Better to get servicing done by main dealer or not

bigjl

The good thing about older Vauxhalls with a petrol engine is that the same filter is used on many different models and you can get hold of genuine filters easily.

I, like you, would never use a pattern part, had to do it once recently as I wanted to service the wifes Clio but didn't have time to trek all the way to the Renault dealer 15 miles away, so got a fairly decent airfilter from German and Swedish, an airfilter is the only part I would fit that was pattern, I normally fit a K+N panel filter and then just clean it every so often, especially if I am keeping the car for three or four years or I intend to put some miles on it.

I can never understand some people using pattern oil filters, especially after the issues with VW's years ago with years ago, from memory it was with the little pressure valve inside starving the top end of oil slightly on startup. Especially when the genuine filters are only a few extra quid from main dealers.

I have recently found out that a local Ford dealer gives up to 25% discount on parts for Ambulance/Emergency Services staff, result!

TiTheRev

bigjl wrote: »

I have recently found out that a local Ford dealer gives up to 25% discount on parts for Ambulance/Emergency Services staff, result!

Do you work in the emergency services?! :shocked: :rotfl:

It's amazing how many companies discount for NHS staff. The missus works next to a pathology lab, data entry basically, but classes as NHS and we get discounts on all sorts of things!

*Dusty*

My local renault dealer quoted me £110 for one or £150 to have two coils replaced on a 1.4l megane. a 20 minute job apparently.

Local mechanic changed all 4 coils for £80. On an older car I'd say as long as it's been serviced by someone with a decent rep it shouldn't actually affect your resale.

bigjl

TiTheRev wrote: »

Do you work in the emergency services?! :shocked: :rotfl:


It's amazing how many companies discount for NHS staff. The missus works next to a pathology lab, data entry basically, but classes as NHS and we get discounts on all sorts of things!

Very funny Tithrev:p

This discount appears to be Emergency Service only, there is actually a half decent website that we get info sent to our trust email from. But by far the best discounts are from companies such as this Ford dealer that give the discounts off their own back.

We get 17% off a Zafira and 12% off an Astra on top of any negotiated discount though. This is a specific Emergency Service discount and you have to bring your ID and payslips to qualify.

Perhaps is is something to do with the Emergency Services being respected for what they do by most of the public, not something that seems to occur on this forum very often from certain posters.

Always seems a bit strange really, because there are few things that are certain to be involved in your life, Death, Taxes (though only if you work unlike Inactive and Gandalf) and the fact that everybody will rely in the Emergency Services at some time in their life.

Seems funny how when you use your experience to try to assist somebody, such as my indepth usage of Zafiras at work for example, some people like to take the !!!!. But if i didn't quantify my experience they would say i have no experience:rotfl:.

Not, a problem, I agree that I won't call them fro assistance or have anything to do with them for the rest of my life. And they can have no contact or request any help from the Emergency Services for the rest of their life.

Seems fair and agreeable to me.

Strider590

*Dusty* wrote: »

On an older car I'd say as long as it's been serviced by someone with a decent rep it shouldn't actually affect your resale.

It won't affect it, nobody ever asks details about the service history.... If it's from a dealer then people tend to assume it's ok.
Selling privately you might get the odd idiot who'd turn their nose up at a self serviced car, but they're just fools who believe all the hype about dealerships.

The trouble is with us Brits, we don't like people to know we've been ripped off, so we actually defend and often promote the very people who ripped us off.

MM30_2

*Dusty* wrote: »

My local renault dealer quoted me £110 for one or £150 to have two coils replaced on a 1.4l megane. a 20 minute job apparently.

Local mechanic changed all 4 coils for £80. On an older car I'd say as long as it's been serviced by someone with a decent rep it shouldn't actually affect your resale.

I agree, I use a local garage in Halifax, - S A Motors, they even collect and deliver my car back to my home. They do not have the overheads of the main agents.

They also live on their reputation.

bigjl

I must admit that I still check for a matched set of good quality tyres to figure out the previous owners attitude to preventative maintenance.

Four mismatched ditch finders and I move along.

myhooose

I recently went to get an air filter and oil filter from the local Renault dealer. The man behind the parts desk asked me if I wanted the Renault ones or a different type (can't remember the name). When I asked what the difference was he said the Renault ones have Renault stamped on them and the other ones not but a few pounds cheaper, otherwise identical. Guess which one I bought.

shaun_from_Africa

roddydogs wrote: »

yes i know that the warranty is not voided by using non main dealers, but you then have to prove the right Oil, etc. And someone recommending KF??

You can use non main dealers, but to ensure that the warranty isn't voided you still have to use spare parts supplied by the manufacturer. (this is stated in the Block exemption regs that came out in 2002)

cardinalbiggles

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

You can use non main dealers, but to ensure that the warranty isn't voided you still have to use spare parts supplied by the manufacturer. (this is stated in the Block exemption regs that came out in 2002)

Not true. You need to use parts of comparable quality.