MOT and service due- where to go?

emylou

My car is 4 years old and due its MOT and service (as well as car insurance in August and air con needing regassing). In the past week I have had numerous calls from Peugeot telling me my MOT and service is due and they can "book me in", but now my car is out of its warranty do I have to take it back to a peugeot garage or will I just be robbed blind?! I know nothing about cars and- as alot of my female friends do- assume as soon as a garage sees me coming their eyes are gleaming and they're rubbing their hands with excitement over what they can get out of me!?
Tips/advice please

[Deleted User]

They will rob you blind. Go to a good local recommended independent garage. Also I don't like the idea of these combined MOT and service packages. I prefer to get them done at separate times.

paddedjohn

you can take your car anywhere you want to get it serviced an mot'd, this was true even when under warranty.

Lum

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot

BillTrac

You never needed to take it to a Peugeot garage. Any VAT registered garage could have serviced it and your warranty would have been valid.

I would see if you can find a Peugeot forum and ask there for suggestions.

I have a 2009 Focus which I bought last year from Evans Halshaw. I went on a Focus forum and they told me about a garage which was local to me. Not only is this garage cheaper and friendlier, they are much, much more flexible. I called one friday at about 4pm because I had a site survey in Paris on the Tuesday dropped on me. The car was booked in for a service the following friday. I needed to be in Folkestone Monday afternoon. The garage asked me to bring it in at 730 on the Monday and I was out of there by 9am.

You try that with a main dealer.

emylou

Thanks for all your suggestions. I think I was told/assumed it would invalidate the warranty if I went to an independent garage?! I will look around today and ask family/friends for recommendations

LandyAndy

Is there anyone here who has had a brand new car serviced independently and then made a successful substantial warranty claim?

That is my main concern. Why give the main dealer/manufacturer such an easy out from warranty claims. I think you'd have the devil's own job proving that absolutely every thing done in an independent service was exactly to main dealer/manufacturer specification and that nothing else had been done as well.

I'm happy to be told otherwise, though.

shaun_from_Africa

Provided that a reputable garage is used and they use parts at least equal in quality to car manufacturers items then the warranty can't be invalidated

When you take the car in for its service, ask the garage manager if that when the receipt is written out something along the lines of the following can be added.

"All parts used during this service are of a standard that is equal to or better than Peugeot supplied parts".

The chances are that there will never be a problem with Peugeot, but having that statement written on the receipt may possibly help if there was ever a dispute.

BillTrac

My receipts actually detail what parts are used during the service. All Ford or Ford approved

Garage is Ford Technician trained

LandyAndy

Thanks to shaun and Bill. I appreciate the theory. I'd still be interested to see an actual example of a manufacturer accepting independent servicing as valid for a substantial warranty claim.

Mayflower10cat

To reply to OP, I've had my Peugeot 107 from new and it's been serviced by the dealership - up until now. Last service, (bearing in mind I only do very low mileage) was a whopping £300.....
With my car just out of it's warranty and my first MOT and annual service due this month, I decided to go to our local KwikFit as husband had recently had excellent service from them. Total bill was £220, which included refilling my tyres with nitrogen (Ok, I said yes, no idea why nitrogen is better than air?!) they re-gassed the aircon, full service and MOT. I asked if the car could be back mid afternoon and they rang me at 1.30 to say I could pick it up. I was very pleased, they were polite and friendly and if all their branches are like our local one, then I'd not hesitate to recommend them.