Do I really need to bring my car in for scheduled maintenance already?
September 29, 2015 12:12 PM Subscribe
I received an email from my Kia dealership today saying that it's time for my "next regularly scheduled maintenance visit." It has been three months since I bought the car (a 2015 Soul), and the owner's manual states that the first recommended maintenance visit should be at 6 months or 12,000 km, whichever comes first (and I'm nowhere near that number). There are no signs of anything being wrong with the car, and I've been regularly checking fluid levels, tire pressure, etc. Can I just ignore this email?
Also, when it *is* time to bring it in for maintenance, am I better off bringing it in to the dealer (or *a* Kia dealer, anyway) or searching for a mechanic? I do not have a "regular" mechanic or anything like that. A friend suggested that I should take it to the dealer because that way everything will be on the up and up in regard to the warranty.
Also, when it *is* time to bring it in for maintenance, am I better off bringing it in to the dealer (or *a* Kia dealer, anyway) or searching for a mechanic? I do not have a "regular" mechanic or anything like that. A friend suggested that I should take it to the dealer because that way everything will be on the up and up in regard to the warranty.
They send those emails based on predictions from other drivers. If you aren't at the service interval, you can ignore it if you want.
You don't have to take your car to the dealer for maintenance if you don't want to. Your friend isn't wrong, though - it can be difficult to verify that maintenance was done if you don't go to a dealer - Toyota for example puts all of my records online through their owner portal. So handy! - and the savings isn't that large on new car maintenance. But some of them suck in terms of service or organization, so you can take it a preferred mechanic if you like. Just keep good records.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 12:22 PM on September 29, 2015
You don't have to take your car to the dealer for maintenance if you don't want to. Your friend isn't wrong, though - it can be difficult to verify that maintenance was done if you don't go to a dealer - Toyota for example puts all of my records online through their owner portal. So handy! - and the savings isn't that large on new car maintenance. But some of them suck in terms of service or organization, so you can take it a preferred mechanic if you like. Just keep good records.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 12:22 PM on September 29, 2015
I'd call them and ask as opposed to just ignoring the message, since I'm guessing you received it in error. My dad missed a service on a vehicle by a few weeks once and they didn't honour the warranty when the engine blew. It was a very, very expensive mistake.
I bought a new Mazda five years ago and brought it to the dealership for all the regularly scheduled maintenance. I figured it would be easier in case of warranty issues (the warranty issues I did have were minor and were always covered), like your friend said. I still do the regular maintenance at Mazda, mainly because they drop me off to work in the morning after I drop off my car and pick me up in the afternoon when the servicing is finished. Neither my workplace nor my house is near the dealership, so this works perfectly for me.
As for body work, tire changes, etc, I bring those to a mechanic my folks have been using for years who lives near enough to my work that the price of a cab is negligible.
posted by futureisunwritten at 12:23 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I bought a new Mazda five years ago and brought it to the dealership for all the regularly scheduled maintenance. I figured it would be easier in case of warranty issues (the warranty issues I did have were minor and were always covered), like your friend said. I still do the regular maintenance at Mazda, mainly because they drop me off to work in the morning after I drop off my car and pick me up in the afternoon when the servicing is finished. Neither my workplace nor my house is near the dealership, so this works perfectly for me.
As for body work, tire changes, etc, I bring those to a mechanic my folks have been using for years who lives near enough to my work that the price of a cab is negligible.
posted by futureisunwritten at 12:23 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Can I just ignore this email?
Yep.
Also, when it *is* time to bring it in for maintenance, am I better off bringing it in to the dealer (or *a* Kia dealer, anyway) or searching for a mechanic?
Independent mechanic, probably.
A friend suggested that I should take it to the dealer because that way everything will be on the up and up in regard to the warranty.
Routine maintenance will not void the warranty.
posted by Etrigan at 12:24 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yep.
Also, when it *is* time to bring it in for maintenance, am I better off bringing it in to the dealer (or *a* Kia dealer, anyway) or searching for a mechanic?
Independent mechanic, probably.
A friend suggested that I should take it to the dealer because that way everything will be on the up and up in regard to the warranty.
Routine maintenance will not void the warranty.
posted by Etrigan at 12:24 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Unless it is free don't bother. My dealership offered the 1st check up and oil change for free (even then they tried to stick me with extra charges for synthetic oil). The next one was basically another oil change and they wanted to charge $129.00 so I took it to a local guy and bought my own oil and filter..cost me $20.00 labor plus about $25.00 in parts.
posted by Gungho at 12:47 PM on September 29, 2015
posted by Gungho at 12:47 PM on September 29, 2015
You should get the recommended maintenance (see the manual) done at approximately the time it says to do it. You can have anybody do it.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:35 PM on September 29, 2015
posted by Lyn Never at 1:35 PM on September 29, 2015
Best answer: As someone who also bought a new Kia within the past year: Get used to it, and get used to ignoring it. You will receive many more of those calls, regardless of the age or health of your car.
posted by mudpuppie at 1:47 PM on September 29, 2015
posted by mudpuppie at 1:47 PM on September 29, 2015
I said calls, but I meant emails too. But oh, you will get calls.
posted by mudpuppie at 1:49 PM on September 29, 2015
posted by mudpuppie at 1:49 PM on September 29, 2015
The old general rule used to be 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever came first. It's an outdated rule. With changes in both manufacturing and oil formulations, most cars do fine at a change every 7,500 miles as long as you don't have a leak and the resulting low oil levels. However, because this is a new car, you may want to get an oil change at the 3,000 mile mark as breaking-in your engine can lead to extra debris in your oil. This should be removed by the filter, but I'd go ahead and do it at 3K and then start on the manufacturer's recommended interval. The dealership makes lots of money on unnecessary service. Better to find a trusted independent mechanic.
posted by quince at 4:10 PM on September 29, 2015
posted by quince at 4:10 PM on September 29, 2015
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posted by discopolo at 12:21 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]