Thread: Fight back against dealer servicing costs.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Correct.. But I quite like having the Service Advisor / Dealership in my corner

In a scenario where for example the Engine fails... And its been Indy serviced, there is going to be quite an inconvenience...

You may find the need to provide evidence the oils, parts used and so forth were on spec, that it was filled correctly etc...
Then there's simple things that can add up quickly like "who pays for the loan vehicle"

I look at it a bit like insurance - I pay a huge amount for insurance on my house, boat, bikes, camper, vehicles... I want things resolved quickly and should something go awry.

And we would have, had they not let us down on more than one occasion, I won't go into details, but it was a frustrating experience, but what was really annoying, being spoken to like you're an idiot

We have a mechanic now that goes that extra mile, he doesn't have to, but he does, gives great service, at great rates and is a great bloke to boot and doesn't speak to me like I'm a bloody fool who know nothing about the car and the bonus, these two are ex-Land Rover Mechanics with over 20yrs working in and with Land Rover

You,re lucky that your dealers are good to you, I suspect Sneigy has a lot to do with one of them and that's great for you, but not everyone gets treated like that.

Baz.

Originally Posted by BigJon

I have 2 or 3 customers who do that. It is a little frustrating, but I let it slide. I wonder if those same people take their own steak to a restaurant and ask for it to be cooked to save money...

Or a bottle of wine.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Is this thread for real?
Just "attack" the dealer mode?

Well no. It attack any place that wants to dictate to me what they will do and what I will pay for. If I ask them not to do everything they still charge the same. It'd be like having a flat rate for a tank of fuel. Oh wait, you only want half a tank, oh that the same price? And you think that's OK?

Originally Posted by Tombie

Is this thread for real?

Its called Free Market - if you don't like the prices, don't pay them and take your business elsewhere...

Well I am cornered here because there are no other dealers for possibly 1600km. Maybe more. I don't know if there is a dealer in Alice Springs. If not then maybe 2000km plus to another dealer. That's why these guys get away with doing rubbish work and charging a mint for it.

Originally Posted by Tombie

I can service my vehicles myself without issue, and have done with a few in the past.

And how do you go with warranty? Are you a licensed mechanic?

Originally Posted by Tombie

With the current 2 they have been dealer serviced and will continue to be.

The dealers (one in Adelaide, other in Melbourne) have always done right by me and I will do right by them...

It has an ongoing benefit - when I buy a new vehicle I have saved far more than the cost of servicing over the coming years of ownership...

Dealers remember loyalty most times and return it...

If they would do a service for a reasonable price, I would use them.

These days the service department has a separate budget to the sale department. The sales guy doesn't care if you get the car serviced there or not. You can get the saving anyway. It's not 1980 anymore.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Here's the rub... I can buy a new car online - look at it online, read reviews by motoring 'experts' etc..

BUT.... I want the 'experience' - the corporate feel, the service, the extra touches - a lounge to wait for my service to finish, a nice coffee.. Branding and corporate experience.

I don't want to buy from a plain wrapper experience...

LOL. And you think that's what happens in Darwin? Sitting in the lounge while you wait for your vehicle. Your so funny. You'd want a bed up here because the first thing they offer you is a courtesy bus because they want the car all day. Oh and the bus will only take you to 2 places and you will need to walk from there.

Originally Posted by Tombie

I want trained technicians (not apprentices) who have attended corporate training on vehicle specifics, not some great mechanic who is brilliant, but was trained 20 years ago - and whilst his work is excellent standard - hasn't got vehicle specific training delivered.

I don't know how you think the technicians went from being untrained to a qualified technician. There is no special workshop that just have apprentices working there for 4 years before they can work at a dealership. LOL. Apprentices usually learn from the technicians/mechanics in dealerships and local garages.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Combined with a Service Advisor who is genuinely passionate about the brand and his clients, the thoroughness of the technicians working on the vehicle (I can sit and watch them if I desire as the workshop bays are on the other side of glass between the lounge area) and what I consider a fair and reasonable price considering overheads - flash service shops aren't cheap -I am happy to pay that little bit more for my service...

You mean the service manager that no longer works in the workshop and just complains about the bottom line. The guy who is pushing the technicians and possibly causing them to make mistakes.

Originally Posted by Tombie

If you don't want that experience thats fine too...

What I find amusing is messing the process around and then complaining...

