[Closed] Car main dealer servicing.

Trust [s]skoda[/s] [b]main dealers[/b], not any more.

Nissan main stealers just as bad

Had similar from a ford dealer a couple of years ago. Wife's car that she dropped in, same dealer I had used for years without trouble but a different branch.

They called her with a very similar list.

She was sceptical. I then called them... Brake discs 65% worn so another 3-4 years use then at her annual mileage/gentle applications, tyres at 4+mm etc

I should have known this would end badly after I booked it in and they were adamant it needed a cam belt (a model that was AFAIK chain driven in every engine variant) . 🙄

We now use a long established independent who are fantastic, although not stupidly cheap they are still not main dealer prices

Its a shame really I have dealt with some great main dealers and had brilliant service from them (including another branch of that dealer who were very good indeed). That incident was the first time I have had a proper service problem ever.

No better or worse than any other dealer in my experience. Skoda UK will doubt tell you how much they care about your safety and give details of the minimum tread / brake material they recommend for optimum safety and comfort etc blah blah. Don't expect them to give the dealer the hairdryer treatment, they were ones who told them to push the 'extras'.

Seat tried me on for some £100 wiper blades and discs and pads all around last time around - I fitted some OE spec Bosch wipers for £30, the brakes I let them do even though it was over-priced and probably unneeded but it came with a valet clean and I wasn't paying.

Crikey that quote is more expensive then mine ...

The last time I had full service I did the followings:

1. Full auto gear box oil changed.
2. Full motor oil changed.
3. Two front ABS sensors replacement.
4. Four new discs.
5. All caliper pads replaced.
6. Two new tires.
7. New wiper blades.

All that for £765 plus and I was told that I was being ripped off ...

😯

Vauxhall wanted to change rear discs on my vivaro at 28,000 miles just passed mot at 96,0000 on same discs

I guess with cars under warranty you have to get them serviced at main dealers, if it's not take it to a 'reliable' garage.

Wonder how many others paid up?

yes lndipendant garages for me from now on.
on a similar note my wife took her car in for a service at another trust dealer and they told her that the front brake pads were 50% worn.
The car has only done 7300 miles ffs!

I guess with cars under warranty you have to get them serviced at main dealers

granny_ring - Member 

I guess with cars under warranty you have to get them serviced at main dealers,

I guess with cars under warranty you have to get them serviced at main dealer

That's what a main dealer would want you to think. But it's not true.

Proper servicing must be done, as scheduled by the manufacturer. But it can be done by any garage, not just main dealers.

My skoda warranty requires only that the car is serviced within 500 miles of schedule, doesn't say anything about a garage so I did it myself saving £200 and the sort of nonsense above.

You do need to use genuine parts supplied by the manufacturer, and the specific oil specified by the manufacturer (not just the same grade) otherwise the warranty is no longer valid.

Yep, to the above although that's not in the warranty t@c's .

From my Skoda warranty terms:

"Servicing. Your vehicle should be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s technical guidelines."

I don't have a copy of the technical guidelines, but they do state the exact parts and oil etc for every model and every type of service.

To maintain warranty, a vehicle has to be serviced by a VAT registered garage, and using OE spec parts.
IIRC the reasoning behind the VAT registered bit is a VAT registered garage is less like to be dodgy, and provides at least some sort of traceability.

Vauxhall wanted to change rear discs on my vivaro at 28,000 miles just passed mot at 96,0000 on same discs

In their defence, just because something passes an mot, doesn't mean it's not worn below the official allowable limit. For a brake disc to fail on wear, it has to be excessively worn and likely to fail I.e. worn well past the official limit.
To fail an MOT requires parts to be likely to fail at the time of test, not that part is likely to last until the next MOT/service.

Says who about VAT-registered?

From what I remember, the actual requirement is serviced by a suitably trained/competent technician, but due to the lack of formal licensing at the time combined with lots of techs with little or no formal qualifications, the legal advise within the UK was a VAT registered garage.

The ultimate thing is, beyond ensuring the vehicle has been serviced at the required intervals, it's up to the manufacturer to prove it's not been maintained correctly.
As part of a warranty claim they can request invoices and details of any parts fitted that could affect the warranty claim i.e. if the engine goes bang, they could request details of what oil and filters had been used (if they suspect oil, they're far more likely to just take a test sample from the engine), but if you'd been fitting rubbish brake pads they couldn't use that to justify rejecting an engine claim.

n their defence, just because something passes an mot, doesn't mean it's not worn below the official allowable limit.

What? The "official" limit is the MOT requirements.

Vauxhall wanted to change rear discs on my vivaro at 28,000 miles just passed mot at 96,0000 on same discs

Brake disks that don't last 28,000 miles in a normal family car at not fit for purpose. the fact that they are still functioning 58,000 miles later would suggest that the main dealer was actually committing fraud when they stated they needed replacing.

