hello frupi, the car was a hertz rental before i got my hands on it, every car i've had has been serviced in this way, with this being a diesel i'd rather keep servicing it at a shortened interval than leave it 2 year/18,000 miles. I get my parts for cost price with me working where i work (soon to be cheaper than cost) and do my service myself. Got the car for a long time to come!!!
General Best price for a low mileage service?
- Thread starter JonnyO
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General Best price for a low mileage service?
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The meaning of 'take exception to' is defined as...
object to, disagree with, take offence at, take umbragea at, be resentful of, be offended at, demur at, quibble at...
And then you say it's 'up to the person who reads the comment'. It's quite obvious that you took my posting personally and now you're 'playing with words'.
On the last service with Alasto Auto which cost €200 + vat involved 1.5 hours labour (€118+vat) which involved an oil & flilter change, brake fluid change and getting on the Examiner for software updates. It also involved investigating the rear shocks. I spoke with the mechanic that worked on my car and he wasn't the 'tea boy'. The dealership had previously worked on the car when it came in for its first service when it was owned by Fiat Ireland so they were familar with it.
If you don't trust Fiat I can't understand why you don't give the business to someone else. They haven't got a monopoly on servicing their own cars.
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And then you say it's 'up to the person who reads the comment'. It's quite obvious that you took my posting personally and now you're 'playing with words'.
It seems you're the one multi-quoting here to prove a point. Anyway, agree to disagree, we shouldn't argue over something so inconsequential!
True, but I do understand the benefit of keeping the car in the dealer servicing network whilst it's so new, if something were to go wrong whilst it's in the warranty period, the originating dealer are a little more likely to be more helpful if I use their servicing. I never take cars to anyone for servicing anyway, so the point is moot; I want it to go to the manufacturer for the simple sake that they *should* (and I've asked them) carry out any campaign work - i.e. replacing the ignition coils on certain TA models (mine comes under this) and put any software updates in.
It doesn't stop me wanting to double check every bit of work they've done - because I don't want it cocked up in any way.
Exactly & you only need first 2 services anyway which you can often negotiate in with the initial deal
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Got mine back today after its service. Ignition coils were replaced, and the idle seems a lot smoother - which is always a good thing
Happy report from here in NZ too, my 500 was serviced yesterday by the FIAT Primacare Agent listed on fiat.co.nz for the city I live in
I got to drive home in a 1995 BMW 320i courtesy car that had done 280,000km and was absolutely falling apart - it was quite exciting actually as I had been told it had a dodgy crank angle sensor and often wouldn't start. What a strange vague feeling in all the controls, I'll never be tempted to buy an old BMW from that era!
I opted not to have my 500's wiper blades replaced, as that would have taken a couple of days and cost $80 - instead I replaced the rubber bits again myself. The last replacements (from plastic-backed refills) had fallen out, but this time I used the type with the stainless steel side rails. Obviously you strip off the rails to get just the rubber bit, then you pry the end cap off the 500's blades, and slide the rubber between the wide metal strips. It's a tight fit but at least it won't be falling out again.
I hoped the squeaky heater fan might be resolved under warranty, but no-one at FIAT NZ knows anything about it, and it's not a loud enough squeak to be reasonably considered as a fault. After a number of phone calls, I thought sod it, I'll fix it myself.
The cost of the service was $288, less than the $300 I was quoted, so a nice surprise. That didn't include a new air filter as that wasn't deemed necessary, but it did include some kind of Selenia oil as required by the warranty conditions, and a new oil filter (probably).
I was surprised to see the service sticker filled out to show the next service as being due in one year or 10,000km. I queried that and was given another sticker "to write on whatever km I wanted". I guess that's service!
In a year's time, I'll certainly be servicing the little beastie myself, and any voiding of the remaining few months warranty will be stiff bikkies I'm sure if the Dualogic's about to die, it will have done so by then...
-Alex
I got to drive home in a 1995 BMW 320i courtesy car that had done 280,000km and was absolutely falling apart - it was quite exciting actually as I had been told it had a dodgy crank angle sensor and often wouldn't start. What a strange vague feeling in all the controls, I'll never be tempted to buy an old BMW from that era!
