OPC South?

[DS240]

Sorry, I know this topic is done to death, but I would value peoples opinions.

I don't live on mainland uk and I have a very low regard of my local OPC.

Therefore I think i will bring my car to the uk for its servicing whilst it is in warranty.. then I can switch to a local independant who I know is good.

I would sail into one of the ports on the south coast, portsmouth, weymouth etc and make a long weekend of it.


Who would people recommend OPC wise, that is no further north than london for quality service?

Many thanks.

[xftdr]

If you are sailing in to Portsmouth the closest OPC is Bournemouth. Rod Winter is the service man and he is very good indeed - a real old time Porsche man. But he is just front of house; my experience of the back room boys has been a bit under-whelming to be honest. Mind you I had a 3.2 and now a 993 so I guess people's experience of them is now fading. They may be very good for newer models.

[FactoryPilot]

Mid-Sussex are pretty good too. Not a bad run from Portsmouth to them

[nickfrog]

I would recommend an Indy unless you enjoy getting shafted. Nine Excellence near Gatwick springs to mind.

[rog007]

Guildford were nice to me!

[speedyun]

nickfrog said:

I would recommend an Indy unless you enjoy getting shafted. Nine Excellence near Gatwick springs to mind.

These sort of comments don't half get boring. I'd suggest that if you get 'shafted' by an OPC you really should look a little closer to home when trying to establish why this was.

Another vote for Guildford from me - great service, and never been shafted - in fact my recent major service cost compared favourably with an Indy.

[xftdr]

speedyun said:

These sort of comments don't half get boring. I'd suggest that if you get 'shafted' by an OPC you really should look a little closer to home when trying to establish why this was.

Another vote for Guildford from me - great service, and never been shafted - in fact my recent major service cost compared favourably with an Indy.

Thats a bit a harsh. When you go to an OPC and get given a quote for work, and then return with the work done to be told that it is twice what was quoted it is easy to feel that you have been 'shafted'. It has happened to me once at an OPC and I have not gone back. The issues was that the car's problem was now fixed and they refused to release the car to me until it was paid in full, saying that the quote was only indicative and that they had encountered unforseen problems. I now use an Indy - Jon Mitchell - who will provide a worse case and best case quote. This is very helpful for budgeting and invariably the bill comes in at or around the best case.

[speedyun]

xftdr said:

Thats a bit a harsh. When you go to an OPC and get given a quote for work, and then return with the work done to be told that it is twice what was quoted it is easy to feel that you have been 'shafted'. It has happened to me once at an OPC and I have not gone back. The issues was that the car's problem was now fixed and they refused to release the car to me until it was paid in full, saying that the quote was only indicative and that they had encountered unforseen problems. I now use an Indy - Jon Mitchell - who will provide a worse case and best case quote. This is very helpful for budgeting and invariably the bill comes in at or around the best case.

QED

If you went to an OPC again you would be wiser and manage the quote process more effectively, as you do today with your Indy.

[Mutt]

speedyun said:

QED

If you went to an OPC again you would be wiser and manage the quote process more effectively, as you do today with your Indy.

"QED" on Pistonheads, I thought I'd seen it all!

[nickfrog]

speedyun said:

These sort of comments don't half get boring. I'd suggest that if you get 'shafted' by an OPC you really should look a little closer to home when trying to establish why this was.

Another vote for Guildford from me - great service, and never been shafted - in fact my recent major service cost compared favourably with an Indy.

I can easily find you an Indy that charges as much as an OPC, you still get shafted but you don't even get an OPC stamp, you clearly compared Guildford prices to one of them.

For the rest of us, there is the likes of Wrightune, Northway or Nine Excellence to name but a few very reputable ones, who offer realistic prices, ie a fraction of OPC prices and a much more personal and friendly service.

I have never used an OPC BTW, so never got shafted. Just looked at the prices and laughed. Each to their own though.

[speedyun]

nickfrog said:

I can easily find you an Indy that charges as much as an OPC, you still get shafted but you don't even get an OPC stamp, you clearly compared Guildford prices to one of them.

For the rest of us, there is the likes of Wrightune, Northway or Nine Excellence to name but a few very reputable ones, who offer realistic prices, ie a fraction of OPC prices and a much more personal and friendly service.

I have never used an OPC BTW, so never got shafted. Just looked at the prices and laughed. Each to their own though.

Good for you. Doesn't really answer the OP though, does it? Suggest you go back and read the question.

Maybe you could start your own 'OPC's are expensive and they are mean to me I think but I don't really know because I haven't ever used one' thread?

[nickfrog]

speedyun said:

Maybe you could start your own 'OPC's are expensive and they are mean to me I think but I don't really know because I haven't ever used one' thread?

Damn. Read the OP's post again and realised his car was under warranty. Apologies, back to Key Stage Reading 1 for me.

As for OPCs, I don't think they are mean to anyone, and I actually think they look after their customers very well but at the price they charge (even discounted) I think they are a total rip-off, hence me never using them at their current rate. But if you enjoy the shafting, good for you.

Maybe you should start your own "I've never used a reputable and cost-effective Indy as I prefer the peace of mind of an OPC, vaseline included" thread

[SonnyM]

DS240 said:

Sorry, I know this topic is done to death, but I would value peoples opinions.

I don't live on mainland uk and I have a very low regard of my local OPC.

Therefore I think i will bring my car to the uk for its servicing whilst it is in warranty.. then I can switch to a local independant who I know is good.

I would sail into one of the ports on the south coast, portsmouth, weymouth etc and make a long weekend of it.


Who would people recommend OPC wise, that is no further north than london for quality service?

Many thanks.

MID SUSSEX - commonly known as the best OPC in the world. Steven in servicing will take good care of you.

[DJFish]

SonnyM said:

MID SUSSEX - commonly known as the best OPC in the world. Steven in servicing will take good care of you.

Hopefully true.
Although they seem to be experiencing some issues with outgoing calls this week.

[terryb]

There's a new OPC opening in Portsmouth in 2012 - be even closer then

[richharry10]

My company sell software to OPCs across the UK (amongst other manufacturers) and they use this to upsell you when you take your car in on the basis of a free VHC (vehicle health check) You will be told that the health check is their 'duty of care' to you, which in fairness is pretty true. But they use this to sell you additional items on top of your service or pre booked job.

I know what the average identified work versus sold percentage is and it is VERY high in certain OPC's. Be wary of where you take your car and I would suggest that the larger groups would be worth swerving as they have generic processes they use.

I dont have much to do with independent companies but would say that I have been to Northway twice and each time have had advice and work done free of charge wheras at Reading (I live in Newbury) would have charged at least an hours labour (£150 +)

So go to Northway (the owner used to work at Reading 20 years + ago) and have your car done at a fraction of the cost and knowing they wont upsell you.