Price for 15K mile service?

[gingerpunch]

I have a 2019 Mazda CX-5 (Grand Touring Reserve, Turbo, All Wheel Drive). It is due for its 15,000 mile service. Is it normal now that 15K mile services are expensive? I’m used to this for 30K, 60K, and 90K services but not for the 15K.

My local dealership offers 3 levels for this service:
Recommended ($512.96)
Value ($473.01)
Minimum ($440.36)

The difference between Recommended and Value is BG crank case cleaning service and BG ethanol treatment.

I checked the price at another dealership (about an hour away). They charge $243.85 for their 15K mile service. They only offer 1 level.

Any opinions on what I should do? Do the local dealer prices seem outrageous and do you think they’re trying push extra services to run up the bill? Should I go to the less expensive dealer or the local one (but give them a list of what I want to be done)?

My local dealer is also more expensive on the 5K and 10K services ($153.16 Recommended/Value or $120.51 Minimum). The other place charges $63.90 for these.

Thanks for any info or suggestions!

 

[Mazdiod2]

Do you have a list of the services?

There is a schedule of services in the manual you can compare it with.

I haven't had the crank case cleaned yet, it's better to clean it on a regular basis so this expensive service isn't needed.

Do you drive in an area with a harsh environment?

 

[181962]

What you'll probably find in the manual for 15,000 miles is oil change, tire rotation and replacement of air and cabin filters. Even with dealer high markups on those filters (if you don't do them yourself) it should be less than $200 total. And with those services they should be topping off fluids if necessary and doing a number of inspections on the vehicle, including tire wear, brake wear a battery check and provide you with a check list showing what they found.

That's the measured answer. A less measured answer, which may follow this one, might use the word "stealership". As best I can recall, I've not had a dealer try to foist on me a bunch of unnecessary stuff as appears to be your case. Judging from your name I would guess you are a woman. It's an old trope that still holds true--some outfits will try to exploit women thinking they don't know what they are doing. Of course if you tell them you want only the items I mentioned they might come back at you with some nonsense about needing a brake job.

I would avoid this dealer. The outfit that charged you $63.90 would be a better bet. That's cheap for a synthetic oil change where I come from though I wonder if they rotated the tires, typically $20-$25 where I'm from.

 

[dunhillmc]

Never tell a shop you want "the XX miles service." They know they can get away with charging insane prices for those.
Just tell them the individual services that are called for in the maintenance schedule. At 15K miles, you're most likely on your 2nd service visit and the only things you need are the oil change, tire rotation, and cabin air filter. You can find the cabin filters on Amazon for around $15 and it takes less than 2 minutes to change

 

[meow_man]

My local dealership offers 3 levels for this service:
Recommended ($512.96)
Value ($473.01)
Minimum ($440.36)

I find the dealership service level names amusing. Recommended but we do offer Minimum if you're too cheap and obviously don't care about your vehicle. It's still a bargain at $440 .

I always like to ask that type of service department "Why doesn't the manufacturer recommend that level of service if you're telling me you highly recommend it?"

I cringe at what they must charge for one of the more "substantial" services.

I agree with what others stated, go by what's in the Mazda maintenance schedule. I'm taking my 2019 GTR for it's 2 year service on Tuesday. I have all of 6700 miles. Oil & filter, rotate the tires, they do a complimentary inspection & top off the fluids, state inspection. I just did the cabin air filter with a $10 Amazon filter which literally takes 2 minutes.

Same service last year cost $107 including PA state inspection.

 

[VQ35DE]

They want your money.

 

[theblooms]

Change the oil, rotate the tires, check the air filter (it's almost assuredly fine), and check the cabin filter. You can do all of this yourself quite easily.

There, I just saved you $500.

 

[Mazdiod2]

I wouldn't check the air filter unless I lived in a very dusty environment, it's too easy for me to misfit that filter. I might consider cleaning and lubing the brake caliper guide pins. The cabin filter is easy enough, too.

