Reasons why you don’t go to a main dealer for a service
Discussion
Alextodrive said:
People who buy their tyres from main dealers? Those are the people I'd like to meet and ask why.
I haven't for years however..... I'm not sure why you put more trust in places that only do tyre fitting. Whilst some guys are careful, take their time and do a proper job, there's plenty tyre fitters who do a less than proper job, and it's pot luck on who you get (a bit like guys who go to a converyor belt barbershop!). In my limited number of tyre changes over the years I've had rotational tyres fitted the wrong way, the wheel nut key left still on the nut when the car keys are handed back and the job done, stupid amounts of wheel weights added due to laziness of not just moving the tyre on the rim and re-balancing. Funnily enough though it was a main dealer who bashed my new alloys with the gun and also put about 65psi one tyre. It was an apprentice chimp who the service manager actually defended in front of me, then offered me a free service. I never went back. To conclude, it's pot luck! The only thing I use my local MB dealership for is the parts desk. Decent prices, and good knowledgeable staff.
My first car had a full manufacturer service history when I eventually sold it, that had zero bearing on what I got for it, and when buying used cars I am very conscious that service history can be made-up.
The most blatant I saw was an old Xsara Picasso the FIL was interested in, where several seemingly-unrelated owners from the distant corners of the country (from the MOT certificates) all took it to the same garage in Sussex for yearly servicing, and the service manager used the same colour biro to sign every time. For crying out loud, buy a few different stamps and biros
My first car had a full manufacturer service history when I eventually sold it, that had zero bearing on what I got for it, and when buying used cars I am very conscious that service history can be made-up.
The most blatant I saw was an old Xsara Picasso the FIL was interested in, where several seemingly-unrelated owners from the distant corners of the country (from the MOT certificates) all took it to the same garage in Sussex for yearly servicing, and the service manager used the same colour biro to sign every time. For crying out loud, buy a few different stamps and biros
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?
What's the character limit on posts?
4. What do they do that you DO like?
- Too many bad experiences
2. How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
- It feels like I've been asked to visit the local cop shop to answer accusations of kiddy-fiddling...as I know I'm going to be f
ked right over
3. What do they do that you DON’T like?
What's the character limit on posts?
- Charge £150+/hour...because of all the extras you get over a 'back street garage' - such as a courtesy car, which you have to book 4 weeks in advance and then mysteriously disappears when you drop your car off; or a free coffee/biscuits/breakfast, none of which is ever available as the coffee machine is stuck in cleaning mode, or the breakfast staff are ill, or the catering van hasn't arrived that day
- Quoting you £1000 for an inspection, telling you it will be ready before the end of the week, and then chase them up all through Friday as to when you can pick it up (as you now don't have the promised courtesy car, so the 20 minute drive is a 90 minute trip of 2 buses and a 20 minute walk), and then being told at 5 to 6 that they'll need it a few more days...FOR A FECKING SERVICE that was booked in 4 weeks ago
- Asking them to replace a part, then chasing them up a couple of days later (part had to be special-ordered) to be told the car has been stripped down to diagnose the fault (it was a leaking timing chain tensioner that I'd asked them to replace) and the sump is currently off to investigate the leak (the timing chain diaphragm had split - hence the request for a replacement). Then being told the assigned technician was now off sick and it was blocking a ramp and there system wouldn't allow them to assign another technician. Then being asked to pay over £1k for a £250 job due to the amount of labour involved in the unrequested strip-down of the sump.
- Being assured "everything's alright sir" when I lose lots of oil on the way home from a £1000 inspection - to find the expensive, highly-trained, Master Technician has forgotten to refit the oil filler cap and so my engine bay and half the road is covered in expensive Castrol TWS - and despite repeated promises to rectify it immediately, it is 3 days until they turn up with another cap - and they NEVER fulfil their promise to steam clean (not pressure wash) the engine bay and the rest of the car that's been covered in oil
- Wash a freshly detailed car, despite having signs on the seat to say not to...and having this is in the job sheet notes - then trying to say the scratches on the bonnet/doors/hatch are nothing to do with their minimum wage sponge-monkeys (and please, I mean 'monkey' as in their hands waving everywhere approach...e.g. spanner-monkey, not as a racial slur)
4. What do they do that you DO like?
- The ONLY thing I'll use a dealer for now, is for some dealer-only parts that I can't get elsewhere online.
Red 5 said:
Fixed price oil and micro filter service, plus vehicle check and brake fluid / wash.
Menu Cayman 1st service £625 + £15 courtesy car charge.
This was all confirmed / agreed by email, as I’ve been gouged by them before.
Being gouged at a main dealer is definitely a reason to avoid! Menu Cayman 1st service £625 + £15 courtesy car charge.
