Main Dealer - courtesy vehicles
Discussion
when I've had a car when mines in for a service I have not had to pay a groat, ford and renault.
renault even went to enterprise to get me a car when they were all out,
even my bike dealer got me a grattis bike when mine was in for servicing and recall work,(took two months though).
bullit
renault even went to enterprise to get me a car when they were all out,
even my bike dealer got me a grattis bike when mine was in for servicing and recall work,(took two months though).
bullit
I'm interested in this at the moment as my new lease requires me to use a main dealer for servicing. The only other main dealer I used was when I had a clio 182 and they'd just give me a bog standard 1.2 clio but I didn't have to pay.
My ex had a boxter and used to be very well treated by Porsche, she was given a 997 and another time a cayman s. But she was good looking and always hinted to the sales manager that she was interested in changing her car!
Now I need to use Audi for servicing the tt, what will they likely use as courtesy cars? do they have a fleet of boggo a3s or is it more interesting that that? I'm excited as I've never had a remotely decent car before.
My ex had a boxter and used to be very well treated by Porsche, she was given a 997 and another time a cayman s. But she was good looking and always hinted to the sales manager that she was interested in changing her car!
Now I need to use Audi for servicing the tt, what will they likely use as courtesy cars? do they have a fleet of boggo a3s or is it more interesting that that? I'm excited as I've never had a remotely decent car before.
sebdangerfield said:
Now I need to use Audi for servicing the tt, what will they likely use as courtesy cars? do they have a fleet of boggo a3s or is it more interesting that that? I'm excited as I've never had a remotely decent car before.
Not experienced it but heard that they will try and give you something better than you have, probably depends on the dealer.Seems to vary by dealer... as does the quality of what they give you.
Our local VW dealer lost brownie points when they backed out of a pre-sales commitment to always provide a Phaeton or Touareg as a courtesy car if we bought one of them. First service rolls around and, you guessed it, it's a Polo. Bloody good job no long distance/client work that day!
Seems though like there are cutbacks to service all over the place: The one that got me was when one of the dealers wanted extra to jetwash the car! However, seems to be affecting sales as well as service - Mrs LT went out looking for new cars over the weekend and turns out that one of them only cleans their demonstrators on a Monday (no idea when leaving sweet papers in the footwell and clothes from Saturday's night out on the back seat became a good way to present a positive image).
Our local VW dealer lost brownie points when they backed out of a pre-sales commitment to always provide a Phaeton or Touareg as a courtesy car if we bought one of them. First service rolls around and, you guessed it, it's a Polo. Bloody good job no long distance/client work that day!
Seems though like there are cutbacks to service all over the place: The one that got me was when one of the dealers wanted extra to jetwash the car! However, seems to be affecting sales as well as service - Mrs LT went out looking for new cars over the weekend and turns out that one of them only cleans their demonstrators on a Monday (no idea when leaving sweet papers in the footwell and clothes from Saturday's night out on the back seat became a good way to present a positive image).
sebdangerfield said:
Now I need to use Audi for servicing the tt, what will they likely use as courtesy cars? do they have a fleet of boggo a3s or is it more interesting that that? I'm excited as I've never had a remotely decent car before.
In the past we've had Audi A2 and some A4s, recently, given in a 1.8T A6 (since we got the current one -A6 2.4 SE- in 06):06 A4 2.0T Multi-tronic
07 A4 2.0TDI SE
08 A6 2.7TDI SE
59 A6 Avant 2.0TDI S-Line LeMans Edition (fully loaded)
All Free
Edited by Waugh-terfall on Monday 14th March 12:14
sleep envy said:
Either way you do pay for it, just depends where in the invoice it is.
Thank you. I love how people expect Dealers to just have expensive courtesy cars sitting around ready. I remember a customer with a buggered A class box just kept repeating "I want a CC" no matter how many times I pointed out that we didn't physically have any to give her. Eventually my manager took over. Had the same repetition conversation with her and she walked the 50metres to the tram stop!
On a side note, when the A8 was launched a few years back a customer of one of my former employers brought it in for it's first service. Courtesy car provided was a 1.0 C Reg Polo. He took it. But sent a polite email suggesting it wasn't what he was expecting. He (apparently) didn't complain beyond that and kept returning to them for work. He understood that these things can happen and really it's not the end of the world like some people think it is.
And when you see the damage/lack of fuel/mess CC's come back in 75% of the time...
When you're charging north of £75 / hour for workshop time, I think customers have every right to expect a courtesy car - especially when you consider that many dealerships are miles away from anywhere remotely accessible for customers.
