It’s time for my 3 year trans fluid change and 22,500 filter change. I went to Parkway Chevrolet (Tomball, Tx) today to enquire if I brought the GM Fluid and GM filter, what would be the cost of labor? I was told that unless they could show billing for the parts, the service would not be valid to maintain warranty.

Does this make any sense other than more profit for the dealership? Just asking

 

They just don't want to do it unless they supply the parts. It is documented in the warranty manual that you just need to show receipts. It would also be a violation of the Magnuson-Moss warranty act.

 

Oh yes, the old, "loss of warranty threat". Works MOST of the time.

Dealers are a dime a dozen, stay with it.

 

That reminds me: I have a dental appointment coming up. Should I ask if I can bring my own composite filling? Afterwards I am going to a restaurant but will bring my own produce and ask them to cook. My guess is what will happen is similar to when I was having pot lights installed and told the electrician I was supplying the wire.

 

Pretty sure the MM Act does not compel a dealer to take customer provided parts and use them, while they provide the labor. You can acquire the fluid and filter and DIY it, or have a mechanic do it and MM will apply there.

 

for five years my dealer always let me bring my own oil and filter then all of the sudden I was told I couldn't do it any more was told it was because of GM telling the dealers to stop. guess just getting the money for labor wasn't good enough for them anymore and that's high enough with the rates they charge.What a mess we have!!!

 

That's a lie from your dealer. GM is NOT telling dealers this info.

Time to move on to a reputuable business owner.

 

You could try Corvette World, doesn't have to be done by the dealer to keep the warranty.
https://www.corvetteworlddallas.com/...ls/service.htm

 

I meant voiding the warranty, not that they had to allow a customer to bring their own parts. It is quite reasonable for a dealer to not want to do a service unless they supply both parts and labor.

 

Gotcha. Yes that makes sense!

 

My dealer let me supply my own DCT fluid when I had them do the 3 year fluid change (about $25/liter vs $50/liter). Some will, others won't. It certainly is NOT a warranty issue however. Don't let them BS you.

 

Agree. But I do think when supplying your own parts or fluids, receipts should be kept just as if it was a do it yourself job. They are not required, but are recommended and might facilitate a warranty claim if an issue arises.

Supplying your own GM approved materials, such as ACDelco DCTF-FFL-4 for the fluid change, is of course not a warranty issue. But there is an interesting subtlety. If supplied by the customer and installed by the dealer, the dealer will (based on posted invoices) often indicate on the service invoice that the transmission fluid was customer supplier, and they may even state the type of fluid. But missing from the dealer record will be a receipt for the fluid - no "billing". So - if a problem arises, GM might ask for receipts, which the customer can, or course, supply if needed.

Are receipts required? I don't think so. Its true that in both the owners manual and warranty manual, receipts are recommended, but are they required?....The factory warranty manual appears to say no they are not:
"Owner's Warranty Responsibilities
As the vehicle owner, you are responsible
for the performance of the scheduled
maintenance listed in your Owner’s Manual.
GM recommends that you retain all
maintenance receipts for your vehicle,
but GM cannot deny warranty coverage
solely for the lack of receipts or for your
failure to ensure the performance of all
scheduled maintenance."

and also

"Receipts and records covering the
performance of regular maintenance or other
repairs (such as those outlined earlier)
should be retained in the event questions
arise concerning maintenance. These receipts
and records should be transferred to each
subsequent owner. GM will not deny
warranty coverage solely on the absence
of maintenance records. However, GM may
deny a warranty claim if a failure to perform
scheduled maintenance resulted in the failure
of a warranty part."

And, in the Owners Manual:
"Keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work
performed. See Maintenance Records"

"After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading, who performed the service, and the type of services performed in the boxes
provided. Retain all maintenance receipts."

Bottom line: the dealer's reason for not installing customer supplied fluid was wrong, like everybody said. But yes, the dealer can refuse to use customer supplies material. All that said, when supplying your own fluids and parts to a dealer, keep the receipts for those parts, just like you would if you did the work yourself.