Re: Oil, Sound, and Badges!

[Khan Klatt <kmk@pacificrim.net>]

At 7:35 AM -0700 10/25/99, Da Doctah wrote:
>b) This free scheduled maintenance deal...don't quite get it. They say I
>need my first oil change at 5k miles. (I thought 1500 was more like it) and
>then every 10k miles after that. Is this VW's way of avoiding 2/3rds of the
>required oil changes? Shouldn't this be considered illegal business
>practices if that's the case?

First, the oil in your car from the factory is "special" oil which 
should stay in your car 5000 miles.

Second, automotive technology as well as oil technology have come a 
long way since cars were invented, which means that the service 
interval will only get longer and longer.

Third, VW, like all other car manufacturers, have a recommended 
service interval for their cars. The recommended interval is one 
where the owners have the least cost combined with the auto 
manufacturer with the least cost. There are people that drive their 
cars 6000 miles or more without service, so it just goes to show you 
how far you can push the technology on one oil change.

What VW is willing to pay for is what they recommend you do. The only 
reason they offer to do it is to offer an incentive above and beyond 
just walking off the lot. It also gives them an opportunity to try to 
demonstrate the service of the VW dealers-- those that are 
liked/appreciated may get the buyers' business down the road if they 
do a good job of servicing the car.

VW pays for the scheduled services that they agreed to before you 
bought your car regardless of when, exactly, you have the service 
done.

Fourth, as they get feedback about their cars out in the marketplace, 
they may provide revisions about how often you need oil changes etc. 
There are certain parameters of auto maintenance that may be sketchy 
when they ship the car, so they decide to recommend a 4000 mile 
interval. After their cars have been out for some time, and testing 
on engines in their labs followed by reports from the field, they may 
decide it's unnecessary to do a 4000 mile service, and increase it to 
5000 miles. YOU STILL GET THE SAME NUMBER OF FREE SERVICES AS YOU 
WOULD HAVE ORIGINALLY, they're just spaced out differently.

None of this has anything to do, whatsoever with "illegal business 
practices". Not to go off on a rant or anything, but it's irritating 
to see people get off on tangents on how companies are doing 
illegitimate things without doing any research. If anything, they are 
losing money on not having cars come in as often for unpaid service 
intervals.

-Khan