I jave just called the dealer that we bought the car off last November and they are wanting to charge £194 for its first service.
The car was registered in July but we bought it in November with 8 miles on it. It is now due its service for time rather than miles as it has only done 8,000.
I asked them what they were going to be doing for £194 as I think that is very expensive for a first service and they said they would change the oil/filter, air filter, clean brakes and replace the spark plugs.
Why do plugs need changing after 8,000 miles? I have never had plugs changed every year and certainly not after that mileage.
Does this sound right? I might ring another dealer on Monday!
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Check the service schedule in the handbook. IIRC spark plugs on the Aygo are good for at least 50,000 miles and it might even be as many as 80,000.
I suspect they are trying to justify their extortionate fee for 30 minutes work by adding a few extra items.
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The Fiat Grande Punto is actually on an 18,000 mile service interval. The air filter is scheduled to be changed at 36,000 miles and the plugs at 18,000 miles.
The oil and filter must be changed every year if the annual mileage is less than 10,000 miles.
Therefore the advised work is excessive and should be queried, or get another quote from another dealer or reliable independent.
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Oh, by the way, I don't know why they want to clean the brakes unless they're not functioning properly or are noisy.
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Just paid £155 for an oil change service on my wife's Fiat 500 1.4 Sport, reduced as it has only done 4500 miles. Been quoted an eyewatering £480 for a 2 year service but told not to worry " as we can do a deal for you". Can't think where the justification for that price comes from as I only paid £220 at a Ford main dealer for my 6 year old Mondeo's major service.
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Just out of interest does anyone else get servicing costs for their possible purchase to compare when making their choice?
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Just out of interest does anyone else get servicing costs for their possible purchase to compare when making their choice?
I don't know whether they still do, but at one time What Car? magazine used to publish servicing costs for all cars. I certainly consulted the figures before I made my last purchase.
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Can't think where the justification for that price comes from as I only paid £220 at a Ford main dealer for my 6 year old Mondeo's major service.
That's cos if it's like a Ford dealer near here it don't get done. Just charged for! My mate proved it and they shut him up..££££££££££££££££
And they have just built a new Architect designed workshop for all models. Just a pity they didn't measure the height requirement of the tallest Transit! I think the Architect was one Richard head.
Folk eh!.................MD
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Oh by the way I don't know why they want to clean the brakes unless they're not functioning properly or are noisy.
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Its called maintenance, I stripped, cleaned, and lubricated my brakes recently, I thought they were fine before, but were better afterwards. Its a job I do annually.
Edited by Old Navy on 19/07/2009 at 16:20
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Its just silly, and one reason why I won't want a new car. My friend has been told the first service on his Panda will cost £75 that does include an oil change but thats it. Its a little bit steep but at least they are not trying to con him.
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Oh by the way I don't know why they want to clean the brakes unless they're not functioning properly or are noisy.
"We have to clean them in order to inspect them properly sir. The technician may inhale asbestos otherwise".
So I've been told. ;>)
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Its been a while since asbestos has last been used on brakes I think.
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Asbestos? Where is that going to come from? :-) EDIT - I saw the smiley! Still wouldnt want to breath the dust though.
Edited by Old Navy on 19/07/2009 at 16:51
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The first service (last year) for our 2007 Mazda 2 cost £199. May be worthwhile shopping about as Mazda dealers within a 20 mile radius charged between £ 150 and £ 199.
As regards the brake pads, from whatn I was told by a service manager for a Nissan we owned, the factory fit pads do contain asbestos as their is no issue fitting new pads into new and unused brakes. This is one of the reasons that factory fitted pads tend to last longer than replacements. The asbestos issue comes when one replaces or cleans the original fit pads.
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My BMW is on condition based servicing, so £250 quid once every 2 years I don't think is bad at all.
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Frosty,
Are you saying that manufacturers are allowed to fit pads that produce asbestos dust throughout their life?
I would take that service managers statement with a very large pinch of salt.
Edited by Old Navy on 19/07/2009 at 21:00
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£120 for Yaris first service.
I check service prices BEFORE I buy cars...
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I check service prices BEFORE I buy cars...
Me too. Can't understand why people don't check.
Mnd you, on daughter's Mitsubishi Colt the dealer tried to charge more than they'd quoted anyway, so it's still not a sure fire solution.
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Expensive oil change even if they manage to do that it wouldn't trust a main dealer with a pram it will not matter where you service it just get some one to change the oil.
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I can't be the only one who decided never to buy new again and thus avoid offering myself on a platter to the greedy main dealers and their all but useless warranties that can only be maintained by shoveling bucket loads of cash in to their over priced servicing departments.
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Would you trust them with a cheapo chineese import oil filter then?
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"Mnd you, on daughter's Mitsubishi Colt the dealer tried to charge more than they'd quoted anyway, so it's still not a sure fire solution."
Pinkstones (Toyota Stoke),,, keep to their quoted price even although they made a mistake in my favour.
Hence I continue to deal with them as they have other local Toyota competitors.
Anyone who tries to rip me off loses my trust and custom..
My experiences of Pinkstone have been 100% favourable although I now only buy parts as I diy...
Edited by madf on 20/07/2009 at 11:00
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keep to their quoted price even although they made a mistake in my favour.
This wasn't a mistake. Two people on two separate occasions quoted the same (low) price. On collecting the car they asked for significantly more.
Anyone who tries to rip me off loses my trust and custom..
Yep. We go somewhere else now.
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Yes.
The Nissan dealership is very well established, and the Service Manager has been at the dealership for some years. At the time of the Service Manager telling me that asbestos was contained in pads fitted at the factory, there was absolutely no reason for him to lie.
I'd just had the car booked in to have it's brakes checked - and apart from needing the brakes to be cleaned out, there was no need for the pads to be replaced. The technician who did the work on the brakes agreed fully with the Service Manager.
This is going back to May 2001 (for me, four new cars ago - shortly to be five) and the car in question was a two year old Primera which I owned from new. It was well after asbestos had been removed from replacement pads. The situation re asbestos in factory fit pads may have changed, but the view given by the Fiat garage does seem to support the fact that asbestos may still be used by some car manufacturers in factory fitted brake pads.
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I stand corrected. Asbestos was banned in friction material used as OE on vehicles registered after 1st October 1999, and from this date, replacemet pads for post 1973 vheicles. The May 2001 reference would have helped.
Edited by Old Navy on 21/07/2009 at 10:56
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Sorry for not updating - we went on holiday the day I posted this!
I have cancelled the service at the dealer that we bought from and its now booked into another one close by. They are not part of a big franchise but are still a FIAT dealer and seem to have a very good local reputation.
As soon as I asked for a quote they gave me two prices - £185 for a service with between 12K-18K and a low mileage option for £120. As we have done 8K then this is the option we are going for!
Its still frustrating paying £120 for an oil and filter change to keep the warranty though!
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What are the differences in what's done between the 12-18k service and the low mileage option?
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My 307 has had 4 annual/12K main dealer services and they have never been over £200 even including a list price MOT (£55). Well pleased, so far. Mind you I haven't yet had any £25/litre EOLYS or a DPS service!
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