Dealer BS

[notsofast]

My K9 was coming up for its 2-year/20,000-mile service, so I phoned a couple of dealers for a price.  Of course I have to use dealers for warranty reasons.

The first dealer said it'd be £397.  This seemed a bit steep, so I asked what was involved.  The usual level checks and top-ups and unnecessary valeting.

Phoned a second dealer, who said it'd be £249.  Surprised by the big difference, I asked exactly what I was paying for.  Seemed similar to the first one, and I was assured that everything done is specified by Citroen.

Didn't book straightaway as I had a few weeks to play with.

Phoned the second dealer yesterday to make a booking.  Was asked more than once whether I wanted anything else doing, on top of the service.  Nope, though I did ask for prices for a couple of new tyres (out of interest to compare with Kwik-Fit).

After the booking was made, I was asked whether I wanted the coolant drained and flushed, because "after 20,000 miles this is recommended"  - cue long sales pitch (read off a script) about why I should do it, at an extra cost of £40.

FFS.

[RattyCortina]

They probably try to add things on as there is so little to do on a service now apart from changing the engine oil and filter... eeeh, in my day we had to grease nipples, change points, adjust brakes, clear t' whippets out of the air filter... (cue Hovis music)

[brodfather11]

They probably try to add things on as there is so little to do on a service now apart from changing the engine oil and filter... eeeh, in my day we had to grease nipples, change points, adjust brakes, clear t' whippets out of the air filter... (cue Hovis music)

You forgot to mention rear axle, g/box and steering box oil levels.
I'll not mention the oil in the lever type shock absorbers or rebuilding the water pump.

[saskak]

Similar experience to me, although some 10 years ago, nothing has changed within the stealership bussiness. Bought my M59 fairly new, ~3 years old from a stealership and it had passed their 100,001 check points (does it have windscreen wipers, checked, etc.). I think it was second hand approved. I registered with the dealership's whatever app (I've no idea why I did that) and to my surprise I "won" 3 years worth of free servicing. I bet anyone who registered got it, it is like hook you up early. I used that for my free servicing and another 2 years, so overall 5 years worth of servicing. These included interim services, full service, so there were at least 2 times of full service. The interim was every other year of oil change and oil filter.

Then I started doing my own servicing. The first time I opened the air filter to replace it, it was so black, that it had never been replaced, ever, I cannot quite remember but it may have had the PSA stamp even. I was surprised how black and dirty this thing can be. I am certain I paid for an air filter with my usual full service. OK, the car was really clean after every service, I'll give them that.

The same dealership replaced one of my headlights and then the next year MOT they said that one is off and needs adjusting and they will charge me £60 for the adjustment. My god, to adjust two screws £60. I asked which headlight it is and they said which one and it turned out it was the one they had replaced. So, upon telling them that they had replaced it the year before and had not adjusted it at the time, they dropped the £60 charge for adjusting them.

[evdama]

Similar experience to me, although some 10 years ago, nothing has changed within the stealership bussiness. Bought my M59 fairly new, ~3 years old from a stealership and it had passed their 100,001 check points (does it have windscreen wipers, checked, etc.). I think it was second hand approved. I registered with the dealership's whatever app (I've no idea why I did that) and to my surprise I "won" 3 years worth of free servicing. I bet anyone who registered got it, it is like hook you up early. I used that for my free servicing and another 2 years, so overall 5 years worth of servicing. These included interim services, full service, so there were at least 2 times of full service. The interim was every other year of oil change and oil filter.

Then I started doing my own servicing. The first time I opened the air filter to replace it, it was so black, that it had never been replaced, ever, I cannot quite remember but it may have had the PSA stamp even. I was surprised how black and dirty this thing can be. I am certain I paid for an air filter with my usual full service. OK, the car was really clean after every service, I'll give them that.

The same dealership replaced one of my headlights and then the next year MOT they said that one is off and needs adjusting and they will charge me £60 for the adjustment. My god, to adjust two screws £60. I asked which headlight it is and they said which one and it turned out it was the one they had replaced. So, upon telling them that they had replaced it the year before and had not adjusted it at the time, they dropped the £60 charge for adjusting them.

My old heap is so scabby they just want it off the premesis as quick as possible so no sales pitch , an MOT pass, thank you, goodbye.

When it was still under warranty I let them service it and often found cobwebs around things like filler caps or covers that were supposed to have been lifted.
Or being charged £3.50 for screenwash that I had filled to the brim myself that morning.
Or the single barrel of oil that is used in ALL vehicles -when I discovered that I dumped it and did my own change with the recommended stuff.
These days I do my own servicing rather than pay someone not to do it.

The outfit who service my boiler always do this with recommendations about some pipe that ought to be renewed.
If these things only last twelve months then surely they need a better quality one....

[notsofast]

They probably try to add things on as there is so little to do on a service now apart from changing the engine oil and filter... eeeh, in my day we had to grease nipples, change points, adjust brakes, clear t' whippets out of the air filter... (cue Hovis music)

Last year this same dealer tried to sell me me the option of a supposedly permanent "anti-microbial protective coating" for the interior.  Maybe I should have told them that the human body naturally has more bacteria inside it than human cells.  To be fair it was probably covid inspired, though I'm not in the habit of licking my dashboard...

[jj9]

Logical question. . . So why do you keep going back?

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[notsofast]

Logical question. . . So why do you keep going back?
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Well, I 've only gone back to this dealer once, and I'm going back cos I can't see a better alternative - the van is only 2 years old and if I don't use official dealers my understanding is the warranty becomes void.  My nearest dealer, who's 10 miles away, would charge £397.  This second dealer I've chosen to use is 20 miles away. Would a dealer who's even further be any better?  I doubt it.

The thing that annoyed me about the coolant flush offer is not that they offered it, but that as part of the sales pitch they said it was "recommended at 20,000 miles" - implying it's part of the service schedule as specified by Citroen (which if it were, it should have been included in the original price quoted).

[notsofast]

I registered with the dealership's whatever app (I've no idea why I did that) and to my surprise I "won" 3 years worth of free servicing. I bet anyone who registered got it, it is like hook you up early.

Bargain!  After I used this dealer last year they offered me a "personal service plan" at a cost of £30 per month, supposedly to save money over the next 3 services, but looking at the figures that is questionable. And if they go out of business, I'm out of pocket.

[jj9]

Well, I 've only gone back to this dealer once, and I'm going back cos I can't see a better alternative - the van is only 2 years old and if I don't use official dealers my understanding is the warranty becomes void. . . 

You can use any independent garage as long as the service schedule is followed and they use approved parts.


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