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Does anyone know the difference between a Vauxhall Masterfit Garage and the normal Vauxhall Garage Service. I have been ringing round to get a price for a major service on an Astra and the difference in price is suprising, even allowing for a special offer currently at Masterfit - £230 at "Vauxhall" ,£115 at Masterfit reduced from £185. I realise the Masterfit is an express while you wait garage but I assume they use the same parts and are trained to the same level. They are both at the same site as well. I had intended to use a local garage recommended on this site but Masterfit have undercut them as well - is it the bargain it appears, bearing in mind I can still claim to have "full vauxhall service history" although I doubt that adds more than a fiver to the value.
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I have used Masterfit and they do use genuine parts. However they do not change the pollen filter as part of the service (it only takes 5 minutes to do yourself). The only thing I did find was that they put a 15W40 oil in the Ecotec engine; it rattled on cold startup in the winter - a sound that makes me cringe! Its now back on 10W40 and no startup noises. Hope this helps.
Best regards
Charles
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you could get it done at halfords garage (aka the AA now)
normally very good and you can spec up the items to be done and have pollen filter,cambelt and gearbox oil done or whatever if you want
at least its a nice big company you can sue if they screw it up
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I now do all routine servicing myself. Modern engines are not as mysterious as people think unless diagnostics on the ECU's are required which is where I would stop and get hold of assistance with the right kit.
Charles
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Robin,
Our local MOT station is a "real forum" where, during the week, many of the local independents and dealer mechanics (with a pj) meet.
Was talking to a Vauxhall mechanic about the Masterfit system last week. He said their bosses hated it. Apparently Vauxhall imposed it on the dealers to keep in at the cheaper end of servicing/repairs. Problem is they have set the prices very low and, given it is the same premises/mechanics as the normal setup, the margins are too low. Full service and MOT at times around £90 for example.
As a result they have the Masterfit price if you ask but they never offer it, instead charging normal rates.
David
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Masterfit are quite a strange set up in business terms.
I write as someone who had 5 different new vauxhalls between 92 and 2001 and I covered between 40/45k a year in each. I therefore seem to have spent a large part of my recent life sitting in a Masterfit reception waiting for my car to be returned as most car had 4/5 major services a year plus the odd warranty related work carried out.
As a result I became very familar with Masterfit in order to comply with the warranty conditions and not just one Masterfit but at least 12 different ones.
Firstly I nearly always found the "no appointment necessary" claim to be untrue the queue of people dropping off cars at my local one at 7.45am meant that if if you turned up at 8am without an appointment there would be much sucking of teeth at the reception desk nearly always resulting in you being given an appointment usually for the next day.
Secondly Masterfit conducts a lot of national TV and press advertising and the service desk does not always keep up with this with the result you call and ask about an offer they are not aware of. Always best to mention an offer such as "Mot and full service for £99" and take it with you when you book in or its not uncommon to find you have been charged the standard menu price which can be much higher.
Also I found that warranty work was often a headache for them as the allowances for this seem tight and therefore not welcome as they tend to have a massive throughput of pure servicing which is probably more profitable. When a front suspension spring disintergrated on my Vectra it turned out that as they only had a time allowance of 0.6 of an hour to replace it and as such they felt it to be unprofitable.
However to be positive I only had one really negative experience when they managed to short out the ignition wrecking the battery and ECU in the process.
They do use genuine GM parts as well, but even on a major service the pollen filters are usually an add on and they usually try to push an overpriced engine flush as well as charging for full bottles of screen wash (about £4.50 plus vat) with the half empty bottle being left on the seat. It also usually cheaper to get any tyres they claim need replacing elsewhere.
as ever
Mark
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My local Vauxhall dealer doesn't have the Masterfit service but offers the £99-99 full service for 4yo cars and throws in a free MOT so that's where our Corsa goes every year. New plugs and filters plus a full check of the brakes, and things like the handbrake and clutch adjustment get done, so I'm happy. Certainly no complaints as it makes the service the equivalent of £65 and the service book gets stamped.
One of the branches in Swindon is officially Masterfit, but it's not clear to me where the official Vauxhall bit and the Masterfit section overlap. When I had the company Vectra, and the new (Masterfit) branch opened, they directed me there as it was nearer the office. Still got the same service (no complaints) and like the original the pollen filter wasn't changed unless I asked, but that could have been the deal with PHH.
Regards
John
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