was going to suggest a mobile mechanic daft as it seems when i worked years ago for a large well known windscreen company that was all they did had too independent mechanics just working mobile doing the service and repairs. had the disc pads changed on a transit in a layby top end of nottingham due to being on 24 hour and remeber a clutch being changed on the same transit at home on the drive, no mess or problems.
Car servicing
- Thread starter kakarott
- Start date
Soldato
I'll go against the grain here but i've used my local halfords to service my car a couple of times and they've been really good. Had a chat with the guy who did the work and he showed me my old spark plugs etc as i asked about them, never tried to rip me of for unnecessary work or anything.
But they are all just franchises so you're experience of your own branch may be wildly different, same as any independent garage.
For example my local main dealer for Mazda and Suzuki are terrible, bought 2 cars from there and they've managed to completely mess up really basic things so i'd never let them touch my car with a bargepole now. Same with my nearest Toyota dealer, managed to not service it and try and claim that it had been and then lost all it's service history during the process..
But they are all just franchises so you're experience of your own branch may be wildly different, same as any independent garage.
For example my local main dealer for Mazda and Suzuki are terrible, bought 2 cars from there and they've managed to completely mess up really basic things so i'd never let them touch my car with a bargepole now. Same with my nearest Toyota dealer, managed to not service it and try and claim that it had been and then lost all it's service history during the process..
Soldato
I’ve always been very pleased with our local kwik fit. Haven’t used them for regular servicing, but tyres and MOTs have been absolutely fine. Decent service and never appear to overcharge or deliberately find fault. Open on Sundays as well which has been convenient.
Do they allow you to be there whilst they service the car or you have to come back after a few hours?
Caporegime
I do my own but if I couldn't I would buy the parts and get a mobile mechanic to do it.
I would say you'd need to be specific with what you ask for. In most cases garages expectations are that you'd drop the car off in the morning and they'll get to it at some point during the day.
Not a service, but 2 Christmases ago, about the 3rd week of December we'd had a screw in a tyre and needed the car for a long distance drive to family on the 26th and Halfords were the only ones with availability on about the 21st/22nd. I'd booked a slot on their website and when I went down to the garage the guy said he'd give me a call when it'd be ready.
A tyre change shouldn't really take anymore than 30 minutes tops, so when I'd asked him how long he expected, he'd said a few hours... I didn't kick off, but said I'd booked a slot on the website expecting the car to be seen to within that slot - otherwise what's the point having slots. Left to go and sit in Costa for what I was expecting to be a couple of hours and by the time I'd drank my coffee I had a phone call to say ready for pickup.
Soldato
They have a waiting room normally but like others have said you tend to book it in for a day or at best and afternoon or morning and they'll get to it during the time so you may be there for several hours. But they do tend to work to a more 'time slot' approach than most other garages which expect to have your car the whole day regardless.
Soldato
depends on whether you have a warranty. If you do, it becomes important to get proper services by approved garages to avoid nullifying the warranty.
Man of Honour
As long as OEM parts are used and the mechanic/garage is vat registered it's fine.
Halfords actually advertise that they service to OEM spec therefore won't affect your warranty
Soldato
I guess. I just got mugged in order to maintain the main stealer service history on mine.
Well I've just had my car serviced at a local Mercedes independent. I took out a three year servicing plan with the main dealer in January 2023 and stupidly paid the £793 upfront. In hindsight I should have paid monthly.
This year they weren't interested in doing the B service it was due, despite a few emails and a phone call to management. They never even had the decency to reply or call me back.
So I booked it in at a good Mercedes independent, these guys were finalists in Aftermarket magazines top garage of 2023 for what its worth. Asked for a B service which includes brake fluid and pollen filter and that is what they have done.
It wasn't cheap but the technician who worked on my car used to run his own garage and has 20 years experience. The main dealer treated me well in the first three years after I bought the car but after that weren't bothered.
I should have cut my losses in 2023 and gone to the independent, you live and learn. No chance getting a partial refund from the main dealer. They were taken over in June 2023 so obviously weren't doing that well.
I feel like I've had a better service at the independent.
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Aug 2005
- Posts
- 3,651
I use a mobile mechanic for my Honda Jazz but use a specialist for my Type R.
Associate
I've used main dealers for the past 5 years. Only because there's was a VW and Ford dealer within a 15 minute walk from my house.
I used an independant for my mini as they had really good reviews and lots of recommendations on facebook. Couldn't fault them.
For my Evo's I used to travel to the middle of Wales or Fairford (from Gloucester). Didn't let Mitsubishi touch them.
I used an independant for my mini as they had really good reviews and lots of recommendations on facebook. Couldn't fault them.
For my Evo's I used to travel to the middle of Wales or Fairford (from Gloucester). Didn't let Mitsubishi touch them.
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While it might be somewhat down to local branches but one of the things I would say for Nissan - so far, 1 exception aside, my dealings with Nissan dealership/franchise has been more what you'd expect for a premium brand rather than mainstream - 99/100 promised callbacks happen, good communication, the level of service at least is to a minimum standard - some try harder than others, etc.
I've dealt with several other brands either for my own, family or work vehicles including Mercedes, Ford, VW, etc. and had very poor experiences especially when it comes to call backs or other replies. Especially some of the premium brands bend over backwards until they get your money then they don't want to know.
Soldato
Wow they must have had their top technicians on that job.
No need for sarcasm lol
So called mechanics are just fitters only good for taking a part off and replacing it and going by what the error code reader says rather than common sense. They are not mechanics, far from it.
Any garage is only as good as the staff that work there.
For what it's worth the only issue I've ever had with a service was from a main dealer. For some reason I decided to check the oil level the day after getting it serviced and it was nearer min than max on the dipstick
As it was a company car I couldn't be bothered to argue it with them and used it as an opportunity to get rid of some of the left over oil from my wife's cars service that I did myself.
I've got a really good independent garage a 10 minute walk from work that I use for my own cars. Really good guys who advise you of pending work using actual words and timeframes. Beats the drama of ticks in colour coded columns with 'quote attached' like you tend to get with dealers.
For what it's worth the only issue I've ever had with a service was from a main dealer. For some reason I decided to check the oil level the day after getting it serviced and it was nearer min than max on the dipstick
As it was a company car I couldn't be bothered to argue it with them and used it as an opportunity to get rid of some of the left over oil from my wife's cars service that I did myself.
I've got a really good independent garage a 10 minute walk from work that I use for my own cars. Really good guys who advise you of pending work using actual words and timeframes. Beats the drama of ticks in colour coded columns with 'quote attached' like you tend to get with dealers.
Took my Mini back to the main dealer for a service after 8000 miles. They refused and argued against it (despite me asking to pay to have it done) as it wasn’t due on the onboard computer.
Drove round the corner to an independent and asked for a filter and oil change which they did there and then. Never went back to the main dealer for servicing.
Drove round the corner to an independent and asked for a filter and oil change which they did there and then. Never went back to the main dealer for servicing.