IME main dealers offer the worst level of servicing out there, if you have something a bit fancy then find an independant specialist, otherwise just find a good local garage.

All have access to the makers service schedules and most have the ability to read the error codes.

Main stealers, sh1t haus rats the lot-of-em.

Can I have duh most expensive service and loads of parts replaced that are perfectly ok at the highest possible price, "certainly sir we can fit you tomorrow what time is best for you" dry bummings so blatant even British Gas would be proud!

There all electrical now and that aren't they, even the mechanical bits 😆

Unless the warranty or service schedule explicitly says the person carrying out the service has to be vat registered or have a certain qualification or use a certain brand of products then you dont have to, the wording is a legal contract, theres no "other rules" for either party.

I had much woe with Audi, the final straw that ended up in a legal stoush was them refusing a warranty claim because non OEM parts had been put on - by them during a previous service. It was epic, thankfully I am a pedant and could prove it. They then ended up with a 10k warranty claim-it was an rs4 so everything we catastrophically expensive.
Since then have used specialist indy

I avoid dealers now...especially after being told I needed a full set of brake pads for well over £100, I bought the pads on the way home at a motor factors, but when I went to change them there was loads of meat left. I changed the front as I'd already gone to the effort of removing the old ones, a couple of years later we sold the car and I flogged the rear pads on ebay.

I've not found a reliable independent so try and do everything myself apart from the odd cambelt. I use an MOT place that doesn't do any work (apart from the odd bulb change) and I hardly ever get a fail.

The only advantage of using a stealer is when you have a problem out of warranty (like the clutch distorting on my wifes six year old 90,000 mile Honda Civic) the Honda service history meant we only paid a couple of hundred quid for a replacement clutch. Free clutch and labour, we just paid for 2-3hrs labour at the warranty rate. But I have no doubt that all the money the first owner spent on dealer servicing will have been more expensive than the 'goodwill gesture' from Honda.

The only good experience of main dealers I have had is Alfa Romeo.... I know 😯

just while we're on the subject of services, can i ask where the limits of 'FSH' are please?
ill possibly be selling my octavia soon and dont want to advertise wrongly.

bought it 3 or 4 yrs ago and until then had been stamped by a main dealer. since i bought it i had it serviced first year at a local garage, then over the last 3 years its been serviced twice, so theres around 18 mths between services. ive just serviced it myself this year and kept receipts of oil/filters etc to prove it.

is this FSH because 'its got the full history of when its been serviced despite not being at official intervals' or is it 'some service history' because it hasnt been serviced every 12 months on the nose and not by proper garages.

is there a black and white criteria, or are the lines a bit grey?

thanks

On the flip side our Skoda dealer in newbury said car needed new tyres and tracking done when last serviced and mot'd said they could do it but it would be cheaper to take it to kwik fit.

I had it with Kia, but saw it coming.

Turned the wheels out when I parked and took a side picture of the disks and pads, all clear as day with wear indicator.

Phone call as expected: "your disks are 87% worn, blah blah"

Sent the picture by text.

Funny that..... didn't get a call back arguing.

Our local Ford main dealer (Hendy Portsmouth in Ocean Village) is on the other hand rather good.
Use them for servicing of my wife's Focus, principally because it's a 1.6 tdci so I want it to be serviced correctly and for Ford to have no wriggle room on servicing should the oil starvation woes it is known for cause issues.
They aren't much more price wise than my local indy and are always good to deal with, wife gets a decent courtesy car and they haven't tried to sell us replacement of random parts yet in approaching 3 years.

Breeze VW centre in Portsmouth though, are the classic awful incompetent robbing disingenuous slimy back tracking robbing useless bastards. I'd rather give my van to an IS car bomber to be serviced than to them.

sadexpunk - it doesnt matter what you call it.

it just means when someone looks through it, it shows good care before you had it then lax servicing in the 3 or 4 years you have had it - what else have you skipped in maintainance would be my thoughts.

IMO it has got partial service history as services have been missed.

a dealer would call it FSH - but then they call it FSH even if it doesnt have any service history.....

It's not FSH, cos you missed two services. Or at least, did them 6 months late.

And you'd be amazed what dealers get up to. It's not just the customer they rob blind, the manufacturer (or their importers) get robbed blind too.

Charging for warranty adjustments that haven't been done, charging the manufacturer for a replacement part that is never fitted, or not even needed, so they get the labour, plus the physical part, then when a non-warranty replacement is needed, they already have one on the shelf, that was free. (One major midlands dealer wound the business up and sold everything off 8 or 9 years ago, when a 7 figure stash of unfitted warranty parts was found in a lock up!)

Its one reason why warranty jobs take longer and longer these days, the manufacturer has to double check everything, VIN numbers, serial numbers, fault codes, before they'll even authorize delivery of the parts.

