General Have I just been mugged off for servicing?

[Mclovin]

Hi peeps

Just handed my car over this morning for its first time service, around 7k on the clock. The chap at the desk gave me a quote of 290 quid!! I nearly fainted!
I looked at the parts being replaced...there was only 5 items on the sheet...fancy named engine oil, oil filters, air filters, another low cost part, and spark plugsx4!!
All in all, this cost just around 100. Then looked at labour cost, and this was around 150!! Have I just been mugged off from Fiat Desire Southgate??
I'm sure first year service doesnt require change of spark plugs. Anyway, he said he can take the plugs off which makes me believe...why the heck did you put them on there in the beginning??
If spark plug changing was essential to first time service, any decent garage would have said 'sorry but we cant allow service of the car without change of spark plugs as its essential'

Am I just being overly too tight about what to expect to pay for my first service??
I've managed to get the plugs taken off, and price down to 215, but still feel mugged off.

 

[Daniyella]

OMG!! yes what a rip off, im taking mine in next friday and ive been quoted £170, we are taking 2 cars in as my stepmum has a 500 too and they agreed a 15% discount, but especially since yours is low milage too mines down 14000! x

 

[RobW]

london labour prices mate, and urban use so they are quoting a full 18k service

get a quote elsewhere to compare

 

[Mclovin]

Am I paying for a whole 11 aside squad to work on my tiny car??!! Anyway, got lazy in doing research this year so just gotta swallow this one and let it go...wont be going back to Southgate Desire next time thats for sure.

 

[rallycinq]

Its an hour and a half at £100 an hour, possibly.

Next service, take a road trip 'oop norf'. I bit beyond Islington will help. (c HIGNFY)

Cheers

D

 

[FragglePete]

london labour prices mate, and urban use so they are quoting a full 18k service

get a quote elsewhere to compare

Just had my 2nd Service done at 22k miles, and an 18k Service was done at a cost of £191. This was KTA, Pewsham near Chippenham/Calne.

Pete

 

[smart examiner]

Hi peeps

Just handed my car over this morning for its first time service, around 7k on the clock. The chap at the desk gave me a quote of 290 quid!! I nearly fainted!
I looked at the parts being replaced...there was only 5 items on the sheet...fancy named engine oil, oil filters, air filters, another low cost part, and spark plugsx4!!
All in all, this cost just around 100. Then looked at labour cost, and this was around 150!! Have I just been mugged off from Fiat Desire Southgate??
I'm sure first year service doesnt require change of spark plugs. Anyway, he said he can take the plugs off which makes me believe...why the heck did you put them on there in the beginning??
If spark plug changing was essential to first time service, any decent garage would have said 'sorry but we cant allow service of the car without change of spark plugs as its essential'

Am I just being overly too tight about what to expect to pay for my first service??
I've managed to get the plugs taken off, and price down to 215, but still feel mugged off.

Did you not get a quote on the phone before you handed over the keys?
I had a Panda 100HP in 2008 it's first service cost £120 at a main Fiat dealer in Manchester.It has the same engine as the 1.4 500 so they have taken your trousers down as all will in the motor trade if you let them.

 

[DraigFlag87]

With such low mileage you should have had a "low mileage" service (the clue is in the title) which should have been anything between £60 and £90 pounds just for an oil and filter (sounds cheap, the same thing in the US costs around $20!)

I paid full whack for my first service, £370 which is also a bit insane, but i had over double your mileage so a full service.

 

[zanes]

Just had my 2nd Service done at 22k miles, and an 18k Service was done at a cost of £191. This was KTA, Pewsham near Chippenham/Calne.

Pete

Had my first service done at Pewsham (18k) for a similar cost. Good service there too, although the Panda they gave me was alot more different to the 500 than I was expecting

 

[buzz500]

i have just been quoted £130.25 for 1st low milage from main dealer and that was the price recommended by fiat........some blatent profiteering going on throughout the country......

 

[Advanced Driver]

i have just been quoted £130.25 for 1st low milage from main dealer and that was the price recommended by fiat........some blatent profiteering going on throughout the country......

It's not clear when the OP's service was. There is a 2 year service interval for the 500's so I'm assuming that this service was after 2 years, and was not a low mileage one. If this is the case then your service would have had a lot less done.

My Panda 100HP was about £185 for the first service IIRC and the second year service will have need a lot more doing such as the brake fluid.

I think the brake fluid should have been changed after 2 years too, but the OP didn't mention that.

