Why it pays to shop around when getting your car serviced

The standard of workmanship is more important than finding the cheapest price. Which? reports have shown that car servicing can be very poor indeed, with obvious problems overlooked and servicing tasks not attended to. I have done most of my own servicing over the years, but taken my cars to dealers when under warranty. Inconspicuous marking of parts that should be serviced is a good way of proving that work has not been done. I have had profuse apologies and a couple of bribes when I have challenged garages. In one case a VW service manager disagreed and told me that it replacing the large fuel filter on my Golf was not part of the service, so I presented him with the service schedule.

Tim suggests that we should haggle over the cost of servicing. I cannot think of a better way to ensure that corners are cut.

Some years ago I had a Vauxhall Astra. Took it in for servicing at our local GM dealer, got lift into work. Near lunch time I realise with horror I’ve still got the key! Oh no! Get lift to garage (friend is highly amused at this), rush into Service Reception.

“Mr X, hi, it’s about my Astra, I….” “Yes sir, all done as it happens, we’re just doing the bill.” “Er, I was about to say, really sorry, I forgot to give you the key.” “No problem sir, it’s all done, as I said, that will be £X.” So I give up, go out to the car, it’s parked exactly – and I mean exactly – where I left it. Engine is stone cold. Oil is still dirty. Mileometer (I always note this) is unchanged. And so on. Did they really have a ‘magic key’? What do you think? Interesting conversation ensues.

It kind of went downhill when I mention the words “Police” and “Fraud” albeit in a calm and hushed manner. No apology. No admission of non-service. Ask to see Dealer Principal or Someone in Charge. No-one will see me. Other customers look on with interest. I’m asked to leave. I do – and never went back. Didn’t get my usual Xmas card either……

Here’s another one – didn’t happen to me, but one of my friends who lives in Penzance. He drops his car off for a service, gets train (or bus) to Truro – a reasonable distance away. Nice day out, his ramblings take him through a car park and, wait a minute, there’s his car! Wife has car key on her key ring, so they decide to drive away in the car, after taking several photos with his phone (time, date and of course exact location).

Waits a few hours, phones the garage, ‘how’s the car servicing going?” “Er, yes sir, just one or two problems…” “You haven’t got my car have you – because it’s back here on my drive. Because it was parked in Truro, no doubt on an extended ‘road test’ shopping trip. This will make a nice story for the West Briton (paper) eh? I’ve even got the photos…..”

3-year full warranty, 3-year servicing to include tyres and any other consumables, free of charge.

I never thought I would say this but I feel that Mercedes have earned the name of ‘crooks’. We have had 5 Mercedes and one of the things that makes us choose them is that they would collect the car and return it, or offer a courtesy car. That has now changed.
Our car recently needed a service but when we asked the main dealer to collect it he said there was a charge of up to £70 to collect it or to have a courtesy car. When we phoned around other main dealers not only was the price of servicing the same but also the charge. So no competition there! Mercedes dictate to all the franchises what they charge.
When we complained we were told that we could avoid the charge by taking out a service plan. So now it is two tier pricing as well. I wonder what other Ryanair initiatives they will adopt.
The next car will probably not be a Mercedes.