Main dealer servicing

[trcm]

I've always tended to use main dealers for the annual Evora servicing, and apart from B&C, they all tend to be a disappointment.

Most recently had mine back from it's 4 year service, and they thoughtfully charged me around £30 for replacing the air filter, which they couldn't have possibly done given I'm running an aftermarket one.

I'm sure it's an honest mistake... but it does make one wonder what else we get charged for but dont receive.

Edited September 17, 2020 by trcm

[Bruss]

Honest mistake or not, it smacks of incompetence.

 

 

[C8RKH]

Maybe they through your aftermarket one away and replaced it with an inferior, but expensive, OEM one.

I think many main dealers are owned by a parent company called Fleesom & Diddlethem.

[DarrylV8]

We won’t use JCT following a similar experience with previous Exige.

[GTE_Peter]

Lotus Silverstone are good.  They look after my Evora and never had an issues there.

[TdM]

I've always felt that Indies give a better service - not necessarily all that much cheaper per year but they usually actually fix things properly and carefully look after your car as they want you to come back! It's their business so it matters that they do it properly.

 

[jep]

A Fiat main dealer wanted to charge me for a non-factory approved tyre, at an inflated (ho ho) price. I declined.

Renault main dealers are often still family owned and in general good.

B&C are exceptional, I even now take my old banger Lotus to them. This month they found a second-hand Elise S1 exhaust for me (OEM new not available) to ensure my car remained original. This without prompting, they know their customer.

I have had the odd bad experience with specialists; every garage makes mistakes but one over-filled the oil on my Excel by 2 litres - thankfully I checked it immediately. I have not returned as a customer to that Lotus specialist - they were sloppy in other ways also.

Justin

 

[C8RKH]

I think we are lucky in that we have some truly superb main dealers and independents that serve the Lotus market.

I think the one's with a dubious reputation are often, but not always, part of a far bigger multi-brand franchised network so the "sharp" practices come in as that is how they operate.

To be balanced, I am sure that in the volume market it is cut throat, with uber tight margins. But like the airlines they've turned the experience from something special, into something horrific, so people are finding their own ways to get round them, buy, etc. Thereby making the dealers situation worse, but I would argue they deserve it!

[trcm]

I’m not very amused my email asking for the filter (and VAT) to be refunded has gone unanswered since this morning. I suspect they’ll not be seeing business from me again.

 

[Bruss]

If they don't respond then time to name them and warn others.

 

 

[trcm]

1 minute ago, Bruss said:

If they don't respond then time to name them and warn others.

 

 

Agreed, but don’t want to name and shame until they’ve had a chance to apologise and refund. 

[Bruss]

No shaming. Just an honest comment if they don't respond.

 

 

[EGTE]

I won't touch main dealers of any type, sorry. It's where they make all their profits and they're just minimum-cost, minimum-care, maximum-profit machines.

[trcm]

Well, a long overdue update....

No refund ever arrived despite them asking for my bank details, and to top that, the MOT I had asked for (and they noted on the bill) seems to have been missed too as DVLA just reminded me that mine expires this month.

Hexagon of Highgate, I'm afraid it's now fairly unlikely I'll be calling on you in the future.

[C8RKH]

Can they actually do the MOT that early?

[Hangar 111]

14 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

Can they actually do the MOT that early?

You can do one whenever you like, but to maintain the expiry day/month, the earliest you can present the car is one month ahead.

Dave

[philcool]

Changed the pads and brake fluid on my mates BMW 1  series he took it two weeks later to BMW main dealer for his free MOT and multi point check. Oh sir you require new brake pads when he took the service manager outside and showed him that had just been done the reply well to be honest we don't look just go on the on board service diagnostics.

Also I've had a company vehicle for 35 years vans and cars and always serviced at main dealers as always under 4 years old and remember my Vauxhall estate going in for a service and expressly asked for the pollen filter to be checked/changed as poor cabin air flow.

Picked the car up all done sir did you change the pollen filter oh yes sir and showed me on the bill £12.99 still remember it on a J reg got outside same airflow so removed from under the bonnet solid took it back and slammed it on the counter oh what we ment was we've orderd one at which point a young lad appears from the back with the replacement I took it fitted it never went back even though I'm not paying the bill.

I've used Hanger 111 and Back on Track both great service it's always nice to be able to talk the person whose working on your car 

[Spanky3]

Glad I've not been to Hexagon of Highgate.

A good friend had a Ford serviced at a main dealer. On the way home the screenwash ran out so when he got home he checked the invoice - "screen wash checked and topped up". Even better the report said the spare tyre was a michelin and had 5mm of tread. Great news as the car didn't even have a spare when he dropped it off.

He called up to complain then met the service manager.  Apparently all the things he could check were mistakes but it was ok because all the things he couldn't check had been completed per the invoice.  He got a refund.

I had the Evora serviced at Silverstone and I trust they did an excellent job but daily driver and caterham get done by me for all the reasons above.

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Spanky3

[Escape]

I've never used an official dealer for servicing any car I've owned. Even the one I bought new was serviced by an independent (one that was brand certified so warranty was not an issue). I usually could stay/watch/help if I wanted to, so knew exactly what was being done.

Bar a few exceptions, I hear nothing but sorry tales from main dealer services. And I have seen plenty of evidence myself, cars serviced by a dealer for 3-4 years before coming to the Workshop. Topping up washing fluid is usually a default charge, whether they do it or not. One Defender did almost 100k km without the UJs ever being greased, despite at least 5 dealer visits. But that requires actually getting the car up on a lift and getting dirty underneath (especially on a properly used Defender), it's far easier to just suck out the oil through the dip stick tube and charge for a full inspection.
Another shameful tale was from a lady who got charged for spark plugs every other service (sporty German brand). Sounds reasonable, except she was driving a diesel!!

I think Lotus is probably one of the few brands that actually has good dealerships, people with a passion for the cars. I know that is the case in Belgium at least, similar as said by @C8RKH earlier in this thread.

More on topic, if you paid for a filter and MOT you didn't get, surely there must be a way to get a refund?

Filip 

[C8RKH]

19 minutes ago, Escape said:

More on topic, if you paid for a filter and MOT you didn't get, surely there must be a way to get a refund?

 

In my book it's actually Fraud (obtaining monies by deception?) and when proven someone needs to be prosecuted / go to jail. THEN, you will see changes.

If you stole "parts" from the dealer they'd want you prosecuted for theft.

[trcm]

Finally after chasing them for what seems like ages, a refund for the imaginary air filter has been submitted.

Although, the excuse for not actually performing the MOT is :

Quote

I can confirm that no MOT was carried out as it was more that the allowed time, so that is not included.

Which leaves me with a now expired MOT and great suspicions as to whether any of the service work was actually performed!

0 / 10 for 'service' from hexagonclassics.com, will not be bothering them ever again!

 

[EGTE]

Like I say, specialists wouldn't dream of doing such things, while main dealers often don't give a hoot.