This was all confirmed / agreed by email, as I’ve been gouged by them before.
mmm-five 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?
What's the character limit on posts?
4. What do they do that you DO like?
Top rant which rung a few bells for me.- Too many bad experiences
2. How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
- It feels like I've been asked to visit the local cop shop to answer accusations of kiddy-fiddling...as I know I'm going to be fked right over
3. What do they do that you DON’T like?
What's the character limit on posts?
- Charge £150+/hour...because of all the extras you get over a 'back street garage' - such as a courtesy car, which you have to book 4 weeks in advance and then mysteriously disappears when you drop your car off; or a free coffee/biscuits/breakfast, none of which is ever available as the coffee machine is stuck in cleaning mode, or the breakfast staff are ill, or the catering van hasn't arrived that day
- Quoting you £1000 for an inspection, telling you it will be ready before the end of the week, and then chase them up all through Friday as to when you can pick it up (as you now don't have the promised courtesy car, so the 20 minute drive is a 90 minute trip of 2 buses and a 20 minute walk), and then being told at 5 to 6 that they'll need it a few more days...FOR A FECKING SERVICE that was booked in 4 weeks ago
- Asking them to replace a part, then chasing them up a couple of days later (part had to be special-ordered) to be told the car has been stripped down to diagnose the fault (it was a leaking timing chain tensioner that I'd asked them to replace) and the sump is currently off to investigate the leak (the timing chain diaphragm had split - hence the request for a replacement). Then being told the assigned technician was now off sick and it was blocking a ramp and there system wouldn't allow them to assign another technician. Then being asked to pay over £1k for a £250 job due to the amount of labour involved in the unrequested strip-down of the sump.
- Being assured "everything's alright sir" when I lose lots of oil on the way home from a £1000 inspection - to find the expensive, highly-trained, Master Technician has forgotten to refit the oil filler cap and so my engine bay and half the road is covered in expensive Castrol TWS - and despite repeated promises to rectify it immediately, it is 3 days until they turn up with another cap - and they NEVER fulfil their promise to steam clean (not pressure wash) the engine bay and the rest of the car that's been covered in oil
- Wash a freshly detailed car, despite having signs on the seat to say not to...and having this is in the job sheet notes - then trying to say the scratches on the bonnet/doors/hatch are nothing to do with their minimum wage sponge-monkeys (and please, I mean 'monkey' as in their hands waving everywhere approach...e.g. spanner-monkey, not as a racial slur)
4. What do they do that you DO like?
- The ONLY thing I'll use a dealer for now, is for some dealer-only parts that I can't get elsewhere online.
I have fought the good fight to stop my cars getting washed at the dealers for years.
In the early days I was met with a quizzical expression and I’d explain that I was a bit odd that way.
I remember once being told by a service advisor ‘I’m not sure I can make that NOT happen’.
But just a few months ago I was actually asked whether I wanted it washed or not. It was my turn to have the quizzical expression.
Last time I took a car to a main dealer was with Fiat to have a major service done & get a stamp in the book as it was fairly new at the time & I naively thought that mattered.
Billed for brake fluid change - it hadn't been touched.
Billed for cabin filter replacement - it hadn't been touched.
The showroom had a shiny floor though so maybe I should have been grateful for that.
Billed for brake fluid change - it hadn't been touched.
Billed for cabin filter replacement - it hadn't been touched.
The showroom had a shiny floor though so maybe I should have been grateful for that.
Red 5 said:
It’s why they often vacuum / suction out the oil from the top, instead of draining these days.
Saves time on ramp and sump plug washer,
What they did on my Civic, except they didn't check to see how much oil they had drained (hint: it wasn't all of it) and then filled with 5.5l of new oil which resulted in their being 1.2 litres too much oil in the engine Saves time on ramp and sump plug washer,
they then refused to acknowledge it was them, and wouldn't apologise. Oil was of course filthy given that all the crap in the bottom of the sump was still there.I have a good driveway mechanic who works on cars part time and he's now been looking after that car for the last 6 years, he's a bit cheaper but he does a very good job and always takes his time to do things properly.
Normally for me it's the price and lack of availability. I know a few main dealer technicians who have gone through the full training and live and breathe the brand, but they're few and far between.
Everyone's had the scare stories, but I tend to find that very few people take as much care as me. I'm the type to research part numbers to make sure everything is just fine, and procedures that I need to follow before doing things. The labour saving is nice, but the bit for me is knowing that I've fitted parts to the quality that I want in the manner that I want.
My father in law owns his own garage so I even fit and balance my own tyres, too. I've had it where they're not balanced up as I'd like.
Everyone's had the scare stories, but I tend to find that very few people take as much care as me. I'm the type to research part numbers to make sure everything is just fine, and procedures that I need to follow before doing things. The labour saving is nice, but the bit for me is knowing that I've fitted parts to the quality that I want in the manner that I want.
