I'm an aircraft mechanic too so been in the same situation.
Before going any further here's some tips and info:
*Our KL came with the AMERICAN Warranty and Service booklet - there is a specific AUSTRALIAN one available! The Aussie one has blue and white cover rather than the olive green and other colours that the American one has. If you don't have the "Australian Service & Warranty Handbook" then chase ur dealer to get one - it should be free. The Aussie one has service schedule sections properly specific to the KL and it's various engines.
*For 3.2V6 the current CORRECT Oil Filter part number is 68191349AB (which supercedes 68191349AA). The later filter apparently improves low rpm oil pressure and reduces startup "rattle". Make sure your dealer uses the correct filter...
*5W30 oil is fine to use - ie. doesn't have to be 5W20.
*If you have the Aussie service / warranty booklet have a good look at the schedule to get a picture of whats needed and when - that's a no brainer I realise - but note that extra stuff apart from just visuals and oil and filters starts at 24 months with brake fluid replacement.
*Our battery lasted just under 2 years - with new one costing $280 (was out of warranty) - so budget for that.
*For doing normal servicing myself, the only thing I haven't found info on yet is how to properly check the serpentine belt tensioner for condition. I'm still looking tho - and apart from anything else something should pop up on Youtube from US owners soon I should imagine.
*The oil drain plug is either fitted with an O ring or has a polymer insert of some sort. Even if it's an insert I'd imagine you could gouge it out and use a suitable o ring. Otherwise, grab a couple of new ones for future use while you're gettin your service done - maybe say to em that if you're happy enough with their work, service and cost then hopefully you'll never use those drain plugs... :-D
As you say, the important aspect of dealer servicing is the software updating and error code checking. The issue with dealers is finding a decent one
Our local jeep stealership are a bunch of smug twits who will NOT do one iota more than the minimum required - and for the two services we've had done so far they've clearly only done the work in the last hour before we picked the car up - being a mechanic yourself you prolly get why that bothers me (I don't mean it was wrapped up in that hour - I mean the whole thing was DONE in that hour). The workshop work seems ok but they've only done oil changes and visuals so far - and the only extra I actually managed them to look at was alignment which they DID stuff up!
Couple of thoughts I've had are that you'd think that a dealer should surely be willing to do the software stuff alone for a fee - or alternatively if you use a good non dealership mechanic - ie. preferably someone who specialises in Jeep so are pretty much as good for expertise as a dealer and only lack the proprietary computer stuff - then perhaps they can get the computer stuff done by a dealer and oncharge to you - I haven't yet looked into whether that's something thats actually ever done or can be done - you'd likely have more insight into that than me.
Who's servicing your KL??
