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> They have whole retail chains devoted to it, when everyone I know in Europe gets it replaced once a year at their annual dealer service, with no checking in b
by philwelch 6y ago
> They have whole retail chains devoted to it, when everyone I know in Europe gets it replaced once a year at their annual dealer service, with no checking in between.
Those retail chains will actually do the full periodic servicing that a dealer would. We just refer to that service generically as an “oil change”. And we get that service based on mileage rather than annually.
Also, all Europeans go back to the dealership for periodic maintenance? There are no independent shops that do this? Nobody does it themselves? So if you have a BMW you have to take it to the BMW dealer in particular? Sounds like lock-in to me.
- ghaff 6y agoSorta IMO. The nationwide oil change places, in my experience, check a few high margin parts that they like to replace but don't do any sort of comprehensive periodic servicing like you'd have done at either your dealer or an independent mechanic.
- philwelch 6y agoSure, at least that’s what the dealers and mechanics would want you to think ;) I’m sure in principle there are many forms of periodic maintenance that need to be done for a car. You’re also supposed to drain your hot water tank every 6-12 months. But getting the oil changed (and the air filters and whatnot) seems to be the important bit.
- chrisseaton 6y ago> Sounds like lock-in to me. But there’s multiple competing BMW dealers. You can shop around. If you go somewhere other than a dealer where do they get the training, parts, diagnostic codes to work on your car?