What's the point of dealer service?

[Aoraki]

A very good friend of mine is the Service Manager at my local MB dealership, I pay less than indie prices for services....... only the basic's though, nothing over and above that.

 

[st13phil]

Personally - and I have no axe to grind here, my Father spent most of his working life in indie dealerships - I would have thought that the price premium you would pay for routine servicing during the first three years at an MB Main Dealer vs that at an MB Indie would be small. Weigh that against the potential for additional hassle with a warranty claim if servicing is carried out outside the franchised dealer network and the question probably becomes "why use an Indie?".

From year three on however, I would think there could be significant financial benefits to be derived from using an MB Indie - Mobilo notwithstanding.

 

[Merco]

How useful is the Mobilo? Is it worth paying that bit more to maintain it or do you think one's better off with one of the other roadside covers?

 

[markjay]

How useful is the Mobilo? Is it worth paying that bit more to maintain it or do you think one's better off with one of the other roadside covers?

It is nice to have your service book covered with main dealer stamp, and know that you benefit from 30 years MobiloLife, and 30 years anti-corrosion guarantee. Plus the potential for a manufacturer good-will contribution in year 4 if any major issues arise. It just feels like a more complete Merc.

But economically? Breakdown cover is around £35 a year iirc, and I happen to have a free one with my Business Card anyway. You will spend far more than £35 a year extra on main dealer servicing, compared to indie service... so no, it does not make economical sense, but it does (in my opinion) feels 'right' to do so. I did and still do

 

[NISFAN]

Best of both worlds is to use MB main dealers for routine service work, and indies for others.

So if MB phone you up and say your going to need new discs and pads in the next couple of thousand miles, just say thanks I'll book the car in separately for that. Then have the cheaper indie do it (make sure he uses genuine MB parts from MB). Some don't want the hassle, and will just give the go ahead to the MB service crew and have it done in one go. Depends on you.

If you go out of your way to say that you have just topped up the washer bottle fluid, so don't try charging me for a re-fill, etc the main dealers are not that expensive. And yes I have been charged a stupid amount for a washer bottle re-fill, even though it quite clearly wasn't even looked at (bottle was nearly empty as when I took it in).

 

[survey]

Best of both worlds is to use MB main dealers for routine service work, and indies for others.

So if MB phone you up and say your going to need new discs and pads in the next couple of thousand miles, just say thanks I'll book the car in separately for that. Then have the cheaper indie do it (make sure he uses genuine MB parts from MB). Some don't want the hassle, and will just give the go ahead to the MB service crew and have it done in one go. Depends on you.

If you go out of your way to say that you have just topped up the washer bottle fluid, so don't try charging me for a re-fill, etc the main dealers are not that expensive. And yes I have been charged a stupid amount for a washer bottle re-fill, even though it quite clearly wasn't even looked at (bottle was nearly empty as when I took it in).

NISFAN gets my vote for the 'sensible' option!

 

[Merco]

That sounds like a plan. I've had such traumatic experiences in the past dealing with Alfa Romeo service depts that I'm just a bit wary of dealer servicing. I don't trust them and am never quite sure that the stiff which 'appears' as a problem is in fact an issue at all, rather than just an opportunity to rack up the £££s. When you're not mechanically savvy - as I am not - you have to be able to trust the dealers. Actually, that's what put me off a new Alfa when I was upgrading and in fact what led me to Mercedes and a truly 'prestige' marque - the idea that I wouldn't be facing those tiresome, nonsensical battles that take up and waste so much time!

Please tell me I've done the right thing!!??!!

 

[survey]

That sounds like a plan. I've had such traumatic experiences in the past dealing with Alfa Romeo service depts that I'm just a bit wary of dealer servicing. I don't trust them and am never quite sure that the stiff which 'appears' as a problem is in fact an issue at all, rather than just an opportunity to rack up the £££s. When you're not mechanically savvy - as I am not - you have to be able to trust the dealers. Actually, that's what put me off a new Alfa when I was upgrading and in fact what led me to Mercedes and a truly 'prestige' marque - the idea that I wouldn't be facing those tiresome, nonsensical battles that take up and waste so much time!

Please tell me I've done the right thing!!??!!

