The Pandemic Soul

Am I right in thinking that $6 for window washer fluid is a total scam?

Here’s what happened: my 2004 VW Passat broke down a few weeks ago. I have no idea what the problem was, but it had something to do with “coils.” I asked them to do my 50,000 mile service, as well. I was already pissed off by the time I went to pick up my vehicle from the dealership, because I was informed that — despite what I had been told by both my finance company and the dealership (not the same one I got this service at) — my warranty had just expired at 50,000 miles, about 500 miles ago. As such, I was going to have plunk down $400 for this coil issue, and my 50,000 mile service. But boy was I peeved that, on top of all this, I also had to pay $6 for WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID.

As anyone who drives a newer VW knows, they’re sometimes a little TOO helpful. That dumbass seatbelt chime goes off, even when in park, and your “Top up washer fluid!” warning beeps after just three or four uses of your washer fluid after filling it up. As such, I never bother to actually refill the thing until it is actually empty, otherwise I’d be filling up on a weekly basis. So, when I go in for service and have to pay the absolutely foolish service fees, (since I have a lease, and know full-well that I can be liable for warranty issues if the car isn’t serviced at the actual dealership, even though I could get it done for half the price anywhere else) it’s of small comfort that I normally don’t have to pay anything for them to fill up my washer fluid tank. And, at my old dealership in North Little Rock, Arkansas, I didn’t have to pay. But at this new dealership, in Glendale, California, apparently free washer fluid is just TOO FAR TO GO.

My dealership called me to ask me how things went with my service, and I wasted no time telling them that I wasn’t happy to have to pay for washer fluid. I know it’s petty, but it seems like such a stick in the eye after dropping $400 on service, and what SHOULD be a warranty issue. I was transferred to my service adviser, who said that “all the dealerships charge for washer fluid.” I told him that my old dealership didn’t. He told me that next time I came in, I could ask him to credit the $6 for the fluid, and that from here-on-out, I would need to ask NOT to have my fluid filled if I drop off the car with the reminder light on.

The solution is fine, but does anyone else think that this is just a little over the line when it comes to service? I mean, we’re talking about, essentially, blue water. It costs me $1.50 to buy a jug of washer fluid at the gas station, so why is it that the dealership, who is probably buying washer fluid in bulk at a huge discount, is charging me four-times the wholesale cost? They can do a courtesy carwash, but can’t do a courtesy washer fluid refill?