Service History
Discussion
We've just picked up the girlfriends new car, a T plate Mini Cooper Sport in Anthracite (nice). It currently has a full Rover service history covering its short 6000 mile life.
So do we continue this at the Local Rover dealer or do we take it to the specialist we bought it from?
Actually I could ask the same of my Lotus Elise which has full dealer service stamps but now needs a service?
So do we continue this at the Local Rover dealer or do we take it to the specialist we bought it from?
Actually I could ask the same of my Lotus Elise which has full dealer service stamps but now needs a service?
I always got my Rover serviced at the main dealers, and paid through the nose for it. I used to believe that full dealer history would maintain the cars value. It hasn't - how naive of me! Your Mini is newer, with a much lower mileage - personally I'd still use the main dealer.
With the Griff being a bit older, I'm going to use specialist independents (24k service at CastleSport this Wednesday), purely because I expect them to have a more than 'by the book' attitude with regard to detecting any work that might need doing. I've been converted by attitudes on PH with regards to stepping outside the dealer network. And Ted recommended CastleSport...
My local main dealer is only £100 more expensive for the service, but its the additional work that inevitably comes up that I don't want to pay main dealer prices for. My car came with copies of all the previous service invoices, some of which run over £2500.
With the Griff being a bit older, I'm going to use specialist independents (24k service at CastleSport this Wednesday), purely because I expect them to have a more than 'by the book' attitude with regard to detecting any work that might need doing. I've been converted by attitudes on PH with regards to stepping outside the dealer network. And Ted recommended CastleSport...
My local main dealer is only £100 more expensive for the service, but its the additional work that inevitably comes up that I don't want to pay main dealer prices for. My car came with copies of all the previous service invoices, some of which run over £2500.
Take it to your local Rover dealer at recommended service intervals, and make sure they complete and stamp the service record section. Amazingly, some dealers can overlook this basic necessity!
A complete service history is vital when the car is re-sold, and it doen't matter if your specialist is 100% more competent than the official dealer - the next owner will look for a complete Rover service history in the sevice record book.
Different rules may affect high performance cars, usually because buyers are more knowledgeable and value the expertise of specialists, but I wouldn't apply this rule to a Mini.
By all means use your specialist for non-scheduled work/repairs - that way you'll keep the Rover dealer in check when he wants to do something unnecessary. Be firm, and insist on notification of any service 'extras' before the work is carried out, then jump on him. He won't try it twice!
To be fair, most dealers don't bother with this scam in these enlightened times...
>> Edited by McNab on Saturday 1st March 17:00
A complete service history is vital when the car is re-sold, and it doen't matter if your specialist is 100% more competent than the official dealer - the next owner will look for a complete Rover service history in the sevice record book.
Different rules may affect high performance cars, usually because buyers are more knowledgeable and value the expertise of specialists, but I wouldn't apply this rule to a Mini.
By all means use your specialist for non-scheduled work/repairs - that way you'll keep the Rover dealer in check when he wants to do something unnecessary. Be firm, and insist on notification of any service 'extras' before the work is carried out, then jump on him. He won't try it twice!
To be fair, most dealers don't bother with this scam in these enlightened times...
>> Edited by McNab on Saturday 1st March 17:00
McNab said:
Same for all warranty work - your specialist (obviously) can't handle this.
There is no Rover warranty now but the specialist has given it us a full 12 month warranty - none of this insurance crap either!
McNab said:
A complete service history is (again obviously) vital when the car is re-sold, and it doen't matter if your specialist is 100% more competent than the official dealer - he can't fill in the service book.
With my porsche it was always stamped by the specialist so as to show the vehicles history as opposed to the "official-ness" of it.
Its more a matter of keeping the cars in their best condition and getting the best resale on them at the end (although I think the Elise is waning towards keep and track now though
)Oops! Edited my remarks when I realised the age of the Mini.
With the best will in the world (and in a spirit of absolute friendliness), I totally disagree with you on this one.
I wouldn't buy a Porsche with a book-full of specialists' service entries unless the specialist was my brother, and I don't have a brother!
OK, I'm looking at this with two hats on - trader's and private buyer's, so I better not argue!