 

[gingerpunch]

Do you have a list of the services?

There is a schedule of services in the manual you can compare it with.

I haven't had the crank case cleaned yet, it's better to clean it on a regular basis so this expensive service isn't needed.

Do you drive in an area with a harsh environment?

I can get a list of the services. It's on the dealer website, so I'll compare it to what's in the manual.

I live in the southeast so the winters are mild (usually no snow) but summers are hot and humid. I don't do off-roading or drive on dirt roads.

 

[gingerpunch]

Judging from your name I would guess you are a woman. It's an old trope that still holds true--some outfits will try to exploit women thinking they don't know what they are doing. Of course if you tell them you want only the items I mentioned they might come back at you with some nonsense about needing a brake job.

I would avoid this dealer. The outfit that charged you $63.90 would be a better bet. That's cheap for a synthetic oil change where I come from though I wonder if they rotated the tires, typically $20-$25 where I'm from.

Yes, I'm a woman. I haven't talked to the dealership about this service yet. I'm going by the prices for services that are on the Mazda dealer websites.

I'm not especially car savvy, but my gut is telling me not to pay that price. I love my car and want to take care of it but I don't want to get ripped off either. Maybe there is just something shady about that service shop. It's a big dealership and they have Mazda but they also have other brands (Honda, VW, Subaru, etc.). I used to have a Subaru and when I checked the prices for service on a Forester at that dealership the prices are $95.21 (6K miles), $159.07 (12K miles), and $95.21 (18K miles).

 

[gingerpunch]

I cringe at what they must charge for one of the more "substantial" services.

The 30K mile service prices are $594 / $554 / $521.

I'm used to the 30K, 60K and 90K services being expensive, but I've never heard of this for the 15K mile. At first I thought maybe it's because the car is turbo and all wheel drive but then the other Mazda place should charge around the same prices.

 

[gingerpunch]

Thank you everyone! I'll look at what's recommended in the manual and tell them that's what I want. I might be able to select the services I want on the website and I could get an idea of the price that way. If they try to give me a hard time, I'll go to the other (more reasonable) dealership.

 

[181962]

I used to have a Subaru and when I checked the prices for service on a Forester at that dealership the prices are $95.21 (6K miles), $159.07 (12K miles), and $95.21 (18K miles).

That would be in the ballpark for your vehicle. The $95.21 services looks like synthetic oil changes with tire rotations. I'm not sure what else they would have done at 12k for an extra $64. Cabin filter? Wiper blades? An annual state pollution inspection/sticker?

Anyway, go by the manual. Just say you're calling to schedule service. They'll ask you what you want done. Tell them and that's what they'll do.

There is a general consensus that trans fluid should be changed at 50-60k miles rather than the specified lifetime of the vehicle. That's a good idea. This is the only notable departure from the maintenance schedule I can think of. But there's a long way to go before that if you still own the vehicle.

 

[mutualcore]

I paid $50 or so for my 15K service at my local Mazda service center. I mean 'by the book' 15K, with all the inspections of hoses and fluids. Definitely not feeling ripped off.

The key is print out the service schedule, bring it with you to the Mazda center and say you want exactly what is on the paper. That's what I did.

 

[dunhillmc]

Thank you everyone! I'll look at what's recommended in the manual and tell them that's what I want. I might be able to select the services I want on the website and I could get an idea of the price that way. If they try to give me a hard time, I'll go to the other (more reasonable) dealership.

just tell them you need an oil change and tire rotation

 

[mutualcore]

just tell them you need an oil change and tire rotation

There are inspections that need to happen at certain mileages. You can end up voiding your warranty if you skip them.

 

[yrwei52]

I have a 2019 Mazda CX-5 (Grand Touring Reserve, Turbo, All Wheel Drive). It is due for its 15,000 mile service. Is it normal now that 15K mile services are expensive? I’m used to this for 30K, 60K, and 90K services but not for the 15K.

