Aside from an oil change...

[Condi]

What do a main dealers actually DO during a service?

Looking around doesnt count as doing anything. Filling up/checking fluids does count as doing something.

[blank]

Your service book should tell you but for a 'minor' service not much. Maybe a scan with the diagnostic tool if you're lucky?

And if they do an MOT at the same time you're paying for most of the checks twice!

[Condi]

Indeed. I usually do all the servicing myself, but I was going to get a dealer stamp for my new (to me) car. Looking at what Ford actually do for their £189, it seems I pay a lot for a 'free' wash and vac and someone to look at things.

[lexusboy]

Condi said:

What do a main dealers actually DO during a service?

Looking around doesnt count as doing anything. Filling up/checking fluids does count as doing something.

The same thing that an Indy does, whatever the customers asks for as well as following a prescribed service sheet with (in my case) a fully qualified eye and mind and informing the customer of any problems with the car and anything that may be an issue further down the line that doesn't need addressing right now.

I can't speak for everyone but I like to think I go the 'extra mile' and sort out any little items I've noticed that the customer hasn't mentioned; tyre valve caps missing, undertray/engine cover clips missing, attaching loose bits of trim etc

[DaveCWK]

They don't do much; lots of looking, a bit of chassis bolt retorquing if you're lucky but even that probably falls under a 'major' 30k/50k serviced.

I bet in reality most cars would survive for 100k with just regular oil changes, and everything else neglected.

[Yadash]

From my work experience:

Underbody check: Check bushes and linkages and suspension
Tyre and brake wear check
Change oil and filter
Carry out recall work
Check other fluid levels and top up

Pollen filter at major service

[Welshbeef]

Yadash said:

From my work experience:

Underbody check: Check bushes and linkages and suspension
Tyre and brake wear check
Change oil and filter
Carry out recall work
Check other fluid levels and top up

Pollen filter at major service

But no car under 5 years old would have bush wear issues would it so really its feck all and then lesser garages dealing with the other bits if the owner ever bothers to change then or let then only change on MOT fail items

[Robert Elise]

If you printed out a service checklist yourself and ticked the items, plus date, mileage, % brake pad left etc you'd have a pretty good svc history for many/most buyers. Maybe take a photo.
What items would you put on your home "A" service list?
Fluids, tyres, wheels, pads, hoses
I'd leave the bigger items to a trusted garage (ie brake fluid every 2 yrs)

[SteBrown91]

VW have just done a minor service on my Golf. 150 quid later and I have a bill itemised with:
Castrol Edge VW Longlife Oil
Oil Filter
Sump Plug


They did do a health check (where they could not find a single moneymaker, I mean fault) and gave it a half arsed wash.

Means I dont have to wash it for a couple of months though!

[Mave]

Welshbeef said:

Yadash said:

From my work experience:

Underbody check: Check bushes and linkages and suspension
Tyre and brake wear check
Change oil and filter
Carry out recall work
Check other fluid levels and top up

Pollen filter at major service

But no car under 5 years old would have bush wear issues would it so really its feck all and then lesser garages dealing with the other bits if the owner ever bothers to change then or let then only change on MOT fail items

Except for BMW 3s series and Alfa 156s

[Who me ?]

Ste - don't know where in East Mids you are, but from Leicester to Old Wolverton is only 50 miles. If it's not too far, have a look on Briscoda.net under sponsors and there's one in Old Wolverton who maintains a reputation with Brisky posters for fair dealings and at moment an oil service is around £650 +vat ,by one of two VAG trained techs. One of the good things is that if travelling, and you get in early, they'll do it whilst you wait, not as part of the days work .

[steveo3002]

top up the other fluids , spin the tyres round to look for nails , check the pressures , shine a torch at the brake pads

maybe make up some stuff to drum up extra work

[Matt UK]

[quote=Who me ?]Ste - don't know where in East Mids you are, but from Leicester to Old Wolverton is only 50 miles. If it's not too far, have a look on Briscoda.net under sponsors and there's one in Old Wolverton who maintains a reputation with Brisky posters for fair dealings and at moment an oil service is around £650 +vat ,by one of two VAG trained techs. One of the good things is that if travelling, and you get in early, they'll do it whilst you wait, not as part of the days work .
[/quote]

Sounds a great service, but still rather steep...

[beko1987]

Wow, I'm glad I drive a car where main dealer service history isn't an issue anymore!

Also think that my old stter is serviced better than at main stealers now!

[SteBrown91]

Who me said:

Ste - don't know where in East Mids you are, but from Leicester to Old Wolverton is only 50 miles. If it's not too far, have a look on Briscoda.net under sponsors and there's one in Old Wolverton who maintains a reputation with Brisky posters for fair dealings and at moment an oil service is around £650 +vat ,by one of two VAG trained techs. One of the good things is that if travelling, and you get in early, they'll do it whilst you wait, not as part of the days work .

I'm guessing you mean 65 plus vat?

I know I can get it cheaper (Even locally) but I have minor OCD with service books and this is the first car I have owned which has matching stamps in the book, and the sad part of me wanted to keep that

BTW I'm near Derby

[J4CKO]

Anything that happens to the car is largely immaterial, the most important bit is the stamp in the book to keep your warranty and to convince other people who havent got a clue that the car has had the very best care it could ever have once ever 12 months or however many miles.

I would rather buy a car with wads of bills and notes made by a competent and knowledgeable owner who maintains the car on a rolling, regular basis all year, not on an arbitrary date once a year, a service history just says to me the bonnet has been lifted once in 12 months.

I am perhaps a little overly sceptical but it is, other than the oil change, mostly smoke and mirrors in the first few years.

[Ozzie Osmond]

J4CKO said:

I would rather buy a car with wads of bills and notes made by a competent and knowledgeable owner who maintains the car on a rolling, regular basis all year, not on an arbitrary date once a year, a service history just says to me the bonnet has been lifted once in 12 months.

IMO a properly maintained car shouldn't need attention all year round. That sounds like waiting for something to break and then fixing it.

Car manufacturers

• identify what preventive maintenance and checks their cars need,
• write it down in a list for dealers to follow, and
• run computer systems which track their cars service histories.

The idea that main dealer service is just a stamp in a book may be popular on PH but it's pure myth.

[otherman]

DaveCWK said:

I bet in reality most cars would survive for 100k with just regular oil changes, and everything else neglected.

No problem at all, I've done it with three cars. The current one started at 85k, its on 150k, so far just oil/filter change with the mot. I don't care about no dealer stamps because the car will be fully depreciated by the time I'm done with it.

[lexusboy]

[itcaptainslow]

OP, you'd be the first person to get pissy if the checks that are done, weren't done, and your car failed the MOT, or worse, caused an accident because it had a safety defect that wasn't picked up in a routine service.