My father in law owns his own garage so I even fit and balance my own tyres, too. I've had it where they're not balanced up as I'd like.
Put simply:
My 2001 Evo 6 - 99% of people at a Mitsi dealer/garage won't have even seen one on their lives let alone worked on one.....therefore going to a specialist who has worked on nothing BUT Evos.....no brainer.
2015 Corvette Z06 - To my (admittedly small) knowledge, there aren't any official Chevy dealers/garages in the UK anymore? But as above, much rather take it somewhere that has worked on Corvettes for years.
My 2001 Evo 6 - 99% of people at a Mitsi dealer/garage won't have even seen one on their lives let alone worked on one.....therefore going to a specialist who has worked on nothing BUT Evos.....no brainer.
2015 Corvette Z06 - To my (admittedly small) knowledge, there aren't any official Chevy dealers/garages in the UK anymore? But as above, much rather take it somewhere that has worked on Corvettes for years.
Three main reasons:
(1) The labour charges
(2) My car is 15 years old and I suspect some of the mechanics in the local Ford dealer wouldn't even recognise it.
(3) My local village garage is brilliant.
As an aside, my very first car came from the local Vauxhall dealer as my father knew them well and I always had it serviced there. One day I noticed the oil pressure light wasn't illuminating when I started it - I mentioned it on the next service and they said the oil pressure switch had died. They said they didn't have one in stock but would order one in and ring me when it arrived.
Well, they never did and I sold the car not long afterwards, but the dealership is still there and I was wondering how long fellow PH-ers reckon I should leave it before ringing up to ask if it has arrived yet? It's been 22 years so far - should I let it go to 25?
(1) The labour charges
(2) My car is 15 years old and I suspect some of the mechanics in the local Ford dealer wouldn't even recognise it.
(3) My local village garage is brilliant.
As an aside, my very first car came from the local Vauxhall dealer as my father knew them well and I always had it serviced there. One day I noticed the oil pressure light wasn't illuminating when I started it - I mentioned it on the next service and they said the oil pressure switch had died. They said they didn't have one in stock but would order one in and ring me when it arrived.
Well, they never did and I sold the car not long afterwards, but the dealership is still there and I was wondering how long fellow PH-ers reckon I should leave it before ringing up to ask if it has arrived yet? It's been 22 years so far - should I let it go to 25?
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?
For me, dealers should represent the pinnacle of a marque's expertise, but I have determined over time that the volume fleet sellers such as MB and BMW seem to be interested in simple in/out jobs, or they replace over tackling the problem jobs with mechnical investigation, which doesn't really cater for owner/enthusiasts - such as the majority of us on here. 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?
I used the dealer exclusively when I had BMW Mondial comprehensive warranty. They made some cock ups too, such as the time that they replaced the incorrect bearing under warranty and then replaced the correct one whilst staring at their shoes and mumbling a cock and bull story rather than fessing up!
However, they also gave somethings in goodwill once you developed a relationship with the key people, which takes time but is worth the investment of time.
Fundamentally, it is all about relationship building and this is obviously simpler with a small and accountable indy. Where the dealerships stand out is in their ability to write off costs as goodwill.
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
It's the lack of accountability. Additionally they once recommended that I charge the air suspension on my vehicle until I produced paperwork from the previous owner to show that it had already been recently replaced. A lot of trust lost. The middle-men that come and sit on the comfy couches are clearly very rushed and busy and ill-informed.
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
I don't - but some dealerships offer discounts for parts and labour. This would make it particularly tempting if I were within the catchment for collection/drop off, but since I'm not I'm happy to lean on my indy that is the same cost.
What do they do that you DON’T like?
Lack of accountability and transparency
What do they do that you DO like?
I like the parts dept - some of those guys know their stuff
Edited by bolidemichael on Friday 7th February 12:20
Red 5 said:
Targeting P&L at the service desk, while having a fixed price service menu, are ideas rather at odds with one another!
This particularly annoys me - turn down the "premium service" option at our local Honda dealer and the service advisor then treats you like you're a complete moron.Inchcape dealers will often give you a sheet with additional work on it and on the back it details things like bonus earned for the service advisor. I guess they're only supposed to print the front!
There's no way you can build a good relationship when they key thing they have to do, on pain fo being fired, is screw as much money out of you as possible.
Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs? Cost and a lack of interest in actually fixing anything rather than replacing parts.
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something? The only thing I ever use is the parts department, and i feel out of place even though I could afford to shop there if I wanted.
What do they do that you DON’T like? Charge a fortune for not fixing the problem
What do they do that you DO like? It's nice to drive past on my way to the independent garage that I trust.
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