Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!!

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Tue 22 Oct 2013 12:05
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - Banjo6969

My Ford Grand C max (1.6 TDCI) is due its first service in November - it has done approx 9000 miles.

I phoned around 3 different Ford Garages (all in the North East) which all gave very different quotes:

Ford Morpeth (Jennings) - £246.50 inc vat

Ford Shiremoor (Arnold Clark) - £179.45 inc vat

Ford Cramlington (independent) - £99 inc vat

Why are they so different?!? Obviously Ford Cramlinton is where I want to go - I mentioned to the guy there about the quote from Ford Morpeth and he couldnt believe it. He said the first service is a relatively simple one and it is the second one that is more involved.

Does the £99 price sound too good to be true? Or is it fair based on the work involved. Are the other dealers trying to rip me off? The problem, is that i do not know what is involved in this service - but I want it done properly to maintain the warranty - and also because I tend to keep cars for around 6 years before selling them on so want to maintain it properly.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Edited by Banjo6969 on 22/10/2013 at 12:06

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Tue 22 Oct 2013 12:31
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - daveyjp
£99 looks excellent value. Just ensure they are using OEM parts and correct spec oil for the car.
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Tue 22 Oct 2013 12:41
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - Galaxy

I suspect the £246 is a quote for a major service, not a minor one.

The £179 figure, I'm really not sure. Could be a cheap major service or a very expensive minor one!

The £99 is obviously not a major service, but should be all that's required for a first one.

I assume you told all the dealers both the mileage and age of car, OP?

If you go to the Ford Etis website you can look up your car and produce what's required for the various services, depending on age and mileage:

www.etis.ford.com/

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Tue 22 Oct 2013 12:40
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - skidpan

I would be very concerned about the £99 price.

Modern Fords require a specific engine oil and Independants have a habit of a one size fits all policy. In a modern diesel use of the wrong oil can spell the end of the DPF. The modern fully synthetic used is generally about £60 at a service (a rip off since it costs about £20 wholesale), at £99 for the service there is no way they are using this spec oil.

Its not just independants. Wifes Kia Ceed requires C3 spec Low SAPS oil. We got 3 quotes for its first service and one quote form a Kia/Ford dealer was £40 less than the others. When I asked about oil he said he used basic old spec Ford Semi Synthetic which does not meet the kia C£ spec, if I wanted that it was £40 extra.

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Tue 22 Oct 2013 12:55
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - jc2

You will even get different quotes from different branches of the same group-then there can be a Ford Rapid-Fit outlet on the same site-get a quote drom both as the dealer may be cheaper-the £99 quote is their basic service-most dealers offer it(on any car-not just Ford) but it won't include any "inspections"etc.Go to the Ford Etis website and you can check what service you will require.

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Tue 22 Oct 2013 14:35
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - Collos25

Even at 99pounds its an expensive oil change because thats all they will do plus a coat of looking at about 10 minutes if you are lucky.

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Tue 22 Oct 2013 16:03
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - Falkirk Bairn

A few yrs ago - 1st service on X-trail - all wanted £150+ except A Clark - they filled the car with semi-synthetic as they had "cut their price" by £30......I stood my ground and they put in the fully synthetic.

3 mths ago it was 12 mth service for my CRV - £215 is the Honda website price... got it done at a "service only" Honda dealer - £90 - assured it was fully synthetic oil - says so in invoice - there is little to do at 12 month service oil/filter and a general look round - took 1 hour start to finish.

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Wed 23 Oct 2013 19:35
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - Singlish

Surely Ford Cramlington have quoted you for the Ford Value service only available for Fords over 3 years old (ie When the Manufacturers Warranty has run out). Also one minor consideration is you do not get the free paint and bodywork inspection for the longer paint and bodywork warranty!

Singlish

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Wed 23 Oct 2013 23:20
Ford C max - Service Query - am i being ripped off? Help!! - pd

Low SAPS oil can be bought pretty cheaply these days. Eurocarparts do an own brand one meeting C3 and the Ford spec for about £28 for 5 litres. Probably not the best stuff but it meets the spec. A lot of independents would use something like this.

I doubt the service is more than an oil or filter change, under an hour's labour for most.

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