Franchise servicing costs down?

[pr100]

Just booked my XKR in to Lancaster Reading for its third-year service and was quoted a fixed price of around £260 (I think - I was too shocked to commit it to memory). Sounds cheap, I said (it was about £100 less than I paid a year or so ago). All our labour rates have come down, she said.

Is this widespread? Are they all desperate to get our business? Will they bump up parts and fluids charges to compensate? I thought Jag sales had picked up this year...

[Denis O]

pr100 said:

Will they bump up parts and fluids charges to compensate?

If it's a fixed cost, what do you care.

[a8hex]

pr100 said:

Just booked my XKR in to Lancaster Reading for its third-year service and was quoted a fixed price of around £260 (I think - I was too shocked to commit it to memory). Sounds cheap, I said (it was about £100 less than I paid a year or so ago). All our labour rates have come down, she said.

Is this widespread? Are they all desperate to get our business? Will they bump up parts and fluids charges to compensate? I thought Jag sales had picked up this year...

If sales have picked up, there might also be more servicing work so they might be able to afford a lower rate as the fixed costs are split over a larger number of customers. Hmmmmm possible but not normally how businesses operate.
Maybe pressure from on high, lowering service costs lowers total cost of ownership. If customers find that servicing their Jag is cheap that servicing a German rival then that probably helps to keep customers.

I bought my XJ from Lancaster's, over in Sidcup, but it was serviced for years by the crowd at Reading, I was always very happy with their work, which was not the case with another main dealer I tried. It doesn't go there now, but for other reasons. I'm still on their mailing list and every now and then they have very good offers. They did me an aircon service and re-gas a couple of years ago at a very reasonable price, can't remember what, like you say too shocked to remember it.

[pr100]

For me, Reading's workmanship has been first class - and I am most recently grateful to them for solving a battery drain problem that the supplying dealer, HA Fox of Guildford, couldn't find an answer for.

But the admin at Reading leaves a little to be desired. On more than one occasion my cars have been delivered back to me without the invoice or MOT certificate. Once they locked my keys in the boot and had to send a runner to collect my spare set...

I do wish they used a different MOT station though as the fusspot they use won't work on my car until a different numberplate - without my re-spacing - is fitted.

On the servicing front, I wonder if the franchises lose a lot of work to the independents once the original warranty expires so the third year service is cheaper to tempt you back.

[a8hex]

I know they used to have a scheme for lower prices for older cars, I can't remember how old they needed to be.

Not sure how they feel about illegal number plate spacings but there is a very good garage & MOT test station right across the road from Lancaster's Reading, Fenn Motor works. Specialise in Jaguar and Rolls Royce/Bentley, although they've done a few things to the MrsMB for us.

[Pickled Piper]

Most main dealer workshops are feeling the pinch. Many people just don't have the same amount of disposable income as they did a few years back.

When it comes to paying the household bills or maintaining a main dealer service history, most people will opt for the former. Many cars are just not getting serviced or the owners are taking them to Independent garages and the likes of Kwikfit and Halfords etc who are offering a more complete service.

Several of the local BMW dealers in my area are offering special fixed price deals. You can get your car in almost immediately, whereas a few years back a two week wait was the norm.

Our VW dealer phoned us when an MOT was due on my Wife's car and then price matched my local Kwikfit!

Simple supply and demand.

pp

[pr100]

I've now paid for my franchise garage 3rd year service... £225 including a touch-up paint stick and VAT.

Extraordinary. Significantly less than recent services on an Alfa and a Suzuki.

The bad news is that they want £1500 to extend the Jaguar warranty to cover the fourth year...

[NormanD]

pr100 said:

I've now paid for my franchise garage 3rd year service... £225 including a touch-up paint stick and VAT.

Extraordinary. Significantly less than recent services on an Alfa and a Suzuki.

The bad news is that they want £1500 to extend the Jaguar warranty to cover the fourth year...

I just go to a good independant Jaguar specialist
Win on ££'s per hour and spare prices

Try TLJaguar on 0118-976-2899
Post Code RG40 4TS
He can't be far from you