Dealer Servicing
Discussion
Called my local dealer today to book the car in for a service, surprised that the collection service is £15 or £25 for a courtesy car, car has been 'seen' by this dealer for a year or so though purchased via another dealer - Is this normal now for BMW?
To compare the wife's Nissan Juke needed an MOT the other week and they collected for no fee. The dealer is about 4 miles away for reference.
What are your experiences?
To compare the wife's Nissan Juke needed an MOT the other week and they collected for no fee. The dealer is about 4 miles away for reference.
What are your experiences?
Courtesy car charge isn't unusual I expect it's for the insurance most dealers use something like Day Insure to cover you to drive the car and they are charged everytime they put a driver on cover, collection charge seems unfair for 4 miles could understand if you were some distance away
My car is going in for the EGR recall next week (I must pop over to that thread soon) and I was on the phone today making the arrangements. The garage is located on the outskirts of town so I asked the girl about getting a lift into the town centre. That's the way they have always done it when I left the car in there in the past. However she told me that they don't do lifts any more because of the Covid virus. I then asked about getting a lend of a car. She made a quick search and told me yes, I could have a car. So it seems around here it is easier to get a car than a lift.(I'm in Ireland).
My local dealer used to pick cars up/drop them off but I'm not sure if they still do that? They haven't during Covid. They also used to give Taxi vouchers out at the dealership to get you into work from the dealers and back again, IIRC it was the first £5 each way that they paid, which got me to work and back FOC, they've stopped doing that now though I believe. It does rather feel like some of the premium service features they offered for the premium price charged have disappeared a bit too readily.
I think it is a very much franchise by franchise thing.
Loan cars used to be free at both the centres mine has visited they now charge £15 per day. Although with a bit of arm twisting I have always managed to avoid paying these charges (including next week to investigate my small amount of coolant loss (it might be another EGR cooler party) and for a service).
Chatting with the now service manager (he was a service advisor, but actually listened to customers frustrations) he waived the loan car costs.
That being said the real frustration for both mine is they removed the home drop off service they used to do within a certain radius before charging. Now you get a shuttle bus to one of two places, both ironically further than taking me home. It used to be perfect for me as they used to drop me off and the amount of working from home makes it easy!
Mine does the collection and drop off, but only in certain areas on certain days and charge about £25 for it....
Probably why if I can because of all the above I try and wait for the car these days, the faff is something I can do without (it is not even the charges so much as the awkward nature of it all).
Loan cars used to be free at both the centres mine has visited they now charge £15 per day. Although with a bit of arm twisting I have always managed to avoid paying these charges (including next week to investigate my small amount of coolant loss (it might be another EGR cooler party) and for a service).
Chatting with the now service manager (he was a service advisor, but actually listened to customers frustrations) he waived the loan car costs.
That being said the real frustration for both mine is they removed the home drop off service they used to do within a certain radius before charging. Now you get a shuttle bus to one of two places, both ironically further than taking me home. It used to be perfect for me as they used to drop me off and the amount of working from home makes it easy!
Mine does the collection and drop off, but only in certain areas on certain days and charge about £25 for it....
Probably why if I can because of all the above I try and wait for the car these days, the faff is something I can do without (it is not even the charges so much as the awkward nature of it all).
It may be Covid to cover extra cleaning costs. My local dealer, Dick Lovett, are not supplying courtesy cars as a matter of course due to Covid, whereas before the pandemic I always had a very nice nearly new Mini for no extra cost. When it's absolutely necessary, as it is now because they've grounded my car for safety reasons due to lack of parts during a routine recall, they've paid for an Enterprise rental.
Edited by RobM77 on Tuesday 24th November 12:08
Years ago my local dealership used to offer courtesy/service cars free of charge, including their insurance.
Then it became free if you arranged your own insurance, or £15 per day with their insurance.
The last time I paid for a courtesy/service car, it was £15 with your own insurance, or £25 with their insurance.
They started charging because everyone wanted a courtesy car, to the point when they had none available for weeks on end, so knew it was a good money earner.
(Many many years ago, I went to book my car in for some work to be done, and was told that if I didn't need a courtesy car they could book it in for two days time, but if I needed a courtesy car, it would be three weeks away, due to no courtesy cars being available! - I went without the courtesy car).
Then it became free if you arranged your own insurance, or £15 per day with their insurance.
The last time I paid for a courtesy/service car, it was £15 with your own insurance, or £25 with their insurance.
They started charging because everyone wanted a courtesy car, to the point when they had none available for weeks on end, so knew it was a good money earner.
(Many many years ago, I went to book my car in for some work to be done, and was told that if I didn't need a courtesy car they could book it in for two days time, but if I needed a courtesy car, it would be three weeks away, due to no courtesy cars being available! - I went without the courtesy car).
Had my 335d service last week at Main Dealer - Service / MOT / Brake Fluid change £350.61
and I was given a 218d people mover thing for the day
only thing I was disappointed with was they didn't wash and vac out the car when finished.
they did the other month when it had a Factory Recall for the EGR cooler
and I was given a 218d people mover thing for the day
only thing I was disappointed with was they didn't wash and vac out the car when finished.
they did the other month when it had a Factory Recall for the EGR cooler
Last week my car was booked in locally for an MOT. The day before, I noticed the left side repeat indicator (on mirror) was not working (4 year old F30). So I cancelled and re-booked at the BMW main dealer for the repair and MOT.
Now I usually come away very disgruntled at the poor service at main dealers. This time it was reasonably quick, the part had been pre-ordered (thank you Ffion, the guys never manage to do that!), the part cost was the same as on-line, and the labour cost was unexpectedly low. Yes, the MOT was full price, but the car got a free health check (videoed) a wash, and an apology about the internal vacuum not being available during the pandemic. An altogether better service than my previous experiences.
Now I usually come away very disgruntled at the poor service at main dealers. This time it was reasonably quick, the part had been pre-ordered (thank you Ffion, the guys never manage to do that!), the part cost was the same as on-line, and the labour cost was unexpectedly low. Yes, the MOT was full price, but the car got a free health check (videoed) a wash, and an apology about the internal vacuum not being available during the pandemic. An altogether better service than my previous experiences.
Sheepshanks said:
s70rmp said:
Wow. And some people object to them being referred to as 'stealers'.The MoT fee is standard.
The brake fluid service will be the fluid itself plus the time taken to flush and bleed the system (half an hour?).
The diagnostics and reset charge is the time taken to plug in the machine and do that, plus the depreciated cost of the machines and cables they have. The dealer's time will include the rent and running costs of their building, the cost of reception staff, and the cost of the mechanics.
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