Servicing your own car - FSH

Captain_Flack.

snowcat75 wrote: »

Firstly main dealer servicing is mediocre at best, Apprentices porly supervised on minimum wage is the average scenario. Head Technicians are often on about £12 an hour, so they will hardly be pulling the cream of the crop from the trade.

Dont get two hung up on OEM parts, A bosch part made in Mexico and shipped to Renault to be resold with an extra 200% markup, is exactly the same as an importer selling a Bosch Part, with 10% Markup.

A Baldwin filter stamping with Fiat is still the same as a Baldwin Filter that isnt. Some non genuines are rubbish true, normally Chinese from an unknown source, But many meet or exceed the OEM standard.

Legally a mfr cannot make you service the car at the main dealer to hold warranty, they cannot even hold you to use OEM parts, or lubricants they just have to be to mfr to the correct EN standard.

With that said finding the correct standard for certain parts may be more of a ball ache than it worth.

While you're giving out the legal advice, where would you stand with the anti corrosion warranty servicing yourself?

snowcat75

Captain_Flack. wrote: »

While you're giving out the legal advice, where would you stand with the anti corrosion warranty servicing yourself?

As long as it was inspected annually to the correct standard, anyone could do it, they couldn't wriggle out of a poor mfr procedure just because It wasn't inspected by a plate glass dealer.

These rules were enforced nearly a decade ago by the EU, and as of 3 years ago Mfrs could no longer enforce the parts to be genuine.

EN Standards are developed to create a harmony throughout mfr, Procedures and standards can be obtained by anyone, Its the whole idea.

If BMW suddenly gets an issue with a poor panel, they haven't the facility's to put that back into house and preform a repair they run only production lines, It will be outsourced, to a shop working to the relevant EN standard.

I have been involved with CNH (formaly Ford) in the past rectify issues coming off there tractor line, campaigns are carried out by main line dealers and small Engineering firms like my self.

And on a side note, modern paint standards are crap, there a gun finish off an automated line, take a look along a panel and you can see the orange peal from the other-side of the car park, Its only got worse with the introduction of the water based.

Captain_Flack.

snowcat75 wrote: »

As long as it was inspected annually to the correct standard, anyone could do it, they couldn't wriggle out of a poor mfr procedure just because It wasn't inspected by a plate glass dealer.

These rules were enforced nearly a decade ago by the EU, and as of 3 years ago Mfrs could no longer enforce the parts to be genuine.

EN Standards are developed to create a harmony throughout mfr, Procedures and standards can be obtained by anyone, Its the whole idea.

If BMW suddenly gets an issue with a poor panel, they haven't the facility's to put that back into house and preform a repair they run only production lines, It will be outsourced, to a shop working to the relevant EN standard.

I have been involved with CNH (formaly Ford) in the past rectify issues coming off there tractor line, campaigns are carried out by main line dealers and small Engineering firms like my self.

You'll find they are wriggling with anti corrosion warranties.

snowcat75

Captain_Flack. wrote: »

You'll find they are wriggling with anti corrosion warranties.

Any Big mfr will wriggle over any problems, they have huge legal departments to do so, however if its a genuine mfr fault and you can prove it then they must take action.

Several years ago I got involved in a fight against a very large company, They had sold a machine to a client, the machine in question cost six figures, and on an appraisal after 3 years of work and less than a 1000hrs we found a list of faults covering 6 sheets of A4.

The dealer, refused to take it any further, and the mfr was trying the usual tricks of poor maintenance, abuse incorrect parts etc, all were a fob off story, I got involved when it was going legal, and tracked the whole root cause of the issues to be insufficient transmission cooling, these in turn was sending all the electronic components over there designed operating temps, and to put it bluntly screwing it.

On this revelation, the mfr suddenly started to listen, and needless to say it never went to court. The machine was replaced, and surprise surprise the new one had a much bigger transmission cooler and a temperature sensor on the trans controlling the viscous fan.

If you have a case, The squeaky hinge backed up with lots of facts approach is far the best.

Captain_Flack.

snowcat75 wrote: »

Any Big mfr will wriggle over any problems, they have huge legal departments to do so, however if its a genuine mfr fault and you can prove it then they must take action.

