You need to get a written quote, and yes, they will carry out two jobs at the same time if one job encompasses the other.
You do not have to use selenia, your egr was probably not knackered - usually they just need cleaning - but thats an aside
. Phoning up and actually getting a written / timed quote are two separate issues.
I think you assume too much negativity re the main dealers without actually getting a genuine written quote. Perhaps you had a bad experience ? - so what ? so have many here have very bad and expensive 'experiences' with back street alleged 'specialists' . get quotes. compare like for like. a 70 quid ebay timing chain kit is NOT a fiat timing chain kit. it will not last as long or may well fail prematurely. You have no idea what you are buying off ebay whatever they say on the box.
But of course, it is totally your choice to spend/ invest or waste money wherever and however and with whoever you choose.
You are entitled to your opinion. About the only thing in the UK you are entitled to
As I stated previously, I rang two main FIAT dealers and asked for a quote for a timing chain change and both said: "Between £300 and £600." Admittedly I didn't specifically request a written quote but unless I walked through the door I wouldn't have done.
The two main dealers I've used for servicing both stated Selenia oils as being used on the invoices.
To put some form of perspective on my attitude to the dealers, I bought the MJ in March 2005, when I went in to the showroom a few weeks earlier they only had two MJs as the launch date was a few days away. They got me one from the compound to test drive and the salesman apologised for the wax and plastic as it was destined as their showroom launch model. We did a deal on that car as it was in the colour I wanted and had the alloys I wanted as well. They also fitted the factory rubbing strip from the Eleganza. It was ready for me with a few gallons of derv in the tank as well.
As I bought it from Priory in Urmston near Manchester and everything went so well, I had the first service carried out there as well. They underquoted me yet when I pointed that out to the receptionist she spoke to the Service Manager who agreed to charge me what I had originally been quoted.
Unfortunately, by the time of the 2nd service the dealer had closed down so I went to Stoneacre in Hyde. No problems, which in theory there shouldn't have been.
As the warranty was up by the time of the 3rd service I took it to a local garage in Stockport recommended by a friend. The job seemed to be ok, until the next service.
The 4th one was carried out again at Stoneacre because they wrote to me with an offer I couldn't refuse. When I picked it up I asked if there were any problems and it seemed there was one. The oil pump was leaking and when I asked for a (verbal) quote a figure of "About £220" was forthcoming. Odd how these all contained the word "About." I could see oil down the front of the block, but there had been none on the ground where I parked and the oil level has never been below half way on the dipstick even when it went in for a service.
I kept an eye on the level over the next few months and then found myself at Heath Road Garage in Sandbach to look at an Alfa 156 he had for sale. I mentioned the oil leak and he put it over a pit and had a look from above and below. He said that although there was a small amount of oil on the pump, that wasn't where the leak was coming from. He said it came from the oil filter where the seal on the filter hadn't been seated correctly. He gave the front of the block a clean and said keep an eye on it. He serviced it at its 5th anniverary and there has since been no oil down the front of the engine, this month is the 9th anniversary of buying the Panda and since that day in Sandbach another 40,000 miles have been covered, still on the original oil pump.
So that begs a couple of questions. If oil was visible on the block on the day Stoneacre diagnosed a leaking oil pump, does that imply that the filter was already oozing oil from the badly fitted seal from the previous service? Not only that, as it was still doing it several months after a main dealer service is there a suggestion that not only did the dealer mis-diagnose the fault and quote for a job that didn't need doing, but his mechanic still didn't fit the new filter correctly? Or worse, that he didn't replace the filter at all.
I put this to Stoneacre who stated, and I quote: "We don't do that kind of thing." The Service Manager wasn't interested in inviting me to the garage to discuss the matter, or communicate with me at all afterwards either by letter or phone call.
A few years ago, a colleague who was running a Multipla returned the car to a main dealer for a factory recall to the suspension. The work was carried out and a few months later it started making a noise (can't remember what kind) and as it was due a service he took it to a long established independant mechanic near where he lived who had carried out his maintenance for years. He diagnosed a problem with a suspension mounting that was allowing contact between metal components when moving on full lock and recommended he take it back to the main dealer.
When he did he was asked how he knew what the problem was. He obviously said he'd taken it to his local mechanic who'd diagnosed the problem. The dealer then alleged that the other mechanic must have tampered with it and therefore neither FIAT nor the dealer had any liability and he'd have to pay to have the fault rectified. He went back to his local bloke who did the work and the car ran without fault for another 2 years and 30,000 miles until it was written off by a BMW X5 in a supermarket car park.
He then bought a Renault Espace Scenic, followed by his current motor a Skoda Roomster. As you can probably guess, he's never been near a FIAT again, and I have never been to a main dealer since, and apart from the first two services, I won't when I get my next car.
Heath Road Garages in Sandbach uses service parts by TJ, AC Delco, Bosch, NGK, as well as original FIAT/Alfa. As a matter of interest, the timing chain kit was a FIAT original as I was there when the parts van from Mangoletsi delivered it.
