Main Service Or Independent?

RogerOut

RogerOut

RogerOut

Associate
Joined
10 Nov 2024
Posts
4
Location
United Kingdom
Sister -in law kindly gave me her 2012 Vauxhall Astra. She had it a few years , didn’t service it as such but got the oil changed . And payed out quite a bit for MOT work previously.

Need to get the car serviced, local
Vauxhall dealer service price is £280 for a main service.

I’ve called a few local independent garages , prices range from £230- £270.

Do good independent garages give a better service ? Do Vauxhall services just do the bare minimum as it stated in the maintenance schedule?
 
If a car hasn't been officially serviced in years, there is no point paying for a main dealer service. The purpose of main dealer servicing is to retain the warranty and resell value. If the warranty is gone (and I assume it's long gone), and the resell value isn't there to be protected (since it's not been serviced for years); you have little to nothing to gain by using a main dealer.

If it's only fluids, it would be a lot cheaper to do this yourself. Just keep the paperwork proving that you did actually buy the items and note the mileage they were fitted on the invoices. If that's outside of your comfort zone, use an independent garage to do the work.
 
The main bonus I find with using a main dealer these days is they tend to throw in 12 months AA or similar cover making it cheaper than a lot of independent or chain places once that's factored in.

Also probably not something that applies quite so much to a 2012 Astra but a lot of garages unless you specifically request it will just throw in whatever cheap oil they buy in bulk as long as it's the right grade, once you ask them to use the proper full spec oil again it becomes more expensive than the dealer.

Either way the independent isn't going to be going out of their way to do any more than what's listed in the book for that particular service same as Vauxhall.
 
Last edited:
tom_e said:
The main bonus I find with using a main dealer these days is they tend to throw in 12 months AA or similar cover making it cheaper than a lot of independent or chain places once that's factored in.

Also probably not something that applies quite so much to a 2012 Astra but a lot of garages unless you specifically request it will just throw in whatever cheap oil they buy in bulk as long as it's the right grade, once you ask them to use the proper full spec oil again it becomes more expensive than the dealer.

Either way the independent isn't going to be going out of their way to do any more than what's listed in the book for that particular service same as Vauxhall.
Click to expand...
This, I always found the difference in Main dealer and Independent garages very little apart from the price (although the Ford place near me isn't that much more 15-20 I think) and the fact that most Main dealers include breakdown cover back to them

As it's a 12 year old car with no service history (going by your OP) I would imagine any service is going to be an improvement
 
On a related note how do you choose or decide on an independent? Reviews in check-a-trade? Word of mouth? Finger held up in the air? Tend to go to main dealer because you know what you're dealing with but independents are an unknown quantity
 
I went with a ‘specialist’ who turned out to pick up and sort any issue. Another local place just fobbed us off that the car had been ‘fixed’.
 
Last edited:
Blackjack Davy said:
On a related note how do you choose or decide on an independent? Reviews in check-a-trade? Word of mouth? Finger held up in the air? Tend to go to main dealer because you know what you're dealing with but independents are an unknown quantity
Click to expand...

This is why developing a good relationship with any decent trade worker is paramount. Plasterer, plumber, electrician, mechanic... You can either go by word of mouth or just keep trying different ones. But the age old rule of buy cheap, buy twice will always apply. I prefer buy once, cry once!

Their biggest differentiator is that an independent garage will bend the rules for you and they can get creative. A main dealer will only follow the manufacturer's process and the rules to the letter. Don't get me started on Porsche OPCs.
 
Just booked online main dealer service. £289 , which isn’t that far off an independent. Plus it’s walking distance ,I can walk home , then drink coffee from their coffee machine on principle followed by a half hearted wash and vac to finish with.

I’m just waiting to see all the work they pick up on their health checks..
 
RogerOut said:
Just booked online main dealer service. £289 , which isn’t that far off an independent. Plus it’s walking distance ,I can walk home , then drink coffee from their coffee machine on principle followed by a half hearted wash and vac to finish with.

I’m just waiting to see all the work they pick up on their health checks..
Click to expand...
£289 for an oil and filter change? :eek:
 
I still take mine to the Mini dealership due to the warranty, but they are a bunch of chancers. Last October when my car went in for a service, they suggested my front disks and pads needed changing and were quoting about £650. I refused as I wasn't convinced they needed to be done. 2 months later, I got my car MOT from the same place, and it passed without any advisories. 1 Year later, brakes are still fine with an extra 10k miles on them.
 
For £289 just for oil and filter I would do it myself. That's a rip off unless other servicing or checks are included.

My approach would have been to work out what needs servicing. E.g. Oil, filter, brake fluid, power steering fluid, spark plugs? Probably brake pads? Then discuss with a local independent. For example one of the garages I use has a recommended list of items if the car has an unknown history.

Obviously if dealer prices are similar to independent them no harm going with them. But on a car like this I wouldn't necessarily go main dealer (probably a trainee anyway) over a good local independent.
 
£244 for a full service at an independent. Generally good reviews on Google. First time trying them so I’ll see how it goes.
I’ll ask them what they recommend doing and hopefully receive an honest opinion.
 
I service my own car every year, takes little effort, costs about £70 and 30mins and save the receipt if you wanna prove it to someone buying it further down the line.

Granted i never usually spend more than 10k on a used beemer though.
 
Last edited:
RogerOut said:
£244 for a full service at an independent. Generally good reviews on Google. First time trying them so I’ll see how it goes.
I’ll ask them what they recommend doing and hopefully receive an honest opinion.
Click to expand...
Full service doesn't tell us much, what's included exactly?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom