A common complaint on the site seems to be about franchised dealers.
Even though I am not a fan, I still take my car to one to maintain the full dealer history.
How many people out there do the same and is it worthwhile. Do others prefer independent specialists or perhaps local garages?
How many people would pay more for a car with a full dealer history (or less?)
Thoughts please.
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> How many people out there do the same
For the two cars I have which are less than 2 years old, then both go to main dealers. The others not.
l>and is it worthwhile.
IMHO, only for warranty hassle avoidance. If its more than a couple of years old I personally don`t care who the service is by, provided it seems to have been doen by someone.
> Do others prefer independent specialists or perhaps local
> garages?
Always. Much more friendly and communicative. One tends not to get so much in the way of pick-up/delivery, or temporary cars, or valeting but given the money ou save you can pay for all of that separately if you wish.
> How many people would pay more for a car with a full dealer
> history (or less?)
I would normally say not. However, a couple of years ago I was buying an XJS as a present for my father, which is a car I know nothing about, is a great deal of money and potentially a huge cost if something is wrong. I bought one with a full and comprehensive service history from the dealer who had serviced it from new and was selling it to me.
However, more normally when I am not spending that kind of money, I wouldn`t have cared. And if it was for me, I probably wouldn`t have been so bothered either.
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Yep, I agree. Use a franchise to keep the warranty intact, as I will do for my wife's new 206. I use an indie in Crawley for my wife's old car (now passed to older sprog). I guess we tend to take the franchise's abilities at face value and are sometimes disappointed, but I would want full confidence, i.e. recommendation from a long-term user, in ANY outfit before I used them.
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My 60k P reg Vectra went for a dealer service (FDSH from new) last week. Perhaps the next will be with an inde. May leave "certain" tasks to dealer like its free MOT and cam belt issues.
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Even for cambelts (unless they are very peculiar) I wouldn't bother with the franchise for a car out of warranty.
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"Even for cambelts (unless they are very peculiar) I wouldn't bother with the franchise for a car out of warranty."
Dunno, I avoid dealers like a plague but a dealer in Gloucestershire undercut All the local garages + Kwik Fit. For the Cam belt on my Rover.
They will haggle.
As for main dealer service. Say you buy a 6.5k car and a 10k oil change is 100gbp from a main dealer.
After 3 years it's worth 2k and it's done 60k. You've spent 600 + parts. Would it really be worth only £1400 if you'd done a few oil changes yourself?
As the wise man said. Have it Dealer serviced for warranty purposes then do it yourself or find the cheapest good garage you can find.
Of course you should always give your main dealer a chance to compete with the price you get offered elsewhere...
My 2p's worth.
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Despite being a very small independent I always hope for a majority main dealer service on cars we buy, at least they will have changed the oil/filter with some decent quality items.
I think there is a case for prestige cars keeping to a main dealer (BMW, MB, Jaguar etc) service history for say five years.
With normal cars I guess up to three years, and while under warranty is OK for dealer visits.
If dealer charges are fair and you are happy then no reason not to continue with them.
The main reasons I get cars rather than the dealers are....
Folks like to speak to the guy who does the work. The girls in particular hate being taken for fools at reception, the overbearing "we know best" attitude.
They like every single fault they mentioned to be looked at/fixed.
They appreciate OE parts at something of a discount.
They are often happy with main dealer routine service prices but the "big one" and extra repairs can turn into a financial disaster. Example a chap with a mid 90s Xantia came up to the 72K service with timing belt, hydraulic fluid change, coolant etc. Cost £800 at the main dealers and was done within a day. I would struggle to get to half that figure.
David
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I had the cambelt changed at 50k along with its service. Asking around afterwards (why do I always ask around afterwards ?) the cam belt change was very competative at the Vauxhall dealer, it also came with a 12 month warranty on the work and I suppose if the engine distintigrates having been delaer serviced I would imaginee that there might be some goodwill from the Makers.
E.G. Person I work with had a major fault on her Ka's engine, the car was a P plate 60k car (like mine) and as she had had it delaer serviced all along. Because of this Ford coughed up 75% of the cost.
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It's a question I'm pondering at the moment too.
I drive my own 1.8 Avensis - cash for car company driver - and have had it dealer serviced according to the book since I bought it from a car supermarket. This was primarily for warranty purposes which expire soon at 60K, a cambelt change is due at 63K for which I'll send it to the dealer also. A major service is due at 27K intervals but intermediate services seem to be little more than a few visual checks and an oil change for £100ish. I intend to do the intermediate services myself after the cambelt change and dealer service at the 27K interval I drive about 40k a year so it will still receive good attention really.
I just wondered if anybody has any thoughts on this procedure, I intend to drive it for at least another 2 years when it will have the best part of 150K on the clock so resale with dealer history may not be that relevant.
Any comments ?
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