentials or transfer case at 30,000 miles but if you have alot of miles on your truck and you just want to change it they would probably do that as well if you just don't want to do it yourself as Pete suggested.
If you have an automatic transmission and have never had it flushed I would recommend that you have this done. Should cost around 140.00 - 195.00 depending on type fluid your tranny takes. As far as brakes go if you have 4 wheel disc brakes you most likely can just look at them and make sure your pads & rotors are o.k.
As far as alignment; as Pete said if it ain't broke don't fix it. If steering wheel is centered when wheels are straight and tires aren't wearing funny don't worry about it. Just keep the air pressure checked in tires about once a month. Most places you buy tires from offer free rotation and balancing every so many miles like Sears rotates & balances mine free every 3000 miles or sooner if I get a vibration.
Air Filter shouldn't be a problem. Just pick one up at Wal-Mart or Parts store and if you don't want to put it in just ask them to do it where you have your oil changed. Same thing goes for radiator. You can pick up a flush kit at Wal- Mart or Parts Store and just follow directions. Of course you will need to buy anti-freeze as well. Mix with water about 50/50 or whatever is recommended in your owners manual.
Again, as Pete said, unless your engine is running rough or having starting problems I wouldn't worry about fuel injectors. I would occasionaly add a bottle of good injector cleaner to my tank before filling up just to keep them clean. Lucas Oil makes a good one that you can find at most parts stores.
Just be sure you use good oil and filters. They are the life of your engine. I highly recommend synthetic oil ( Mobil 1 ) is a good one but there are several others. It cost more than regular (dino) oil but if you plan to keep your truck for any length of time it will pay for itself in the long run.$800.00 is a Rip-Off. Shop around some of the fast lube places or shops like Midas if you are absolutely convinced you can not do it yourself.
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FL 4WD
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
00:02:44
| RE: 30k service - help
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Look at the maintenence schedule in your owner's manual-- use the severe schedule unless you baby it BIG time. Check the previous services for things you may have missed.
Brakes usually last 50k <---normal people
Rotate every 2nd or 3rd LOF
Balance when they get bouncey.
Green coolant 3/36 <---- check owner manual
Red coolant 5/100 <-- replace sooner 60K?
Air filter <---- Martha Stewart could handle that
Fuel injection will let you know when it is broke
Alignment <---- are your tires wearing funny?
30K includes change spark plugs on a 4.7
If you use 4X4 a lot on roads, trans case may need a oil change sooner.
Don't neglect your rear axle--- usually they let you know by groaning around sharp slow (parking lot) turns (LSD)
Just break down all those services into several projects and do it yourself. The good people here will walk you through it.
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pete
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
01:36:26
| RE: 30k service - help
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the funny thing here is i should take my own advice. my POS r/t is costing me $2000 on what started as a busted rear tranny seal. turns out it needs a NEW:
seal (again)
yoke
u-joints
drive shaft
rear end
though i am kind of forced to be a dumbazz and pay that because its almost like i have a few days to live, as i HAVE to drive it it NC on friday to my permanent duty station.
if i was staying here... id be an internet shopping fool, paying probably 1/3 of what theyre charging, but again.. its neccessity.
pete
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Cal
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
10:46:33
|  RE: 30k service - help
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The dealers are good for maybe 2 things, Maybe.
Buying the new or used truck and warranty work. Other than that DONT GO THERE.! And for parts look anywhere but not at a dealer. It seems to me thats where they make all the bucks at. Parts and Labor. They all say the same thing when you ask them why so much? Oh but its a original mopar part, bunch of bull.! Any parts store can get you almost anything and the funny thing is that the parts stores warranty the stuff for LIFE. I could go on forever on this but enough said...........
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pete
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
11:08:00
| RE: 30k service - help
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i absolutely hate dealers. i tried to go through john at www.southeastrt.com to get the EXACT mopar parts the dealer uses, at a fraction of the cost they wanna charge me. but like i said, im sittin here grabbing my ankles because it has to be done NOW, otherwise i would save myself about $1000 in parts going through other channels and getting the same product. it pisses me off watching the big blue dialmer/chrysler logo get pumped in and out of my butt hole.
but then even for warranty work.. dealers suck. far be it for you do do ANY modification to your truck without being read the riot act on how whatever you did caused the problem. i took my truck in for tranny problems under warranty, they tried to tell me that the cold air intake was producting more power than the transmission was designed to process. forcecd me to take it 100 miles away to a dealer a bud works at. dealers are the spawn of satan...
pete
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Cal
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
11:30:38
| RE: 30k service - help
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I totally agree.!! I didnt want to get into all the war stories i have had at dealers so i cut it short. I just feel bad for all the old folks and women that have to go to the dealers for work. Try just for fun to send a woman or your wife into a dealer for some work or a problem. Even if your truck is perfect they will try to sell them some kind of work they say it needs.
And like pete said if you have done any mods to your truck LOOK OUT. It seems to be okay only when they do it for a big price. We all need to inform as many dodge owners as we can about how not to get ripped off at the dealers.
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Patrick
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
12:18:08
| RE: 30k service - help
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I despise dealerships. I pay a small fee to have a third party negotiate the price I'm willing to pay for a vehicle, and then the vehicle is delivered to my home. I never step onto a dealership lot.
I NEVER take the vehicle back to the dealer for any work. (having said that, if I got a total lemon, I might have to.)
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FL 4WD
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
12:55:37
| to: Pete
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they tried to tell me that the cold air intake was producting more power than the transmission was designed to process.
---------------------------------------
Where can I get one of those!!!
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Durango
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
13:28:47
| RE: 30k service - help
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Patrick,
Now we all hate dealers, but don't you think sending someone to buy your new vehicle is a little absurd? LOL, what the crap? Sorry that just doesnt make sense.
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pete
Dodge Dakota
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8/26/2003
15:40:05
| RE: 30k service - help
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the work that i previously mentioned im having done is all new trans rear seal, driveshaft and accessories, and a whole new rear end. i asked the techs at the dealer if all that junk is shot because i lowered it a few inches, they said NO WAY that caused it... now think if i went in to have this stuff warrantied (im wayyy out of warranty) i GUARANTEE you they would deny me warranty work and say that lowering it caused the pinion angle to change, and that caused play in the rear end, which caused my driveshaft to warp, which is causing me to blow tranny seals left and right. arugh!!!!!!!
i just came from downtown where the wonderful people at red cross and the navy/marine corps relief society are helping me with an interest free loan to fix this hunk of garbage. MARK MY WORDS as soon as i get settled in in NC, this heap is getting SOLD faster than i can type S-O-L-D. that is.. IF i can find a sucker to take it off my hands for an amount that i wont lose my azz tooo much on.
____sorry guys___ just venting frustration here.
pete
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