The alternative, and the option I've taken, is to use a local garage who charge £30 / hour (incl. VAT) - he doesn't have any courtesy cars, but he's within walking distance of home.
The alternative, and the option I've taken, is to use a local garage who charge £30 / hour (incl. VAT) - he doesn't have any courtesy cars, but he's within walking distance of home.
VeeFour said:
When you're charging north of £75 / hour for workshop time, I think customers have every right to expect a courtesy car - especially when you consider that many dealerships are miles away from anywhere remotely accessible for customers.
The alternative, and the option I've taken, is to use a local garage who charge £30 / hour (incl. VAT) - he doesn't have any courtesy cars, but he's within walking distance of home.
I've highlighted the relevant part for you. You're paying for the workshop to be there, lit, powered, full of bleeding expensive "mandatory" special tools (How would you fancy being told you HAVE to have a £900 Battery tester?) And have technicians that have been on multiple factory training courses (at a cost of £1K a go once you factor in costs and lost time) The alternative, and the option I've taken, is to use a local garage who charge £30 / hour (incl. VAT) - he doesn't have any courtesy cars, but he's within walking distance of home.
And don't for a second think old Mr£30p/hour has the skills to do any car in the last 3 years.
Rich_W said:
VeeFour said:
When you're charging north of £75 / hour for workshop time, I think customers have every right to expect a courtesy car - especially when you consider that many dealerships are miles away from anywhere remotely accessible for customers.
The alternative, and the option I've taken, is to use a local garage who charge £30 / hour (incl. VAT) - he doesn't have any courtesy cars, but he's within walking distance of home.
I've highlighted the relevant part for you. You're paying for the workshop to be there, lit, powered, full of bleeding expensive "mandatory" special tools (How would you fancy being told you HAVE to have a £900 Battery tester?) And have technicians that have been on multiple factory training courses (at a cost of £1K a go once you factor in costs and lost time) The alternative, and the option I've taken, is to use a local garage who charge £30 / hour (incl. VAT) - he doesn't have any courtesy cars, but he's within walking distance of home.
And don't for a second think old Mr£30p/hour has the skills to do any car in the last 3 years.
All 30/hour garages have the skills and knowledge to perform 90% of tasks on 90% of cars.
Rich_W said:
I've highlighted the relevant part for you. You're paying for the workshop to be there, lit, powered, full of bleeding expensive "mandatory" special tools (How would you fancy being told you HAVE to have a £900 Battery tester?) And have technicians that have been on multiple factory training courses (at a cost of £1K a go once you factor in costs and lost time)
And don't for a second think old Mr£30p/hour has the skills to do any car in the last 3 years.
I've heard all the excuses under the sun for the expensive rates - and I get sick of main dealers telling me they can do work an indie can't. It is of course, rubbish.And don't for a second think old Mr£30p/hour has the skills to do any car in the last 3 years.
I learned this when VW told me only they could do the rear pads on a B6 Passat - only to find out that even Kwik Fit have the diagnostic kit to wind back the electronic rear callipers.
None of my recent company cars has been anywhere near a VAG dealer for servicing - the lease company uses the chain of garages recently bought out by a popular car accessories shop.
My local guy has a contact with all the diagnostic kit for almost any modern car - some of it may be unofficial, like VAGCOM, but he allegedly hasn't been stumped by anything yet. Maybe not quite 3 year old cars, but certainly 5 year old cars are sent to him regularly for code reading and reset. And, lets be honest, you don't need to have the kit to do an intermediate service, or even change a cambelt - when I had a B5 Passat 1.8T, VAG wanted £800 to do the cambelt service - my local guy did it for £250....
Busa_Rush said:
But they're not charging that for workshop time, it's an overall inclusive cost for working on your car - a cost for a piece of work, not just for heating, lighting, mechanic and tools. My dentist doesn't charge me extra for the mouthwash or for listening to his music or for sitting in his chair
All 30/hour garages have the skills and knowledge to perform 90% of tasks on 90% of cars.
correct, he doesn't charge extra because it's already included within the billAll 30/hour garages have the skills and knowledge to perform 90% of tasks on 90% of cars.
it's not a terribly hard concept to fathom, main dealer's o/h are higher than an Indy's (with the exception of JZM)
if you want awful coffee in china cups and an 11 reg CC use a main dealer, if you want to pay less use an Indy and buy a travelcard
I thought PHers were the types who functioned on a higher plane?
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