Just another point on brake disks and MOT's - disk condition is no longer checked at MOT time, as long as the brakes pass the efficiency test then that's good enough.

the legal advise within the UK was a VAT registered garage.

Lawyers.

lol

Slightly OT but I took out one of those £20 MOT 'insurance' policies with my old car - they basically say if you come back and do the MOT with us next yuear we'll cover the costs of any MOT failure bits.

Suffice to say, next year the service rep smugly handed me over a mahoosive list of 'failures', some I still think were made up. Seatbelt fastening for £350 etc.

Look on her face when I told her about this insurance policy - she went from "making lots of money from this mug" to "I've got lots of paperwork and explaining to the boss and we're out of pocket" was priceless...

sadexpunk - Member

just while we're on the subject of services, can i ask where the limits of 'FSH' are please?
ill possibly be selling my octavia soon and dont want to advertise wrongly.

bought it 3 or 4 yrs ago and until then had been stamped by a main dealer. since i bought it i had it serviced first year at a local garage, then over the last 3 years its been serviced twice, so theres around 18 mths between services. ive just serviced it myself this year and kept receipts of oil/filters etc to prove it.

is this FSH because 'its got the full history of when its been serviced despite not being at official intervals' or is it 'some service history' because it hasnt been serviced every 12 months on the nose and not by proper garages.

is there a black and white criteria, or are the lines a bit grey?

thanks

There is no hard and fast rules as to what 'FSH' means - you certainly could advertise it as having 'FSH' as it's service history is documented - but it's missed a service.

Most people expect FSH to mean every service, completed roughly on time, by a garage, who stamp the book - but bills for oil filters and oil etc are more than acceptable on a car over a certain age.

Newer Cars people want dealer stamps - as this thread illustrates, if you go to a dealer they'll try to get you out with an "as new" car, even if it costs a fortune - might not be a bad thing, my Car is getting on for 5 years old and 60k miles, it's like new, but it costs a bit to keep that up.

I service the car better than a dealer would.

btw MOT day today..just had the call, car past but the tyres are at 4mm and they recommend replacing them as a precaution 🙁

You do need to use genuine parts supplied by the manufacturer, and the specific oil specified by the manufacturer (not just the same grade) otherwise the warranty is no longer valid.

Not convinced about the oil, I get my parts from the parts counter at the local ford dealer, Ford oil is very expensive (relative to just buying the correct synthetic from euro carp parts) but they often have other oils in at bargain prices. Last time it was Morris*. So the dealers obviously don't use their own oil either.

*odly, it was the diesel spec oil and I've a petrol car but they were happy it was correct. Presumably diesel spec oil is 'better' to cope with the Turbo?

Right, so under block exception rules car Manufacturers had certain elements of of the competitive trading act blocked due to the technicality's of motor vehicles. These rules were changed in 2002. Meaning that you can get your car serviced wherever you want provided they are qualified, carry the service out using the manufacturer approved parts and follow the manufacturers servicing instructions and technical guidelines. So make sure when you get your local garage to service a car they have a copy of the 'Official' service sheet and supply you with invoices for the 'Original' parts. I wouldn't recommend servicing a car within the manufacturer warranty period yourself. Unless you are qualified and can carry out the service as per the manufacturers technical specifications. In my opinion (15 years in the trade) you are asking for trouble should there be a major warranty claim.

These changes have bought down the price of vehicle servicing at main dealers. However be aware that dealers need to make a profit to stay operating as such this has lead to an increase in 'up-selling' service departments are targeted as much as the sales teams now. So just bear this in mind when the inevitable call comes through saying your brake pads need replacing. Once your car is with them with the wheels off you are a captive customer and its sometimes easier just to say 'Yes'

If you want more detail on the ins and outs look here:

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/general-advice/right-to-repair-campaign.html

Our Ford has been to a local indy and the main dealer for servicing. Ford were cheaper, more communicative and gave me a loaner for the day.

"Once your car is with them with the wheels off you are a captive customer and its sometimes easier just to say 'Yes'"

no your not. and only if your a mug and like handing over money for nothing.

Reminds me of pentland furnishing my parents with the "other" half bottle of screen wash they put in the car....and itemised it on the bill for 13 quid.....

My dad asked which part of the car they put it in..... couldnt have been the screen wash bottle - it was topped off the morning of the service and if it had leaked out half a bottle of screenwash then he wanted the leak fixed under warrenty.

Theres no reference to "qualified" or "technical specification" in the warranty in front of me, so they are not part of the contract.
The wheels btw are unlikley to be removed on a dealer oil service.

"Once your car is with them with the wheels off you are a captive customer and its sometimes easier just to say 'Yes'"

The wheels btw are unlikley to be removed on a dealer oil service.

I think he was being figurative rather than literal. In the same way as I don't think he's actually being held captive.

I think a lot of people feel like the first statement. Once a garage has got a car in then a big proportion of people will go along with whatever is said.