Ford Mondeo III (2000 - 2007) - Dealer servicing or independent?

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Thu 3 Apr 2008 21:13
Dealer servicing or independent? - Boggy
Always been curious about this: car needs a service, do I take it to a main Ford dealer like I usually do and get a Ford stamp in the book and the reassurance that they have Ford diagnostic equipment and use Ford parts or seek out a bargain service from a (trusted) local independent garage and save money? Is it worth paying the premium for a main dealer service? Car is out of warranty now so I have the choice. What pitfalls are out there? Heard horror stories about main dealers' rip-offs so any advice gratefully recieved.
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Thu 3 Apr 2008 21:47
Dealer servicing or independent? - midlifecrisis
I had the same dilemma concerning Mrs mlc's Hyundai recently. Dealer wanted £190 for a service. I bought the parts from Hyundai myself and got a small local garage to do it........for £30.

Looking at the pimply youths wearing overalls at the Dealer, I would suggest the work at the Indie was carried out with far more care and competence as well.
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Thu 3 Apr 2008 21:47
Dealer servicing or independent? - Alby Back
A set of main dealer stamps maybe adds a bit of value when it comes to trade in time but probably not enough to offset the cost premium of having the main dealer do the servicing.

For what it's worth I never use any other garage than my local indy for my cars even when they are still under warranty. For a mainstream car like yours I would just get a good local garage to look after it. Mine has been kept in order this way for well over 100k miles with no ill effects. In fact I reported a while back that the total maintenance cost for my "first" 100k has cost less than £1000. ( excluding tyres )

Oddly enough it's a Mondeo 3 diesel which allegedly should be on its third engine / clutch / flywheel by now but miraculously has actually only needed a replacement headlamp bulb so far. Must have been very lucky I suppose . Although having said that, but the previous one was similarly trouble free and also only ever had attention from our local garage. Guess its just possible that they are actually quite good cars.

I just wouldn't give the glass palace fund any unnecessary contributions.
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Thu 3 Apr 2008 21:57
Dealer servicing or independent? - perleman
No point in main dealership servicing on a car this old, when you sell it will be worth so little that it will add very little value. Go to a trusted mechanic is my advice - only worth main dealers on prestige / specialist / under a few years old.
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Thu 3 Apr 2008 22:43
Dealer servicing or independent? - Morris Ox
Got to be independent, Boggy, and to be perfectly blunt I'd say the same for any car save a prestige motor, which needs exactly the right kind of stamps to maintain its value.

Yours just needs a stamp, and seeing as the profit margin on main dealer servicing is a little on the large side (with prestige dealers it's often north of 60%) I'm not terribly inclined to throw money at a posh palace that does the same job by a glossier name.

Edited by Morris Ox on 03/04/2008 at 22:44

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