What is involved in a 'Service'?

Strider590

Depends really, at most dealerships, working to strict deadlines, KPIs, etc......

Oil change
Air filter
Glance at vehicle
Stamp log book

(in bold, the only one thing you can guarantee)

To be honest VERY few technicians will do everything on the check list, as the check list is just marketing BS.

These days people focus on themselves, not on the car, so if the salesman seems "nice" and there's a nice fancy waiting area, they see this as "good service".
If you find a garage that values it's reputation, your car will get a better quality of service, but you probably won't get tea/coffee/nibbles.

I do most of my servicing myself, the oil change is done at a local garage (because my trolley jack sinks into the tarmac after a while) and while they do that i'm wandering about under the ramps inspecting the condition of my car and touching up minor issues (like the start of corrosion to my brake lines). I have to say though, it takes some doing to get the garage to trust you enough to let you wander about their workshop, so don't try this at home kiddies

ChumLee

Strider590 wrote: »

Depends really, at most dealerships, working to strict deadlines, KPIs, etc......

Oil change
Air filter
Glance at vehicle
Stamp log book

(in bold, the only one thing you can guarantee)

To be honest VERY few technicians will do everything on the check list, as the check list is just marketing BS.

Do you work in the motor trade or did you hear that down the legion?

Strider590

ChumLee wrote: »

Do you work in the motor trade or did you hear that down the legion?

If you look those check lists objectively and with some level of knowledge, you'd read most of it and think "why the hell would anyone need to check that????" or "surely that's little more than a glance?", these sorts of things will be ignored by technicians.

A lot of the stuff they list will also be MOT fail points, so they're not going to bother checking these, especially if that garage did the MOT..... Why would they want to go pointing out their own mistakes?

Pretty good example of how unrealistic targets and KPIs are being put ahead of customer service in the motor trade:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdGqlaeCbHs

The industry is run by desk jockeys, people who've never even lifted a spanner, technicians are in a no win situation, cut corners or get fired.

ChumLee

Strider590 wrote: »

If you look those check lists objectively and with some level of knowledge, you'd read most of it and think "why the hell would anyone need to check that????" or "surely that's little more than a glance?", these sorts of things will be ignored by technicians.

A lot of the stuff they list will also be MOT fail points, so they're not going to bother checking these, especially if that garage did the MOT..... Why would they want to go pointing out their own mistakes?

So you've no actual experience, it's just your opinion. Thanks.

WellKnownSid

Strider590 wrote: »

Pretty good example of how unrealistic targets and KPIs are being put ahead of customer service in the motor trade:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdGqlaeCbHs

The industry is run by desk jockeys, people who've never even lifted a spanner, technicians are in a no win situation, cut corners or get fired.

What's funny and ironic is I actually had some very small involvement in that particular documentary, I know it well... and also both the manufacturer and dealer concerned very well.

It would be wrong to say the examples in the programme were entirely made up or staged - they were... 'representative' - but the programme itself is an advertorial, it was funded by HUK, and was written as such.

I can't say any more other than to say 'don't believe everything you see on the telly'... the industry's desk jockeys know far, far, far more than you realise...