Fallen33

and how much does it cost you?

I just paid 262 bucks at my stealership for the 15000 mile service on my car and I feel like I got screwed over.

css9450

Probably! Can you give us a list of what that service includes? I'm guessing its an oil and filter change and a bunch of inspections. Maybe a tire rotation. You're not due for anything else; the supsension grease fittings are sealed, the plugs aren't due, the coolant isn't due... etc. Maybe an air filter?

I could have done all that for you for $250.

CTCOBALTSSS

I agree with css9450.

$262.00 for an oil change and tire rotation is nuts. There couldn't be anything else.
That's why they call them stealerships.

Just do your own maintinence man. Invest in some tools before mods.
Good luck in the future.

Fallen33

Oil Change
New Oil Filter
Tire Pressure
Lube Chassis
Rotate Tires
Full Vehicle Inspection
Top Off Fluids
Clean Battery Terminals
Replace Fuel Filter
Brake Cleaning

What kind of tools would I need?

pimpnwink

iTrader: (1)

but all of that is relatively easy i don't know if its just me but it seems rediculous.

Fallen33

I'm gonna do it myself from now on.

Lesson learned I guess.

I already have a jack (the one that came with the car) what else would I need to get?

R&C_rallySS

I would of done all that for you....150 bucks!

Honestly though if you have to ask how or what you need to do that list. Maybe its a good idea for them to do it.

Fallen33

Yah I know, I feel like an idiot right now.

Not for that price, I'll learn how to do it myself and only take the car to them for heavy duty maintenance. (like alignments etc.)

XM15

Get a hydraulic one with jack stands from Walmart. It'll run you about $20 or less. Don't even bother messing around with the one that came with the car; its a piece of junk.

Red2.4SS/SC

your gonna need a new jack , the one that comes with the car sucks , sorry to break it to you

D4u2s0t

Oil Change = 40 dollars
Tire Pressure = 25 cents at gas sation
Rotate Tires = half hour if you have jack stands. or, 3 dollars per tire at a tire shop
Top Off Fluids. -= Depends on what needs to be "topped off", but probably nothing
Clean Battery Terminals = Free
Replace Fuel Filter = 34 dollars
Brake Cleaning - Free

so basically if you did all the things they did, probably would have been less than 100 to do, and none of it is hard.

and, i got a 5,000 pound lift, and 2 jackstands from walmart for like 70 dollars.

XM15

BTW, what is meant by "brake cleaning"? Do they just take the pads off and inspect them?

88cobaltSS

I got my car back in August of 2006 and it hasn't been back to the dealer since. I don't let anyone else but me work on my car.

Fallen33

Yah lesson learned.

I'll go get some good jacks soon and learn how to do this **** myself.

D4u2s0t

if you're not sure how to do something pm me. none of it is hard. and it feels good to work on your car and know that it was done right.

DrPuttsSS/SC

Fallen, I take it you've never done any work on cars?

Just hook up with a buddy, relative, or another car guy and get them to help/show you how to do it. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Next time use that money to buy a manual and tools, you'll be way ahead to learn to do these things yourself. And it can be fun, too.
People that don't work on cars get absolutely raped these days.

Everyone's got stories like this but last year my old ford pos sprung a water leak while I was at work. Stopped at the local garage, they said "Oh that's a bad one and that metal pipe is $95 and it takes 4 hours to change so it will be about $400". I said no thanks and nursed it home. Got girlfriend to take me to buy ramps, crawled underneath to look at it, fixed it with a short piece of rubber hose and 2 clamps, about $3. But I really got pissed when I saw that to replace the whole pipe was two bolts and two clamps, about a 10 minute job! Those lyin' rip-off SOBs! And every time I drove past that garage they had cars lined up to be worked on.
Please, guys, I'm not flaming the whole industry, just using this one shop as an example of how bad some places can be. This was an independent shop and dealers usually can't get away with things like that.

I understand that some people are so busy and make so much money it isn't worth it to them to do their own work. But most of us aren't in that position and need to save whatever money we can. And, I know when I do something myself it is done right.

The things on that list are simple and wouldn't take long at all to do. You will definately get a feeling of satisfaction from doing those things yourself.

just my 2 cents, your reality may differ

fballman1987

the oil cap socket, specially for ecotec motors. its like 25 bucks off the snap on truck

Fallen33

I did the 2.2 airbox mod on my car but thats it. I'm not completely engine stupid. lol It probably would be a good idea to get a manual/book though. Any recommendations for a n00b? lol

DrPuttsSS/SC

Yeah, someone said here that the Haynes manual is finally out for these cars. Go to Pep Boys, etc., they're what like $20? When I got the manual for my first car I actually read and studied it just trying to learn how some of these systems work. The "Basic Car 101" I learned by doing that has been invaluable to me in the many years since.

I highly recommend getting an experienced helper when you're first learning. You have to develp a feel for how much to tighten bolts and things like that and it's good to have someone watching/checking your work after you. He's especially important when something goes wrong or you can't exactly figure out what it says in the manual.

You don't have to spend a lot on tools, either. Don't buy the walmart $15 sets, but don't spend the huge bucks on Snap-On either. A lot of guys just use Stanley and some of the sets at the car parts stores don't look bad.

again, just my 2 cents

05redline

They boned you on the fuel filter. That definately doesn't need to be replaced at 15,000 miles.

css9450

Or just get the one made by Lisle Tools. I paid something like $9 for mine. Yes its aluminum but its perfect for what I need it for; the filter cap is not a high-torque fastener by any means. Of course many people on here just use a regular 32mm socket (or 1-1/4") but I found they are a little too tall and scrape the intake manifold runners.

By far the most complicated item on the service list mentioned earlier was the fuel filter change. I haven't looked at the one on the Cobalt yet, but most newer GMs use a special quick-disconnect connector. You have to depressurize the system first but I just do that by pulling the fuel pump fuse and starting the engine a few times until all the gas is out of the lines.

The rest of that list was very basic. I wonder which suspension components they lubed - I don't think we have any grease fittings. Maybe they just lubed the door hinges and the pull cable for the hood.

EDIT - I agree with 05redline - I wouldn't have bothered with the fuel filter either.

G5GT2007

i do all my own work but i buy all my stuff from the dealer like all the filters and what not.

halfj99

thats seems really really early for fuel filter

i just use a normal 32 mm socket *(no supercharger in my way)*

and that fuel filter is the same as they been using for meny years, and is a pain in the A$$

IR0NS1N

Actually 15000 miles is a good time to replace them every 15000 or so it really helps keep the fuel pump doing the least amount of work as it can. They are fairly cheap and I replace mine at work every 15k miles. Well im taking my car in wednesday for stage 2, I told them to repalce the oil and the supercharger oil too. Im feeling lazy as of late.

css9450

15K is the official replacement interval for the fuel filter? I can't find that anywhere in the Cobalt owners manual. It doesn't show up on either the simplified "Maintenance I" or "Maintenance II" schedules listed there, and neither is it on the next page under "additional required services". Several pages later, they have a table with part numbers for "Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts" but that doesn't even have the fuel filter listed. I remember them being recommended for change every 30,000 back in the 80s but as GM (and everyone else) have stretched out the required services I wouldn't be surprised if they don't consider it due for replacement until 100,000 miles.

Obviously you'll do no harm changing it early, but tacking it onto the "Maintenance I" work (which is what the original poster had his car in for) is unnecessary and just a money maker for the shop.