I opted not to have my 500's wiper blades replaced, as that would have taken a couple of days and cost $80 - instead I replaced the rubber bits again myself. The last replacements (from plastic-backed refills) had fallen out, but this time I used the type with the stainless steel side rails. Obviously you strip off the rails to get just the rubber bit, then you pry the end cap off the 500's blades, and slide the rubber between the wide metal strips. It's a tight fit but at least it won't be falling out again.
I hoped the squeaky heater fan might be resolved under warranty, but no-one at FIAT NZ knows anything about it, and it's not a loud enough squeak to be reasonably considered as a fault. After a number of phone calls, I thought sod it, I'll fix it myself.
The cost of the service was $288, less than the $300 I was quoted, so a nice surprise. That didn't include a new air filter as that wasn't deemed necessary, but it did include some kind of Selenia oil as required by the warranty conditions, and a new oil filter (probably).
I was surprised to see the service sticker filled out to show the next service as being due in one year or 10,000km. I queried that and was given another sticker "to write on whatever km I wanted". I guess that's service!
In a year's time, I'll certainly be servicing the little beastie myself, and any voiding of the remaining few months warranty will be stiff bikkies
I'm sure if the Dualogic's about to die, it will have done so by then...-Alex
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Happy report from here in NZ too, my 500 was serviced yesterday by the FIAT Primacare Agent listed on fiat.co.nz for the city I live in
I got to drive home in a 1995 BMW 320i courtesy car that had done 280,000km and was absolutely falling apart - it was quite exciting actually as I had been told it had a dodgy crank angle sensor and often wouldn't start. What a strange vague feeling in all the controls, I'll never be tempted to buy an old BMW from that era!
I opted not to have my 500's wiper blades replaced, as that would have taken a couple of days and cost $80 - instead I replaced the rubber bits again myself. The last replacements (from plastic-backed refills) had fallen out, but this time I used the type with the stainless steel side rails. Obviously you strip off the rails to get just the rubber bit, then you pry the end cap off the 500's blades, and slide the rubber between the wide metal strips. It's a tight fit but at least it won't be falling out again.
I hoped the squeaky heater fan might be resolved under warranty, but no-one at FIAT NZ knows anything about it, and it's not a loud enough squeak to be reasonably considered as a fault. After a number of phone calls, I thought sod it, I'll fix it myself.
The cost of the service was $288, less than the $300 I was quoted, so a nice surprise. That didn't include a new air filter as that wasn't deemed necessary, but it did include some kind of Selenia oil as required by the warranty conditions, and a new oil filter (probably).
I was surprised to see the service sticker filled out to show the next service as being due in one year or 10,000km. I queried that and was given another sticker "to write on whatever km I wanted". I guess that's service!
In a year's time, I'll certainly be servicing the little beastie myself, and any voiding of the remaining few months warranty will be stiff bikkies
-Alex
Are you sure that you have the 'right' wiper blades on your car.
There's a previous thread on the topic here. I got a cheap set off ebay that they had the wrong head. Was about to try to retrofit them but it wasn't possible. Ended up buying a set from a local factors at a 'dscounted' €40 called Valeo Silencio and they seem fine. Silencio VM335 Flat Wiper Blade Set - Fiat 500 / 500C (07>): Amazon.co.uk: Car & MotorbikeStill reckon the Bosch are probably the best. Sets up on ebay for £21. Here is an autotest report...http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/215220/wiper_blade_test.html
In relation to the air filter if you are looking to explore the 99bhp of your 1.4 a cotton gauze one if you get one cheap IMHO is worthwhile doing.
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Funnily enough I was asking myself this morning why Bosch call their excellent wipers "AeroTWINS" when, unlike the old days, the wipers are different to each other.
Are you sure that you have the 'right' wiper blades on your car.
Just to clarify, my car had the original blades until last week - they are marked with the FIAT/Lancia logo. I found the small one in particular was juddering horribly as the rubber core was 'set' at an angle from living outdoors. The large one was also distorted and leaving parts un-wiped.
I tried to simply buy a pair of new blades in the modern push-button strip-blade design, and was annoyed to find that only the driver's blade is available in our general auto parts stores. The passenger's side blade is too absurdly short to be listed in any catalogues. I always need blades to match - it just looks so bodgy otherwise.
So I bought a pair of old-style refills, then removed the rubber core of the original blades and replaced just that (by prying off the end cap). The mistake was that the refills were too narrow to stay in the original blade reliably. That's why I've now bought the type that has stainless steel strips (for fitting into old-style blade carriers). With the strips removed, the rubber core has a much wider top that makes it a tight fit in the 500's blades.
