I took my '06 Sonata in today for the brake light switch recall. It took 5 minutes there - no problem.

The problem is that the service manager was very insistent on having an "inspection" done on the car for my "safety". This is the latest money raising scam in the Wash DC area and the manager admitted as such when I pushed right back and insisted that the car be left alone except for the purpose I brought in in for - namely the recall problem.

Last June, I took one of my other cars to a dealer for the state required safety inspection and, without telling me, they did their so-called "100 point" inspection. When I got home there were several problems including loose wheel lug nuts - they were only finger tight. I saw them pull the wheels at the garage. And, this was the condition the car was in after a state mandated "safety" inspection.

Is this dealer inspired "inspection" racket a nationwide thing now? Just Curious.

I received a National Coupon for a free 45 Point Sonata Inspection a couple years ago. The Dealer said all they do is 39 Points (IMG:style_emoticons/default/gitara.gif)

They offered the same thing to me when I brought the car to my dealer for the brake switch recall. Free inspection that is. They gave me the inspection sheet and all was marked OK.

I don't see any wrong with free inspection, of course as long as it's done professionally, and by an honest dealer.... Once they come up with a list of things that need attention, then I can evaluate and decide whether the issue is actually for real, or serious enough to be taken care of.

But letting you drive home with a loose lug nut is NOT something that I would easily forget, let alone forgive.....

What dealer do you go to?

The crooks will always be crooks, and the decent dealers will play it fair. The fact MY dealer (he's not the one I bought the car from, no, him I won't trust) did the inspection and found NOTHING -- does mean something.

Besides, nobody puts a gun to our head demanding we fix the car right there on the spot. The list can be valuable... one takes the car to his own trusted mechanic, ask him to take a look, like in many other fields, get a 2nd opinion....

...After all, something MIGHT INDEED go wrong with our car, without us noticing it?

Honest dealer - doesn't exist in the Wash DC area - I can just about say that unequivocally. Professionalism? A thing of the past.

Also, the Hyundai dealer freely admitted to me that the purpose was a money making exercise. ***

Lastly, the mechanics (if you can call them that) can and do cause problems in the process of conducting these so-called "inspections".

*** Actually, it wasn't quite freely admitted. I brought the car in pursuant to a recall. Recalls are administered, mandated, and controlled by the federal government. There is to be absolutely no hank-panky involved. This definitely includes using recalls as a basis to conduct phony side nspections and gouge money.

With my oil changes, the dealer allegedly does a *free* multi-point inspection.

I don't believe it.

They probably just check all the boxes off quickly and move on to the next car.

I go to Fairfax Hyundai and they were pretty good... free oil change and free inspection...

Dealers in this economy will do anything to make a fast buck. As far as warranties go u have to have records of work performed and any mods can and will void warranties. They will inspect it for free usually and if not u can complain to hyundai about poor service and it can get recorded publically.

Are we talking about free state required "safety inspections" or dealer "inspections" for the purpose of making some money. Big difference.

Can anyone use this form. It should print out and is great to have!

That's the same form that my dealer uses. When we take the car in for oil changes every 3k they also do a free inspection. I have watched them do this as I am also leary of them just marking the boxes. The dealership had one service writer that said we had to have a tranny flush and complete cooling system flush at 30k for $500 and was quite presistant about it. I told him no, that the maintence schedule in the manual does not call for it untill quite later. The inspection report we got back on the car (after not having these extras done) was quite grim. Stating the brakes and tires were bad. I think this guy wrote the inspection himself not even looking at the car as the tires were only 1 month old. I showed this form and explained the story to my regular service writer and the service manager. Needless to say, that guy does not work there anymore. After that we have had no problems with dealership. Will let you know more after Monday, when we take it in for the 36k oil change.

Incorrect. What you and most people forget is that the 105K maintenance schedule for trans fluid is under the REGULAR service interval. But most cars operate under the SEVERE service schedule. Under the SEVERE service, Hyundai officially tells owners to change the automatic transmission fluid every 30K miles. See your owners manual for proof. The example below is from the 2007 Sonata manual:

 2007_Sonata_7_11.jpg ( 100.12K ) Number of downloads: 22


You will see that SEVERE service is needed if you:
- A. Repeatedly drive short distances of less than 5 miles in normal temperatures or less than 10 miles in freezing temperatures
- B. Extensive engine idling or low speed driving for long distances
- C. Driving on rough, dusty, muddy, unpaved, graveled or salt- spread roads
- D. Driving in areas using salt or other corrosive materials or in very cold weather
- E. Driving in sandy areas
- F. Driving in heavy traffic area over 90°F (32°C)
- G. Driving on uphill, downhill, or mountain road
- H. Tow a trailer, camper or use a roof rack
- I. Drive as a patrol car, taxi, other commercial use or vehicle towing
- J. Drive over 100 mph
- K. Drive in Stop-and-Go conditions

This post has been edited by sYc: Feb 13 2010, 10:40 AM

You know you have an honest Dealer when they don't check off any services needed. That, or they just checked OK for everything.

Don't do the first Coolant change until 5 Years 60K (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif)

While this is true, none of these conditions apply to us otherwise I would have had the service done at 30k.

Really:
- C. Driving on rough, dusty, muddy, unpaved, graveled or salt- spread roads

They don't use salt on the snow coverd roads in Omaha, NE?

Yes they do, but this year being the exception, we have minimal amounts of snowfall that require salting of the roads. I could see this if we were driving on a daily basis on salted roads. But normally only 5 to 6 days during the winter months do they put down salt.

The amount doesn't matter. If you drive on salt covered roads, you should go by the Severe Service schedule. Such as trans flush every 30K.

looking at the example, you will notice that D; (Driving in areas using salt ect.) is not listed for automatics, but listed for manual trans. Since mine is an auto, this would not apply to me. Also, having just returned from the dealership and recieving a good inspection, I asked the service manager about the Trans flush. He told me it we could have it done between 40 and 50 k and everything would be fine.

Read it again.

Looking at the example, you will notice that C; (Driving on rough, dusty, muddy, unpaved, graveled or salt- spread roads) IS listed for automatics. Since yours is an auto, this WOULD apply to you.

This post has been edited by sYc: Feb 16 2010, 08:09 AM