306maxi said:

It's up to the customer to not be a clot and pay twice the price of a full service for a low mileage service....... sorry.

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Not sure I agree. Most people trust that a dealer servicing a car will do what has to be done to comply with the servicing requirements at that dealer's standard prices. A main dealer will use official manufacturer parts that are the same price throughout the country (presumably). Logically, therefore, the only variable should be the hourly labour rate and any additional work that needs doing.

If I have a leak in my house, I expect a plumber to do the minimum necessary to fix it, spending a reasonable amount of time. If I am not skilled in plumbing, and the plumber spends 10 hours changing my hydrofantastic configurator when instead I only needed a new washer, I have been defrauded.

Why is it different if I ask for the appropriate service for my car but get one that is more than I need, at a higher cost?

The bottom line is the trust point - drivers put their trust in dealers. The dealer must honour that, and not take advantage of lack of knowledge or understanding.

RobinPJ said:

Not sure I agree. Most people trust that a dealer servicing a car will do what has to be done to comply with the servicing requirements at that dealer's standard prices. A main dealer will use official manufacturer parts that are the same price throughout the country (presumably). Logically, therefore, the only variable should be the hourly labour rate and any additional work that needs doing.

If I have a leak in my house, I expect a plumber to do the minimum necessary to fix it, spending a reasonable amount of time. If I am not skilled in plumbing, and the plumber spends 10 hours changing my hydrofantastic configurator when instead I only needed a new washer, I have been defrauded.

Why is it different if I ask for the appropriate service for my car but get one that is more than I need, at a higher cost?

The bottom line is the trust point - drivers put their trust in dealers. The dealer must honour that, and not take advantage of lack of knowledge or understanding.

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Trust is for dummies. Take control and reap the rewards!

I had my first year service done in May, 9k on the clock, went to the Fiat service centre in battersea after being quoted £270 by Glyn hopkin.

£170 at fiat battersea

Mine is going in for a "low milage" service next Monday (1 year 6,800 miles only). Dealer quoted £133.

FireballXL5man said:

Mine is going in for a "low milage" service next Monday (1 year 6,800 miles only). Dealer quoted £133.

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Still a ripoff IMHO, I paid less than that for a full service.

306maxi said:

Still a ripoff IMHO, I paid less than that for a full service.

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But didn't you supply the parts/consumables yourself when you arranged your service? Was it less than that all in?

RobinPJ said:

But didn't you supply the parts/consumables yourself when you arranged your service? Was it less than that all in?

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Yes and yes. ~£125 For the full 18k service

306maxi said:

Yes and yes. ~£125 For the full 18k service

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That's funny - in this thread you said it was £142 (£72 for parts and £70 for labour).

https://www.fiatforum.com/500/243313-something-think-about.html

?

it was cheaper than I first worked out. They charged a bit less for labour and I accidently included the cost of some antifreeze, wipers and other things I bought from shop4parts

306maxi said:

it was cheaper than I first worked out. They charged a bit less for labour and I accidently included the cost of some antifreeze, wipers and other things I bought from shop4parts

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Yes, I saw that you expected the labour to be £80 but it came in at £70. As you bought three years worth of parts for servicing you must have bought an awful lot of anti-freeze and wipers to make that much of a mistake in your calculations.

RobinPJ said:

Yes, I saw that you expected the labour to be £80 but it came in at £70. As you bought three years worth of parts for servicing you must have bought an awful lot of anti-freeze and wipers to make that much of a mistake in your calculations.

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Let me go home and check the exact costs

I've bought my parts online just like Maxi did - I'd originally intended to just buy a replacement mirror glass from a local dealer, but as I've been ill I couldn't face hauling myself to the garage and bought myself some oil and a filter kit as well!

Was quoted £60+Vat for the labour charge so all in all I'm probably paying about £125 for the service which is fine. I don't think I'm actually saving much at all but at least I have peace of mind that the parts are genuine and I'm getting it done at my main dealer where I bought the car. All little things but IMO these are great selling points if/when we decide to sell our car.

My experience of shop4parts was excellent though, very efficient in taking the order and the express delivery within 48 hours was bang on time. Well recommended!

My 18000 service was £90.....athough I did have my oil changed at 13,000 miles which was also £90 due to the oil degredation light coming on and Fiat said it doesn't need changing again. So £180.....at Nuneaton.

SmoothHound said:

My 18000 service was £90.....athough I did have my oil changed at 13,000 miles which was also £90 due to the oil degredation light coming on and Fiat said it doesn't need changing again. So £180.....at Nuneaton.

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Hang on a sec. You had the oil changed and it costs £90?

How?!?!?!

yes. I had it done again at 26,000 miles just last week and it was £90 again. I haven't found a place which can turn the oil degredation light off y'see. £90 is excessive!!!

Mines a Diesel I should mention.

After phoning around I had an oil and filter change when the light started flashing at 13k (mine's a diesel) in Edinburgh and it cost me £50. They couldn't give me a price for the 18k service (which is a full service except for the oil and filters) - the guy behind the desk said I should phone Fiat for a price when I've done that mileage!

Another dealer wouldn't say how much the oil and filter change would be, insisting I must have the full service every 12 months or my warranty would be void.

No wonder Fiat dealers have such a pathetic reputation

My 1.4 is now one year old, Thames at Croydon, Surrey have quoted £180 for a low milage (5000mls) service. They told me this was only an advisary service and would not affect the guarantee if It was not done. Don't think I will bother, a lot of money for some oil and a few bits.

Noddi goes into Arnie's in Oldbury, West Mids, on Friday for 1st service, quoted £165.

I am having to pay an extra £11.50 for a car for the day, which I do not mind (I am sure a hire car would be a lot more). There are a couple of minor faults, which I am guessing (hoping) will be picked up under warranty.

Beep, beep

metro said:

My 1.4 is now one year old, Thames at Croydon, Surrey have quoted £180 for a low milage (5000mls) service. They told me this was only an advisary service and would not affect the guarantee if It was not done. Don't think I will bother, a lot of money for some oil and a few bits.

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Do yourself a BIG favour. Donate more than £5 to the forum, you'll get a discount code for shop4parts. Order the relevant consumables in bulk (at greatly reduced cost) and then ask around for quotes for labour.

It'll save you a shedload of money and you'll have maintained the car properly. Sure you can go without the service and still be under warranty, but your car will run better for having new oil and to be honest do you really want your car to be running in oil that has all the bits in it from when you were running in your car?

Ordering parts online will probably take the service costs down to something more like £120 and it's always going to look good when it comes to sell it on that you've had it maintained to a high standard rather than just the bare minimum.

306maxi---Good suggestion