Service Query

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Sun 15 Jan 2006 22:10
Service Query - cornflake
My old car was always serviced at a main dealer during the time of my ownership, according to regulation intervals. I recently sold it to a family member (the original owner), who used to run his own garage. He thought it was a bit sluggish, so decided to service the car himself (I'd had it done 400 miles previously). Imagine the horror when he discovered that the air filter he had fitted when I'd had the car from him some 30,000 miles earlier, was still in place!!!!

2 questions: is it worth kicking up a stink at this dealership, given that I no longer have the car or the paperwork in my possession?
And, aside from taking up car mechanics myself, what can I do to prevent being swindled like this again!
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Sun 15 Jan 2006 22:19
Service Query - Nsar
I can't see you gaining anything from the dealership, or if you did, it would hard won and barely worth it. Life is too sort, unless you believe that the safety of the car was ever put at risk. A letter to your local trading standards however is more likely to produce some grief for the dealership, especially when you have nothing to gain from it.

What can you do to prevent your self being swindled? Use local garages that clearly get their work from repeat business and word of mouth and when you've found one that does good work and does it honestly, treat them with courtesy and respect and pass the word on to others.
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Mon 16 Jan 2006 00:33
Service Query - Dynamic Dave
At what interval is the air filter supposed to be changed according to the service book recommendation?

It *may* well be that it didn't need changing as it hadn't yet reached the recommendation.

My Vectra for instance says to change the air filter every 40,000 miles or 4 yrs (whichever comes sooner). Obviously I will make sure that it is changed before then though.
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Mon 16 Jan 2006 08:20
Service Query - Roly93
Not that I agree with it, but air filters are left in many cars now for up to 40000 miles. For instance in my Audi A4 tdi the air filter isn't changed till the second variable service activity which could be over 40,000 miles. I belive this to be the cas in a lot of petrol cars also.
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