Car service collect and return by garage, is it wise to do?

Lady_K

Wish I had known that before, I bet it would have been much cheaper, they give you the impression that if you don't you void the warranty. If they werent picking it up tomorrow morning it would have been cancelled to use the garage 200 yrds away that weve always used and trust, hes done many jobs for nothing and is very well respected around here. I think I might even call him at 8am to see if they are open to ask what he will charge then cancel the vw one before they set out

s_b

Lady_K wrote: »

Wish I had known that before, I bet it would have been much cheaper, they give you the impression that if you don't you void the warranty. If they werent picking it up tomorrow morning it would have been cancelled to use the garage 200 yrds away that weve always used and trust, hes done many jobs for nothing and is very well respected around here. I think I might even call him at 8am to see if they are open to ask what he will charge then cancel the vw one before they set out

you are best letting dealer do it if 2 years old because they have full access to all vw updates on faults
go independent when warranty out but get an mot done at an independent before warranty out so you can get any warranty niggles done free at vw seeing as they have been looking after it till then

see mse top tip:)

Lady_K

Wow never thought of that, will have to put in diary for Dec this year then. Wheres that mse top tip? I didnt see that

pitkin2020

McKneff wrote: »

Beg to differ there sir, I bought my car (9 months old) from a main dealer 2.5 years ago, have never been there for a service, I use a smaller local garage at half the price

Part of the original deal which is still in force and on offer now is
'If you buy a car from us you get a 'free and easy' which is a free wash an vac for however long you own the car.'

I take advantage of it at least once a month. Its brilliant.
I can give you the name of the dealership if that still doesnt convince yo.

The cost is still built into the purchase price. Nothing is for free they are a business not a charity and everything has a cost with a profit margin. The price of a free car wash is pretty cheap to them so they can afford to give it away for FREE to offer a higher level of customer service in the hope you will use them again.

Scuttsy wrote: »

If you are being charged the same price whether it's collected and delivered or you have to drop it off it's free surely. Some people on hear seem to think all business's are trying to rip off all their customers. Cannot all the cynics just accept that some garages offer a good level of service in order to encourage your business, nothing more.

Most likely the driver will leave a car at yours whilst the car is serviced but unless you specifically ask I doubt you will be insured to drive it.

Stop being so naive, its not about people being cynics its called reality. The cost isn't free unless you have spent NO money with that business what so ever, but all the examples given in this thread have either bought a car or service to get a FREE wash/vac, the cost of said wash/vac would have been built into the price of the sale/service.

A wash/vac is a pretty cheap (cost) service for a garage to offer so that is why they can offer it and say its FREE. The garages that offer free wash/vac when you buy the car and forever after with them do it because in reality only a small percentage of people are going to use that free service week in and week out.

The majority will use that free service very little. With the markup on a nearly new car you would have to have your car washed a hell of a lot before they saw a big dent in their profit margin. Try going to a garage that sell 10 year old cars, there wouldn't be a enough of a mark up for them to justify such an open offer.

Such offers do give the garage a good image which for the minor cost is pretty priceless to their reputation from a customer point of view. As for it being free I would suggest people look up the meaning of the word FREE!!!

pitkin2020

gardner1 wrote: »

you can use a non vw garagae and as long as they use genuine approved vw parts your warranty remains intact

Exactly, it usually says in the cars manual something about (atleast it did in my vauxhall and toyota manual) it but few people bother to actual read them.

s_b wrote: »

you are best letting dealer do it if 2 years old because they have full access to all vw updates on faults
go independent when warranty out but get an mot done at an independent before warranty out so you can get any warranty niggles done free at vw seeing as they have been looking after it till then

see mse top tip:)

Totally agree, last thing you want is them trying to get out of a warranty claim and after spending so much on a new/nearly new car you want it to be right for when the warranty runs out

colino

The garage wont be daft enough to be running around un-insured or let the drivers go mental in your pride and joy, so enjoy the extra service while you can. I'm assuming this is a good, short-term bit of initiative from the garage to drum up trade and gain a bit of competitive edge, but doubt if it will last long as their on costs for providing the service (unless its a very old-fashioned, big outfit with more senior types on staff working at lesser rates) will be surprisingly high.

grizzly1911

pitkin2020 wrote: »

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Totally agree, last thing you want is them trying to get out of a warranty claim and after spending so much on a new/nearly new car you want it to be right for when the warranty runs out

Vauxhall do "faults" under warranty regardless of where it has been serviced. If the fault arose due to negligent servicing or wear and tear they would take a different view no doubt. Not to sure about the just using GM/.VW parts either as long as they are are of merchantable quality /fit for purpose etc.

All the latest recalls I have received have been direct to me, from the manufacturer or their agent, even for "nearly new", not through the dealer.

pitkin2020

grizzly1911 wrote: »

Vauxhall do "faults" under warranty regardless of where it has been serviced. If the fault arose due to negligent servicing or wear and tear they would take a different view no doubt. Not to sure about the just using GM/.VW parts either as long as they are are of merchantable quality /fit for purpose etc.

All the latest recalls I have received have been direct to me, from the manufacturer or their agent, even for "nearly new", not through the dealer.

thats great but you missed the point, whilst you still have warranty on the car if you have serviced by the dealership there are no if's or but's about negligent servicing whether they used genuine parts or nots. That can't be said if you take it somewhere else, they may TELL you that are using genuine parts but most people wouldn't know, that is until you try to make a warranty claim and the dealer sends you on your way.

I'm not saying other garages are going out of their way to rip you off but you have to expect the unexpected. If you've spent a great sum of money on a new or nearly new car you want to maintain that warranty as best as you can and not give any dealer wiggle room on not paying out!!!

boots_babe

A few times now I've used Servicing Stop for our cars to be serviced:

http://www.servicingstop.co.uk/

They collect from your home/work/wherever is convenient for you, and return in the same manner. They send 2 guys out so that no problem with them getting back to the garage after drop off.

Have found them to be cheaper than elsewhere, didn't really find any faults hence didn't charge any more than the initial quote, and they use manufacturer approved parts. Can't fault them.

waynedance

gardner1 wrote: »

Garages dont give free car washes/vacuum/valet/car collection etc etc

Of course they charge for it they dont do it for free.it might not say it on your invoice but collection/delivery of car will be built into the final bill

Nonsense I work at a garage and local collection is FREE on major servicing the price is the same either way.

Garages do get a poor reputation from coments as above, best one is telling all to go to council mot stations as garages will fail cars to get extra work.

Garage where I work fails cars only if its due a fail. In some cases garages may pass small items for good customers.