Reasons why you don’t go to a main dealer for a service
Discussion
Was having a conversation with some colleagues today and whilst we all drove a wide range of marques of varying ages and condition, what we all had in common is that we ’d never consider visiting a main dealer for a service or repair!
So I wondered if you would humour me and answer these for me:
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
What do they do that you DON’T like?
What do they do that you DO like?
So I wondered if you would humour me and answer these for me:
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
What do they do that you DON’T like?
What do they do that you DO like?
p4cks said:
Was having a conversation with some colleagues today and whilst we all drove a wide range of marques of varying ages and condition, what we all had in common is that we ’d never consider visiting a main dealer for a service or repair!
So I wondered if you would humour me and answer these for me:
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
What do they do that you DON’T like?
What do they do that you DO like?
What’s your reasoning for your fear of the people that supplied your choice of car when new?So I wondered if you would humour me and answer these for me:
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
What do they do that you DON’T like?
What do they do that you DO like?
p4cks said:
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
What do they do that you DON’T like?
What do they do that you DO like?
20 years motor trade experience.. I know what goes on !How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
What do they do that you DON’T like?
What do they do that you DO like?
Only ever been once, wouldn’t let them test drive as it was only an oil service done on a specialist car with FMSH
Everything.. the upsales, the spotty 18 year old filter monkey working on the car but £100+ ph labour, the lack of care and pride taken, all finished off with one of Poland’s finest wash n scratch bodge jobs.
Nothing, absolutely SFA.
Not to answer your questions directly, but for the daily grind I run a 1.0ltr new Audi A3 on a lease, therefore I need to take it to a main dealer.
Apart from the astronomical costs of a 1st service that I experience last year (£340, reduced to £260 after I kicked up a fuss) I have always received really good customer service. I haven't experienced any issues with the car, so the services have always gone smoothly. I have been treated well and always been given a nice courtesy car.
When I've had something older and more prestigious, I would never take it to a main dealer. When these type of cars develop problems, I would rather be able to go and speak to someone knowledgeable. If they let me in the workshop to show me the issues during MOT's / services which some have been kind to do, I really think this is going beyond their standard service and is much appreciated!
Apart from the astronomical costs of a 1st service that I experience last year (£340, reduced to £260 after I kicked up a fuss) I have always received really good customer service. I haven't experienced any issues with the car, so the services have always gone smoothly. I have been treated well and always been given a nice courtesy car.
When I've had something older and more prestigious, I would never take it to a main dealer. When these type of cars develop problems, I would rather be able to go and speak to someone knowledgeable. If they let me in the workshop to show me the issues during MOT's / services which some have been kind to do, I really think this is going beyond their standard service and is much appreciated!
fastbikes76 said:
20 years motor trade experience.. I know what goes on !
Only ever been once, wouldn’t let them test drive as it was only an oil service done on a specialist car with FMSH
Everything.. the upsales, the spotty 18 year old filter monkey working on the car but £100+ ph labour, the lack of care and pride taken, all finished off with one of Poland’s finest wash n scratch bodge jobs.
Nothing, absolutely SFA.
My Audi dealer doesn’t even bother washing the car after a service/repair...Only ever been once, wouldn’t let them test drive as it was only an oil service done on a specialist car with FMSH
Everything.. the upsales, the spotty 18 year old filter monkey working on the car but £100+ ph labour, the lack of care and pride taken, all finished off with one of Poland’s finest wash n scratch bodge jobs.
Nothing, absolutely SFA.
I have had my 2012 NV200 serviced by the selling dealer from new, now on 117K miles.
Only the servicing though, anything else I do myself.
By having the servicing done by the dealer the original top level RAC breakdown cover, which would otherwise cost £140 odd a year, is renewed FOC.
Only the servicing though, anything else I do myself.
By having the servicing done by the dealer the original top level RAC breakdown cover, which would otherwise cost £140 odd a year, is renewed FOC.
Main dealers are expensive. They are good at standard service tasks and I use them to keep my sad little dealer service histories going.
I do not consider them capable of much else, but to be fair to the staff they are probably hampered by strict protocols.
For anything that needs a little head scratching, initiative or thinking outside the box, I will use a good independent.
I do not consider them capable of much else, but to be fair to the staff they are probably hampered by strict protocols.
For anything that needs a little head scratching, initiative or thinking outside the box, I will use a good independent.
I have had many cars, most of them from new. I never, ever go to specialists. Always to the dealer where I bought the car. I know them, they know me, and they stand by the brand. Have done this with dealers for Toyota, Honda,GM,BMW,Mercedes, Jeep and Porsche.
They are not all perfect of course. I once had as horrible experience with a new VW Touareg V8. I changed to another VW Dealer ad all was good. I do prefer a privately owned dealer to a corporately owned one though.