You still need to exercise a bit of common sense with dealer service departments. I always work on the principle of trusting nobody and get a quote for a service initially and supply my own oil. I never allow additional work to be carried out without my prior authorisation. Advised items like brake pads etc, I would do myself or go to an indie; they are seldom urgent needing to be carried out immediately. Some months a go a dealer said that my tyres needed replacing and they could supply & fit; I declined the offer and those tyres did another 8K before my replacing them and then there was more than the legal limit on them. To be fair dealers advise items thinking that the owner will not have anything done until the next service which could be 12 months or so away; cynically advised items can be a ploy to bump up the service bill.

 

[NISFAN]

That sounds like a plan. I've had such traumatic experiences in the past dealing with Alfa Romeo service depts that I'm just a bit wary of dealer servicing. I don't trust them and am never quite sure that the stiff which 'appears' as a problem is in fact an issue at all, rather than just an opportunity to rack up the £££s. When you're not mechanically savvy - as I am not - you have to be able to trust the dealers. Actually, that's what put me off a new Alfa when I was upgrading and in fact what led me to Mercedes and a truly 'prestige' marque - the idea that I wouldn't be facing those tiresome, nonsensical battles that take up and waste so much time!

Please tell me I've done the right thing!!??!!

I owned a new Alfa, I feel your pain

MB dealers will be a breath of fresh air.

 

[markjay]

...MB dealers will be a breath of fresh air.

Will they??? Mine certainly isn't...

 

[Merco]

Will they??? Mine certainly isn't...

If yours is one in West London, I can understand why. Had a nightmare myself dealing with them and that was when I was desperate to part with lots of money to buy a new one! Wouldn't go anywhere near them for anything now. Appalling experience, happily countered by my dealing with a sales chap from another dealer outside London.

 

[NISFAN]

Will they??? Mine certainly isn't...

Have you owned an Alfa Romeo?
Have you taken your brand new car in to main dealers for a new gearbox, and they blow your engine on the test drive to check out the new gearbox? And then say 'wasn't us, it could have blown up at any time'.
Have you bought a new car and realised three years later that you spent more time in hire/courtesy cars than your own as it was always in for repairs? This is just normal AR ownership I'm talking about, so the very worst MB dealer has to go some to beat that.

All in all the Alfa I had was one of the most magical cars I ever owned, loved 'almost' every minute of it. Just sad that I wouldn't have another one due to the dealers (and the little matter of reliability).

 

[markjay]

Have you owned an Alfa Romeo?
Have you taken your brand new car in to main dealers for a new gearbox, and they blow your engine on the test drive to check out the new gearbox? And then say 'wasn't us, it could have blown up at any time'.
Have you bought a new car and realised three years later that you spent more time in hire/courtesy cars than your own as it was always in for repairs? This is just normal AR ownership I'm talking about, so the very worst MB dealer has to go some to beat that.

All in all the Alfa I had was one of the most magical cars I ever owned, loved 'almost' every minute of it. Just sad that I wouldn't have another one due to the dealers (and the little matter of reliability).

I see.... I'll have to agree then that MB dealers aren't as bad as AR...

 

[Merco]

Poor little Alfas... Great cars let down by a truly awful dealer network. Never fix the things they're meant to, give a ton of grief when you try and give the car back for them to repair what they should have done in the first place, have such chips on their shoulders it looks like they've got potatoes growing out of their necks but the cars are great!

Still object to the mandatory early cambelt change when the VW did 120000 miles without anything serious needed except a new gearbox at around 100,000 miles but the Alfa still has a few happy days left in it! Given the rubbish p/ex value given by the dealer, someone's going to grab a bargain on my car! Just hope they know how to fix stuff so they can avoid the dealer-stealers!

 

[crockers]

I know this is going off subject - but I bought a new alfa - had warped discs on delivery. 3 months later gearbox packed in - 9 months later I was shot of it.

Loved cleaning it - just wished I could have driven it more...

 

[Hi-Ho Silver]

So all in all, it's MB Dealer for services and MB recognised Indie for everything else.

I'm really happy with MB Hove and my Indie AJ Robertson of Hove.

What's the difference to me? About £300 less to have my brake discs and pads changed (OEM) by my Indie than by MB !! Mind you, Alan Robertson doesn't have the widescreen tv, the tea and biscuits or the comfy chairs to sit on in the airconditioned showroom but after saving £300, we could fly somewhere that did!