"I'd like your technician to take the check sheet, and only do items 1,7,12 and 25 please"

The only thing I ask at services is "Do not rotate the tyres" - they still pull them off, just replace them in the same location.

So they will take the wheels off. I'd guess to check the brakes. Then they will charge you extra to put the wheels back on in a different location? And that's OK that they charge you more for something that takes no more time?

Something else listed on the work they wanted to do to my vehicle. On the first page was check the oil level and fill if required. 2 entries for both the engine and the gearbox. On the next page was 2 more entries for draining, refilling and checking the oil level. So they want me to pay for them to top up the oil (if its low) then later drain out that oil they just put in? It's just fluff on the invoice to justify charging more than I am getting and I think it's wrong. Too many people just pickup there car and accept it. If people question whats on the invoice then maybe theyll be more honest. If it takes 3.5 hrs to change the gearbox oil well so be it but dont tell charge me for 10 minutes labour to tell me the windscreen isn't damaged. If you drive the car, you will see if the windscreen is damaged. There is no need to add ladour time and cost for that.

....

Yeah - dealers can be a hassle. You pay top dollar and you know they are using an apprentice to do the work. But you do get a loan car which is useful if you have to drive a long way to get to the dealer like I do. Expensive loan car

Am looking to buy a new vehicle and simplifying my life, so (horror!) am looking at Hyundai! Servicing for 5 years included in the purchase price, and 5 year warranty. That's going to take away a lot of hassles! No idea if you get a loan car while it's being serviced though....

Originally Posted by Tombie

I'm bull headed, and can go from calm to aggressive quite quickly...

Really! - I can't believe that!!

Originally Posted by Tombie

The single biggest issue with dealing with people is Attitude...

I'm bull headed, and can go from calm to aggressive quite quickly...

Whenever I require service / an outcome... I temper that part of my nature and work for a solution.

I have never failed to resolve an issue using this methodology...

The old adage "The customer is always right" quite often should be written as "The customer is often unreasonable, has unrealistic expectations, has no idea or is bloody rude"

I saved my rant for here and my rage for in the car after I walked out of the dealer.

The girl/women at the counter is nothing more than a check out girl. It's not her fault.

First time, I went there, I got the quote for the full service.

Second time, I said I don't need these things done and she told me she the hourly rate would be higher because I wasn't getting a standard scheduled service which would be capped by Skoda. I said thank you but I'll look at other options and left. There was rage in the car and I went for a drive. I drove past a few other garages but I didn't like the look of them and didn't want to leave my car with them even if they had the tool to do the gearbox.

Third time, I said I only want the gearbox and diff done. She gave me the price and I left to do a little googling to see if the price for the parts were reasonable. They were a little expensive but reasonable for Darwin. I noticed the parts list had missed the filter for the gearbox.

I returned and asked could she add the filter which she did with another 10 minutes of labour. I thought that was reasonable. Booked it in with the quote and left.

My problem is not with just this dealer. I bought a new WRX in 2005 and things just seamed to get added to the service each time I went in. Subaru in Dubbo were pretty reasonable though. If I said the car was clean and didn't need washing, they'd take $10 off the invoice. I guess they were used to dealing with old farmers that would spit chips about being charged for having their washer bottle refilled.

I got my first service at Skoda in Nowra where I bought the Yeti. It was actually the main reason for the trip down from Darwin. I visited my parents while I was down but I wouldn't have gone if it wasn't for the Yeti needing a service. At first I thought that service was pretty reasonable but the check sheet was 2 pages long and I didn't look at it much. It did include all the stuff previously mentioned like filling the washer bottle and checking tyre pressure. It was about $320 or something.

The second service I was worried about taking it to the dealer here in Darwin so I got hold of a service manual to see exactly what was included and consider getting the local garage to do it. Well it turned out the first 3 services are nothing more than an oil and filter change. About this time I thought the first service was a bit expensive. The next 2 services have cost me less than $200 with parts. I have the check list of things to look at like boots on the shocks and things like that. I have the torque setting for the bolts, all that kind of stuff.

I have been told I can get the tool to do the gearbox oil change cheap enough on eBay or other places around but the genuine item from VAG is still expensive. I still want this one done by a competent technician as it's still under warranty.

Happy Days

Originally Posted by spudboy

Really! - I can't believe that!!

I can