Self Servicing your Commodore

[dtrain]

Just thought I'd post the question. What are the advantages, disadvantages of untaking the scheduled services yourself, (assuming you have a reasonable aptitude with engines) rather than sending your Commodore into Holden? I mean do they ever really plug the things into computers and diagnose them when it's service time or do they just do their bit as outlined by the service guide??

What are other peoples thoughts??

 

[TheIceman]

advantages: if you know what your doing you get it done cheaper, u know whats been done, you dont have to waste your time taking it in and picking it up, no one else drives your car.

disadvantages: it voids your warranty, costs more, wastes your time having to drop it off and pick it up, you will get charged one hell of a lot more

 

[Shounak]

Just thought I'd post the question. What are the advantages, disadvantages of untaking the scheduled services yourself, (assuming you have a reasonable aptitude with engines) rather than sending your Commodore into Holden? I mean do they ever really plug the things into computers and diagnose them when it's service time or do they just do their bit as outlined by the service guide??

What are other peoples thoughts??

Do the easy stuff yourself.. Oil changes, coolant flushes, plugs, leads, filters (air, fuel), even brakes if you want to..

Take the car in for a full safety check once a year.. It'll cost you about $40, and they'll tell you if there's anything wrong.. Let the professionals have a look once in a while..

 

[Marks-VY]

Let the professionals have a look once in a while..

I am getting a little cynical in my old age but be careful how you use the word "professionals":shutup:

.....My last Holden Dealer service (and I mean that in every sense of the word) was a waste of money. Tyres were not removed or rotated (even though it was in the scope) therefore they could not have checked brake wear or condition and the air filter had not been checked (checked it myself and a light tap on the ground had a good amount of dust dropped out). I had no confidence that a service had been done, other than an oil change.:b:

I am fortunate enough to be a Fitter/Turner with engine/car rebuilding as a hobby so from here on I will be doing the work myself, although while it was under warranty I always had it serviced by an authorised repairer, with in between oil changes done by myself.

If you are not that way inclined, try to speak to the person working on the car, to get an idea of exactly how much effort they put into the job. Smaller places like Midas/Ultratune or the home servicing companies are the best bet for this.

If my car shows a fault code or if the car starts to run rough, then I will bring it to a mechanic with a Tech2.

So what are the disadvantages of servicing my own car? When I go to sell it, I have to convince the buyer that I am more competent than some mechanics. Not a problem!:dance:

 

[Shounak]

I let Ultratune do it. Very competent professionals..

I have first hand experience of how Holden are a bunch of monkey's who couldn't diagnose a blown out tyre..

Build a relationship with an Ultratune guy. The guy's doing a full check of my mum's car tomorrow in front of me.. I'll know that he's checking everything..

 

[Huthy]

Holden Servicing is a joke...

Who services on a Saturday, but doesn't do warranty work on a Saturday?
Who else would want to spend 45 minutes to fit a replacement soft tonneau cover?
Who tries to charge to adjust a handbrake?
Who overfills clutch reservoir's, to the point of spilling fluid through the engine bay?
Who doesn't clean up the spilt fluid? And now has to order a replacement engine cover?
Who looses screvit's and doesn't replace them until it's pointed out, and then replace them with incompatible ones?
Who never seems to have stock of warranty items? Idler Pulleys? Fuel Pumps? Tonneau covers? Screvits?
Who drives the car for 30km in a service, but can't explain why?
Who drives the car to feather edges on the tyres?
Who puts fuel filters in backwards?
Who overfills, and spills brake fluid in reservoirs?
Who overfills automatic transmissions?
Who says brake pads need replacing, and I get another 25,000 from them?
Who says tyres need replacing, and I get another 15,000 from them?
Who charges $75 for 6 litres of magnatec oil?
Who can never seem to find the faults I have been listening to for the last 5,000 kms and will for the next 5,000?

Two Words... Holden Service...

 

[davey g-force]

Holden Servicing is a joke...

Who services on a Saturday, but doesn't do warranty work on a Saturday?
Who else would want to spend 45 minutes to fit a replacement soft tonneau cover?
Who tries to charge to adjust a handbrake?
Who overfills clutch reservoir's, to the point of spilling fluid through the engine bay?
Who doesn't clean up the spilt fluid? And now has to order a replacement engine cover?
Who looses screvit's and doesn't replace them until it's pointed out, and then replace them with incompatible ones?
Who never seems to have stock of warranty items? Idler Pulleys? Fuel Pumps? Tonneau covers? Screvits?
Who drives the car for 30km in a service, but can't explain why?
Who drives the car to feather edges on the tyres?
Who puts fuel filters in backwards?
Who overfills, and spills brake fluid in reservoirs?
Who overfills automatic transmissions?
Who says brake pads need replacing, and I get another 25,000 from them?
Who says tyres need replacing, and I get another 15,000 from them?
Who charges $75 for 6 litres of magnatec oil?
Who can never seem to find the faults I have been listening to for the last 5,000 kms and will for the next 5,000?

Two Words... Holden Service...

Geez, tell us what you really think!!

I may have been lucky but I have had no dramas with Holden servicing so far...

...Then again, I always give 'em the third degree beforehand and make it quite clear that I'm a fussy b@stard and I will whinge very loudly if things aren't up to scratch!

 

[Lumps of cheese]

I do all my own work if i can, always have.
I only take it in if i absolutley can't avoid it.

 

[Huthy]

I'd love to do my own servicing, but I want to keep my warranty!

 

[krazyboris]

I was put into the position recently of holdens certified warranty. After weighing up options ($174.90 fixed service price, around $50 for fuel as they are 3 hours from me, every 6 months) Vs the whole $1000 worth of repairs thing (more complicated than that, but thats the gist) I decided not to bother with the warranty. The parts covered are just not things that you would ever think of replacing, not under normal driving conditions.

I think we are taught from a young age that warranty's are the way to go, but when it comes to the crunch, they are not always worth it.