Don’t follow the fixed-mileage maintenance. Instead, use Mazda recommended “Flexible” oil change interval with Maintenance Monitor waiting for wrench indicator and “Oil change due” notification to change your oil which is up to 7,500 miles or 12 months whichever comes first. Check your owner’s manual for more details. You can do other maintenances such as tire rotation at the same time.

At 15,000 miles, you 2019 CX-5 GT-R only need tighten-up “bolts and nuts on chassis and body” and “cabin air filter” replacement based on CX-5’s normal driving condition Schedule 1 maintenance.

Not sure your dealer would actually do any bolts and nuts tighten-ups on chassis and body. And strangely Mazda recommends longer 25,000-mile or 2-year cabin air filter replacement on Schedule 2 severe driving conditions. Flexible OCI is also applicable to Scheduke 2, as onboard computer will calculate the proper oil change interval based on your driving conditions.

My local dealership offers 3 levels for this service:
Recommended ($512.96)
Value ($473.01)
Minimum ($440.36)

The difference between Recommended and Value is BG crank case cleaning service and BG ethanol treatment.

Even if those BG crank case cleaning service and BG ethanol treatment may help to keep your engine running smoothly, but these aren’t the kind of services at 15,000 miles. In fact, my 1998 Honda CR-V with 175K miles haven’t done any of these services!

I checked the price at another dealership (about an hour away). They charge $243.85 for their 15K mile service. They only offer 1 level.

Apparently this Mazda dealer is more reasonable. The problem for you is they’re too far away from you.

Any opinions on what I should do? Do the local dealer prices seem outrageous and do you think they’re trying push extra services to run up the bill? Should I go to the less expensive dealer or the local one (but give them a list of what I want to be done)?

My local dealer is also more expensive on the 5K and 10K services ($153.16 Recommended/Value or $120.51 Minimum). The other place charges $63.90 for these.

Thanks for any info or suggestions!

I’d try the local Mazda dealer and give them a list of what I want to be done, oil change with 5W-30 full synthetic oil、tire rotation、cabin air filter replacement、etc. Of course you should have already known changing the cabin air filter is a very easy job and you can do it by yourself.

Guide 2017 CX-5 DIY Cabin Air Filter Replacement and Location

Mazda Cabin Filter Comparison

 

[dunhillmc]

There are inspections that need to happen at certain mileages. You can end up voiding your warranty if you skip them.

The inspections are done by default at every dealer I've ever worked at. Mazda dealers will give you a "full circle inspection report" after any visit to the service dept.

 

[yrwei52]

There are inspections that need to happen at certain mileages. You can end up voiding your warranty if you skip them.

Besides free full circle inspection given by almost every car dealer when you take the car in for service, I’d like to know which inspection is required to keep the warranty intact ⋯

 

[181962]

Besides free full circle inspection given by almost every car dealer when you take the car in for service, I’d like to know which inspection is required to keep the warranty intact ⋯

I'll bite. What inspection by any professional, Mazda dealer or any other service shop, is required to keep the warranty intact? The warranty manual states that self-maintenance is satisfactory if the service records can be produced and the materials, etc. are to spec:

"For self maintenance, a statement that you completed the maintenance yourself, displaying mileage and the date the work was performed. Also, receipts for the replacement parts (fluid, filters, etc.) indicating the date and mileage must accompany this statement. If you elect to perform maintenance yourself or have your vehicle serviced at a location other than an authorized Mazda Dealer, Mazda requires that all fluids, parts and materials must meet Mazda standards for durability and performance as described in your Owner’s Manual."

In fact, in the US, it is illegal for a manufacturer to disallow self-maintenance per the Magnuson-Moss Warranty act. I would suppose Canada has something similar. You need to keep good records.

Of course, if you screw something up and leave evidence behind that would be a problem.