Some cars I have had for relatively periods and some I kept for many years and had huge mileages on them. I am aware at some level that these may be heavily depreciated cars but I have a stronger sense of comfort with someone I can trust. I am aware of the financial consequences but I sleep well at night.
They are not all perfect of course. I once had as horrible experience with a new VW Touareg V8. I changed to another VW Dealer ad all was good. I do prefer a privately owned dealer to a corporately owned one though.
Some cars I have had for relatively periods and some I kept for many years and had huge mileages on them. I am aware at some level that these may be heavily depreciated cars but I have a stronger sense of comfort with someone I can trust. I am aware of the financial consequences but I sleep well at night.
I take my 13year old BMW and our 11 year old Nissan to our local main dealer.
Why?
The price differential is not massive where I live. The additional benefits of courtesy car, pick-up, drop off, on my way to work, etc.
The smart car is serviced by me ( because I still enjoy some stuff myself!) and my air-cooled VW is done at a specialist. (Unless it is a basic oil service)
It all comes down to convenience and trust for me. Money not such a driver......
Why?
The price differential is not massive where I live. The additional benefits of courtesy car, pick-up, drop off, on my way to work, etc.
The smart car is serviced by me ( because I still enjoy some stuff myself!) and my air-cooled VW is done at a specialist. (Unless it is a basic oil service)
It all comes down to convenience and trust for me. Money not such a driver......
Its where you go when you qualify from quickfit...
..one story from the 90s which the owner told me as true. His Aston went in for a service. Plugs, fluids etc etc.
Thie phone call after a few days went something like " you shell bearings need replacing, the cost will be....."
So yes, the engine needed work. But.... they decided a basic service included an engine out, stripdown and inspection which the usyomer would pay for, thank you very much....
Then there was the buyer of a ceramic coated exhaust foe a V8 Vanatge. £10k in the mid 90s....
..one story from the 90s which the owner told me as true. His Aston went in for a service. Plugs, fluids etc etc.
Thie phone call after a few days went something like " you shell bearings need replacing, the cost will be....."
So yes, the engine needed work. But.... they decided a basic service included an engine out, stripdown and inspection which the usyomer would pay for, thank you very much....
Then there was the buyer of a ceramic coated exhaust foe a V8 Vanatge. £10k in the mid 90s....
A1VDY said:
Not having main dealer services and therefore the service book stamped up can seriously damage the resale value of some makes and invalidate warranties.
Depends who’s buying & if they care about what they want and know is best for the car or what Joe bloggs (who doesn’t really know) thinks.For me buying a performance car I’d much rather see it’d been looked after by an independent specialist than a main dealer.
Take something like a Nissan GTR, two cars for sale with same spec and mileage, one having top specialist FSH, other has Nissan FSH... I’m taking the specialists car. I even know a Nissan employed, GTR trained tech who’s a great tech but they just don’t see enough of them.
Main dealer stamp has no extra kudos for me, opposite in most cases.
I’ve been in or around the trade my whole life and knowing your tech is up to scratch is a far better idea than wanting an ink stamp that could represent a clueless kid and/or an up-selling service dept.
p4cks said:
1: Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
2: How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
3: What do they do that you DON’T like?
4: What do they do that you DO like?
1:2: How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
3: What do they do that you DON’T like?
4: What do they do that you DO like?
Stratospherically expensive.
Pretty sure they make stuff up so they can make even more money.
They work to targets so their focus is to do things quickly rather than properly.
Getting to my nearest main dealer requires me to drive through Bradford.
The second nearest is in a very affluent location so I dread to think what they'll charge.
2:
Haven't been in more than a decade but I remember basically sitting on one of their posh sofas having what felt like a 90 minute long panic attack waiting to find out what I was going to be charged.
3:
Charge too much.
Rush things.
Have a sterile, un-friendly atmosphere on the premises. They feel like business people rather than car people.
4:
Well, I'd probably enjoy the relatively lavish waiting areas if I was rich enough not to care how much I was going to be charged.
You don't need to take your car to a main dealer to keep the warranty intact (Google the block exemption rule) However if you have issues not far outside of your warranty period ending it may favour you to have full main dealer history, both from a dealer and manufacturer point of view.
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
The parts prices is what gets me fuming at using my Volvo dealer. Naturally, they have to use OEM parts, and charge full list price for them. But Volvo charges SOOOO much for them. As a consequence, I avoid the main stealer, and have now avoided buying another Volvo.
The parts prices is what gets me fuming at using my Volvo dealer. Naturally, they have to use OEM parts, and charge full list price for them. But Volvo charges SOOOO much for them. As a consequence, I avoid the main stealer, and have now avoided buying another Volvo.
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