 

[306maxi]

Am I paying for a whole 11 aside squad to work on my tiny car??!! Anyway, got lazy in doing research this year so just gotta swallow this one and let it go...wont be going back to Southgate Desire next time thats for sure.

You do realise that the service intervals for the 500 (if it's been delivered in 2009 onwards are 2 years or 18k miles so you don't need to get it done every year.

 

[306maxi]

As a guide to the lower end of servicing costs, my stealer charged £50 for labour whilst I supplied parts which cost me £75. That is for a full 18k service. Prices should be more of less the same or within ~£10 (in terms of parts) for the 1.4 and the 1.2. So yes, the OP did get spanked.

 

[sharpyboy]

Just had 1st service at Vospers Plymouth at 11000 miles cost £160 (high mileage with 10% discount)

Vospers website states "a new Fiat 500 on an 18000 mile service interval, will be due for a service after 12 months even if it hasn’t reached the mileage. The following year will be a 36000 mile service and so on.
If you are a high mileage driver you will be required to have the service carried out more frequently (every 18000 miles if applicable on your model)."


http://www.vospers.com/Aftersales/FiatService/Fiat500.aspx

 

[IainG GPS]

Just had 1st service at Vospers Plymouth at 11000 miles cost £160 (high mileage with 10% discount)

Vospers website states "a new Fiat 500 on an 18000 mile service interval, will be due for a service after 12 months even if it hasn’t reached the mileage. The following year will be a 36000 mile service and so on.
If you are a high mileage driver you will be required to have the service carried out more frequently (every 18000 miles if applicable on your model)."


http://www.vospers.com/Aftersales/FiatService/Fiat500.aspx

Interesting as I have a letter from my dealer stating the service intervals are now 18,000 miles, no time limit, with a recommendation for an oil change each year.

 

[306maxi]

Just had 1st service at Vospers Plymouth at 11000 miles cost £160 (high mileage with 10% discount)

Vospers website states "a new Fiat 500 on an 18000 mile service interval, will be due for a service after 12 months even if it hasn’t reached the mileage. The following year will be a 36000 mile service and so on.
If you are a high mileage driver you will be required to have the service carried out more frequently (every 18000 miles if applicable on your model)."


http://www.vospers.com/Aftersales/FiatService/Fiat500.aspx

That was how it was originally when the car was launched. I think it was sept 2008 when the requirements changed. Most if not all dealers don't seem to know this though......

 

[sharpyboy]

That was how it was originally when the car was launched. I think it was sept 2008 when the requirements changed. Most if not all dealers don't seem to know this though......

I know, i tried to argue with them but they wouldn't have it and i couldn't get any help from Fiat they said it was up to the dealers but at least its done.

 

[306maxi]

I know, i tried to argue with them but they wouldn't have it and i couldn't get any help from Fiat they said it was up to the dealers but at least its done.

If you know they're talking crap then tell them to go **** themselves. Simple

 

[asdarch]

I posted this ages ago but I was charged £315 for my first service having done 5K miles. The car was collected from my home and delivered back and my wife paid the bill!! It should have been a low mileage service but they claim to have done a full service. I bet they didn't.

Anyway, rather than a refund the dealer offered to do the next years service for free. Stupidly I agreed. The dealer then went bump.

The new dealer in the same premises still states that all servicing costs are set by Fiat. Checking any other local dealer proved this to be a lie. Company is rotten to the core, and yes I do know who ripped me off, and I will come across you again. This time on my terms you F****R!

Avoid any dealer trading as a Fiat dealer in Bolton!

Why Fiat themselves don't crack down on such dealers is beyond me. Gives the brand a bad name. My 3 years of ownership is coming up soon and I should be looking at a Twin Air. Looking anywhere but Fiat right now. Great product but dealt with by scum.

 

[306maxi]

I posted this ages ago but I was charged £315 for my first service having done 5K miles. The car was collected from my home and delivered back and my wife paid the bill!! It should have been a low mileage service but they claim to have done a full service. I bet they didn't.

Anyway, rather than a refund the dealer offered to do the next years service for free. Stupidly I agreed. The dealer then went bump.

The new dealer in the same premises still states that all servicing costs are set by Fiat. Checking any other local dealer proved this to be a lie. Company is rotten to the core, and yes I do know who ripped me off, and I will come across you again. This time on my terms you F****R!

Avoid any dealer trading as a Fiat dealer in Bolton!

Why Fiat themselves don't crack down on such dealers is beyond me. Gives the brand a bad name. My 3 years of ownership is coming up soon and I should be looking at a Twin Air. Looking anywhere but Fiat right now. Great product but dealt with by scum.

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.