the best servicing - worth the drive

[marcus1970]

Hi all...

Time for a 6000 mile service.

Last year I had a normal 12000 mile service and it turned into a £4500 fleecing. As you can imagine, I am now very, very wary!!!

Can anyone recommend an excellent service centre that will only do the things that really need doing and not take large draws of breath through their teeth whilst looking at all aspects of my car.

I don't mind travelling, but the nearer to Dorset the better...

Cheers

MB

[gazzab]

Drive up to Liphook and see APM.
Plenty of people drive up from the coast to Andy.

[Julian64]

Not really sure I understand you. If you think you were fleeced, why did you pay the £4K?

Biggest problem is that the dealers are constantly measuring your car against brand new. If you really want the car put back to brand new each service you will pay a hefty premiuim for it.

Give you a for instance my first and last ever service cos I bought the car from a guy who still had it on warranty, and the service was required to maintain the warranty.

Bill for £3.5K. An example of what it included was the indicators didn't cancel, therefore new indicator unit at ££££ plus cost of fitting, airbox scuffed, new airbox ££££, purple pipes degrading replacement £££.

Now when you look at it the indicator after investigation required readjustment only which took me five minutes, the sirbox got a splash of fiberglass tape and paint costing bugger all, and the purple pipes were discoloured but if you took them off and looked inside they were fine. Brand new ones suffer this discolouration in about 10 mile driving anyway. I even had a note saying there was some seepage from the rear sump that would require and engine out!!! Now I've never seen a Cerb that didn't have this seepige

But who's to say in this world that the investigation and remedy of these problems wouldn't cost you more in investigation than simple replacemnt if you were paying dealer rates for investigation?

[Mr Freefall]

marcus1970 said:

Hi all...

Time for a 6000 mile service.

Last year I had a normal 12000 mile service and it turned into a £4500 fleecing. As you can imagine, I am now very, very wary!!!

Can anyone recommend an excellent service centre that will only do the things that really need doing and not take large draws of breath through their teeth whilst looking at all aspects of my car.

I don't mind travelling, but the nearer to Dorset the better...

Cheers

MB

Austec in Gatwick, Paul is very passonate about cerbs, plus they have rollers for diagnostics for one the road gremilins that appear. You will have to book in advance however. Never used AMP, so I cannot comment, but people here have good things to say about Andy.

The more you read about Cerbs, the more I am put off from main dealers looking at the car unless they know what they are doing.

I guess I am lucky, I have Castle near me that do know, and Paul some 75 miles away.

[TON70]

Mr Freefall said:

marcus1970 said:

Hi all...

Time for a 6000 mile service.

Last year I had a normal 12000 mile service and it turned into a £4500 fleecing. As you can imagine, I am now very, very wary!!!

Can anyone recommend an excellent service centre that will only do the things that really need doing and not take large draws of breath through their teeth whilst looking at all aspects of my car.

I don't mind travelling, but the nearer to Dorset the better...

Cheers

MB

Austec in Gatwick, Paul is very passonate about cerbs, plus they have rollers for diagnostics for one the road gremilins that appear. You will have to book in advance however. Never used AMP, so I cannot comment, but people here have good things to say about Andy.

The more you read about Cerbs, the more I am put off from main dealers looking at the car unless they know what they are doing.

I guess I am lucky, I have Castle near me that do know, and Paul some 75 miles away.

for Paul and his team at Austec, lucky enough on my doorstep......................... good for me or him??

[trooperiziz]

I drive 300 miles to get my car looked after at Topcats, so they must be doing something right

[gbbird]

trooperiziz said:

I drive 300 miles to get my car looked after at Topcats, so they must be doing something right

i thought LB was only 10 miles away from TopCats!

Another vote for Topcats here

[big_treacle]

marcus1970 said:

Hi all...
I don't mind travelling, but the nearer to Dorset the better...

I've had to use the 'most local garage' (i'm sure you know who i'm talking about) a few times. Since they've gone downhill I've used Peninsular in Exeter and APM in Liphook. Both have done good work. Now I have a Cerb I'll probably stick with APM. Other than that, I think there might be a place in Wiltshire if you fancy going that way - but don't know if that's true or my imagination.

[trooperiziz]

gbbird said:

trooperiziz said:

I drive 300 miles to get my car looked after at Topcats, so they must be doing something right

i thought LB was only 10 miles away from TopCats!

Another vote for Topcats here

I think it still is. Newcastle isn't though

[lake]

gazzab said:

Drive up to Liphook and see APM.
Plenty of people drive up from the coast to Andy.

I agree 100%

Lake

[Tripps]

lake said:

gazzab said:

Drive up to Liphook and see APM.
Plenty of people drive up from the coast to Andy.

I agree 100%

Lake

Same here, Andy has a wonderful tendancy to charge you less than you expect for any given service.

As I recall my 24k service with tappet adjustment was around the £600 mark, with some other niggles fixed too - I've seen dealers charge a basic price of £1300 for the same thing!

[byker28i]

Someone in the Wiltshire club told me they use Peninsular who picked their car up and delivered it back again.

[redleicester]

From Dorset it's a lovely run up the M5 to Horizon Motorsport..... easy drive, great service.... Taken all my TVRs there, never looked back.

[marcus1970]

Do any of these provide a courtesy car?

MB

[marcus1970]

marcus1970 said:

Do any of these provide a courtesy car?

MB

???

MB

[FUBAR]

marcus1970 said:

Do any of these provide a courtesy car?

MB

Well, Austec have loaned me a car twice now, but I wouldnt really call them 'courtesy' (read that as smokey old Mondeo type thing, but better thn Shank's pony )

[HarryW]

FUBAR said:

marcus1970 said:

Do any of these provide a courtesy car?

MB

Well, Austec have loaned me a car twice now, but I wouldnt really call them 'courtesy' (read that as smokey old Mondeo type thing, but better thn Shank's pony )

Got to be better than the old oversteering Cavalier they used to have , I take the offer of a lift to the train station now

[BigAlinEmbra]

Any advice on where is good in Scotland?
Ideally Edinburgh area...