I tested this latest result this evening and it works well - original appearance, perfect water clearance, correct alignment (not leading or trailing) so no judder, but only slight fault is a squeegie noise when the blade reverses direction, due to it being a natural rubber material without graphite coating.
I will probably order some blades from eBay or similar, in time. At least I now have something that works safely (lots of rain here at this time of year, I needed a result fast). I naively thought that a service at the FIAT dealer might have included replacement wiper blades, but no - they don't have them (but can get them ordered in).
-Alex
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Just to clarify, my car had the original blades until last week - they are marked with the FIAT/Lancia logo. I found the small one in particular was juddering horribly as the rubber core was 'set' at an angle from living outdoors. The large one was also distorted and leaving parts un-wiped.
I tried to simply buy a pair of new blades in the modern push-button strip-blade design, and was annoyed to find that only the driver's blade is available in our general auto parts stores. The passenger's side blade is too absurdly short to be listed in any catalogues. I always need blades to match - it just looks so bodgy otherwise.
So I got clever and bought a pair of refills, then removed the rubber core of the original blades and replaced just that (by prying off the end cap). The mistake was that the refills were too narrow to stay in the original blade reliably. That's why I've now bought the type that has stainless steel strips (for fitting into old-style blade carriers). With the strips removed, the rubber core has a much wider top that makes it a tight fit in the 500's blades.
I tested this latest result this evening and it works well - original appearance, perfect wiping, but only slight fault is a squeegie noise when the blade reverses direction, due to it being a natural rubber material without graphite coating.
I will probably order some blades from eBay or similar, in time. At least I now have something that works safely (lots of rain here at this time of year, I needed a result fast). I naively thought that a service at the FIAT dealer might have included replacement wiper blades, but no - they don't have them (but can get them ordered in).
-Alex
The aero blades are more aerodynamic. If you're exploring the upper end of the speedo the standard blades don't work too well.
The aero ones 'push' into the windscreen. A problem I had with the 'old' 500 was over shutting especially on cross winds so I had to adjust the drivers wiper a bit lower down on the spindle. But with a 60mph speed limit in NZ I don't think you're going to encounter these problems.
I've just been quoted £175 for a "low mileage" service which includes the changing of oil & filter, pollet filter and something to do with the sealing gaskets (what's this??).
I was pretty shocked at that price, and said so! After a bit of discussion they have said that if I provide all the genuine/right bits they will do it at a labour cost of £65.
So that's £110 for the oil and filters. They don't charge to hook up to their diagnostic machine apparently.
My car seems to have a recall on the ignition coil (next door garage did this for me the other week) and she said they would sort that out at the same time. This is the main reason that I want to get it done at the dealer (until the warrenty is up), then it'll be the indie gargage next door.
So, can anyone point me towards where I can buy the parts that are needed for the service (oil, filters etc) for the best price?
I was pretty shocked at that price, and said so! After a bit of discussion they have said that if I provide all the genuine/right bits they will do it at a labour cost of £65.
So that's £110 for the oil and filters. They don't charge to hook up to their diagnostic machine apparently.
My car seems to have a recall on the ignition coil (next door garage did this for me the other week) and she said they would sort that out at the same time. This is the main reason that I want to get it done at the dealer (until the warrenty is up), then it'll be the indie gargage next door.
So, can anyone point me towards where I can buy the parts that are needed for the service (oil, filters etc) for the best price?
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https://www.fiatforum.com/500/267927-servicing-spare-service-parts-thread-2.htmlI've just been quoted £175 for a "low mileage" service which includes the changing of oil & filter, pollet filter and something to do with the sealing gaskets (what's this??).
I was pretty shocked at that price, and said so! After a bit of discussion they have said that if I provide all the genuine/right bits they will do it at a labour cost of £65.
So that's £110 for the oil and filters. They don't charge to hook up to their diagnostic machine apparently.
My car seems to have a recall on the ignition coil (next door garage did this for me the other week) and she said they would sort that out at the same time. This is the main reason that I want to get it done at the dealer (until the warrenty is up), then it'll be the indie gargage next door.
So, can anyone point me towards where I can buy the parts that are needed for the service (oil, filters etc) for the best price?
This thread is a gold mine of information
