First Service FOC????

[bruce_111s]

My Elise is now due for it's 1000m service, and I was told that I only had to pay for the parts on it's first service by the selling dealer.

I also understood that I could service the car at any approved Lotus dealer.

Now the dealer that I want to take the car to (castle lotus) are refusing to honour this, unless the selling dealer (Nick Whale) pay for the labour up front.

Is Castle breaking the rules here? Or are they within their rights according to any lotus SLA?

[therossatron]

Sounds to me like they are probably breaking the rules. I'd imagine Lotus cars should pay for the labour rather than the dealer.

[sja]

I was suprised at the price for whats really only an oil change.. Labour FOC, parts (oil) £60..

[johnnyhayward]

Can you buy the oil yourself ?

[S Works]

Sounds like total nonsense if you ask me. I'd have thought that this would be charged back to Lotus via the franchise?

[adminH]

No rules are being broken here guys. We've found that if a car that we've sold goes to another Lotus dealer for it's 1st service, the other dealer is tending to request payment from us for the labour content, either up front or before the customer collects the car.

Whether people have been let down by the supplying dealers regarding payment for the labour, is anyone's guess!!

[bruce_111s]

...so the best bet is to book the car in, and hope that the supplying dealer pays up front in order for the servicing garage to release the car...

[jfrf]

no issues when i had my car serviced at romford dealer at 1000 miles, despite me not buying it from there.
also i would def supply your own oil. much cheaper

[paulwakinshaw]

sja said:

I was suprised at the price for whats really only an oil change.. Labour FOC, parts (oil) £60..

No way - £60 for the oil Steve, thats a total kick in the pods!

You are not bound by F1 to have your services done there, some euro rules were published recently which states that as long as you get the service done in accordance with the manufacturers service schedule any claims are still valid.

£60 me!

[steff]

Change the oil and filter yourself and take it to the dealer so they can stamp the book - job done.