Thoughts on non-lotus specialist servicing?

[Stitch]

Car is a 2003 K-series engines standard Elise.

Due an A service

Toying with the idea of saving myself a bit of cash (and hassle of getting across to a specialist) and having the car serviced by Nationwide (they seem to get very good customer survey write-ups) or similar.

Thoughts?

[bogie]

I only used the dealer for the 1st year until my warranty was up, then specialist all the time...you get so much more work done for your money, generally as their labour rates are like 50-70% of a dealer

[Anatol]

Full services with Nationwide are essentially free if you have a Tesco clubcard - you can convert your vouchers into deals tokens with 4x their face value.

We get all our MOT's and services done there that way, business and personal. MOT's for £12 in tesco vouchers? Bargain...

Tol

[jondude]

There is probably little difference in work quality, not least as an 'A' service is essentially just an oil change and lookover, but I would want to meet the mechanics in person before handing over the car, and still stay in the waiting area while they attend to it.

Just to be sure they are careful and especially that they do not rev the balls off the engine or worse, let the apprentice take it for a spin.

If the centre is good, as I'm sure many are, then you may well have found a great place to take the car.

[chris7676]

Can they do anything at all apart from exhausts and MOTs ?
Seriously I would be careful with all these "quik nation wide fits".
Surely good if you can get an MOT for free, there is not much they can screw.

[TIPPER]

I'd use either a Lotus specialist or a garage I know I can trust unless you know your way around the car.
I spoke to my local Qwik-Fit about an oil change on mine the other day and in principle they're happy to use oil specified by me as long as the handbook says its OK. Easier to give them £25 for the oil change using decent fully synthetic than DIY at about £45-£50 for the oil alone. I then do the rest of the bits myself. I might give them a try but I want to see watch them lift the car.
I prefer to DIY given the time (and I'm getting more confident with it) but then my car is 9 years old and I've no intention of selling it fopr a long time.

[Silent1]

nationwide for servicing

[motaboy]

I have taken my elise to Nationwide for an MOT before as I thought there isn't really much they can mess up. I did stay with it and watched them like a hawk but they were very careful. Quote of the day from one of the mechanics - walks round to the front of the car, scratches head and says "wheres the engine mate?"...