With the best will in the world (and in a spirit of absolute friendliness)
, I totally disagree with you on this one. I wouldn't buy a Porsche with a book-full of specialists' service entries unless the specialist was my brother, and I don't have a brother!
OK, I'm looking at this with two hats on - trader's and private buyer's, so I better not argue!
erm, if you're gonna pay for a full ROVER service history your rover garage better be a damn site better than ours!!!
it depends how long your planning to keep the car for, my mum bought a brand new Rover 200 seven years ago for circa £9000, its now worth £500... so whats the point of paying an extra £100 per service!?!
once we had 'escaped' the warrenty, the car went straight to the garage my parents had been using for years who still service it today...
a T plate mini is going to be a little different to a N plate 214i but on a car like this it doesn't really matter...
you could feasablly change the oil/coolant/plugs every 6000 miles and call yourselves "ALUNR MOTORS" and no one would know the difference... other than me!
it depends how long your planning to keep the car for, my mum bought a brand new Rover 200 seven years ago for circa £9000, its now worth £500... so whats the point of paying an extra £100 per service!?!
once we had 'escaped' the warrenty, the car went straight to the garage my parents had been using for years who still service it today...
a T plate mini is going to be a little different to a N plate 214i but on a car like this it doesn't really matter...
you could feasablly change the oil/coolant/plugs every 6000 miles and call yourselves "ALUNR MOTORS" and no one would know the difference... other than me!
Theres no right and wrong answer to this one.
I have a 16 year old Lotus. Given the rate at which they appear and then go bust, most Lotus dealers wouldn't even recognise the car, let alone know how to fix it. I intend to use an independent specialist if I can't do the work myself.
Ten years ago I used to have a Renault. Serviced at a Main Dealer to keep the warranty intact. Came back with all sorts of bits missing. One one occasion they fixed an air leak on the inlet manifold and forgot to put filter and filter box back on. Mind you, it was an easy mistake to make. It was only the size of a dinner plate and sat on top of the engine....
Some dealers are so crap you wouldn't believe it.
I have a 16 year old Lotus. Given the rate at which they appear and then go bust, most Lotus dealers wouldn't even recognise the car, let alone know how to fix it. I intend to use an independent specialist if I can't do the work myself.
Ten years ago I used to have a Renault. Serviced at a Main Dealer to keep the warranty intact. Came back with all sorts of bits missing. One one occasion they fixed an air leak on the inlet manifold and forgot to put filter and filter box back on. Mind you, it was an easy mistake to make. It was only the size of a dinner plate and sat on top of the engine....
Some dealers are so crap you wouldn't believe it.
Unfortunately many ROVER dealers are horrid...perhaps some hangover from the Leyland days?
Any incremental increase in resell value you may get from "FRSH" will be more than offset by the IMO overpriced services charges you will be subjected to...
The Rover is a fairly straightforward machine. Find a local garage, recommended by a few mates, whose opinion you value and take the Rover there and save a ton of money whilst knowing that the service schedule is probably being fulfilled conscientiously
I bought my Griffith new and the supplying main dealer serviced it and I became increasingly disappointed with the value and quality of the work I was paying for. Since the car is now 5 years old, I have taken it to a specialist called OFFORD who have just done a splendid job and also saved me over 400 quid when compared to the franchised dealer's service charge.
Any incremental increase in resell value you may get from "FRSH" will be more than offset by the IMO overpriced services charges you will be subjected to...
The Rover is a fairly straightforward machine. Find a local garage, recommended by a few mates, whose opinion you value and take the Rover there and save a ton of money whilst knowing that the service schedule is probably being fulfilled conscientiously
I bought my Griffith new and the supplying main dealer serviced it and I became increasingly disappointed with the value and quality of the work I was paying for. Since the car is now 5 years old, I have taken it to a specialist called OFFORD who have just done a splendid job and also saved me over 400 quid when compared to the franchised dealer's service charge.
Toffer said: Unfortunately many ROVER dealers are horrid...perhaps some hangover from the Leyland days?
yes definately!!! our local garage is almost certainly a hang-up from BL...
'nah you don't want an MG ZS, you want one of those new sporty, reliable and comfortable Morris Marinas...'
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