Main Dealers Or Independants?

[flitwick]

Got to take mine in for a third service have been 10 months since the last one and another 12000 miles £250 for third service isn't to bad .Just wondering how much they would charge at a main dealer.

[iannez]

3 year service at ours is £240 but were north east area and its a bit cheaper up here. small service is £140.

[raveydavey]

Main Dealer 50k service: £189 + the antifreeze wants changing (£39.99) and the brake fluid (it was "missed" last time apparently) £29.99 on my 2003/03 HDi Desire.

 

Local Citroen specialist has quoted me £182 for all that doing using genuine Citroen parts, fitted by experienced ex-Citroen mechanics. They knew exactly what was needed as soon as I told them to mileage and gave me a run down.

I was offered a lift back to work or a free loan car for the day and the owner of the garage is the former service manager of the Citroen dealer (when it was an independent before the big chain took it over) - and they were recommended by a friend which is always a good sign.

 

So the specialist has all the experience and is using genuine parts and is considerably cheaper that the dealer. I was given better service when booking in, by someone who knew what they were doing. The main dealer has messed me about, hidden the truth regarding work and employ staff who think inane waffle is a subsitute for product knowledge on top of charging top dollar.

 

The car is booked in next Thursday and I'll let you know how I get on.

[citroeneddie]

Ravedavey

 

Was the Citroen Dealer a part of a large chain or a family run business?

 

I get on well with my Citroen Dealer as they are a family run business and trust them 100%.

 

I have 2 Citroen Dealers closer and I have to travel twice the distance, but the closer ones are owned by multis and I think they have targets :(

[raveydavey]

The dealer is part of a large chain.

 

It causes me considerable problems as most franchises around this part of the world have been snapped up by the same two chains, but of which appears solely target driven and don't appear to give two hoots for customer service.

[citroeneddie]

Raveydavey

 

I think you have answered my question.

 

Try and fnd a dealer that is not part of a multi for better service and advice.

[raveydavey]

You are probably right.

 

The probalem now is that with extended service intervals and (generally) much more reliable cars visits to the garage are becoming less frequent - and it's only once you start having problems that you are tempted to shop around.

 

As I've said almost all the dealerships (not just Citroen) around here are tied up by two or three big chains who run them all along the same lines.

[raveydavey]

Well, today was the day I cast aside the dealer network and went to an independent.

 

The difference was unbelieveable!

 

I dropped the car off at 7.15am - not the 8.30 the dealers insist on when there are often 10 or so people all trying to drop cars off at the same time.

The owner insisted that I be given a lift back to work as it was raining. The 20 minute walk therefore became a dry, warm couple of minutes drive.

 

I got a call mid-morning advising me what was being done to the car and what didn't need doing(!), but also pointing out a few problems:

1) several engine undertray bolts were missing.

2) the pollen filter was badly clogged and didn't look like it had been replaced according to schedule

3) when the suspension recall had been carried out the modification has only been fitted to the offside - the nearside nadn't been done.

4) it was recommended that the front wipers be replaced (fair enough, they were past their best and I'd intended to do them soon)

 

In my opinion items 1-3 can be laid firmly at the door of the dealer who is the only person to have worked on the car before today.

 

The additional bits (aside from the recall) were agreed and I confirmed I'd pick the car up at 4pm as agreed.

 

When I picked the car up it was parked outside the door and this bit felt quite odd. All the work had been done, there were no parts "on back order" requiring a return visit, the invoice was at the agreed cost (to the penny) and the owner of the garage took the time to explain exactly what had been done, when the next service was due, etc before handing the keys over.

That little combination is something no Citroen dealer has ever managed to do right first time in the almost 4 years / 50,000 miles I've owned the car.

 

The work had been done by a qualified mechanic who took the time to ensure that the job was done correctly and had used genuine Citroen parts, yet managed to undercut the dealer by a considerable margin despite offering many of the facilites a dealer trumpets about (loan cars, lift to work, etc) but often fails to deliver.

 

Without a shadow of a doubt I will be going back there for the next service.