Several years ago I got involved in a fight against a very large company, They had sold a machine to a client, the machine in question cost six figures, and on an appraisal after 3 years of work and less than a 1000hrs we found a list of faults covering 6 sheets of A4.

The dealer, refused to take it any further, and the mfr was trying the usual tricks of poor maintenance, abuse incorrect parts etc, all were a fob off story, I got involved when it was going legal, and tracked the whole root cause of the issues to be insufficient transmission cooling, these in turn was sending all the electronic components over there designed operating temps, and to put it bluntly screwing it.

On this revelation, the mfr suddenly started to listen, and needless to say it never went to court. The machine was replaced, and surprise surprise the new one had a much bigger transmission cooler and a temperature sensor on the trans controlling the viscous fan.

If you have a case, The squeaky hinge backed up with lots of facts approach is far the best.

If you say so.

But as the consumer has missed the inspections any legal action would fail.

Flying-High_2

I service everything myself from Lawnmower to 2009 John Deeres and JCBs...... Genuine parts 90% of the time... depending on vehicle age ... Then it'll be branded quality OE Spec parts. All serviced on time aswell at given mileage/hours.


Receipts are kept and everything added to spreadsheet/log....


When it comes to buying supposedly self service stuff I can Smell !!!!!!!! at 30 yards... If the right parts Receipts etc at right dates mileage hours etc add up then I have no problem.

snowcat75

Captain_Flack. wrote: »

If you say so.

But as the consumer has missed the inspections any legal action would fail.

No it wouldn't, mfs will use terms as "prefrable" to be in inspected by, they cannot legally hold you to use there service departments to do so. They would not advertise the fact you do not need to use there parts, service or inspections as they make a huge amount of profit from them.

Its the very same reason that electronics on cars were forced to become OBD2 compliant, The US ruled against the cartel of allowing each mfr to use there own system, thus making servicing impossible for small independents, The EU has subsequent fined mfrs for not keeping to compliance.

Currently I am getting ready to become EN1090 Compliant, which governs steel structures, Although it may be nice for me to insist that a customer must pay for an annual inspection for defects of a frame, the truth is inspected or not, If a mfr fault develops within the working life I am liable for repair. If I dont compile to EN1090 then my work is not insurable

You are protected by the rules that govern mfr, not a stamp in a book, Iv spent enough years in Engineering to know exactly how much liability falls back to producer.

Stooby2

I've had my car for about 8 years now and done all the servicing and repairs on it myself. I have some receipts and all the MOT's for that time. If I was to sellit now, I'd be prepared to lose, at most, £100-£200 for not having FSH. It's probably worth around the £1500 mark.

However, I've probably saved well over £2000 in labour costs in doing all the work myself over the years, so I'm still saving a considerable amount.

And many years ago, I had Dees do a service on a Sierra that was still under warranty - the air filter wasn't changed, the oil filter was wiped clean (not wiping off the paint mark I'd added) and a couple of blobs of grease were plonked on the the door restraints. The oil was changed, but I'm highly doubtful that they used the super duper Castrol they charged me for.

When I service my car, I do it properly as I want it to last. I don't trust dealers to do the same.

mattyprice4004

1886 wrote: »

I find it laughable that there's people on here that consider themselves in the same league as a fully qualified and trained technician.
Just because you've gone to your local car store and bought an oil filter and done the job yourself means nothing to me. Your work comes with no guarantee and the parts you use are most probably a cheap copy. A main dealer uses genuine parts, the parts they use come with a warranty as does the work that has been carried out.
People who use main dealers do so because they have confidence in them, they don't do it for the cheapest option. If I went to buy a car that was advertised for sale as having had a FSH and then I found out the seller had done it themselves I'd consider that as adding no value, how do I know it's been done correctly? Main dealer techs have had years of training

So how is working at Kwik Fit these days?

iltisman

I only do my own servicing after terrible service from main dealers.
Oil caps left off/lost, charged for work not done, air con depressurised , and diagnostic lead left connected, all for an eye watering price.
One factor I take into account when buying a car is ease of self servicing.