One rule (price) for the BIG and another (higher) for the small

[crockers]

Today I picked up my car after having it's B service - costing £416. I bought this car off my company where it was run by Inchcape Fleet Solutions. I asked for a copy of the invoice for the last B service so that I could keep my service history records together as and when I sell the car..

To my surprise I saw that the last B service cost £383... well of course I queried why the difference - to be told that they got a discounted labour cost as they wont pay their rate of £104 a hour...

I asked for the same rate only to be told with a grin if I buy 50 cars from them they will give me the same rate..

As you can imagine I am doing a Queen Victoria ( we are not amused)...pity we cant all get together and get a group discount rate..between us we buy more than 50 cars a year and could demand this discount too..

Also I thought there was EU rulings against this ....

One P*ss*d off Crockers ................

 

[jaymanek]

so you are moaning over £33? Hardly worth worrying abour surely? The amount of business inchcape does with mercedes, i would expect that difference to be a huge amount more!

 

[Shude]

How old is the car? Inchcape aren't even getting "Three Plus" discount there!

 

[crockers]

Its the principal of it....but obviously you guys don't agree...oh well

 

[crockers]

How old is the car? Inchcape aren't even getting "Three Plus" discount there!

The labour rate I paid was £104 an hour and Inchcape £93.....I think you will find that that is slightly more than 3%...nearer 10%...

The car is 18 months old.

 

[jaymanek]

Sorry, but i just think you have to accept that large companies like inchcape will get a discount, they build the costs of servicing into their lease plans etc and if it were not for these service rates they would probably not buy so many mb's meaning the cost of MB's would be higher to start with.
So in a roundabout way you should thank them for being good customers of the brand.

 

[Rory]

To be honest I'm absolutely astonished any lease company pays as much as £93 - I would have guessed that they paid waay less than that.

Bit late to ask for a discount after the job's been done, but you know next time. The other big saving that's possible is to take your own oil - you'll probably find near £100 was charged for oil which you could buy from Costco for £30 (unless you need low ash oil, which is a bit more awkward).

 

[crockers]

To be honest I'm absolutely astonished any lease company pays as much as £93 - I would have guessed that they paid waay less than that.

Bit late to ask for a discount after the job's been done, but you know next time. The other big saving that's possible is to take your own oil - you'll probably find near £100 was charged for oil which you could buy from Costco for £30 (unless you need low ash oil, which is a bit more awkward).

Yes its always easy to be wise after the event....and yes it does need low ash oil...

 

[glojo]

It's certainly a good idea next time to use your own oil, plus if you want to save money tell them not to top up the various fluids, windscreen washers etc

John

 

[Rory]

It's certainly a good idea next time to use your own oil, plus if you want to save money tell them not to top up the various fluids, windscreen washers etc

I don't think it's realistic to try to avoid those things - a VW dealer once told me they'd drain wash fluid out if necessary so they could add more! MB (in my experience) give you the unused fluid in a bottle.

I remember seeing one of those 'watchdog' type investigations on TV and they had a Ford serviced which didn't really need a new air filter. The service manager said that mechanic picks up a service kit from stores and then just fits it. By the time he'd removed the old air filter and examined it then he might as well fit a new one. If he spent time examining every part and then had to re-book it back into stores etc then the job would end up being more expensive. I thought that seemed fair enough.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The labour rate I paid was £104 an hour and Inchcape £93.....I think you will find that that is slightly more than 3%...nearer 10%...

The car is 18 months old.

I don't think Shude was suggesting that Inchape had a 3% discount.

Some dealers operate a scheme known as Three Plus for cars over 3 years old, whereby there's a discount on labour/servicing costs - usually 10&.

I think Shude's point was that Inchape get a smaller discount (8%) than Three Plus cars, despite having a fleet!!

Like others, I'm surprised that the discount offerred to Inchape is so small. In fact I get 15% discount just because I ask for it!!

 

[glojo]

I'm baffled by the complaint.

If you owned a fleet of vehicles would you negotiate the best deal possible, or would you simply book each vehicle into the local main dealer as and when they required servicing?

John

 

[Shude]

The labour rate I paid was £104 an hour and Inchcape £93.....I think you will find that that is slightly more than 3%...nearer 10%...

The car is 18 months old.

I don't think Shude was suggesting that Inchape had a 3% discount.

Some dealers operate a scheme known as Three Plus for cars over 3 years old, whereby there's a discount on labour/servicing costs - usually 10&.

I think Shude's point was that Inchape get a smaller discount (8%) than Three Plus cars, despite having a fleet!!

Like others, I'm surprised that the discount offerred to Inchape is so small. In fact I get 15% discount just because I ask for it!!

That's exactly what I'm talking about!

Couresty of "Three Plus" I get at least 10% off everything from the stealership and I have a fleet of only one vehicle!

You can sometimes get a decent discount if you just talk to the employees nicely, and plead poverty. Then try bursting into tears while tugging at their trouser legs. Worked for me anyway.

 

[tmienterprises]

Great technique Shude, me - I just go for the tried and tested means.. my hand and mouth...

Talking and pleading with both hands, before anyone gets any ideas...

 

[fuzzer]

Today I picked up my car after having it's B service - costing £416. I bought this car off my company where it was run by Inchcape Fleet Solutions. I asked for a copy of the invoice for the last B service so that I could keep my service history records together as and when I sell the car..

To my surprise I saw that the last B service cost £383... well of course I queried why the difference - to be told that they got a discounted labour cost as they wont pay their rate of £104 a hour...

I asked for the same rate only to be told with a grin if I buy 50 cars from them they will give me the same rate..

As you can imagine I am doing a Queen Victoria ( we are not amused)...pity we cant all get together and get a group discount rate..between us we buy more than 50 cars a year and could demand this discount too..

Also I thought there was EU rulings against this ....

One P*ss*d off Crockers ................

i agree , your flogging a dead horse with this one , its just business..!

 

[glojo]

I don't think it's realistic to try to avoid those things - a VW dealer once told me they'd drain wash fluid out if necessary so they could add more! MB (in my experience) give you the unused fluid in a bottle.

Certainly realistic and a great cost saving. I have a service plus contract, so who cares about costs. My son however has a ............................ VW Before taking the car in for a service he asked the receptionist if it was okay for him to supply the oil and what would they recommend. When he dropped the car off he told them he had just topped up the windscreen washer reservoirs. On collecting the car the remaining oil was neatly stowed in the boot. A large saving on oil and windscreen fluid.

John