"Do you want fries with that?"

Our car has been coming up and then overdue for a service and we have been talking abut getting it serviced. We have had it done since we have owned it, at Kmart which has been okay but they always without fail ring and say we need such and such done. They offer a service for a set price which is good $129 but its the extras that they want to do.

Last time it was new tyres and alignment plus new wiper blades, the wiper blades would only be an extra $30 to replace and fit. Warren did them a couple of weeks ago, cost $8 and five minutes to fit. He told them not to worry as he had a discount for a tyre place and yes, got them cheaper there. Hence, he refers to them as "Do you want fries with that?"

We were going to change and go to a new place but when it came down to it, its easy to get to Kmart to take the car there and also pick it up again, just a short bus ride so we went to them again.

Warren took it there on Friday before he needed to go to work and he caught the bus home. Only been inside five minutes and they rang and reported that the wiper blades were not the right ones, should they replace them, no they were told, they work fine. Then they said that the air filter was very dirty and should be replaced, okay do that. Then because the air filter was dirty, the manifold should be cleaned and scraped of carbon, that would be an extra $125. It probably was dirty, however that is what it does so of course its dirty and has nothing to do with the performance of vehicles.

It ended up costing us $200, the initial cost of $120 plus the replacement air filter. Drove it Saturday night and it didn't feel right, Warren said "I bet they pumped the tyres right up" he checked and yep, they had 40 pounds of pressure in them, we run them at 35-36 and that gives a softer ride, maybe shortens the life of the tyre by 2/3000 kms so nothing really.

It will be another 12 to 15000 kms before we need another service and I don't think we will be back to Kmart, cant stand their up-selling or as Warren says "Do you want fries with that?"