Dealer servicing. Do you trust anyone else with your car?

[woooo]

Quick question. What do you do if you are fanatical about your new car like me and don't have a mark on it and it doesn't even get driven and you come up to first service. My car is not a daily and no one else drives or touches it. What options are there? Do you get your car serviced by the Holden dealer?

 

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

Find a good indie mechanic and every few years see a dealer for any software updates only

 

[Forg]

If you were in the north of Sydney I would recommend Scott of The Rev Doctor in the back of Hornsby (it's probably closer to Asquith).

There are dealers who will come to you to do the standard services, and who only charge standard service prices. Instead of arranging that, I get up 1.5hrs early so I can drop the better-half off at work, drive up to Hornsby, drop the car off, walk up the hill to Asquith station & catch the train to work. Then the trip home is an extra 2 hours.

I've rather (a) support his business than a "faceless" dealer workshop and (b) have him work on the car. He just ... knows stuff, picks stuff up. My Volvo project car (waves to SuckSqueezeBangBlow) has a Supra gearbox, and there's a locating pin on the Toyota bellhousing which is almost not needed ... my bellhousing is Dellow not Toyota, I knew nothing of this pin & had been driving the car around (not properly sorted) for years. I asked if he could suss-out some vibration, he not only had a VS-or-thereabouts tailshaft fitted & balanced because the original was wobbly, he also added the locating pin where it was missing (there was even a hole in the Dellow bellhousing where it should have gone) ... now this is the sort of stuff people with knowledge are ever going to pick up, and it's not like he's a Toyota fiend or anything like that (his cars are pretty varied - although invariably old, I think he was almost disappointed that we replaced the VS with a new VF ).

And on top of that, he's using the same stuff that Holden dealer workshops use, and the "capped price servicing" turns out not to be much a Thing because he costs no more.

Only downside, as mentioned above, is no free software upgrades. But it seems they're not happening anyway, seem to be plenty of people around with 2013 VF's that've been dealer-serviced their whole lives & who still don't have the lines on their colour-touchscreen MyLink.

 

[PeteSS]

I know a guy (non Commodore owner) who is that anal he takes his own oil to the dealer, makes sure they use it, then when it comes time for the test drive he goes with them.

A bit over the top if you ask me

 

[markalan1two]

I know a guy (non Commodore owner) who is that anal he takes his own oil to the dealer, makes sure they use it, then when it comes time for the test drive he goes with them.

A bit over the top if you ask me

Not really if you want to keep your car smick, i took a vf redline to the dealer for a service couple of years back for a seat base put a dent in my sill plate and a scratch on the plastic on the side of the center consul, its hard to prove they did it, they just said it was already there before they touched it, but when love your car, clean it yourself, spend more time in it then you do at home you get to know ever mark big or small.

 

[SnowDoggyDogg]

I've got a mechanic mate who works at a Holden dealership who also does his own servicing after hours. He's the only other bloke I'd trust with my wagon. I stipulate things like my preferred oil based on the seasons ahead and he buys it at trade price and comes over after dinner to do the job... we have a beer and a yarn and the car gets the treatment it deserves.

The HSV I've got does go to the dealership because its under warranty and I know the only two in-house HSV certified mechanics that are allowed to touch them... those boys aren't run of the mill dropkicks and they LOVE their HSVs. There's no worries that they'll treat her right. Doesn't stop the cheeky service managers from trying to force me to buy add on **** I don't need, but that's their game.

 

[Smitty]

.. I walked into my dealer's service area with the DP in tow
and
had a serious conversation with the Service Manager about the HSV when I got it
with her (yes SM is a she) boss, the DP as witness.

I get the logbook services/safety checks done there (they even loan me a free car for the day)
every 15,000 so all is good on that front. And yes, I do get looked after. Their warranty
service with me is exemplary

However having said that, every 5000 I do an oil/filter change and also then, use my 'race car safety checksheet' to do the
same on the wagon (bit anal about the HSV )

 

[Poor old Dad]

I am also particular about my cars - particularly after Ford service scuffed a rim (and denied it) a few years ago, so I do a "walk around" with the service bod when I drop it off.

We agree that it's unmarked and when I pick it up I do a visual inspection before signing for it.

I accept that life ain't perfect and accidents happen but I don't want to be paying for someone else's accident/neglect.

 

[SnowDoggyDogg]

I had a Ford dealer's staff take my log book that I left in the car for them to stamp up one service. They swear it was never in there.... f-ing mongrels.

I make sure I bring in the logbook when I take back the vehicle now.

 

[strgas]

you can request the vehicle to not be test driven , recorded the speedo kms when dropping off , but if your going to go to a stealership for a regualr service this will more than likely be carried by the first year snot nosed apperentice who just wants to go for a fang around the block in your car without a care leaving greasy finger marks on the inside along with greasy boot marks on your nice floor mats and bash your door agaisnt the hoist as he squeezes out while rushing to make good time on the service so he can make bouns for the week , while forgeting to tighten your sump plug leaves your lock nut tool on the bench on only to be found when you have a flat miles fom anywhere .
goodluck with your next service .