Hey everyone! I brought my 2018 Expedition in because it had a cold start rattle and a transmission issue. They’re going to do an overhaul that’s covered under my MPP bumper-to-bumper warranty, but then they sent me this list of extra services for me to approve, and I’m not sure if I should go for it. I know nothing about car maintenance, so I was hoping someone here could give me some advice on what’s actually needed and what’s just fluff. Thanks a lot!
(Just to clarify—the overhaul itself is covered, but these extras aren’t.)
Hey! Pollen filter and wipers? You can totally handle those yourself and save some cash. You could go with Ford parts or grab some from AutoZone, just make sure they’re the right size.
As for throttle body cleaning… it’s really your call. I don’t usually do it myself, but dealerships love to suggest it because it’s cheap for them and they charge a lot. You could actually look up some videos on YouTube or check out this forum if you want to try it yourself.
But yeah, let’s see if anyone else has thoughts on that throttle body cleaning and tune-up before you decide.
Hmm, I’d definitely ask what they mean by a ‘minor tune-up.’ I drive older cars and do my own work, so these prices for wipers and filters seem high to me.
Personally, I’d just go with what’s covered by the warranty. They’re always going to push for extras.
Blake said: @Luca
They said it would be ‘spark plugs, coil boots, and an engine air filter.’
Doesn’t seem necessary for a transmission issue, honestly. Plugs and wires on newer cars last quite a while. Do you know when those were last changed? I’d probably stick with just the covered repairs and see how it goes.
How many miles you got on it? If you’re under 100k, you don’t really need a tune-up. But over 125k, it could make sense. I did mine on my 2016 F150 around 150k because the turbos are hard on spark plugs, but I’ve got an old GM V8 with 190k and still running the original plugs. I don’t really trust dealers after the warranty expires.
I know they mark up stuff that doesn’t actually need fixing, but I just wish I knew more about cars, or that the shops were more upfront.
Yeah, I wouldn’t bother with a tune-up until around 125-150k. If you’re planning to keep it a long time, you can think about it then. If you’re just going to trade it in eventually, no need to do extra maintenance for the next owner. I keep it simple: oil changes every 10k, air filter every 30k. That’s it.
Just order the Motorcraft engine and pollen air filters online. Super easy to change yourself, and they cost under $20 each on sites like RockAuto. Just watch a quick YouTube tutorial if you’re unsure.