When do you stop using a main dealer

Pigeon · 12 Apr 2006 at 09:27

Since I've had the Prelude I've always taken the car to the main dealer. Initially it was because I was going abroad straight after I brought the car and wanted it checking over properly. I've carried on going since due to a little bit of discount of various clubs.

However it hit me recently that the car is 12 years old and worth mabe £1800! Should I be getting it done at the dealer or a backstreet garage or as foreigner*at a friends hmm.

Tesla · 12 Apr 2006 at 09:40

Can you do anything yourself?

How do main dealer prices compare to that of a garage.

Sounds like you have found a decent main dealer so maybe worth sticking with them if they do not charge the earth.

agw_01 · 12 Apr 2006 at 09:43

What do you use the dealer for? Parts or servicing?

I always buy original Rover parts for my car, and if possible, will fit them myself. Things like brakes/oil/coolant/spark plugs and leads I'll do myself, but if it's a big job (i.e. cambelt or gearbox) I'll take mine to a mechanic that I trust... one of those reasons is that finding a Rover dealer is getting harder and harder

You need to ask yourself, do you trust the guy to work on your car, and how much experience does he have? If you don't trust him, find someone you do trust. Perhaps ask family members and close friends for recommendations.

Tesla · 12 Apr 2006 at 09:47

I have this thing about using original parts too.

Like the other day, fitted a new PAS belt to the Rover. So I went to Rover and bought the belt. £7, I didn't think that was too bad. When I owned the Mondeo, Ford oil was cheaper than anything in the shops. 5L for £13! Same with the filter too, cheaper than the Halfords copy.

I just know from experience on other areas (non-car related) that pattern parts are NEVER as good.

Is this the actual case with car parts? (Excluding "uprated" parts).

Dolph · 12 Apr 2006 at 10:06

Pretty much when you decide it's not worth paying main dealer prices, or if you're not happy with the service they offer.

My car always goes to the main dealer, it's not much more expensive than the few other places I trust not to screw my car up, they know the car, are very friendly, always have a courtesy car or a cup of coffee ready and waiting while they are working on it.

If you're happy with what you're paying and the service you are getting, it's not worth changing just because other people seem to think you should.

Malachy · 12 Apr 2006 at 10:08

Tesla said:
I have this thing about using original parts too.

Like the other day, fitted a new PAS belt to the Rover. So I went to Rover and bought the belt. £7, I didn't think that was too bad. When I owned the Mondeo, Ford oil was cheaper than anything in the shops. 5L for £13! Same with the filter too, cheaper than the Halfords copy.

I just know from experience on other areas (non-car related) that pattern parts are NEVER as good.

Is this the actual case with car parts? (Excluding "uprated" parts).

no not always, car spares are not manufatured by the dealer, ega rover wishbones for example will not be manufactured by rover but an outside company it just depends where your "patern" dealer
gets his paterns from nine times out of ten it is the same place and exactly the same part,just in a different box.
Honestly how many factorys out there do you think are making wishbones for a rover 200?

halfords actually used to advertise showing this a page in a magazine showing an oil pump from main dealer and oil pump from halfords, was exactly the same even the model numbers and stampings on the cast were the same.

FakeSnake · 12 Apr 2006 at 10:14

Dolph said:
Pretty much when you decide it's not worth paying main dealer prices, or if you're not happy with the service they offer.

My car always goes to the main dealer, it's not much more expensive than the few other places I trust not to screw my car up, they know the car, are very friendly, always have a courtesy car or a cup of coffee ready and waiting while they are working on it.

If you're happy with what you're paying and the service you are getting, it's not worth changing just because other people seem to think you should.

Absolutely concur, I have used the main dealer for all 3 of my Jeeps, and will continue to do so. Thier prices are not a lot different to many other reputable garages, I also get a courtesy car, varying from a crappy Neon, to a nice spanky new Crossfire. In fact My car is going in today for a service, and I have a 5.7lHemi grand cherokee as a loaner (thier demo car!).
I have a very very good relationship with my dealer, I think its nice to build a rappor like that.

Mat · 12 Apr 2006 at 10:16

I stopped going to my dealer after stripping the front brakes myself to find that they had never been serviced properly before by the dealer. A mechanic friend of mine was amazed the brakes actually worked at all!

Use a cracking garage on Hope St in Cambridge (C+D Motors), can well recommend them.

Pigeon · 12 Apr 2006 at 10:16

I am happy with them, you have to go to Honda to get a lot of the parts for my car anyway. With the discount they are not really more expensive than anywhere else but that doesn't compare to mates rates. Problem with maes doing it is they offer but then when you ask for a date you then wait months !

I'd like to do work myself but I don't have room to swing a door open when the car is on the drive! I do the non mechanical things but wouldn't want to immobilise my car on my folks driveway.

iv-tecman · 12 Apr 2006 at 11:37

Right after I drive off the forecourt with my new car mate..

Never use them, as I feel they overcharge and who knows who is working on your car? Some fresh out of school kid, who isn't being supervised correctly? Not a chance..

I have a private garage look after my Honda... Some will disagree with this, but the savings I'm making outstrip the loss of "Full" Honda dealer service, as opposed to "full" service history IMO.

Dogbreath · 12 Apr 2006 at 13:44

Pigeon said:
When do you stop using a main dealer.

I never started using one! Personaly I think you'd be mad to take a 12 year old car to a dealer. You don't have a waranty that requires it, and servicing at a non-main dealer is hardly going to lower it's value as it's already suffered the bulk of it's depreciation anyway.

Third Opinion · 12 Apr 2006 at 15:01

When the warranty expiries.

I know you don't have to use them but it saves a lot of fannying around.

Lopéz · 12 Apr 2006 at 15:53

Dogbreath said:
I never started using one! Personaly I think you'd be mad to take a 12 year old car to a dealer. You don't have a waranty that requires it, and servicing at a non-main dealer is hardly going to lower it's value as it's already suffered the bulk of it's depreciation anyway.

Snap! Main Dealers are for parts that cannot be obtained elsewhere.

aztechnology · 12 Apr 2006 at 17:00

I stopped using a main dealer when I got to a point when I thought that keeping the main dealer stamp in the book didn't add enough value to a resale price.

If I'd taken my Fiat bravo to a dealer for all the servicing in the last few years, then I reckon it might be worth £250 more on resale now. Their service costs are over £100 more than my Local Garage Next to Work. So far I'm at least £250 up on the deal on servicing alone.