Took my 330 to the local main dealer recently following recall correspondence. The second letter notified me that the part was now readily available, something to do with the passenger airbag gas canister, so I rang up and made an appointment. I was quoted between 90 minutes and two hours for the work to be done, so opted to wait.
Turned up at 9:30, met by smiley people at reception and service reception, drinks were offered and brought to me by another smiley person. With biscuits. Papers to read. Wandered two minutes down the road to Boundary Mill ( Colne) where I bought some new crusties, wandered back and ordered a small piece of exterior trim from the (more friendly smiley)people in the Parts Dept. Kicked tyres and looked closely at a lovely M4, and a pristine old LHD 2002 Turbo. Keys returned within the time scale, car vacuumed out and washed removing all the Scottish cow poo from a recent weekend away, plus a free health check. Rear suspension bushes a bit loose, as per MOT advisory. Otherwise all OK.
All gratis. I was very impressed. No idea how much servicing costs there, but if the mechanics are as good as my front of house contacts, and I didn't have a mechanic pal ( and somebody else was paying) I would use their services.
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LL, naughty step, now! It is verboten to question the C4P doctrine on the quality, honesty or value for money of 'glass palaces'. You must change your own oil and brake pads every Sunday on your drive, whatever the neighbours think, and any advanced repairs must be undertaken by a man in a shed, who has a big hammer and a Halfords code reader and tells you twice a minute that the big dealers are all charlatans who will steal your shoelaces while you're not looking.
};---)
I was going to say I've a good mind to give you a scowly, but I think those two are mutually exclusive.
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I've wondered about this before because on odd occasions when I've actually checked the price of what a main dealer has done for me I am not really able to significantly improve upon the price.
I think if you compare like for like, then the main dealer is just fine.
However, "like for like" essentially means using OEM parts and completing the entire job according to the manufacturer's instructions.
i.e. no reuse of stuff, filters or gaskets, replacement of bolts, and the *entire* job done - including ancillary but related bits.
If you get the job done at an independent it is more easy to restrict the scope of the job and the quality and amount of materials used.
Personally, I'd never have a car which was worth a sizeable amount of money have any material work done at anywhere other than a main dealer.
However, for example my aging Dodge Ram, that gets done wherever is convenient, cheap and reasonably competent.
I like dealing with both, its just horses for courses and the right supplier for the right requirement.
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The main difference is labour charges surely - £100 an hour at the main dealer, £50 at my favourite indy.
The other answer is buy a SAAB. Bingo. No main dealers. ;-)
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>>£100 an hour at the main dealer, £50 at my favourite indy.
True but...
I have sometimes felt that the indy uses more hours, although probably not double. I have had something go wrong which could have been caught when some other, earlier work was done by an indy - short-sighted savings are possible (albeit just as much my fault).
Frequently I find diagnosis at the main dealer saves time/money with quicker more effective repairs.
Generally I find Indies to be nice, helpful people. But I guess they have to be or they wouldn't get the work.
Presumably though there will be less and less work for them going forward.
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>> >>£100 an hour at the main dealer, £50 at my favourite indy.
>>
>> True but...
>>
>> I have sometimes felt that the indy uses more hours, although probably not double.
Nah. the main dealer will book the number of hours specified by the manufacturer, regardless of how long it actually takes. Usually this means you pay for more hours than they use. The indy is more likely to book you actual time, at a lower hourly rate as well.
I'll use a main dealer for a car up to 4 (maybe 5) years old because of the possibility of goodwill after the warranty. After that time they can go whistle. Its money wasted.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 19 May 15 at 16:52
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>>I'll use a main dealer for a car up to 4 (maybe 5) years old
I'd agree with that.
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Although...
Audi and BMW offer discounted fixed price servicing for older cars. I paid under £500 for a full service, including 6 spark plugs, all filters, oil, brake fluid and auto gearbox oil change and new wipers plus all the usual checks and lubrication areas on our 22 year old Audi Cabriolet (Audi 80 based). Which I don't think was bad. I could probably have saved £50 to £100 at an independent, but they wouldn't have cleaned it, or collected and returned it. Obviously they flagged that replacement pads and discs we needed, and I wasn't going to pay dealer prices for them, but even so...
A interim service (oil change and a few inconsequential items) is around £179 I think, or at least was last time I looked. Again, a simple basic service at my local garage doesn't give you much change from £150ish on a 6 cylinder petrol engines car, so maybe save £30. And agin, no claiming or collection/delivery. But just don't use them for anything else. Except tyres, which Audi will price match as published on their website, and I've since discovered MB will as well...
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Last year I paid the largest service bill in my 7 years of ownership. It was an Inspection 2 Service. All filters...oil, pollen, fuel, air, 6 plugs. Plus new rear discs and pads all round. £570. Phew!! Maybe even some other stuff, but cba going and looking in the service book as car is now asleep in my garage.
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Course it is No FM2R
I am fortunate that several years ago a good friend recommended the person who services my car. I drop it off at his home, we discuss what needs doing, and he keeps me updated. If something doesn't need doing, he tells me. If he finds something not anticipated, he will ring and tell me how much, and how important it is or isn't. I have absolutely no idea what his hourly rate is, but I honestly feel that he is doing a thorough job. And I get all my old parts back in a box, although I don't want them! His house is immaculate, everything regimented in his kitchen, neat n tidy. Shoes cleaned and pointing the same way, ornaments equally spaced...you get the drift, and this is probably reflected in his work.
( I hope he isn't reading this. No criticism intended!)
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I find even the main dealers differ.
When we had the Mondeo I always had a courtesy car FOC when it was in for service. When the V70 goes into the Volvo dealer I have to pay £12 per day + fuel for a loan car.
Has anyone else had this charge?
In contrast, when the Fiesta goes into the local Indy ( literally, his strapline is 'You've tried the cowboys, now try the Indians' and I'm NOT being racist!), he runs me home and delivers the car back when it's done.
Good job the V70 only goes in once a year, I think.
Pat
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>> When the V70 goes into the Volvo dealer I have to pay
>> £12 per day + fuel for a loan car.
>>
>> Has anyone else had this charge?
>>
Mercedes is trying to enforce its MyService charging scheme which adds £50 for a loan car.
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Main dealers are very variable. Skoda dealers were always good with my Estelles.
But when I bought my Dyane new from a Citroen agency in Bayswater Road, the jumped-up moronic prat of a salesman had the gall to sneer at it. It was hard not to give the fool a kicking then and there.
The main dealer workshop was a mile up the road near Marble Arch. Its foreman was an old-style Frenchman with a walrus moustache. Not only did he not sneer, but whenever he had the car in there (first few services under warranty) it was noticeably quicker and sweeter afterwards.
Of course these are relative terms given that the car was just a poncy 2CV. But I quite liked it and it served me well.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Tue 19 May 15 at 17:52
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>> >> I have to pay £12 per day + fuel for a loan car.
>> >>
>> >> Has anyone else had this charge?
>> >>
I used to always pay £10 per day + fuel at a Ford main dealer.
The last time, I noted that there was a £500 excess on the insurance.
Ouch!
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Not being a user of garages, is that a reasonable charge? Do many people use the hire car service?
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I always use the main dealer, in fact it's going in tomorrow for a service and MOT. Harwoods have a loyalty scheme for cars over a certain age, or maybe it's because I'm over a certain age? Hmmm, who cares as long as I get the 37% labour discount and I think it's a minimum of 15% on parts depending on the specific part.
It brings the cost down to that of a reasonable indy specialist, they're local and I either get a courtesy car or collect/deliver etc. Courtesy car is subject to a £15 charge for insurance etc.
I also get invites to special events, factory visits and priority test drives. In fact I received an invite today to try out the new XE.
The only thing I don't use the main dealer for are tyres because micheldever tyres are just down the road, they're about £20 cheaper per tyre and will do a full laser alignment check for a few quid extra.
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My first visit to local Volvo dealer, they asked for a tenner for the insurance on the courtesy car. But I showed them my insurance certificate which covers me. They seemed surprised that cover was there. I was surprised they found it surprising, if you see what I mean, as I've always had that and never made a special effort to get it when changing insurers. I assumed it was standard. Perhaps I've been lucky.
The second time I didn't have my certificate with me, or rather, forgot I had it on my phone in email form. But they just grinned and said they'd waive the charge, no problem. Took my word I was covered.
Nice bunch.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Tue 19 May 15 at 19:25
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BMW 3-Series E46 - Recall and more free coffee - WillDeBeest
